Saturday, June 28 – One Last Look at the Lake & Back to the Cities

We woke up Saturday to a quiet, softened version of Lake Superior—gray-blue, misty, calm. The wind and waves from the day before had settled down like they knew it was time to let us go. I sipped my coffee slow, soaking up the cabin’s stillness, while Kenobi stretched and gave me that “we’re not really leaving, are we?” look.

We took one last walk down to Chicago Bay, no loons in sight, but the water was beautiful all the same. I tried to memorize it—the light, the smell of pine and lake air, the rhythm of the waves. No photo could do it justice, but I tried anyway. Then we packed up and pointed the car south, but not before one last Grand Marais hoorah.

Our first stop was the Cook County Market, a small, local artists’ gathering where we wandered through booths of pottery, jewelry, handmade soaps—and original bird paintings, which, of course, I couldn’t resist. It’s such a joy to bring a piece of a place home with you, especially when it’s something created with such love.

Kenobi? He was living his best life. At every turn, someone asked if they could pet him. He was all pants and tail wags, leaning into every scratch like he’d known these strangers forever. By the end of the market, I’m pretty sure he had a fan club.

After that, we did a final sweets run—because obviously the six donuts from The World’s Best Donuts weren’t going to cut it. We stopped at a kiosk for some perfectly chewy ginger cookies, and I picked up a few small gifts and postcardsfor the road.

I always send a postcard to myself at the end of a trip. It might seem odd, but it’s one of my favorite rituals. A little handwritten time capsule that arrives back home a few days later to say, “Hey—you were here. You did this.” It draws the trip out just a little longer and keeps the glow alive.

And with that, we were on the road again. The trees shifted from pine to maple, the traffic got faster, the wild gave way to 

We rolled into Minneapolis by late afternoon, tired and a little frazzled. The traffic coming into the city was thick and chaotic—a sharp contrast to the calm forests and wide open roads of the North Shore. I was more than ready to land somewhere quiet, and thankfully, the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel delivered.

Honestly? It’s swanky. Hands down the nicest place I’ve stayed since adopting Kenobi. We’ve visited Minneapolis many times, but this is our first stay at the Sheraton—and it’s now officially our new go-to. Our old favorite started charging a pet fee (boo), but the Sheraton welcomes pets without any added cost. All the pet-friendly rooms are on the second floor, so no elevator drama with a dog and bags. Love that.

When we walked into our room, I was genuinely shocked—in the best way. A king bed, a little sofa, a table and plush chair, and the pièce de résistance: double doors leading to a large, beautiful bathroom. Seriously swanky. Kenobi gave it his full stamp of approval with a thorough sniff of every corner and a proud downward dog stretch on the rug. Safe to say, we were both impressed.

I’d originally planned to head to Barbette for dinner, but the long drive and traffic left me totally spent. Instead, I stayed in and ate at the hotel restaurant, and I’m so glad I did. The food was outstanding—a giant, perfectly cooked pork chop with a wine reduction, plated over tender multi-colored carrots with a second complementary sauce I couldn’t quite place, but absolutely loved. The bartender was fabulous, the service spot-on, and the whole vibe of the place was relaxed but elevated. Guests at the bar were just chatty enough to be friendly, but not intrusive.

Kenobi and I took a leisurely walk afterward around the hotel’s paved dog path, which loops the property and includes bag stations and excellent grassy spots for business. A thoughtful detail that made the whole experience that much better. And the best part? We just strolled right back to our cozy room afterward and called it a night.

I enjoyed the evening so much—and with the weather looking clear for Sunday—I decided to extend our stay by another night. A bonus day in the Cities felt like the right kind of exhale.

That night, we were woken briefly by a tornado siren, heavy rain, booming thunder, and even a bit of hail. But once it passed, the calm returned, and we both drifted back to sleep in our big king bed like seasoned road warriors.