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Must See Spots on the Way to Grand Marais | North Shore Stops | Travel

Must See Spots on the Way to Grand Marais |

North Shore Stops


My husband and I made our way for the first time to Grand Marais. The planner in me has been planning and googling all the different things we could explore along the way to Grand Marais. What was worth seeing and what wasn’t, what gems are along the way, all that good stuff. I have been planning this little weekend adventure for months since Covid hit we were not sure we would have to cancel or not but the Lord provided and we went on our road trip adventure.

On the way to Grand Marais these are the stops we made and what we enjoyed.

IOANA BEACH

Ioana Beach in Two Harbours - Pink Beach - This is a beautiful beach where all the rocks are pink. I know it sounds weird but this was really cool to see in person. The beach is pretty big so on a normal weekend I am sure it is packed. I have seen these type of beaches all the time on facebook pages like “Take Me There.” So I was really excited that there was something I did not have to even leave my Minnesota to see in person. Marcus and I enjoyed sitting in the little cove area where we watched Dunder play in the water. The rocks were sitting in the sun so they warmed up our feet nicely when we came out of the freezing water temperatures. This was a great spot for a forest of pine trees as well, which is often sought after for photos. I can see a fun engagement/couple session here in future for sure.
You can check out the website here

Black Beach

Black Beach in Silver Bay - Like the beach above this beach is known for the beach being black rocks! It felt like regular sand to the touch and was really hot being in the sun all morning by the time we got there!
The big thing with this location is the parking lot was PACKED causing cars to park on the side of the road almost a mile up. We chanced it and got a spot close but parking was not great. For those in larger campers this spot would be really tricky on a day full of people.
I loved the rock fixtures attached to this beach and I think it would be a cute place to take a couple for a photo session in silver bay!

You can check out the website here if you want more information

Palisade Head

Palisade Head in Beaver Bay - A stop that will sneak up on you if you are not looking for, Palisade Head is a high overlook off highway 61. It has a lower parking lot and a tight road up to a small parking lot at the lookout. It was high up and pretty intimidating in person. I don’t know if this is something we would stop at again as it seemed very close to all the other stops we had already done! We did not stay long. The ledge was really the only location that wasn’t packed with trees right off the parking lot.

You can read other peoples reviews on Tripadvisor Link Here

Cascade Falls State Park

Cascade Falls State Park - This was one location that was kind of in the air for us. If we felt up to it at the time then we would go type deal. it was also one of my favorite stops of the day! So glad we didn’t skip it. Cascade Falls State Park had water falls and good little hiking paths that were close to the parking lot. We did make a mistake of going north when we should have gone south which added about an hour of going up the trail but it was still beautiful to see. I LOVED these falls. They were beautiful to see in person and I would 100% go back to this location to enjoy them again.

Website here if you want more information

Now! There are other amazing stops along the way I would recommend that we did not stop THIS trip.
Additional stops I would highly recommend are Gooseberry Falls, Duluth Pier, The Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche State Park, Silver Bay. We have made these adventures on previous times coming up the North Shore so we did not try to fit them in this time, but they are all stops we would make again!

Are you planning your North Shore gettaway for you Engagement session? I have tips to make your State Park Photo session even more amazing! You can check out Tips for Your State Park Engagement Session HERE

How to prepare For Your Engagement Session at a State Park | Minnesota State Park Wedding Photographer | MW Photography

How To Prepare For Your Engagement Session at a State Park

I love exploring my local State Parks in Minnesota and I think your love of the outdoors brought you here too! So much that you are now looking into having your engagement photos at you favorite state park! I have a couple of tips to help make your state park engagement photography a better experience as you plan! Some of these tips are for before hand and some tips for the session it helps!
Here we go.

Check the website to make sure the park is open.

Just imagine, after being excited to plan your adventure session in your beautiful local state park you get there to closed signs and ropes between you and your dream photos. This disappointment is the last thing you want! It can be simply avoided by checking the website or calling ahead for any trail closures. Speaking of checking the website……

Gooseberry Falls State Park Photography

Check the website to see if a photography permit is required.

As photography has blown up in a good way many locations even in the great outdoors are charging a permit fee to have your photos there. The rangers will ask and will give a big fine if you are caught without your permit. Check permit requirements as early as possible as most take up to 2 weeks or more to process your request or charge more for expedited requests. Don’t let this ruin your session on the day of. Get your permit. Another permit that will most likely be needed is a park pass sticker for your car while you are there. Most of the time they are $7 a day or $30-$ 35 for the year. Check your state park website for admission prices.

Lake Superior Engagement Photography

Wear the right shoes

Wear shoes that won’t have you cursing the day you were born. Many girls see Instagram models in their high-heels and think that is the way to go. This is a mistake for the great outdoors! Wearing the right shoes for the journey will make all the difference and save your feet from a world of hurt for the next couple of days. An easy alternative is pack the cute shoes in a hiking backpack to change once you get to your destination! Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

Lake Superior North Shore Photographer state park

Plan your timeline with estimated hiking time.

Some trails in your State Parks are longer than others. If you have specific spots in mind it may take some time to get to those spots! Definitely plan on adding that time to your schedule so you have a realistic timeline while planning your state park adventure! A good resource to help with this is a website like alltrails.com that shows trail’s intensity and length.

Driftwood at Minnesota State Park

Bring plenty of food and water.

Adventuring in your local State Park is SO much fun, but can take a lot out of you! Bringing water and snacks will keep your energy levels and spirits high so you can enjoy your experience to the fullest. Your photographer wants you to be happy! Food and hydration will help with that! Good trail snacks are nuts, packed fruits, and veggies. (And some celebratory bubbly wouldn’t hurt!)

Adventure at Gooseberry falls

Don’t forget to bring your spirit of adventure.

Have fun, enjoy the beauty around you!!! Bring a fun date idea that you and your fiance can enjoy along the way like a picnic or a favorite hobby you can do together. If you both are having a good time, your photos will reflect that!

I hope this helps bring you an amazing state park engagement session experience!


Happy Adventuring!

Looking for more inspiration for your future state park adventure?
Check out by clicking these outdoor engagement sessions to inspire your own adventure!!
Becca & Scott | Christian & Emily | Sara & Isaac | Bailey & Michaila


You can also check out Must See Spots along Minnesota’s North Shore HERE for future planning Up North!