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🍷Cliffs, Corks & Country Music
Plus, the perfect roadtrip to Lutsen.
Joe Carmack
April 22, 2026
We’re hungry. Have a favorite restaurant or event you love? Send it our way! We’re always looking for new ideas to keep the creative juices flowing, and in case you wondered-nope, our recommendations are never sponsored. Just sharing local places us locals genuinely love.
Have a great weekend!
-Joe & Haley
Your Weekend Forecast
Free Kite Day, Roseville
4/25
A free way to shake off winter and get outside for a bit. Head to the park, grab a kite (while supplies last), and watch the sky slowly fill up as kids and parents take turns trying to keep theirs in the air. It’s simple, a little chaotic in the best way, and leans into that first stretch of spring where being outside finally feels like a good idea again.
 Team Jigsaw Contest @ Forgotten Star4/22A little out of the box… competitive puzzling, but make it social. Teams of four race to finish the same 500-piece puzzle, all revealed at the same time, while a judge tracks finish times. A little strategy, a little chaos, and just enough pressure to keep things interesting. Prizes for the fastest teams, plus a few extras handed out along the way.
|  Shanty Boys of Pine County4/24 - 5/9A mix of storytelling and live music that digs into Minnesota’s northwoods past, following the lives of lumbermen through folk songs and larger-than-life tales. Expect a couple storytellers, a handful of instruments, and a creative stage setup that shifts as the story unfolds—equal parts history lesson and toe-tapping entertainment.
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 Vintage Market, Maple Grove4/25Rows of vintage finds, from worn-in furniture to old-school collectibles, set up in an open-air market with music drifting in the background. Easy pace, plenty to browse, and just enough food and coffee nearby to keep you lingering longer than planned.
|  Art in Bloom @ MIA4/24 - 4/26Fresh flowers taking over an art museum in the best possible way. Walk through galleries where local florists reinterpret paintings and sculptures with full-on floral installations, filling the space with color and scent. Part art show, part spring reset, with tours, workshops, and just enough going on to make you linger. |
 | Dinner at Red Rabbit is uncomplicated, neighborhood-style Italian done with a bit more personality than your average red sauce place. The St. Paul spot pairs wood-fired pizzas and pastas with small plates and unexpected twists that make sharing fun. Folks often talk about the Family’s Favorite pizza with its house sausage, pepperoni and green olives with the perfectly blistered crust, or their crispy garlic bread cheese curds that feel like Italian comfort meets Midwestern craving. Expect warm brick, a long bar, lots of wine by the glass and relaxed service that keeps the conversation flowing instead of rushing you out for the next seating. |
 | After dinner, check out Circus Juventas’ Spring Show, a seasonal performance where beginning and intermediate students present a lively circus arts showcase under the big top. The production mixes aerials, acrobatics, dance and theatrical elements around a theme (this year’s is Art Walk, inspired by visual masterpieces brought to life through movement and spectacle), so it’s more than just tricks — it’s a narrative-style celebration of creativity and physical skill. You’ll be in a tent-like arena with energetic acts, upbeat music, costumes and fearless young performers weaving the theme through each sequence. |
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A road trip to Lutsen is the perfect destination for this beautiful weekend. The slopes are still open, lake views, cliffs and a gondola ride that makes you forget you’re still in Minnesota. A little hiking, a little wandering, and just enough fresh air to convince yourself you needed this.
Per usual, your first stop is pretty much non-negotiable: Tobies Restaurant & Bakery. Giant caramel rolls, decent coffee, and just enough chaos to wake everyone up. If you’re feeling slightly more refined (or just need a refill), skip the chain stops and hit Miigwitches Brew a bit farther up.
If you’re just making a day-trip to Lutsen, skip Duluth this time around. If you’ve got the time, there are countless fun things to do in Duluth, and at the very least you’ll want to make a quick stop to stretch your legs along the Lakewalk. Nothing fancy—but a great place to stretch your legs and throw a few rocks into Lake Superior.
By now, everyone’s ready to eat, so pull into Rustic Inn Cafe. It’s casual, reliable, and the pie situation alone justifies the stop. Grab something warm, sit for a minute, then finish the drive.
Keep cruising and, if you’ve never been, make a stop at Split Rock Lighthouse. It’s a little pricey, but one of those spots that’s worth seeing at least once. If you’ve been-there-done-that, skip Split Rock and stop at Pebble Beach instead. Black pebble “sand,” a quieter shoreline, and a great alternate view of the lighthouse—without the crowds.
Once you hit Lutsen, start with the gondola. It’s the easiest way to get that “we made it” view—Lake Superior stretching forever, ridgelines behind you, and just enough wind to remind you it’s still Minnesota. From the top, wander a few trails or hop onto a stretch of the Superior Hiking Trail. Early spring means mud, ice, and a little guesswork, but that’s half the experience.
And yes, we called and confirmed—the Lutsen slopes are still open this weekend if you’re looking to ski. Fewer people, softer snow, and nobody taking it too seriously.
Wrap it up with dinner at North Shore Winery—wood-fired pizza, a glass of something good, and one last look at the lake before heading home. It’s an easy, low-key way to close out the trip without rushing straight back to reality.
This one’s less about the destination and more about stacking a bunch of good, easy stops along the way—which, with kids in the car, is kind of the whole game anyway.
As always, happy trails!
-Joe
PS: If your 2026 plans include a new home, give us a call! We’d love to help. :)
 |  Joe & Haley Carmack |