Things to do in Duluth

The core of a Duluth visit is free: Canal Park and the Aerial Lift Bridge, the 7.3-mile Lakewalk and the 25-mile Skyline Parkway. The main paid stops are the Great Lakes Aquarium ($20 adults, $16 ages 3 to 17, open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Glensheen, the lakeside mansion (open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through January 4, 2027, with holiday closures). The City of Duluth closes Enger Tower each fall when snow arrives and reopens it May 1, and Spirit Mountain plans to open for skiing on November 27, 2026, weather permitting.

This guide is for a first trip to Duluth or a weekend with kids. It covers what each stop is, what it costs, when it's open right now, and what changes by season. Hours and prices were read from each attraction's own site on November 11, 2026.

For food and drink, see the companion guides to Duluth restaurants and breweries in Duluth.

Duluth attractions at a glance

Canal Park, the Lift Bridge and the Lakewalk

Canal Park is the lakefront district at the foot of Lake Avenue, where restaurants, hotels and shops sit beside the Duluth Ship Canal.

Aerial Lift Bridge

The bridge spans the ship canal and connects Park Point with the rest of Duluth. According to Visit Duluth, the city's tourism office, a ferry car first crossed the canal in 1905, and in 1929 that system was replaced with the lift bridge. Visit Duluth gives the bridge's height as 138 feet and says its span rises to 135 feet so ships can pass underneath. Visit Duluth links a ship-watching schedule from the same page, which is the way to time a visit for a lift.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers runs the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center beside the canal, and the Corps has announced separate holiday and winter schedules in past years. The Lake Superior Marine Museum Association, which supports the center, posts its current seasonal hours, so check there before planning around it.

The Lakewalk

"From Brighton Beach to Bayfront Festival Park, the Lakewalk stretches 7.3 miles," per Visit Duluth, following Lake Superior's shore through the city. The same Visit Duluth page also lists Leif Erikson Park's rose garden, with "more than 3,000 rose bushes," and Lester Park's "9+ miles of hiking and mountain biking trails."

Park Point

Cross the Lift Bridge and you're on Park Point, which Visit Duluth calls "the world's largest freshwater sandbar." Visit Duluth says lifeguards are on duty "during the summer season." In November, it's a beach walk, not a swim. See Lake Superior water temperature before you plan to get in.

Glensheen and the Great Lakes Aquarium

Glensheen

Glensheen describes itself as "Minnesota's most visited historic home." The estate covers 12 acres on London Road. Its hours page lists, as of November 2026:

Tour options on the homepage: the self-guided Classic Mansion Tour (about one hour), the Full Mansion Tour that adds the third floor and attic (about 1.5 hours), and evening Candlelight Tours at Christmas. Daytime Christmas tours begin November 13 and Candlelight tours November 27. Glensheen's pages don't list prices; they show up when you buy tickets.

Great Lakes Aquarium

The aquarium at 353 Harbor Drive is open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Admission: $20 adults, $19 seniors 62 and older, $16 children 3 to 17, free for 2 and under. Children 12 and under must be with an adult.
• Parking: the aquarium lot charges $10 for up to 5 hours, $15 up to 8 hours, $20 up to 24 hours.
• Wonder Wednesday: every Wednesday from November 4, 2026 to February 24, 2027, admission is $6 for adults and children 3 to 17. Standard parking rates apply.

Skyline Parkway and Enger Tower

The Federal Highway Administration's byway listing gives Skyline Parkway as 25 miles following "curved hill lines across the city of Duluth," with no fees, and says to "allow an hour to tour this byway." Other sources give different lengths depending on where they start and stop counting.

Enger Tower sits on the parkway in Enger Park, above the West End. The City of Duluth says the park was developed with money from West End furniture dealer Bert Enger, the tower was built in his honor in 1939, and the park includes the American-Japanese Peace Bell. The city closes the park's entry gate and the tower doors "every fall when the snow arrives" and opens them "on May 1 annually," earlier if the weather allows. Explore Minnesota lists free admission and a 10 p.m. park closing.

Duluth with kids

• Duluth Children's Museum: under-1s are free. Socks are required for climbing exhibits ($2.50 a pair at the museum), per its homepage. It's in Lincoln Park, near the taprooms and the Duluth Grill.
• Lake Superior Zoo: closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Kids 2 and under are free.
• Lake Superior Railroad Museum: in the Duluth Depot. Its trains page says public train trips resume November 27, with the Christmas City Express running November 27 to December 20, 2026. Train excursions generally run Friday to Sunday.

Spirit Mountain and winter

Spirit Mountain, at 9500 Spirit Mountain Place, has been "celebrating winter since 1974." Its November 8, 2026 update gives a tentative opening day of November 27, 2026, weather permitting. In summer the same hill runs an adventure park, campground and mountain biking. For what else stays open in cold months, see the North Shore in winter.

Before you go

1. Check Glensheen's closure dates. It's closed on Thanksgiving and on December 24 and 25.
2. Bring cash or a card for parking at the aquarium lot ($10 for up to five hours).
3. Go on a Wednesday for $6 aquarium admission through February 24, 2027.
4. Check Enger Tower in late fall and winter. The city closes the tower once snow arrives and reopens it May 1.
5. Time the Lift Bridge with Visit Duluth's ship schedule.
6. Plan Spirit Mountain around snow. Its opening date is tentative.

For nearby trips, Jay Cooke State Park is southwest of the city, and the North Shore starts just northeast in Two Harbors. The full drive is in Duluth to Grand Marais, stop by stop.

Related guides: All Duluth and I-35 guides · Duluth restaurants · Breweries in Duluth · Jay Cooke State Park · Minnesota things to do

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Sources

• Visit Duluth, Aerial Lift Bridge: https://visitduluth.com/experience/aerial-lift-bridge/
• Visit Duluth, City parks (Lakewalk, Park Point, Leif Erikson Park, Lester Park): https://visitduluth.com/experience/adventure/parks-trails/city-parks/
• City of Duluth, Enger Park: https://duluthmn.gov/parks/parks-listing/enger-park/
• Lake Superior Marine Museum Association, homepage: https://lsmma.com
• DVIDS (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers news), "Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center transitions to holiday, winter schedule" (Dec. 20, 2022): https://www.dvidshub.net/news/printable/435529
• Glensheen, homepage (tours, address, acreage): https://glensheen.d.umn.edu/
• Glensheen, Hours of operation: https://glensheen.d.umn.edu/visit/visitor-information/hours-operation
• Great Lakes Aquarium, Hours and tickets: https://glaquarium.org/visit/hours-and-prices/
• Great Lakes Aquarium, Wonder Wednesday: https://glaquarium.org/wonder-wednesday/
• Federal Highway Administration, America's Byways, Skyline Parkway: https://fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp/byway/13549
• Explore Minnesota, Enger Park Tower and Gardens: https://exploreminnesota.com/profile/enger-park-tower-gardens/3061
• Spirit Mountain, homepage: https://spiritmt.com/
• Spirit Mountain, Mountain Message (Nov. 8, 2026): https://spiritmt.com/mountain-message/
• Duluth Children's Museum, homepage: https://www.duluthchildrensmuseum.org/
• Lake Superior Zoo, Visit the Zoo: https://lszoo.org/visit-the-zoo-2/
• Lake Superior Railroad Museum and North Shore Scenic Railroad, Plan your next train ride: https://duluthtrains.com/nextyear/
• Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Directions: https://duluthtrains.com/directions/