Minnesota Explorer

Step into the story of the Great Lakes at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center, a free maritime museum tucked inside Duluth's historic Canal Park at the foot of the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge. In this episode, we explore the museum's replica ship cabins and pilothouse, its haunting Edmund Fitzgerald exhibit, a towering steam engine, and the breathtaking experience of watching thousand-foot fre...

St. Croix State Park in Pine County is Minnesota's largest state park, stretching across more than 34,000 acres where two of Minnesota's most celebrated rivers -- the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Kettle River Wild and Scenic River -- come together in a landscape shaped by glaciers, loggers, and the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps. In this episode, we explore the park&#...

Stand at the bluff where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers meet and you are standing at the very center of Minnesota's story -- a place sacred to the Dakota people for thousands of years, turned military outpost, turned witness to some of the most pivotal and painful chapters in American history. This episode of Minnesota Explorer takes you inside Historic Fort Snelling, from the round towe...

Maplewood State Park in Otter Tail County is one of Minnesota's most surprising and beautiful state parks -- 9,250 acres of rolling glacial hills, eight sparkling lakes, and hardwood forests that turn breathtaking colors each fall. In this episode, we explore the park's ancient geological and human history, hike to the top of Hallaway Hill for sweeping views, wander the shores of South Lid...

The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis is one of the most celebrated contemporary art museums in the United States -- a dynamic cultural hub where groundbreaking visual art, live performance, film, and design come together under one roof. From its roots as a lumber baron's private gallery in 1879 to its striking modern campus anchored by the beloved Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the Walker has s...

Ely, Minnesota sits at the end of the road in the northeastern corner of the state -- and that's exactly the point. This small town of around 3,000 people is the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, one of the most spectacular and protected wild places in America. In this episode, we explore Ely's dramatic history as an iron mining hub, its transformation into a world-clas...

Just northeast of Two Harbors along the storied shores of Lake Superior, Gooseberry Falls State Park stands as the grand entrance to Minnesota's legendary North Shore. In this episode, we explore five spectacular waterfalls carved through billion-year-old basalt, the remarkable Depression-era stonework of the Civilian Conservation Corps, and the forest trails that wind through one of Minnesota's m...

Mille Lacs Lake is one of Minnesota's most iconic destinations -- a vast, 132,000-acre body of water in the heart of the state that has drawn anglers, adventurers, and families for generations. In this episode, we explore everything that makes Mille Lacs special: its deep Indigenous roots, the communities that grew up along its shores, world-class fishing for walleye and smallmouth bass, two b...

In this episode of Minnesota Explorer, we travel to Jeffers Petroglyphs — one of the most extraordinary andleast-known historic sites in Minnesota. Located near Comfrey in southwest Minnesota, Jeffers is home to nearly 2,000 ancient rock carvings etched into Sioux quartzite by the ancestors of today's Native American peoples, with somecarvings dating back more than 7,000 years. We cover everything...

Discover Mill City Museum in Minneapolis — built inside the ruins of the world's largest flour mill. From the 1878 explosion that killed 18 workers to the rise of Gold Medal Flour and Betty Crocker, this episode explores the fascinating history behind Minnesota's Mill City. Plan your visit at MinnesotaExplorer.com .

Explore Lanesboro, Minnesota — the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Minnesota. Discover the Root River State Trail, Commonweal Theatre, Amish tours, local restaurants, festivals, and the best places to stay in Minnesota's Driftless bluff country. Plan your visit at MinnesotaExplorer.com .

Elm Creek Park Reserve is the largest park in the Three Rivers Park District — nearly 5,000 acres of forests, wetlands, restored prairie, and some of the best trails in the Twin Cities metro. In this episode of Minnesota Explorer, we explore everything Elm Creek has to offer across all four seasons, from 19 miles of paved bike trails and a 13-mile mountain bike singletrack system to championship d...

Discover Itasca State Park — home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River and the oldest state park in Minnesota. In this episode of Minnesota Explorer, we explore the park's remarkable history, from the 1832 Schoolcraft expedition and the Ojibwe people who knew these waters long before him, to the conservation battles that saved one of the great north woods forests from the logging era. We...

Minnesota Explorer is your guide to the people, places, and history that make Minnesota worth exploring. Each episode travels to a different destination — from state parks and scenic lakes to historic sites and hidden gems — delivering the kind of rich, story-driven insights that turn a simple stop into something memorable. Whether you're planning your next trip or already on the road, Minneso...