Population (2010) 13,590 Introduction Brainerd is at the center of a vast resort area that spreads out around the city. I confess I have mixed feelings about Brainerd, and not just because this was the place where I dropped my smartphone into the toilet. While the city has an interesting
Population (2010) 13,431 Introduction Bemidji, the First City on the Mississippi (the official slogan!), is a small but vibrant city with an active arts scene and enough outdoors activities to get a couch potato outside any time of year. Visitor Information Get your questions answered
I don’t know if Ole T. Westby was a fan of ski jumping, but the small city with a big Norwegian heritage named after him sure is. In February 1923, just three years after Westby incorporated as a city, its first ski jump competition caught some air. A novelty at the time, the event drew
It was a Monday night in January, and I was heading to Bemidji City Park to check out broomball at the outdoor rink. I had not entirely convinced myself that this is how I wanted to spend my time, because: a) it’s freaking cold outside (around 10°F); and b) I have a cold. But, I haven’t played broomball since high school and feel like I need a broomball refresher course, so I can include it in a piece I want to write about the joy that is winter in northern Minnesota. When I noticed that the curling arena next to the rink was busy, however, I was handed the excuse I needed to change my plans and went inside to investigate.
The Upper Mississippi River is a great place to visit any time of year, it's just that some seasons require an extra layer or two of clothing.
The Snowflake Ski club at Westby, Wisconsin has been hosting a world-class ski jumping competition since 1923.
