Duluth.

We took our annual trip to Duluth at the end of September.
This year we booked a big room at the Comfort Inn & Suites.
It is the hotel located right next to Canal Park & the lift bridge.
Wow, was it worth it!
We were up close to be able to see the ships that went by
& to run around the park area & museum whenever we wanted.

The whole family is always eager to get going when it's vacation day!
We all wake up early, finalize packing the van & hit to road.
Of course we end up getting there early so this year we walked thru Fitgers
& stopped by the malt shoppe for cones before we were able to check in.

As we were enjoying our cones a BIG ship came by.

The boys were so excited to get down to the park & run around.

Our room had an extra room so my parents came too.

So when Luke had to go to his conference during the day I had some help

with the kids.

It was great!

Grandma Yvonne walking Lake Superior shore, looking for agates with the boys.

(Adler & Brock love looking for rocks!)

We visited the museum with grandma & grandpa

& walked around exploring everything.

We also decided to drive to Gooseberry Falls,

especially since I had extra hands for keeping the kids under control! ha ha

It was our first time visiting the Falls & it was stunning!

The boys ventured out onto the rocks & just loved everything about the park.

And while the older two were running around exploring the place

I was watching these two.

This was not a park to let little kids roam, that's for sure!

Grandpa Wayne made it across the rocks with his dress shoes on!

Don't ask me why he didn't have sneakers?

Making the hick back up the trail to the van.

The drive was even interesting.  Driving through tunnels in the rock!

Grandma Elois told me she knew the guy who helped build that tunnel.

The view from our room!  

As Vance & Viv were napping, the older boys got to play on the shoreline rocks.

A successful trip is all about planning & requesting the 'right' room 

to suit your family & that's exactly what I do.

I have learned that I always want a ground level room 

so the boys can run around outside as they please

& I can see them while being able to pop in & out of the room.

We also stopped by the Adventure Zone to play some arcade games.

Wrestling in the hotel room.

Feeding the birds.

It was Brock's 7th birthday while we were on vacation

so we through him a party.

Pizza, cake, gifts, swimming.

It doesn't get better than that!

We loved Gooseberry Falls so much that we had to return the next day

so dad could see it too.

On the way up we stopped along the shoreline to find more rocks.