Our first trip during the COVID era was p to Duluth for weekend stay. We stayed at the Canal Park Lodge for a couple of nights. I totally forgot to take photos of the room, but you can just assume it is essentially the same as a Holiday Inn, but with a little patio that kinda had a view of Lake Superior. Most rooms have a great view, but we ended up with a room in the western wing of the building with views of giant boulders and construction equipment mostly.
Duluth had a mask mandate before the state did, so going to restaurants felt pretty safe overall. It was just slightly difficult to remember to put on as mask to walk around the hotel.
We visited OMC Smokehouse for our first dinner. It did not disappoint. The food and service were both very good. Reservations are recommended. We waited at the nearby brewery Bent Paddle for out of the time.
The ribs, elote and fries. The ribs were really good and the elote was excellent.
I had the brisket with sweet potatoes and potato salad. All very good.
We leaned that in COVID times nothing stays open very late in Duluth. Most restaurants and breweries closed at 9pm daily. So utilized our balcony and watched the lake activity. Plus both evenings it rained later on, so there was not much to do anyway.
We went to Duluth Grill for breakfast since we loved it so much last time we went to Duluth. They had a bunch of outdoor seating and a tent for cover in addition to spaced tables inside. John had the breakfast melt with hash browns, made with organic scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, Jones Farm sausage patties, maple-bacon jam on grilled sour dough.
I had the biscuit sammie with Jones farm cherrywood smoked bacon, organic scrambled egg, cheddar cheese, on a fresh made biscuit. and red flannel hash, which is made up of sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, and bell peppers, tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme.
After breakfast we drove up the North Shore a bit and walked around at Gooseberry Falls. It was really busy! Everyone had the same idea we had. Get outside!
view from Fitger's
We had a late lunch/early dinner at The Boat Club at Fitger's. John had the lake Superior whitefish with a eer battered wild locally caught filet, Old Bay seasoned french fries, small side salad and house made remoulade.
I had the polenta crusted walleye filet, with asparagus, jeweled Minnesota wild rice and a house made remoulade.
We also visited Wild State Cider and Ursa Minor Brewery. Both had spaced out tables and outdoor seating.
The view from out hotel room was obscured a bit by huge piles of rocks and construction equipment. The lake walk was being repaired from last year's storm damage.
We again stopped at Duluth Grill for breakfast Sunday on our way home. John had a chicken biscuit sandwich.
I had the heuvos rancheros skillet this time-- it had hashbrowns, fried tortilla, fresh pico de gallo, grilled corn, black beans, shredded cheese, two organic eggs, guajillo pepper sauce, sour cream, guacamole.
Overall, we had a good trip. Going anywhere is stressful right now, but getting out of the house was a refreshing change of pace even if it was only for a couple nights.
