Where to Stay in Grand Marais, MN

Grand Marais's harbor is the heart of town and staying here means everything is under five minutes on foot. Wisconsin Street runs the main commercial strip. World's Best Donuts, Gunflint Tavern, Angry Trout Cafe, and Sven and Ole's Pizza are all within a few blocks. The Coast Guard Station and lighthouse sit directly on the harbor. Lodges here face the water. Parking is free. Evenings, locals gather at the harbor dock to watch Superior's light change. Summer weekends get busy during the Folk School Art Fair and fishing tournaments. That is the only real downside to this location.

Best for

First-timerscouplesfood-focused travelers who want to walk to dinner

Walk times

World's Best Donuts 2 min
Angry Trout Cafe 4 min
Harbor boat launch 3 min

Skip if: You need quiet nights. Wisconsin Street stays lively until 10pm on summer weekends.

Local tip: Book east-facing rooms for sunrise over Superior. West-facing rooms get a better sunset but the sunrise is the one locals brag about.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$168per night

Artist's Point

Quiet lakeshore, ten minutes from the action

Mid-range $120-$230/night

Artist's Point sits at the eastern edge of downtown where a rocky shoreline juts into Lake Superior. East 5th Avenue and Coast Guard Road lead to the point itself, free to visit and popular with photographers at dawn. Vacation rentals and small inns cluster along the shore here. Fewer restaurants and shops than downtown but you are 10 minutes walk from Wisconsin Street. The Superior Hiking Trail passes nearby. Suites with private lake decks go fast in summer. This area fills quickly with long-term renters in July. Book four to six weeks out minimum for peak season availability.

Best for

Photographerscouples wanting quietmorning walkers who want lake access without crowds

Walk times

Artist's Point overlook 5 min
Wisconsin Street main strip 10 min
East Bay Harbor 8 min

Skip if: You need restaurants within two minutes. The walk to downtown is pleasant but it is still a walk.

Local tip: Arrive at Artist's Point before 7am for empty shots of the harbor and lighthouse. By 8am in summer there are 30 people with tripods set up.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$134per night

Gunflint Trail

Wilderness starts at your door, lakes and portages included

Luxury $180-$420/night

County Road 12, the Gunflint Trail, heads north from downtown Grand Marais for 57 miles into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Lodges like Bearskin Lodge at mile 26 and Voyageur Canoe Outfitters near mile 58 at Saganaga Lake sit along the route. The closer lodges work for day hikes into BWCA. Go 30 or more miles for serious paddling access. Cell service drops out past mile 20. Most lodge packages include canoe rentals and firewood. Grocery runs require a 45-minute drive back into Grand Marais. This is not a base camp for sightseeing. It is the destination itself.

Best for

BWCA paddlersbackcountry hikersanyone who wants zero cell service for a week

Walk times

BWCA canoe entry from nearest trailhead 5 min
Nearest lake 2 min
Nearest grocery store in Grand Marais 45 min

Skip if: You are not outdoors-oriented. There is nothing to do here that involves screens or sit-down restaurants.

Local tip: Book Gunflint lodges 6 to 12 months ahead for July and August. September has openings within a few weeks and far fewer mosquitoes than June.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$202per night

Highway 61 East

Remote North Shore, waterfalls, half the price

Mid-range $95-$200/night

Heading northeast on Highway 61 from Grand Marais toward the Canadian border puts you on dramatic Lake Superior coastline with almost no crowds. Cabins and small resorts stretch along this corridor for 50 miles. Naniboujou Lodge sits 14 miles out, a 1929 historic property with a Great Hall painted in bold Cree designs and no TVs in the rooms. Judge C.R. Magney State Park at mile 14 has the Devil's Kettle waterfall where half a river disappears underground. Grand Portage State Park at mile 36 includes Minnesota's tallest waterfall at 120 feet. Bring your groceries from Grand Marais before heading out.

Best for

Budget travelerswaterfall hikersphotographers who genuinely hate crowds

Walk times

Lake Superior shoreline 2 min
Naniboujou dining room if staying on property 1 min
Grand Marais nearest town with grocery 30 min

Skip if: You want walkable restaurants or nightlife. You are fully on your own out here after dark.

Local tip: Naniboujou's breakfast is worth the 14-mile drive even if you stay downtown. The 1929 Great Hall is the most unusual dining room in Minnesota. Reservations required in summer.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

$106per night