You can make Minneapolis to Meadowlands in about 3.25 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 185 miles on I-35 and US-53, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable close to the flyway.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Minneapolis
Aim to clear Minneapolis before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 147 miles to Duluth.
The headline stop on this route is Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center feeders. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Duluth, the last stretch
Duluth sits about 147 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Nearby, Great gray owl roadside watches is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Rolling into Meadowlands
The final 38 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Duluth's North Shore; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center feeders, Great gray owl roadside watches and Duluth's North Shore, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Duluth, MN is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along I-35 and US-53 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
