Minnesota Monday: Northeastern Minnesota

I love Northeastern Minnesota. It has to be one of the prettiest places I've ever visited. From the rock outcroppings to the scraggy pines, from the rust-colored lakes to the dense forests--it's a beautiful place to visit over and over.*

Northeastern Minnesota is known as the "Iron Range" because
of the large amount of iron ore. This is a monument dedicated
to all the iron ore miners.

Northeastern Minnesota is known for its pine forests.

The lake (which you can barely see) is actually an iron
ore mine that was dug up and naturally filled in. Lots of
beautiful hills in Northeastern Minnesota. 

The cabin all eleven of us stayed in. It could sleep up
to twenty-four people!

The bedrooms were to the left and right of the main room.

The back side of the cabin, facing the lake.

One of the reasons I love vacationing with extended family
is the time we get to spend with one another. Here are my
 boys showing Grandpa how to "play" dominoes. :)





I also love that vacationing with a lot of people
requires everyone to pitch in and help. My oldest daughter
(on the right) and my niece on the left.

The resort was very family-friendly. Here is Dave with our
boys at the playground.

The girls. It was chilly while we were there, so we all
spent the long weekend in our sweatshirts!

The resort is centered around the beautiful Birch Lake.

I could have sat here all day...

The biggest attraction is fishing. In the evenings the docks
were full of boats.

Another big attraction are the houseboats you can rent. We
stayed in a cabin--but it would be fun to stay on the
water one day.

Before we took the kids on the boat, we practiced fishing
off the dock with the boys. It was their first time fishing.
The girls have been fishing for years. :)

Me with one of our twins. The fishing was TERRIBLE
while we were there. Not many opportunities to
reel them in.

This lake, like so many in the Iron Range, is stained a dark
brown from all the iron ore.

There's nothing like racing across a lake.

Unlike our lakes in Central Minnesota, the lakes in Northeastern
Minnesota have a lot of rock outcroppings.

My brother-in-law, his fiancé and our oldest.

 

There were eleven of us fishing and we only caught six fish
the whole weekend! This was one. It's a tiny little Northern
Fish, but I had to snap a picture. One of my twins, my second
daughter and my hubby.

Next Monday I'll share pictures of Ely, Minnesota. It's one of the coolest little towns in Minnesota. We spent an afternoon browsing in stores, eating at a fun restaurant and ice cream parlor, and talking to the locals.

*Although I LOVE Northeastern Minnesota, I wouldn't care to live there in the winters! It's a wee bit chilly--and winter lasts a little longer than Central Minnesota.

Your Turn: Do you enjoying fishing? When was the last time you had a family vacation? Where did you go?