Thunder Alley XL located on Highway 169 North in Grand Rapids, Minnesota has bowling, a lounge, arcade, and miniature golf course. Fun for the whole family! Visit the Thunder Alley XL website or call 1-218-326-5950 for hours or for more information.
Area
ATTRACTIONS
Want More? Grand Rapids is the heart of Itasca County and known for its wide variety
of arts and entertainment, festivals, events and museums.
- All
- Fall
- Family
- Indoor Activities
- Outdoor Activities
- Spring
- Summer
- Winter
Itasca County Golf Courses
With four 18-hole championship golf courses and several more nine-hole golf courses found within Itasca County, you are certain to find a tee-time to suit your needs. Very few northern resort areas offer the many choices we do! Area courses include a wide variety of golf to accommodate all skill levels. Golf Courses: Eagle Ridge Golf Course, Pokegama Golf Club, Sugarbrooke Golf Club, Blueberry Hills Golf Course, Golf on the Edge & Swan Lake Golf Club.
Casinos
Gaming casinos are in abundance in our area. Guests will find Cedar Lakes Casino in Cass Lake, MN, White Oak Casino in Deer River, MN, Northern Lights Casino in Walker, MN and Black Bear Casino in Cloquet, MN all within easy driving distance.
Bowling
Thunder Alley XL located on Highway 169 North in Grand Rapids, Minnesota has bowling, a lounge, arcade, and miniature golf course. Fun for the whole family! Visit the Thunder Alley XL website or call 1-218-326-5950 for hours or for more information.
Rasley’s BlueBerry Bowl located just north of Deer River, Minnesota on Highway 6 has 10 bowling lanes, the Lucky Strike Lounge and a large dining room. For hours and more information call 1-218-246-8048.
Blackduck Bowling Lanes located on Summit Avenue in Blackduck, MN is open to the public. Call them at 218-835-6620 for more information.
Mini Golf
Reif Center for Performing Arts
By bringing dance, theater, music and popular entertainment to its stage, the Myles Reif Performing Arts Center provides a stage for performing arts in Northern Minnesota. Completely renovated in 2016, the Reif Center is also dedicated to providing dance instruction to both the serious dance student and the recreational student.
The Reif Center is located at 720 Conifer Drive in Grand Rapids – adjacent to the Grand Rapids High School. Click here to enjoy a getaway with a Reif Center Theater Package from Wildwood Resort. Our Hot Lodging Partnership with the Reif Center allows us to offer the best prices for tickets and lodging. Contact us for more information.
MacRostie Art Center
Located in downtown Grand Rapids, the MacRostie Art Center is a gathering place where artists and community members can share in the belief that art is the heart and soul of a community. Visitors can view exibits, purchase work from local artists, participate in workshops, performances, and community gatherings or take art classes such as woodworking, pottery and watercolor. The MAC is open to the public Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit their website at: www.macrostieartcenter.org.
Itasca County Historical Society Museum
Believing that our knowledge of the past enhances our understanding of the present, the Itasca County Historical Society is dedicated to connecting people to the history of Itasca County. Throughout the year, Itasca County Historical Society offers the following services and programs to the general public, students, members, teachers, researchers, genealogists, businesses and special interests groups. Programs and services: Traveling Exhibits, Speaker’s Bureau, Workshops, Research, Internet Access, Ancestry.com, Photograph Reproduction, Volunteer Opportunities, and Museum Tours.
The museum and visitor center is located at 201 North Pokegama Avenue. (169S) It is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. For more information call 218-326-6431 or visit their website at: www.itascahistorical.org.
Children's Discovery Museum
The Children’s Discovery Museum educational exhibits include the Geo Zoooom – an interactive exhibit that introduces kids to the geography of North America; Rivertown – a child-sized town square complete with ten different shops, a Dino Dig, a special Tot Park Maze – made especially for the preschool crowd; the River Forest featuring Tree-sa, the talking forest tree and the River Water Table where kids get up close and see a replica of the dam and river visible from the bridge on Pokegema Avenue. Kids also love the 2,000 sq. foot art room, dinosaur mounts, interactive learning tools and room to move! In addition to the many exhibits, the art room is open for birthday celebrations or other party events. The CDM Museum Store offers a wide variety of inexpensive kid-themed toys, books and materials as well as Wizard of Oz souvenirs.
From mid-May to the end of September the Children’s Discovery Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., every day of the week. From October 1 through mid-May the museum is open on Wednesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wildwood Resort has a membership to the Children’s Discovery Museum/Judy Garland Museum so our guests can take their kids for free! Ask us for details.
Judy Garland Birthplace Historic House
Birthplace of legendary actress Judy Garland, Grand Rapids now boasts the most extensive collection of Judy Garland memorabilia in the United States.
The new Judy Garland Museum, located on highway 169 South in Grand Rapids opened its doors during the 28th Annual Judy Garland Festival in 2003. The museum showcases memorabilia from Garland’s 45-year career.
From Memorial Day to September 30 the museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, every day of the week. In October through March the museum is open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April to Memorial Day the museum is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wildwood Resort has a membership to the Children’s Discovery Museum/Judy Garland Museum so our guests can take visit for free! Ask us for details.
For more information log on to: www.judygarlandmuseum.com call 1-800-664-JUDY or 218-327-9276, or email: jgarland@uslink.net.
Forest History Center
Visitors will step back in time as they walk through a turn-of-the-century logging camp located in Grand Rapids. There they will find a camp blacksmith, saw filer, clerk, cook (often called a cookee) and lumberjacks at the state’s only authentic 1900s logging camp. During your visit, board the moored river “wanigan,” a floating cook shack used when the logs and men headed downstream to the mills. Or, take a seat on the porch of a 1930s Minnesota Forest Service patrolman’s cabin and hear about the ranger’s important work protecting woodland resources. In the spring and summer the more adventurous may climb the state’s only 100-foot fire tower with a live interpretive center.
And the excitement doesn’t end when winter arrives! Enjoy Minnesota winter vacation fun with horse-drawn carriage rides, sledding, snow-shoeing, snow fort and x-skii trails. Visit the Forest History Center Events page for more information.
For information about hours, cost and activities visit the Forest History Center website, send an email to: foresthistory@mnhs.org or call 218-327-4482. The Forest History Center is located near US Highways 169 and 2 at 2609 County Road 76, Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744.
Soudan Mine
Experience the life of the miner as you travel by cage on authentic, expertly maintained hoisting equipment. Once underground, you’ll board a train and ride nearly a mile to the last and deepest area that was mined. Hear true stories of the miners, innovations and safety improvements, and learn firsthand about the working conditions that made this underground iron mine known as the “Cadillac of Mines.”
Soudan Underground Mine is located in northeastern Minnesota (St. Louis County) just off State Highway 169/1 in Soudan. Follow the signs when you get to Soudan.
Berry Picking
June and July in northern Minnesota mean succulent strawberries and blueberries. Pick your own or buy them fresh-picked!
Blueberry Meadows – Come to Blueberry Meadows, where your blueberry dreams come true! PYO blueberries in the new meadow, Meadow No. 5, featuring the new variety, Chippewa & old favorite Northblue. Call for picking dates beginning late July & most of August, sometimes through Labor Day. 8am-dusk. Located 8mi S of Grand Rapids on Hwy 169. Turn right on 8 Mile Rd, go 1mi, follow the signs to the Meadow No 5. Call (218) 326-0671 or visit them on Facebook!
Lavalier’s Berry Patch – County Road 441, Grand Rapids, MN. Phone: 218-327-9199. Directions: travel Highway 2 East to SE 7th Avenue; turn right onto SE 7th Avenue, and then take a left onto River Road; follow River Road to County Road 441; turn left onto County Road 441. Pick-your-own and pre-picked strawberries usually available around July 1 and blueberries around Aug. 1. Call for current prices and to place orders for pre-picked berries. Visit their website at: https://www.lavaliersberrypatch.com/
Lunemann’s Luney Berries Strawberry Farm – From Grand Rapids: 9 miles on County Road 63, left hand side of the road. From Deer River: East on Hwy. 2. Turn right on County Road 11 (Deer River Shortcut) to Hwy. 6. South on Hwy. 6 to County Road 63. Left on 63 for about mile and a half. Watch for Signs. No Appointment Necessary! Picking begins in July. Call 218) 328-5176 or visit them on Facebook!
Clayton’s Produce – Visit our one and only retail stand in the Glen’s Army Navy Store parking lot on Highway 2 West. We also have a fully stocked Farm Store with all of our in-season produce at our LaPlant Road farmstead, located just south of Grand Rapids off Highway 169. Our Farm Store is self-serve and operates on the honor system, so payment must be cash or check. The store is “open” 24/7 for your convenience! We are 1.5 miles down LaPlant Road – once you pull in the driveway, the Store is a red and white building located near the farmhouse – you can’t miss it!
Clayton’s Produce Farm Store
31353 LaPlant Road
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
Hill Annex Mine
Go down in history with a tour of the Hill Annex Iron Mine. On the 1 1/2-hour open pit mine tour, visitors make a spectacular descent into mining’s past. Learn about the mine operation, the people who worked here, and where they came from. Discover marine fossils in northern Minnesota. Get a sense of the mine’s deep, rich history. Learn how this National Historic Site played an important role in state, national, and world history. Tours run Fridays and Saturdays starting on 5/22/2015 and ending Labor Day weekend. For more information visit the Hill Annex Mine website, call 218-247-7215 or 218-743-3362, email: scenic.statepark@state.mn.us.
Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center
Located in Marcell, Minnesota (about 20 miles north of Wildwood on Hwy 38) the Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center is a visitor & environmental education center. It is home to a variety of displays & exhibits about the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway and the surrounding area. It includes a gift shop, and an environmental education room, and best of all it offers a FREE naturalist program throughout the summer. The property also has an amphitheater, walking trail and a fishing pier. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week. The Center is located at 49554 State Highway 38, Marcell, MN 56657. For more information call them at: 218-832-3161, email:
eowdiscoverycenter@arvig.net or visit their Facebook page: Edge of The Wilderness Discovery Center.
Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway
Take the afternoon to drive and enjoy the 47-mile Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway that meanders from Grand Rapids north to Effie on Minnesota’s State Highway 38. The region is studded with lakes and thick with aspen, birch, pine and maple trees that pop with color in the fall season. The road winds around 36 lakes, and through state and national forest. The Chippewa National Forest is home to the largest population of bald eagles in the continental United States. Keep your eyes on the sky to see them soaring above the byway. White tailed deer also are known to graze in the fresh grasses along the side of the road.
Along The Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway, there are selected Discovery Sites where you can explore the hidden natural and cultural history of northern Minnesota. As you drive the Byway, look on the east side of the road for green reference point markers approximately one mile apart. These can assist you in navigating your way along the Byway. Also look for The Edge Byway signs and reference numbers along the roadway alerting you to the next Discovery Site just ahead. Take a few minutes or an entire day to navigate all the sites.
For more information visit exploreminnesota.com.
Mesabi Trail
Stretching from the Mississippi to the Boundary Waters, with over 150 miles of paved trail, the Mesabi Trail is like no other in the country. Cutting through the forests of northeast Minnesota, your adventure will take you past lakes, creeks and ponds, by vast red pits of old iron ore mines now filled with emerald green water. You are sure to be greeted by native wildlife during your travels. Pass through 28 communities, stop in at a local attraction to experience the history of the area, learn about our mining and logging legacies, enjoy the local cuisine…try a sarma, a pasty or some potica.
Suomi Hills
The remote setting of the Suomi Hills semiprimitive nonmotorized area is made up of rolling hills, clear lakes and some of the most spectacular fall color in the area. There are 21 miles of trail, numerous small lakes and several primitive campsites for day or overnight hiking, biking, skiing and canoe trips. The rolling topography offers cross country and mountain bike trails for intermediate and advance skiers and bikers. The trails are groomed and track-set in the winter and mowed in the summer.
For more information visit exploreminnesota.com.
Chippewa National Forest's "Lost Forty"
Actually 144 acres, the Lost Forty, located within the 1.6 million acres Chippewa National Forest is one of the few places in Minnesota to experience truly virgin forest land that never has been logged. Less than 2 percent of Minnesota’s forests are considered old growth today.
Located northwest of Wirt, Minnesota the Lost Forty is found approximately two miles north of the intersection of County Roads 29 and 26. It is somewhat off the beaten path, but worth the drive to see the majestic pines and walk through these pristine woods.
A one-mile self-guided trail winds its way through the majestic pines of the Lost Forty. A picnic area is also available at the site. Visit exploreminnesota.com.
Trout Lake Semiprimitive Non-motorized Area & the Joyce Estate
Trout Lake Semiprimitive Non-motorized Area & the Joyce Estate offer 6,000 acres of forest with 26 miles of shoreline on 11 lakes. Ten miles of old roads and trails provide for hunting, hiking or skiing. The rolling terrain provides scenic views over area lakes wrapped with maple, aspen, birch and scattered pine. More information and a map can be found here.
Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station
The Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station, which was completely restored over a period of four years between 1994 and 1998, is the oldest remaining ranger station building in the Forest Service’s Eastern Region. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, tours are arranged through the Cut Foot Sioux Visitor Information Center.
The ranger station and visitor center is located on State Highway 46 near Cutfoot Sioux Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish north of Deer River, Minnesota. For more information call 218-246-8233, stop in at the Cut Foot Sioux Visitor Center for a summer tour schedule or to pick up more information about their self-guided tour, or visit their website.
Minnesota Discovery Center
The Minnesota Discovery Center’s museum features permanent exhibits about Iron Range history, including interactive displays that help explain and explore taconite mining and the people who worked in the region’s mines. Our Immigration Area includes information about the nationalities that came to the Iron Range at the turn of the last century, and includes a listening station where visitors can hear the sounds of a train station during that era. A Depression-era shanty illustrates the conditions of many out-of-work miners and others on the Iron Range at the time. In the Hall of Labor, visitors hear representations of miners tell about working underground, receiving their wages and striking for better conditions. Other areas of the museum examine ore transportation, logging, early education on the Range and other aspects of regional life through World War II. An exhibit about the geology of the region can be found in Geology Hall, while recordings, videos, artifacts and artisan demonstrators help bring the story of Iron Range pioneers, miners and many others to life.
Beginning May 29, 2010, our museum, mini-golf, gift shop, and trolley are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. We are closed on Mondays. Our research center is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 1-800-372-6437 or visit mndiscoverycenter.com for more information.
International Wolf Center
The International Wolf Center advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wild lands and the human role in their future. The International Wolf Center is the world’s premier wolf interpretive facility. Located in the heart of the Superior National Forest in Ely, Minnesota, visitors can take a tour of the Center, view the resident wolf pack and learn from the Center’s award-winning current exhibits. Visit www.wolf.org for more information, hours and directions
Vince Schute Wildlife Sanctuary
Many years ago, a humble Minnesota logger made a decision that would greatly affect black bears and the attitudes people have towards this often-misunderstood animal. It was then that Vince Shute chose to stop shooting the bears that broke into his cabins. He tried a more peaceful approach and the strategy worked – no more break-ins. Vince claimed, “the bears aren’t mean, just hungry!” Thus, began Vince’s long and celebrated life with black bears in a tiny corner of the north woods near Orr, Minnesota.
Visit the The Vince Schute Wildlife Sanctuary for hours and information.
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The museum, located off US Highway 53 in Eveleth, is a national shrine of historical significance dedicated to honoring hockey by showcasing all levels of the sport. Entertaining displays and memorabilia give visitors an opportunity to experience the thrilling game action and inspiring achievement of all those involved in the game of hockey. At the Theatre of Hockey Highlights visitors can re-live the 1980 “Miracle on Ice,” the US historic and exhilarating Olympic victory over Russia, or watch as the US Women’s Gold Medal Winning Hockey Team takes center stage at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan. From the Great Wall of Fame of Inductees, the Olympic Display, Gallery of Hockey Art, Mighty Duck Scoreboard, and historic exhibits of famed hockey memorabilia, this is a must visit for anyone interested in hockey.
Open year round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and juniors 13-17, $6 for children 6-12, and under six free but please note that rates are subject to change. To learn more, visit www.ushockeyhall.com or call 1-800-443-7825.
Itasca State Park – Headwaters of the Mississippi
Established in 1891, Itasca is Minnesota’s oldest state park. Today, the park totals more than 32,000 acres and includes more than 100 lakes. Here visitors can walk across the Mississippi as it begins its winding journey to the Gulf of Mexico, stand under towering pines at Preacher’s Grove, visit landmarks of centuries gone by such as the Itasca Indian Cemetery or Wegmann’s Cabin or explore Wilderness Drive past the 2,000-acre Wilderness Sanctuary, one of Minnesota’s seven National Natural Landmarks.
Grand Rapids Escape Rooms
At Grand Rapids Escape Rooms, they go out of our way to challenge you. Their team of designers and game masters have created a selection of rooms perfect for families, friends, tourists, co-workers and for special events. Grand Rapids Escape Rooms provides a creative and fun way to build teamwork skills and learn local history making it perfect for all types of players. As you and your team try to escape, you’ll learn to work together to reach a common goal in a challenging environment.
Grand Rapids Escape Room for the summer is hosting “Bigfoot’s Backyard”. Is Bigfoot a friendly creature? Our backyard is a daunting foe of trees and trails where anyone can get lost! Can you help Bigfoot find his son before he is captured? Bring your team of friends and family and test your skills before your hour is up. You can reserve your hour after established hours with 4 or more people.
The Escape Rooms are located at 201 N Pokegama Ave, Grand Rapids, MN 55744. Visit their website at grescaperooms.com or call 218-326-6431 for hours, escape room theme and cost.