MINNESOTA

A northern Minnesota city has been named one of the country's best underrated travel destinations

Portrait of Chris Mueller Chris Mueller
St. Cloud Times

Duluth, on the shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, is one of the country's best underrated travel destinations, according to new rankings by U.S. News and World Report.

The city ranked eighth out of 26 destinations that the news outlet said aren't well-known nationally and don't often get featured on travel lists. 

The selections are based on reader votes and input from editors, plus other factors, including crowd sizes, attractions and affordability.

Why was Duluth ranked as one of the most underrated travel destinations?

U.S. News and World Report said Duluth's place on Lake Superior makes it a "near-perfect outdoor destination – brisk winters aside."

"Waterfront parks, kayak rental options and fishing charters abound, while the North Shore All-American Scenic Drive and Skyline Parkway treat motorists to coastal views," the news outlet said in its rankings. "Duluth is also sure to please historians with the grand Glensheen Mansion and the informative Lake Superior Railroad Museum, relics of the city's role as a thriving Gilded Age port and railway hub."

Duluth, home to nearly 87,000 people, has more than 9,000 acres of parks and 300 miles of trails within the city limits. It also has North America’s farthest inland seaport, according to the city's visitors bureau.

What were the other most underrated travel destinations?

Here's where U.S. News and World Report ranked Duluth and other underrated travel destinations:

  1. St. Simons Island, Georgia
  2. Sawtooth National Recreation Area
  3. Door County, Wisconsin
  4. Chattanooga, Tennessee
  5. Block Island, Rhode Island
  6. Big Bend National Park, Texas
  7. Portsmouth, New Hampshire
  8. Duluth, Minnesota
  9. Charlottesville, Virginia
  10. Crested Butte, Colorado