Minnesota Wildlife by Motorhome

Depart the UK on your chosen scheduled flight to Minneapolis. Upon arrival, independently make your way to your hotel, where you spend the first night of your adventure.

Accommodation

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DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Minneapolis Downtown

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DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Minneapolis Downtown

The stylishly decorated suites at the DoubleTree are contemporary, bright and spacious, and feature an array of amenities. Ensuring every stay is one of complete comfort, all suites feature a Sweet Dreams® bed with European linens, flat screen televisions, coffee-makers, refrigerators and wireless internet.

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Tour the “Twin Cities” of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, one of the greenest metropolitan areas in America, with over 1,000 lakes and 400 parks, including the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area and the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Visit the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and, if time permits, the adjoining Walker Art Centre. Dedicate a full day to the world-famous Mall of America, home to 520 stores, 50 restaurants, and attractions including Nickelodeon Universe, the nation’s largest indoor theme park. Enjoy a paddlewheel cruise on the Mississippi River or explore the city by bike, rated a top bicycling city in the US. Take advantage of Minnesota’s no sales tax on clothing and shoes while stocking up at the mall.

Today, visit Itasca State Park, the headwaters of the Mississippi River and Minnesota’s oldest state park. Explore its 32,000 acres and 100 sparkling lakes, and take a walk across the mighty Mississippi as it begins its winding 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico.

Today, visit Ely, named America’s coolest small town by Budget Travel magazine. Explore the North American Bear Center, offering detailed insights into the lives of the black bears that roam Minnesota’s northern woods, and watch three live bears in a two-acre enclosure with a pond. Also in Ely is the International Wolf Center, home to a resident wolf pack and offering a variety of educational programs, including the unforgettable experience of night-time howling with the wolves.

Explore the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) on a day canoe trip through this 1.09 million-acre expanse within the Superior National Forest. Named by National Geographic as one of 50 must-visit places in a lifetime, this remote wilderness is accessible only by canoe or kayak. Try your hand at fishing for pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, or lake trout, and keep your eyes open for wildlife including beaver, bears, moose, and bald eagles.

Depart for Duluth via the North Shore Scenic Drive, an All American Road, along the coast of Lake Superior. The 154 mile North Shore scenic coastal seashore drive is truly dramatic. Lake Superior encompasses eight state parks and brims with natural wonder. Spend some time exploring Duluth known for its rocky shoreline and Canal Park with its iconic Aerial Lift Bridge. Suggested stops include Split Rock Lighthouse Historic Site and Gooseberry Falls state park. Appreciate the areas beauty & wilderness by hiking The Superior Hiking Trail.

Drive to Wabasha following Jay Cooke State Park, Veterans Evergreen Memorial Scenic Drive, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, first among the nation’s Wild Scenic Rivers, and Great River Road, a National Scenic Byway. Suggested stops include the historic river towns of Stillwater and Red Wing.

Visit the National Eagle Centre in Wabasha. Four eagles reside at the centre and interactive exhibits explain the biology of the eagle, the cultural history of the eagle, its significance as a national symbol and its importance to American Indian cultures. Minnesota has over 1,300 nesting pairs of eagles and Wabasha has one of the largest concentrations of wintering bald eagles in the nation. Drive Bluff Country with soaring, wooded bluffs and charming river towns to stop off at  along the way. These scenic river valleys offer plenty to see and do, with antique shops, wineries and apple orchards. There are many Amish homesteads in the area, and shops carry their quilts.

Allow a good two hours to get back to the Cruise America depot in Minneapolis, especially if driving in rush hour. Return your motorhome, make your way to the airport and check in for your flight back to the UK.