Explore Minnesota, the state's tourism promotion agency, is celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week by expressing appreciation to Minnesotans and businesses throughout the state for their support and resilience throughout 2020, now and into the future. Presented by the U.S. Travel Association, National Travel and Tourism Week in 2021 recognizes the "Power of Travel" and the industry’s role in state, local and national economies.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the travel and tourism industry was a significant contributor to the U.S. economy. This year, national travel spending is down nearly $500 billion, costing the U.S. economy $1.1 trillion. In Minnesota, the past year was challenging for many of the state’s lodging properties, restaurants, attractions, event organizers, hospitality workers and more.

In 2020, Minnesota tourism experienced a 50% revenue loss ($8.2 billion). Despite losses, the state’s tourism industry has been resilient, finding new ways to serve visitors and help Minnesotans enjoy the state. Similarly, Minnesotans have responded in turn by recreating in the great outdoors, shopping, dining and exploring their state and local businesses, proving they will be the driving force to tourism recovery in the years ahead.

“We are grateful for our hard-working tourism industry owners, operators and workers, who helped keep Minnesota’s tourism and hospitality industry afloat throughout the pandemic,” said John Edman, Explore Minnesota director. “Despite an incredibly challenging year, we are optimistic that travel is coming back. We know travelers are eager to hit the road for their next Minnesota adventure this summer, and we welcome them.”

Minnesota’s businesses, venues and residents are working hard to slow the spread of COVID-19, with tourism-related guidelines in place to ensure visitors have a healthy and fun experience in the state regardless of which adventures they chose to take. Whether Minnesotans are planning a short last-minute getaway or gearing up for a bucket-list trip this summer, they are continuing to support local businesses and tourism.

View Explore Minnesota's tourism fact sheet to learn more about the industry's powerful impact across the state.

Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supports regional trail development through grants that assist with engineering and construction of snowmobile, bicycle, ski, hiking and ATV trails. Since fiscal year 2019, the agency has reinvested over $7 million in taconite production taxes to develop the region’s trail systems.

“Trails can have important economic impacts to a rural region,” said Commissioner Mark Phillips. “They can attract new families and workers, retain retirees, draw tourists and increase recreational spending.”

Area mountain and road bike trails are open for the 2021 season and will be utilized by both visitors and local residents. Northeastern Minnesota offers unique riding experiences and terrains for beginner, intermediate and advanced skill levels.

Road Biking: Mesabi Trail™ covers almost 130 paved miles through 28 communities, from the Mississippi River in Grand Rapids to the Boundary Waters in Ely. It winds through forests, along vast open iron ore mine pits, and along lakes, creeks and ponds. Construction of Mesabi Trail™ began in 1996. When fully built out in three to five years, it will be 155 miles and one of the longest paved trails in the nation.

The trail is easily accessible from numerous locations. Wheel passes (daily or season) are required and may be purchased online.

Learn more about Mesabi Trail™.

Great River Energy Mesabi Trail™ Tour Series: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the region’s annual recreational bike tour has been transformed from a one-day event with 900 riders and volunteers to three smaller tours throughout the bike season. Each tour is limited to 200 riders and is fully supported with rest stops, bike repair, first aid, entertainment and a picnic at the finish.

• Tour #1: Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm, July 31. Registration opens June 19 and closes July 18, or when limits are met. Choose from two available routes: 12 miles to O'Brien Reservoir, a total of 24 miles out and back, or 26 miles to Calumet, a total of 52 miles out and back.
• Tour #2: Itasca County Fairgrounds in Grand Rapids, Aug. 28. Registration opens July 19 and closes Aug. 15, or when limits are met. Choose from two available routes: 12 miles to Taconite, a total of 24 miles out and back, or 26 miles to Nashwauk, a total of 48 miles out and back.
• Tour #3: Olcott Park in Virginia, Sept. 18. Registration opens Aug. 16 and closes Sept. 6, or when limits are met. Choose from two available routes: 13 miles to Buhl, a total of 26 miles out and back, or 25 miles to Hibbing, a total of 50 miles out and back.

Learn more about the 2021 Annual Bike Tour Series.

Mountain Biking: Northeastern Minnesota is wide-known for outdoor adventure. People visit the area for golf, hiking, hunting, fishing, ATV riding and now mountain biking. There are seven major mountain bike trail systems in the region that are either completed or under development: Cuyuna Lakes Recreation Area in Crosby, Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Hidden Valley in Ely, Redhead in Chisholm, Split Rock Wilds in Lake County, Tioga in Cohasset and Tofte/Lutsen/Grand Marias system in Cook County.

“Our region is well on its way to becoming a national mountain biking destination,” said Benji Neff, Giants Ridge mountain sports director. “The terrain offers cyclists spectacular views of lakes and reclaimed mining sites, as well as access to rugged, raw natural beauty through dense forests and varying elevations. The scenery and variety are like none other in the nation.”

Learn more about mountain biking in Minnesota.

Mesabi Trail™ was nominated through the Star Tribune Readers’ Choice Award program for Minnesota’s Best hiking/biking trail. Mesabi Trail™ won the category in 2014 and is striving to win again in 2021. The public may vote online once per day through Friday, May 21. Visit 2021 Minnesota's Best (votemnbest.com) and click on the category “Minnesota Fun” and then “ Hiking/Biking Trail.”

Other places and organizations in northeastern Minnesota were nominated for Minnesota’s Best, including Giants Ridge Recreation Area.

Learn more about Minnesota Best awards categories and nominees – and cast your vote today.

The Giants Ridge golf season began on Friday, April 30 with the opening of The Quarry. The Legend will open Friday, May 7.

Located in Biwabik, approximately three hours north of Minneapolis/St. Paul, The Legend and Quarry courses have been a part of Minnesota’s golf landscape for more than 20 years. The courses have earned a variety of awards and recognition. The most recent accolade was garnered from Golf Digest when Giants Ridge received the coveted 2020 “Editors’ Choice Award” in the “Best Golf Resorts in the Midwest” category. Giants Ridge was also named one of GOLF Magazine’s best golf resorts for families in the publication’s inaugural ranking of North America’s Top 100 Golf Resorts.

The spring daily rate of $79 is available through June 3. Juniors may play for $35. Dubbed “Minnesota’s Greatest Value in Golf,” the 37-Hole Special begins June 4. It includes golf on both courses with lunch for $160 Monday through Thursday and $175 Friday through Sunday. Throughout the 2021 golf season, Iron Range residents may play either course for $50 Sunday through Thursday. A photo ID or proof of residency must be shown at check-in to receive the special rate. Tee times are required, and golf rates include a golf car rental, range balls and yardage book.

“After a long winter golfers statewide and throughout the Midwest are eager to get outside and back on the course,” said John Kendall, director of golf. “We look forward to welcoming new and returning guests to Giants Ridge where they can experience two of the best courses in Minnesota.”

Golfers playing The Quarry will traverse through a former sand quarry and iron ore mine, dramatically raised tees and hazards forged from reclaimed and repurposed mine land and vast Iron Range vistas. The Legend is carved out of the Superior National Forest and plays through towering pines and alongside Sabin Lake.

“The caliber and scenery of the golf courses, and the great customer service provided by our staff are a testament to this remarkable region of the state,” said Kendall. “There is no other place in Minnesota that offers two unique golf courses like The Legend and The Quarry.”

Giants Ridge is owned by Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation and managed by Guest Services, a hospitality management company in the United States since 1917. The recreation area offers lift-served mountain bike trails, hiking, a climbing wall and lake access during the summer. The winter months bring alpine and cross-country skiing, snow tubing, snowshoeing and access to over 2,000 miles of snowmobile trails.

Book a tee time and plan your 2021 golf trip to Giants Ridge.

Warba American Legion Post 432 Campground recently upgraded its electric hookups to meet the utility demands of today’s modern RVs and campers. Improvements were also made to the shower house, and new flag poles were installed. The campground is located on Sand Lake about two miles west of Warba in Itasca County amidst a six-acre public park that features a sand-bottom swimming beach, picnic pavilions and fishing pier. Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation supported the upgrades with a Culture & Tourism grant.

The campground offers 19 camper/RV sites, a tent area, vast lawn space for yard activities and an event building with a kitchen and large dining room that is utilized for community group functions, family reunions, company picnics, weddings and other events for a nominal fee. 

The park was established by the Warba American Legion in 1951 to create a recreational area for local families in southeastern Itasca County. Over time picnic areas, outdoor fireplaces, a swimming beach, the Post Home activity building, a picnic pavilion, storage garage and landscaping were added. In the 1990s efforts began to help the campground be self-sustaining. The campground began to add campsites, additional picnic pavilions, a shower house and an RV holding tank dump station. The development and advancements generate revenue that fund maintenance and expenses. In the late 1990s Minnesota Department of Natural Resources constructed a fishing pier there.

About 3,500 campers from across the United States and Canada stay at the campground each season. The beach, park and pavilion are open to the public and used by an estimated 2,000 local residents from the communities of Blackberry, Feeley, Goodland, Jacobson, Sago, Shallow Lake, Trout Lake, Warba and Wawina.

The Warba American Legion maintains the campground and park through volunteerism by Legion and community members. Campground fees are the sole source of revenue and are used to fund maintenance, property taxes, insurance and operating expenses. The campground opens for the season on May 15. 

Learn more about Warba American Legion Post 432 Campground on their Facebook page.

Other funding partners for the recent upgrades included Blandin Foundation; Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation; Ball Bluff, Blackberry, Feeley, Sago, and Wawina Townships; and private donations. For Culture & Tourism grant information email Danae Beaudette or call her at 218-735-3022.

On, Jan. 1, 1921, the Hippodrome Arena in Eveleth, Minnesota first opened its doors. Today after 100 years, this iconic arena and the extensive hockey history of Eveleth represents a storybook of American hockey growth, development and success by Eveleth players, teams, coaches, officials and hockey administrators. A new video presentation celebrates the unbridled love for the game of hockey in the community of Eveleth. 

According to Chaz Demm, a former Hippodrome "rink rat" who led the two-year project, Eveleth's rich hockey history evolved into a documentary video with photography, a scripted story and a fresh view of the community to capture the public’s attention.  

Upon completing his initial work, Demm enlisted Hugo Mariucci, owner of Mariucci Video, to add his technical expertise to the project. The final touch was inviting Blake Palazzari, a member of a celebrated Eveleth hockey family, to lend his rich, baritone voice to the script. 

The video highlights the history of Eveleth’s success as a national legacy whose impact broke through the barriers of a Canadian-dominated hockey system and opened the doors for American hockey growth and development for generations to come. For its lasting contributions and critical role, Eveleth is recognized as the "Home of American Hockey" and with it the great honor as home to the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum celebrating the past with the present while preserving the history and heritage of American hockey. 

"This short documentary was meant to be just a small window into the extensive hockey history whose name has become synonymous with the game," said Demm. "Today, after standing proudly for a century, the Hipp is old and worn with its cavernous skeleton still holding tightly to what new and glossy arenas crave with envy – a storied history defined by the athletes – steep in tradition – a heritage unmatched in success at all levels of the game. Eveleth hockey history and the Hippodrome are to American hockey – what Detroit is to cars, and Hollywood is to filmmaking." 

View the Eveleth Hippodrome video.