Superior
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Superior

Superior

Lake Superior port city with a deep-water harbour, Wisconsin Point beaches, and access to Big Manitou Falls.

Superior's spectacular natural setting at the far western end of Lake Superior signals that a visit here holds special delights. The city's deep-water harbor is an international inland ocean port linked to the Atlantic Ocean by the St. Lawrence Seaway. Wisconsin Point, a four-mile-long sand bar in the harbor, affords wonderful bird watching, particularly during the spring and fall migrations. Fine sand beaches and a lighthouse are additional attractions. Outside the city, the unspoiled landscape beckons with 431 lakes and the state's tallest waterfall, 165-foot-high Big Manitou Falls in Pattison State Park, only a 10-mile drive south of Superior.

The city's most distinctive attraction is the SS Meteor, the last surviving whaleback freighter in the world, moored on Barker's Island in the harbor. The Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge, connecting Superior to Duluth, is named for the town's most celebrated son — the top American fighter ace of World War II.

Guide

Getting There

Superior shares a metro area with Duluth, Minnesota, and the two cities are connected by two bridges across the Saint Louis River. Richard I. Bong Airport (SUW) on the south side of town handles a small number of regional flights, but most visitors fly into Duluth International Airport (DLH) in Minnesota, which is only a few miles away. Greyhound buses connect Superior and Duluth to Minneapolis and other Midwestern cities. By car, US-2 and US-53 are the main approaches.

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Things to Do

Superior's biggest draw is its lakefront setting. The harbor, the shipwrecks, the sandbar, and the parkland around the city give you plenty to work with even on a short visit. The SS Meteor, the last surviving whaleback freighter in the world, sits on Barker's Island and is the city's most unusual attraction. Pattison State Park, just 10 miles south, holds Big Manitou Falls, the tallest waterfall in Wisconsin.

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When to Go

Superior has long, cold winters and short, pleasant summers. July and August are the best months for outdoor activities — the beaches and parks are open, the SS Meteor museum is running, and the days are long. Spring migration peaks in May, making Wisconsin Point particularly rewarding for birders. Fall colours are excellent in late September and October, especially in Pattison State Park.

Winter is severe. Temperatures routinely fall below zero Fahrenheit, and Lake Superior freezes over in the harbor. Cross-country skiing and snowmobile trails are active through March, but casual visitors are better off timing a trip for summer.