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Trip Hints
Favorites for Spring
Duluth 101
Here's everything you need to know about visiting this lively port town on Lake Superior.
Where to find spring wildflowers
Some can be seen everywhere; others are more elusive.
Spring in Traverse City
When the pear trees flower, prowl through the hot spots of this Lake Michigan beach town.
A feast of festivals
At small-town shindigs, get your fill of strawberries and sauerkraut, kolacky and sweet corn.
Spring bird festivals
After a long winter, birders welcome the return of feathered friends.
Planning a Circle Tour of Lake Michigan
For a great summer road trip, follow the shores of this Midwestern Riviera.
Spring in Door County
On this Wisconsin peninsula, a vast array of wildflowers rewards those weary of winter.
A roof in the woods
In state and county parks and forests, visitors love their camper cabins.
Planning a Circle Tour of Lake Superior
For a great vacation, follow the shores of the world's largest freshwater lake.
Of all the vacations a person can take in this region, a Circle Tour of Lake Superior may be the best.
It appeals to waterfall watchers, lighthouse fans and history buffs. It's a magnet for kayakers and hikers.
It makes a great honeymoon and also a great family trip, because small children adore stops at the many pebble beaches.
Waterfalls of the North Shore
As snow melts along Lake Superior, the rivers start to roar.
Up north, all of the snow that brought you great skiing just keeps on giving when spring arrives.
That's when it turns into waterfalls, roaring down river gorges and misting awed onlookers.
One of the easiest places to see lots of big waterfalls is along Minnesota's North Shore, where dozens of rivers roar down into Lake Superior. Where there's water, there's a waterfall.
20 great spring drives
When weather warms, the urge to hit the road is irresistible.
It's a beautiful spring day — finally. The trees are budding, the birds are chirping. What do you do?
Road trip! Somehow, the call of the highway is especially strong in spring. We want to feel the wind on our face and see something new and unusual.
There's a lot to do along the way: Walk through bluebells, spot birds, visit artist studios, sample cheese, watch a parade.
20 great spring hikes
The scenery along these lovely trails will put a spring in your step.
What's so great about hiking in spring? That's easy — there's so much to see.
Move your feet in any direction and you'll run across wildflowers, waterfalls and, best of all, sweeping views that last only until the trees leaf out.
Head out before summer makes its brash appearance, with walls of greenery and fleets of bugs.
Road trip: Wildflowers of the Mississippi Valley
A spring quest leads through Minnesota bluff country and Wisconsin river towns.
In May, the woods are full of people on the hunt.
Some are stalking morel mushrooms. Others are trying to bag a turkey or spot a rare warbler.
The rest of us are content to chase wildflowers. For one thing, we're guaranteed success.
Best of spring
When warm weather arrives, it's time to tiptoe through the tulips.
Winter seems interminable, and cabin fever hits hard. When spring finally gets here, the challenge will be to get out there and enjoy it in the short window before summer gets here.
What to do? Go on a spring drive, see fiddlehead ferns unfurl and surround yourself with that delicate shade of chartreuse that seems to tint the air green.
Look for wildflowers, kayak on cattail-lined creeks, stalk morel mushrooms and watch Dutch dancers clogging on the street.