Two Northern National Parks in MN & MI
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When we decided to road trip north from Champaign, Illinois to Minnesota, we knew we were in for some driving—but we didn’t fully realize how much incredible wilderness, misty shores, and cozy small-town charm awaited us. Here is how our action-packed trip unfolded across the North Shore, two National Parks, and the Twin Cities!
July 24, 2026: Voyageurs National Park
Our journey kicked off with an 8-hour drive from Champaign up to Duluth, Minnesota. We chose Duluth as our first pitstop because it put us within striking distance of the Ash River Visitor Center in Voyageurs National Park.
Bright and early the next morning, we boarded a 10:00 AM boat tour out of Ash River heading toward the historic Kettle Falls Hotel. The two-hour boat ride was easily one of the highlights of the whole trip. Our ranger guide, Sharon, was incredibly knowledgeable about local wildlife—especially bald eagles! She handed around educational materials and even lent us binoculars. Thanks to her sharp eyes, we got to spot a magnificent bald eagle soaring over the lake.
When we docked at the historic Kettle Falls Hotel, we enjoyed our packed lunch out on the hotel lawn. Afterward, we took a short walk to the dam and explored a bit of the island. While there wasn’t a ton of activity on the island itself, the two-hour layover was perfect. The true magic was the journey across the water.
Once the boat brought us back to Ash River, we hopped in the car and made the drive down to Grand Marais to set up base camp for our next National Park target!
July 25, 2026: Isle Royale National Park
The next morning, we drove up to Grand Portage to catch our ferry to Isle Royale National Park.
Compared to our Voyageurs boat, the ride across Lake Superior was shorter—but atmospheric in a totally different way. Lake Superior was shrouded in a thick, chilly mist. Floating across the calm water surface surrounded by complete fog felt almost eerie and mystical!
Upon reaching Windigo, we were greeted by friendly park rangers and decided to hit the Grace Creek Trail loop. The trail was lush, deeply green, and humid. When we reached the top of the island, the atmosphere shifted: a refreshing breeze swept over us, making it the perfect cool, comfortable spot to enjoy our trail lunch.
After hiking down, we made a point to dip our hands into Lake Superior—and it was ice cold! Before heading back to the dock, we popped into the camp store to buy a $2 canned beer specifically brewed to honor Isle Royale National Park, and attended an insightful ranger talk about local moose dynamics.
After a full 4 hours on the island, we took the ferry back to Grand Portage, paid a $5 parking fee supporting the local Ojibwe community, and drove an hour back down to Grand Marais.We hadn’t known much about Grand Marais beforehand, but it turned out to be such a charming, walkable harbor town! We grabbed delicious frozen custard at Sydney’s and strolled out to the local lighthouse, which was partially hidden in the evening mist.
Before calling it a night, we drove another hour south to catch Split Rock Lighthouse, one of Minnesota’s most iconic landmarks. Although the lighthouse interior was closed by the time we arrived, we walked down to Pebble Beach. Truthfully, the view of the lighthouse towering over the cliffside from the beach below is the best view anyway!
We ended the day driving down to St. Paul to sleep, positioning ourselves perfectly for our final morning in the Twin Cities.
On our last morning before driving back to Illinois, we took time to explore St. Paul, admiring the stunning State Capitol and the Cathedral of Saint Paul.
One of our favorite stops of the entire trip was the Hmongtown Marketplace in St. Paul. It instantly reminded us of the vibrant fresh markets in Laos back home! We feasted on grilled chicken and pork skewers, paired with sweet Thai iced tea and iced coffee.
Finally, we couldn’t leave without visiting the famous Mall of America in Minneapolis. As first-timers, we weren’t sure what to expect, but we loved the lively energy inside. We had lunch at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar and treated ourselves to cream puffs from Beard Papa’s for dessert.
Sated and happy, we jumped back in the car for the 8-hour drive back to Champaign.
From July 1st to 6th, we embarked on a trip from Sacramento, driving over 2600 miles to explore five incredible National Parks across Nevada, California, and Oregon. Our adventure took us from the ancient bristlecone pines of Great Basin and the volcanic landscapes of Lassen to the brilliant blue waters of Crater Lake and the towering giants of the Redwoods. Along the way, we balanced raw wilderness hikes with unforgettable stops for local donuts in Portland, a coastal drive down the Pacific shoreline, and a wine tasting at a Tuscan castle in Napa Valley.
The Canadian Rockies had never truly been on our radar, not for lack of awareness, but simply because we never imagined we’d have the opportunity to visit Canada. That changed entirely when I was invited to the prestigious Women in Numbers workshop at the Banff International Research Station. Seizing the moment, we decided to turn this milestone trip into a grand adventure, arriving a few days early to explore not just Banff, but a stunning circuit of five neighboring national parks, including, Jasper, Yoho, Glacier, Mount Revelstoke, and Kootenay.
One of the most popular National Park routes that Poy and I hadn’t tackled yet was the Utah ‘Mighty Five.’ We’d heard nothing but non-stop hype from friends, and after checking off several harder-to-reach destinations, we decided it was finally time to go for it! We initially tried to squeeze in Great Basin National Park in Nevada, but a car shortage at the Las Vegas airport left us with an electric vehicle. As it turns out, there are no non-Tesla charging stations near Great Basin (aside from one incredibly slow charger), so we pivoted. We ended up focusing solely on the five Utah gems, which actually made for a much more relaxing, less rushed experience.
There are not many national parks that are ideal to visit in winter, except for those in the desert. For this Christmas trip, we chose three desert national parks, namely, Petrified Forest, Saguaro, and Joshua Tree. In addition to these, we also stopped by some of the most iconic landmarks in Arizona’s desert landscape, including Horseshoe Bend and Monument Valley. It was a dry, sandy, and breathtaking Christmas. One that turned out to be truly memorable for both of us.