61 Gems on Highway 61: A Guide to Minnesota's North Shore-from Well Known Attractions to Best Kept Secrets

by William Mayo, William E. Mayo

Highway 61, from Duluth to the Canadian border, is peppered with tourist hotspots that Minnesotans love. But even the most devout North Shore traveler doesn't know Lake Superior like Kathryn and William Mayo do. These explorers and residents of the region outline the best sites you may not know about. This entertaining guide will lead you to 61 hidden treasures and tourist favorites, so you'll experience the beautiful region in a whole new way.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An indispensable guidebook for anyone planning a trip along Minnesota’s North Shore, Highway 61 from Duluth to Grand Portage. Here you’ll find directions to well-known sites like Gooseberry Falls State Park and Split Rock Lighthouse, but also to the lesser known but well worth it sites like Palisade Head or Black Beach. The price of the book is well worth it for the information on sites you wouldn’t otherwise know are there.

Each of the 61 “gems” has a picture, directions, accessibility information, and interesting facts presented in an easy, comfortable style. This updated 2nd edition features larger pictures and a bit more color making for a more contemporary feel over the 1st edition. The map along the top of the pages showing distance from Duluth and position along the route is now in color which really makes it stand out much more as a useful feature. Additionally, all commercial references have been removed leaving this as a guide to the natural and scenic attractions of the area.

I found the driving directions and accessibility information to be excellent. There were some good tips in the introduction too so be sure to read that before you set out on your trip. Have fun discovering your favorite gem!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one of a kind guidebook offers information on sites along Minnesota’s Highway 61, Duluth to Grand Portage. Each of the 61 “gems” has a picture, directions, accessibility information, and interesting facts presented in an easy, comfortable style.

I’m hoping to take the drive along Minnesota’s Highway 61 this upcoming summer. Two sites of particular interest to me are Iona’s Beach, a pink beach known for the tinkling sounds the waves make as the flattened pebbles settle again, and The Naniboujou Lodge with its Great Hall and large native rock fireplace.

I would recommend this book to anyone seeking relaxation in the great outdoors. Most of the entries here are for natural attractions like beaches, hiking trails, and spectacular views. Minnesota’s Highway 61 has all the makings of a great vacation – low cost, stress free relaxation among nature’s scenic beauty.

[Scott Block · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun guide to use while driving along the North Shore. I have been up there many times but after using this book (which my wife purchased, thank you), we found sights I had driven past and never knew about.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gem of a book, I love Minnesota's North Shore and thought I knew most of what there is to see, but this book covers all the classics plus some hidden treasures, I've added several of the gems to my travel plans this year, and over the years I plan to visit everyone of these gems

[Jeff Bloomquist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting places! Then again the North Shore is the best location in all of Minnesota when it comes to lakes, fishing, site seeing and just relaxing. In Minnesota there is nothing better

[Eric Montag · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book to be well laid out, with basic information on each attraction, and nice color photographs. If you are considering a trip to Minnesota's North Shore, this is definitely a book worth reading. And the North Shore is definitely a place worth visiting. It was beautiful there!

[Joan]

Been there done that

[Brittany Kjenaas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super awesome when you are traveling up the North Shore from Duluth to Grand Portages. There are lot of options to see and visit. We wrote in our book when we went to the different locations. It is a very populated area during the summer so it is great to have a guide. The waterfalls in the spring are breathtaking. This book really helps you guide your way up the North Shore.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a fun book written with an obvious love of the area.

[Steven Juracek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic guide to fun things to check out along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

from "Cool Things to Know" about Burlington Bay (Gem #13):

We will warn you that though we have braved the ice-water here, the average temperature is 38 degrees Fahrenheit, with the surface temperature in the summer months sometimes between 40 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. That may sound warm enough to swim in, but temperatures in the high end are rare and very temporary. Even if the surface is warm, the water just below that is likely 45 degrees, so you are likely in for a very short dip! This is a great place to cool your heels, but it is far more common on a sultry day to see the beach's edge lined with people in swimming attire and not one soul in the Lake.

This guidebook is well-organized, presenting a map at the top of each page showing the movement along Highway 61 as we move from Duluth to Grand Portage. For each site, the miles to Duluth are provided, directions for parking, accessibility, and "cool things to know." In order to reach 61 Gems on Highway 61 (see what they did there?), there's a couple of sites which are filler, such as a cool house that belongs to a private owner not interested in providing tourists tours or a rusted anchor which was once hoisted by some teen hooligans onto the back of a pickup for some joy riding--and then returned.

What is most amusing about this guide is the back page where the authors are pictured and described. Bill Mayo looks like he's staring a grizzly down in a wintry wonderland and Kitty Mayo looks so exhausted she can only tilt her head towards the camera and give a frugal smile. Bill took all the pictures EXCEPT the cover and the opening page on Gooseberry Falls--they were purchased from Shutterstock. Why, I don't know. Bill takes some great pictures, and it's fascinating to suddenly notice the same blond woman buried in the background of several photos. Off in the distance at the edge of the Superior surf at Sugarload Cove, she seems somewhat exhausted and depressed. She practically blends into Hollow Rock at the Hollow Rock Resort--but at least she's standing. She's up in the northeastern quadrant on the image of Split Rock Falls, lucky--it seems--to even make the picture. Her greatest moment is her back while overlooking "the beauty of this phenomenal trail" at Wolf Rock of the Superior Hiking Trail. Could be Kitty, but I can't be sure.

The book is a quick read and easy to access and plan from. Not the most thorough guide, but it is an interesting one.

[Carey J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is hard to review because I am really familiar with the North Shore of Minnesota. So, for me personally, it is a three-star book as there is not that much in the way of best-kept secrets in the book; however, if you are new to the North Shore or even just a little familiar, this is probably a five-star book. It is laid out well, easy to read and follow, and I love that it talks about accessibility of each place which brings it up to a 3.5 for me. Good, solid directions are included in each place.

So, if you are checking out the North Shore of Minnesota for the first time and have some time to explore, this is a 5-star must-have book! If you are a Minnesotan/regional visitor and have not spent a lot of time exploring the area, I think you will find a ton of value in this book as well.

Even though I have explored the area a lot, I found 8 locations I want to explore (from the book). Most I had heard of, but I found it really helpful to find a “hidden gem” on my last trip.

[Todd Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highway 61, from Duluth, Minnesota, to the Canadian border, is filled with tourist hotspots.

These explorers and residents of the region outline the best sites that you may not know about along this scenic road.

The book highlights North Shore’s hidden treasures and tourist favorites, offering complete site details and need-to-know information, such as driving directions, accessibility, and fun facts.

Full-color photographs and maps further enhance this handy guidebook.

We will be doing some of this drive and I will have this along to pick places to stop at and what to see. I like the photos of each stop to know what to look for. Also, they do good talking about the history of the area which enhances the experience.

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information about the North Shore in Minnesota. Lots of interesting history!