With the gulls looking on, North House Folk School’s schooner, Hjordis, sails out of the harbor on a sightseeing adventure. With an abundance of natural beauty, a bounty of good shops, restaurants that pique the taste buds with their somewhat unusual fare, art galleries and walking trails, it’s not hard to understand why Grand Marais was voted “Best Midwestern Town” over 19 other contestants who were vying for the honor.
Awards and accolades keep piling up for Grand Marais.
In addition to being voted “Coolest Small Town in America” in 2015, on April 28 Grand Marais was proclaimed winner of the “Best Midwestern Small Town” in a contest sponsored by 10 Best Readers’ Choice, a division of the travel arm of USA TODAY.
Grand Marais competed against 19 small Midwestern towns, including Bayfield, Wis.; Lanesboro, Minn.; Galena, Ill.; Charlevoix, Mich.; and many others. Voting ended Monday, April 24 at 11:59 a.m.
“Thanks to the thousands of people who love our charming small town nestled between the Sawtooth Mountains and Lake Superior, and the approximately 10,000 who voted throughout this month-long contest,” said Linda Jurek, executive director of Visit Cook County. “During the contest, thousands of people throughout the country learned about our fabulous community via social and traditional news media.
“We held the lead for most of the past few weeks, but got some tough competition from the other finalists – particularly from Charlevoix, Mich., and Chagrin, Ohio. Lanesboro, Minn. was often in the top 10,” said Jurek. “We were surprised Bayfield didn’t place higher. We regard Bayfield as a tough competitor for tourist dollars. People who love Bayfield typically also love Grand Marais, because we both have the charm of East Coast seaside towns, thanks to our respective locations on Lake Superior.”
USA TODAY contest description of Grand Marais
Situated near the end of Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Drive, the town of Grand Marais charms with its art galleries, quirky restaurants, local shops, and diverse lodging. While there’s plenty to do in town (it’s home to one of the nation’s best art colonies), this harbor village also serves as a gateway to outdoor adventure in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Leave a Reply