Duluth, Minnesota
Drive time: 7 hours

Nestled on Lake Superior’s coastline, Duluth offers more than 90 miles of bike trails. That’s impressive enough, but what really sets it apart is its designation by the International Mountain Bicycling Association, which recognizes the best large-scale facilities for all skill levels, as one of just six gold-level sites in the world. Ansel Schimpff of the Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores, a local mountain biking advocacy group, suggests that riders with some experience try the new intermediate trail at Spirit Mountain, which comes with the bonus of lift service (it’s a ski hill in winter). “It’s two to three miles, has nice rollers and wide-open corners,” Schimpff says. For beginners, he suggests Spirit’s Happy Camper trail. You can rent a bike at Skihut, across the street ($65 for four hours, $100 for a full day). There’s also the 2.5-mile Home Brew trail (pictured above), as well as the crowd-pleasing Duluth Traverse, a 40-mile trail high above the lake that links the east and west sides of the city, taking you through town as well as the backcountry. For another iconic trek, drop 500 feet on the Craft Connector and directly into Duluth’s craft brewery district, where Schimpff recommends finishing your ride with a cold one at Bent Paddle Brewing Co. 

While there Given the northern climate, it’s little surprise that Duluth has a robust sauna culture, dating back to the 1800s. Cedar & Stone offers guided Nordic sauna experiences, with options ranging from social saunas ($49 a person) to a private guided session on a floating sauna ($99).