Restaurants

October 17, 2021

Quick stop at Albanese Factory Outlet Store on the way to Louisville. Best Gummy Bears!

Family of four smiling in front of large red Albanese World's Best sign outside candy factory store

October 17, 2021

Mazie and Tyler both love Home Run Inn frozen pizza. We made a point to try it “in real life” in Chicago, skipping the freezer aisle for the first time. Everyone loved it and thought the frozen option was amazingly close to the “real thing”.

Young person wearing a face mask holds a large pepperoni and cheese pizza on a pan inside a restaurant.

Two people lean excitedly toward a large pepperoni pizza on a restaurant table, mouths open wide, with drinks nearby.

October 16, 2021

In Chicago so need to have some Chicago-style deep dish! Stop at Lou Malnati’s in Schaumburg for lunch! Chicago Classic (half just cheese). Yum!

Family of four smiling in front of Lou Malnatis Pizzeria sign outside the Schaumburg location

Chicago-style deep dish pizza slices in a dark pan with thick tomato sauce, plus a served slice on a white plate dusted with Parmesan

September 30, 2021

We sought out the Animales Burger trailer at Bauhaus Brewing Co tonight. Our first time trying their burgers and they were incredible! Wow! 🍔

Animales Burgers Co food trailer with pink and orange animal-print wrap parked in a lot, staff working inside the open service window, menu posted on the side panel.

September 12, 2021

Final stop Up North at the Great! Lakes Candy Company and then on our way home!

Three people posing on the front steps of Great Lakes Candy Kitchen, a white and red storefront surrounded by sunflowers and greenery.

Directional sign post outside Great Lakes Candy Kitchen listing distances to towns along Minnesota's North Shore up to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

September 11, 2021

Worlds Best Donuts in Grand Marais! 🍩🤤

Worlds Best Donuts shop in Grand Marais MN with an open sign and customers at the counter, a memorial bench in the foreground

September 10, 2021

We stopped at Love Creamery in Duluth after dinner at OMC Smokehouse. It was our first time trying their ice cream and we were very impressed. The Salted Peanut Butter & Jelly was amazing. We also had Nutella and Salted Caramel. 🍦

Love Creamery handcrafted ice cream shop exterior at night with customers inside and people sitting on blue benches outside

Four hands holding large waffle bowls of ice cream in flavors including peanut butter jelly, Nutella, and salted caramel, viewed from above.

September 6, 2021

We had a delicious lunch at Home Plate Grill in Red Wing today. The Dugout burger was a great rendition of a smashburger. And the pretzel is giant and very good! 🥨

Giant soft pretzel on a wooden board with two dipping sauces, cheese and mustard, served on an outdoor patio table with drinks and a salad nearby.

August 29, 2021

We went to the Minnesota State Fair today. My brother and his family were in town and we decided to go early so that we could avoid as much of any crowd as possible. We started at 8am and left around noon. It was fun to do some of our normal traditions, and there weren’t that many people at that time.

Group of seven people smiling for a selfie at the Minnesota State Fair with ski lift gondolas visible overhead.

Five people pose on a sunny fairground avenue below colorful gondola sky ride cars, with Ford and Buick pavilions visible nearby.

Large colorful Ferris wheel with enclosed gondolas at the Minnesota State Fair on a sunny day with crowds below

Outdoor carnival maze with white and red wooden walls under a large MAZE banner, surrounded by colorful bunting at the Minnesota State Fair.

Large cartoon squirrel statue in a green striped jacket holding a fishing rod at the Minnesota State Fair with the Space Tower behind it

August 23, 2021

MN Nice Cream. 🍦