As you travel on Highway 61, consider more than one option during your road trip. Cozy lodges, bed and breakfasts and cabin or townhome rentals are just a few options when you stay on the North Shore. Look for seaside rentals for a summer getaway, or relax in a lodge by the roaring fire in the winter.

Two Harbors

• Spend the night in a train car at the Northern Rail Traincar Suites, just off of Highway 61 north of Two Harbors. The outside appears to be a train, with old cars placed on a train track. Inside are modern rooms. The rooms are completely finished and only the original ceiling of the train cars is left exposed. Each of the 18 suites has a theme – northwoods, Victorian, oriental or safari – and interior hallways show the exposed boxcar sides, with original markings and graffiti. The bed and breakfast is open year-round, and some suites feature an electric fireplace for a winter stay.

• Stay along the shores of Lake Superior at Larsmont Cottages, just south of Two Harbors on the North Shore's Scenic Highway. Dine at Ledge Rock Grill or enjoy a meal in your cottage, with wine delivered to your door. The resort is open year round and central to many popular destinations, like Hwy 61's Culinary Highway restaurants and nearby Split Rock and Gooseberry Falls state parks.

Beaver Bay

• The modern-style Cove Point Lodge and cottages in Beaver Bay is centrally located near some of the North Shore’s most well-known destinations, including Gooseberry Falls State Park, Split Rock Lighthouse, and Tettegouche State Park. The lodge is hidden from the highway and overlooks Lake Superior. In the main lodge, all rooms have a view of the lake and are decorated with log-style furniture. The Cove Point Crossings Bar and Grill, open May through November, offers thin crust pizza, salads, sandwiches, burgers and micro brews. The quiet resort does not host special events during the year, but instead focuses on couples and family getaways.

Silver Bay

• Three miles inland from Lake Superior north of Silver Bay, Baptism River Inn Bed and Breakfast is set on 32-wooded acres of the Superior National Forest along the Baptism River. The full-log inn, just north of Tettegouche State Park, has four rooms, each with its own private bathroom with whirlpool tub. Guests can enjoy breakfast daily, a fire in the large stone fireplace, or relax in the Finnish sauna.  

Schroeder

• Temperance Landing in Schroeder offers luxury log-cabin rentals for six to eight people, along the shores of Lake Superior. The 3,000 square foot, three-level cabins are decorated with amenities such as leather furniture, entertainment center with TV and DVD, a game table, and a rustic-style kitchen and dining room, with stainless steel appliances and granite counters. Large decks face the lake and 600 feet of rocky shoreline. Guests have access to the pool, spa and sauna at the Surfside on Lake Superior resort just a few miles away.

Lutsen/Tofte

• Bluefin Bay’s lakeside condo and townhome rentals feature modern décor, fully functioning kitchens, wood-burning fireplaces, flat screen TVs, king or queen bed, full bath with a Jacuzzi tub, and balconies overlooking the lake. Rentals include one and two-bedroom condos and three-bedroom townhouses. Visitors have access to the resort’s indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, a range of complementary recreation equipment, and shuttle service to Lutsen Mountains Ski Resort in the winter. On site, the Bluefin Grille offers a sophisticated menu – including fish, crab, steaks, pasta and ribs – and views of the lake, while the Coho Café and Bakery offers casual dining.

• The modern luxury townhome rentals at Surfside on Lake Superior offer stunning views of Lake Superior on all three levels. The modern maple woodwork, stainless steel and black granite, with slate tile fireplaces, offers a luxury getaway year round. Rentals include two and three-bedroom townhomes, or the one-room honeymoon suite rental. The on-site rec room has a heated pool and whirlpool, fitness center, spa, coffee bar, tennis court and laundry.

• Lutsen Resort is one of the best winter destinations in the state for downhill ski enthusiasts, and the resort also has multiple lodging options year round. The Sea Villa Townhomes live up to their name, situated only steps from the shore, with cabin-style décor, large wood burning fireplaces, full kitchens and on-site amenities including a pool and hot tub. Two-bedroom hand-crafted log cabin rentals have full kitchens and large decks overlooking the lake, or rent a three-bedroom Poplar River condo for a more wooded feel. And for a modern feel, the Cliff House Townhomes, built in 2005, offer three-bedroom rentals next to the resort’s Par 3 golf course. The resort offers complementary fly fishing courses, live music, a naturalist program, golf and sea-kayak tours. Massage and charter fishing tours can also be arranged.

• Newly renovated in 2008, Caribou Highlands Lodge offers rooms, condos and townhomes for rent, as well as the Poplar Ridge homes, which can be rented as studios to four-bedroom units by locking certain spaces. Rooms feature slope views in the winter. The resort offers Lutsen Mountain ski packages during the winter months, and the Moguls Grill offers classy yet casual dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On-site amenities range from three whirlpools and two saunas to tennis courts to volleyball and basketball and complementary evening bonfires with s’mores. Ski-in/ski-out to Lutsen Mountains in the winter.

Grand Marais

• North of Grand Marais,MN Naniboujou Lodgeis a quiet stay on the Lake shore. This historic 1920s lodge was created as an exclusive resort for the wealthy and celebrities like Babe Ruth. When the stock market crashed the resort was never completed, but its original lodge still stands today. Enjoy dining in the Lodge’s large dining room, and easy access to hiking trails, as well as a weekend away in Grand Marais or visit Grand Portage State Park.