Cascade Vacation Rentals Blog | A Guide to all things North Shore

17 12, 2020

Outdoor Winter Events
Outdoor Winter Events

Outdoor Winter Events

Jaye2024-03-21T18:32:59+00:00Activities & Attractions, Events & Holidays|

The North Shore is a haven for outdoor winter events. Up here, we spend our winters racing everything from cross-country skis to sled dogs! Our winters are full of events, everyone can join in the fun in some way or another. If you like being outdoors in the winter, the North Shore is the place to be. In no particular order, since chronologically, they might vary slightly from year to year, here are a few of our favorite outdoor winter events: Bearskin Nordic Race Series For your chance to compete in a race at your own pace in your [...]

10 12, 2020

The Crooked Spoon Food Truck
The Crooked Spoon Food Truck

The Crooked Spoon Food Truck

Jaye2024-02-12T15:46:10+00:00Grand Marais, Local Businesses, News & Updates|

Back in April, a devastating fire destroyed three iconic Grand Marais businesses. Among these was The Crooked Spoon Cafe. Since April, we've anxiously awaited word of what was to become of this much-loved restaurant. Last weekend, the answers finally came! The City of Grand Marais caught its first glimpse of the future of The Crooked Spoon: The Crooked Spoon Food Truck! No, the building was not rebuilt. Sadly, the beautiful sign that once hung above the door to the restaurant greeting diners was not salvaged from the wreckage of the building. However, the food truck is a welcomed sight [...]

26 11, 2020

Oh Ole Night
Oh Ole Night

Oh Ole Night

Jaye2024-11-13T17:32:16+00:00Events & Holidays|

Experience the Magic of Oh Ole Night in Downtown Grand Marais Join the excitement in downtown Grand Marais on the day after Thanksgiving for the beloved holiday celebration, Oh Ole Night! This annual festival embraces the area's rich Scandinavian heritage. Featuring "Sven and Ole" humor and family-friendly festivities that have become a cherished tradition along Minnesota’s North Shore. Oh Ole Night: A Grand Marais Holiday Tradition Kicking off the festive season, downtown Grand Marais transforms into a holiday wonderland. Drawing families and visitors alike to shop, celebrate, and make memories. The day begins with holiday sales at local shops, [...]

16 11, 2020

King of Neptune Statue
King of Neptune Statue

King of Neptune Statue

Martha Finley2021-02-22T17:05:43+00:00Duluth, History|

Once upon a time, a 26-foot gold-colored statue once reigned over Canal Park in Duluth. A popular tourist attraction, The King of Neptune Statue was gifted to Duluth in 1959 to honor the city's designation as a Foreign Trade Zone and the furthest inland freshwater seaport in all of North America. Then, in just a matter of minutes, a freak accident destroyed the statue forever. What happened to the King of Neptune, and how did Canal Park look when he was around? A Prized History In 1959 the Modern Seaway opened which allowed Duluth to be Designated as a Foreign [...]

13 11, 2020

Sea Smoke
Sea Smoke

Sea Smoke

Martha Finley2024-12-12T15:49:49+00:00Nature|

The North Shore offers us the opportunity to witness some unbelievable Lake Superior phenomena. One of those phenomena is Sea Smoke. What is Sea Smoke? Sea Smoke happens when temperatures drop the cold air meets with the warm water. The “warmer” water below generally sits at a frigid 33-35 degrees and the above air below zero. When this happens it creates the appearance of "smoke" billowing off of Lake Superior. The smoke is actually water vapor that rises and condenses into fog. This happens because the cold air above is already saturated with water. When the smoke is paired [...]

5 11, 2020

SS Edmund Fitzgerald
SS Edmund Fitzgerald

SS Edmund Fitzgerald

Martha Finley2023-10-31T17:03:18+00:00History|

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on downOf the big lake they called Gitche GumeeThe lake, it is said, never gives up her deadWhen the skies of November turn gloomyWith a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons moreThan the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed emptyThat good ship and true was a bone to be chewedWhen the gales of November came early These iconic lyrics from the late Gordon Lightfoot song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" describe the last hours of one of the most famous iron ore ships to ever sail the Great Lakes. Made famous not because [...]

8 10, 2020

Taconite Harbor: A North Shore Ghost Town
Taconite Harbor: A North Shore Ghost Town

Taconite Harbor: A North Shore Ghost Town

Martha Finley2021-02-15T20:15:20+00:00Spooky Places on the North Shore|

In the 1950s, a bustling little town sprung up along the shore of Lake Superior. The tiny two-block town was built by the Erie Mining Company. Its purpose was to house the employees of the nearby taconite plant and their families. 22 pre-fabricated homes were brought in on trucks and lined either side of the street in this picturesque town. The town was called Taconite Harbor, and from 1957 until 1990 it had its ups and downs. Finally, in 1990 the town ceased to be. Taconite Harbor became one of the North Shore's most well-known ghost towns. An Affordable Town for Young Families [...]

5 10, 2020

Hauntings on Isle Royale
Hauntings on Isle Royale

Hauntings on Isle Royale

Martha Finley2021-02-15T20:19:42+00:00Spooky Places on the North Shore|

There are a few stories of hauntings on Isle Royale. The remote island on Lake Superior has been the home of numerous untimely deaths– mostly surrounding the copper mine that once existed on the island. However, one of the earliest deaths that have often been associated with a haunting, happened to a man named Charlie Mott in 1845. The Legend of Charlie and Angelique Mott When you start discussing possible hauntings on Isle Royale, conversations quickly turn to the legend of Charlie and Angelique Mott. Charlie was a voyageur and prospector. He was hired to survey Isle Royale for copper deposits in hopes [...]

5 10, 2020

Haunted Split Rock Lighthouse
Haunted Split Rock Lighthouse

Haunted Split Rock Lighthouse

Martha Finley2021-02-25T16:51:05+00:00Spooky Places on the North Shore|

Rumors have always swirled that Split Rock Lighthouse was haunted by past lighthouse keepers and their families. Many ghost stories surround Split Rock Lighthouse and the surrounding State Park. Have you ever had a ghostly encounter while visiting? As it turns out, I have! The Happy Spirits of Split Rock Lighthouse While no one met an untimely end to their life on the grounds of Split Rock Lighthouse, one life was lost in the sinking of the Madeira. This is what sparked the construction of the Lighthouse on Split Rock Point. While the lighthouse had a dark beginning, it was [...]

5 10, 2020

Haunted Glensheen Mansion
Haunted Glensheen Mansion

Haunted Glensheen Mansion

Martha Finley2021-02-19T19:15:17+00:00Spooky Places on the North Shore|

Sitting along the shores of Lake Superior is a beautiful classic-style mansion known as the Glensheen Mansion. This well-known home is available for visitors to tour. Although the architecture and interior design is beautiful, many come to the mansion for a different reason. There are rumors that Glensheen Mansion is haunted. A Brief History Glensheen Mansion is a beautiful home in Duluth, former home to the Congdon family. The Congdon’s were a wealthy family who donated a lot of time and money to various programs and charities in the Duluth area. The Congdons were respected and beloved in the community [...]