McKinley MinnesotaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near McKinley, Minnesota.
1. McKinley Park Campground
LAKESIDE FAMILY CAMPING
McKinley Park Campground offers a wonderful family camping experience on beautiful Lake Vermilion with 65 total campsites including options for RVs and tents. Visitors can enjoy great fishing for walleyes, northerns, bass, and muskies, plus amenities including a swimming beach, hiking and biking trails, and a playground. The campground also features a store, laundry facilities, and maintains a welcoming family atmosphere that keeps visitors returning year after year.
2. US Hockey Hall of Fame Museum
HOCKEY HISTORY PRESERVED
The US Hockey Hall of Fame Museum celebrates America's hockey heritage with comprehensive exhibits showcasing the sport's greatest players, teams, and moments. Visitors can explore memorabilia, interactive displays, and learn about Minnesota's significant contribution to American hockey. The museum stands as a testament to the region's deep hockey roots and offers an engaging experience for sports enthusiasts of all ages.
3. Greyhound Bus Museum
TRANSPORTATION HISTORY SHOWCASE
The Greyhound Bus Museum chronicles the fascinating history of America's iconic transportation company that originated in Hibbing, Minnesota. Visitors can view vintage buses, historical artifacts, and learn how Carl Wickman's humble taxi service evolved into a national transportation network. The museum offers a nostalgic journey through the evolution of bus travel and its impact on American mobility throughout the 20th century.
4. Lake Vermilion
PRISTINE NORTHWOODS WATERS
Lake Vermilion spans 40,000 acres with 365 islands and over 1,200 miles of shoreline, offering some of Minnesota's most spectacular fishing and recreational opportunities. Visitors can fish for walleye, northern pike, muskie, and bass while enjoying the pristine northwoods setting. The lake's clear waters and scenic beauty make it a premier destination for boating, swimming, and wildlife viewing throughout the summer months.
5. Soudan Underground Mine State Park
HISTORIC MINING EXPERIENCE
Soudan Underground Mine State Park offers visitors the rare opportunity to travel a half-mile underground into Minnesota's first iron ore mine. The guided tour takes visitors 2,341 feet below the surface via a cage elevator to explore the mine's historic operations and learn about the challenging work of early miners. Above ground, visitors can explore additional exhibits and historic structures that showcase the region's rich mining heritage.
6. International Wolf Center
WOLF EDUCATION FACILITY
The International Wolf Center provides visitors with an up-close opportunity to observe live wolves in a naturalistic habitat while learning about wolf behavior, ecology, and conservation. The center features comprehensive educational exhibits, daily programs, and viewing areas where guests can watch the resident wolf pack. Visitors gain valuable insights into the complex relationship between wolves, humans, and the environment through this unique educational facility.
7. North American Bear Center
BEAR EDUCATION SANCTUARY
The North American Bear Center allows visitors to safely observe live black bears in a natural setting while learning about their biology, ecology, and behavior. The center features educational exhibits, naturalist programs, and viewing areas where guests can watch bears in a spacious wooded enclosure. Visitors leave with a deeper understanding and appreciation for these often misunderstood mammals and their role in North American ecosystems.
8. Minnesota Discovery Center
IRON RANGE HERITAGE MUSEUM
The Minnesota Discovery Center serves as the museum of the Iron Range, showcasing the region's rich cultural heritage through engaging exhibits, archival collections, and historic buildings. Visitors can explore the story of immigration, mining, and daily life that shaped this unique region of Minnesota. The center also features a trolley ride, beautiful grounds with gardens, and special events that celebrate the diverse cultural traditions of Iron Range communities.
9. Hull Rust Mine View
MASSIVE OPEN PIT MINE
The Hull Rust Mine View offers visitors a breathtaking panoramic view of one of the world's largest open-pit iron mines, often referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the North." From the observation platform, guests can see massive mining equipment, including dump trucks standing two stories tall, working in this vast man-made canyon. The interpretive center provides educational exhibits about the mining process and the significant role this mine has played in American industrial history.
10. Fortune Bay Resort Casino
GAMING AND ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION
Fortune Bay Resort Casino offers visitors a complete entertainment experience with gaming, dining, and accommodations on the shores of Lake Vermilion. The facility features slot machines, blackjack tables, poker room, and bingo, along with multiple restaurants serving everything from casual fare to fine dining. Guests can also enjoy the on-site golf course, marina, indoor pool, and special entertainment events throughout the year.
11. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
PRISTINE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness encompasses over a million acres of pristine lakes, streams, and forests accessible primarily by canoe. Visitors can paddle through interconnected waterways, camp on secluded islands, and experience the solitude of one of America's most beloved wilderness areas. The area offers unparalleled opportunities for fishing, wildlife viewing, and reconnecting with nature in a landscape that remains largely unchanged since voyageur times.
12. Bob Dylan's Childhood Home
MUSIC LEGEND'S ROOTS
Bob Dylan's childhood home in Hibbing provides music enthusiasts a glimpse into the formative environment of one of America's most influential songwriters and Nobel Prize winner. Though a private residence not open for interior tours, visitors can view the exterior of the modest house where Robert Zimmerman lived before becoming Bob Dylan. The site represents an important cultural landmark for understanding the Iron Range influences that shaped Dylan's early worldview and later artistic expressions.
13. Giants Ridge Recreation Area
FOUR-SEASON OUTDOOR RECREATION
Giants Ridge Recreation Area offers visitors year-round outdoor adventures with premier skiing in winter and two championship golf courses in summer. The resort features modern accommodations, dining options, and extensive recreational facilities set amid the beautiful northern Minnesota landscape. Visitors can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, swimming, and other outdoor activities in addition to the primary attractions of skiing and golf.
14. Embarrass Heritage Homestead
FINNISH CULTURAL SITE
The Embarrass Heritage Homestead preserves the unique Finnish heritage of this northern Minnesota community through historic buildings, artifacts, and cultural programs. Visitors can tour traditional Finnish log structures, including saunas, barns, and homes that showcase the distinctive building techniques brought by Finnish immigrants. The site offers insight into the challenging lives of early settlers who created a thriving community while maintaining their cultural traditions in this remote northwoods region.
15. Dorothy Molter Museum
BOUNDARY WATERS LEGEND
The Dorothy Molter Museum celebrates the remarkable life of the "Root Beer Lady," the last non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Visitors can tour Dorothy's reconstructed cabins filled with original furnishings and learn how she lived alone on Knife Lake for over 56 years, brewing homemade root beer for passing canoeists. The museum preserves the inspiring story of this independent woman whose hospitality and resourcefulness made her a northwoods legend.