Winter looks good on the North Shore.
Lake Superior gets moodier, waterfalls freeze over, Highway 61 gets quieter, and the little towns along the shore start lighting up for Christmas. If you’re planning a North Shore Minnesota winter getaway between December 1 and January 1, Two Harbors makes an easy home base for exploring it all.
Even better this year: Hotel Boreal opens in December 2026. Reserve your dates now and be among the first to stay.
Here are five of our favorite things to do on the North Shore this holiday season.
1. Wander Through Julebyen in Knife River
December 5–6, 2026
A Scandinavian Christmas village on the shore of Lake Superior? Yes, please.
Just down Highway 61 from Two Harbors, the tiny community of Knife River transforms for Julebyen, its annual Scandinavian Christmas celebration.
Wander the outdoor market, shop for handmade gifts, try Scandinavian treats, listen to live music and take in one of the North Shore’s most charming holiday traditions. You can even make the journey part of the experience aboard the special Julebyen Express train from Duluth.
If you’re visiting the North Shore in December, this one deserves a spot on the itinerary.
2. See Millions of Lights at Bentleyville
Through December 26, 2026
Head south to Duluth for one of Minnesota’s biggest Christmas traditions.
Bentleyville Tour of Lights transforms Bayfront Festival Park into a massive walk-through holiday display with millions of lights, enormous illuminated scenes, fire pits, hot chocolate, cookies, popcorn and marshmallows for roasting.
It’s big. It’s bright. It’s unapologetically Christmas.
From Hotel Boreal in Two Harbors, it also makes an easy evening trip before heading back up the shore for the night.
3. Ride the Christmas City Express
Select dates through December 20, 2026
If your ideal holiday involves an old-fashioned Christmas train, Duluth has you covered.
The Christmas City Express begins at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum with a holiday story and Christmas music before guests climb aboard the North Shore Scenic Railroad for a festive train ride.
Expect carols, cookies, hot chocolate and plenty of nostalgia.
Tickets can sell out, so this is one of those North Shore Christmas activities worth planning ahead.
4. See Gooseberry Falls Frozen Over
Summer gets most of the attention on the North Shore. Winter might be better.
Drive north from Two Harbors to Gooseberry Falls State Park, where December temperatures begin transforming the famous waterfalls into walls of ice, snow and rushing water.
The exact view depends on the weather, which is half the fun. Every winter visit looks a little different.
Bundle up, wear proper winter boots and check current trail conditions before heading out. Then explore the falls and surrounding trails before warming up back in Two Harbors.
For anyone searching for the best things to do on the North Shore in winter, this is an easy one.
5. Take a Winter Drive Up Highway 61
No reservations. No schedule. Just Lake Superior.
Start your morning in Two Harbors, grab a coffee and take Scenic Highway 61 north. Stop at overlooks along the shoreline, explore Gooseberry Falls, continue toward Split Rock and pull over whenever Lake Superior gives you a reason to.
December brings a completely different feel to this stretch of the North Shore: fewer crowds, snow-covered forests, icy shoreline views and plenty of excuses to stop somewhere warm along the way.
Head back to Two Harbors before dark, grab dinner or a drink, and call it a very good winter day.
A New Place to Stay in Two Harbors This December
There’s something especially good about the North Shore when things slow down.
And this December, there’s somewhere new to come back to.
Hotel Boreal opens in Two Harbors in December 2026, inside the historic former Budd Hospital, originally built in 1896. We’re bringing the building into its next chapter with cozy rooms, vintage European character and an easy home base for exploring Lake Superior and the North Shore.
You’ll be close to downtown Two Harbors, local shops and breweries, with Highway 61 ready to take you north toward Gooseberry Falls, Split Rock and everything beyond.
Spend your days outside. Come back somewhere warm. Repeat as necessary.
Opening December 2026. Reserve your dates now and be one of the first to stay at Hotel Boreal.
