Looking for a laid-back lakeside town with Northwoods charm? Head to Bemidji! Known as the first city on the Mississippi River, Bemidji offers beautiful lakes, outdoor adventures, and iconic roadside attractions. Whether you're fishing, paddling, or posing with Paul Bunyan and Babe, this northern Minnesota gem delivers small-town fun in every season.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Bemidji is from late spring through early fall (May to October). Enjoy boating, hiking, and festivals in the warmer months, or visit in winter for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and cozy cabins.
How to Get There
- By Car: Bemidji is located along US-2 and US-71, about 2.5 hours from Fargo and 4.5 hours from Minneapolis–St. Paul.
- By Air: Fly into Bemidji Regional Airport (BJI), with daily service to Minneapolis via Delta Connection.
- By Bus: Jefferson Lines provides regional bus service to Bemidji from Minneapolis and other Minnesota cities.
Where to Stay
- Hampton Inn & Suites Bemidji – Lakeside hotel with an indoor pool and direct access to the Lake Bemidji waterfront trail.
- DoubleTree by Hilton Bemidji – Comfortable lodging on the lake with a restaurant and beautiful views.
- Ruttger’s Birchmont Lodge – Historic resort with cabin rentals, dining, and activities along the lakeshore.
Top Attractions
1. Lake Bemidji State Park
Rating: ★★★★★
Lake Bemidji State Park features over 1,600 acres of beautiful pine forest, picturesque hiking trails, campground sites, and recreational facilities along the north end of Lake Bemidji, in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The park is ideal for year-round recreation, visitors will have easy access to outdoor activities that include biking, hiking, kayaking, boating, fishing, swimming, and volleyball. During the winter the area is perfect for snowmobiling, ice fishing, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. The park is a great place for camping with its 95 drive-in sites, 43 of which are electric, four pull through, and four handicap accessible. It’s not uncommon to see herons, eagles, and loons around the lakeshore, or even a doe strolling through the woods with her fawn.
121 7th Place E, Suite 360, St. Paul, MN, Phone: 651-556-8465
2. Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox is a roadside attraction, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and located in Bemidji, Minnesota. As the legend goes, Paul Bunyan was the greatest of lumberjacks to have swaggered through the thick, North American forests, and Bemidji has claimed him as their own (as have five other American towns). Paul stands approximately 18-feet tall with a width of five feet, while Babe is about 10-feet tall, and measures 23-feet long. To this day the pair of statues are historically recognized for being Minnesota’s first and greatest display of a roadside colossus, as the city continues to garner recognition for being a pioneer in Minnesota’s tourism industry.
300 Bemidji Avenue N, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 800-458-2223
If you are traveling with kids:
3. Bemidji Sculpture Walk
Since 1999 the Bemidji Sculpture Walk has had a rich history of promoting public works of art in Bemidji, Minnesota. The Walk features over 25 murals and sculptures on public display throughout the course of the year in the city’s downtown business area. Encore, or returning pieces, typically spend about two to three years on display, with many of the pieces being made available for private purchase. The Walk includes several beautiful murals around town, a permanent collection, the Veterans Memorial, and new special works, like Liberty Park’s Shaynowishkung (Chief Bemidji) Statue. During the Walk visitors will see art pieces ranging from a dog sculpture to a harp sculpture to a world globe sculpture.
300 Bemidji Avenue N, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-444-3541
4. Headwaters Science Center
Headwaters Science Center offers hands-on technology and science programs, and exhibits in the lakeside city of Bemidji, Minnesota. Since opening its doors in July of 1993 with a small gift shop and handful of home-made exhibits, the science center now boasts 11 impressive Science Carnival exhibits from the Pacific Science Center. The live animal collection features turtles, an owl, and a snake, among other species for educational purposes and to further appreciation for living things. The center offers interactive programs that include Simple Circuits, a hands-on program introducing basic engineering principals to children; and Animal Menagerie, a demonstration that involves live animals so visitors can learn the proper care, feeding, and handling techniques for several species.
413 Beltrami Avenue NW, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-444-4472
5. Paul Bunyan Playhouse
The Paul Bunyan Playhouse is a professional, non-equity, summer stock company situated in the Chief Theater in downtown Bemidji, Minnesota. While Jim Williams is in charge of the artistic direction, the playhouse employs a wide variety of talented actors and actresses from the Twin Cities, Bemidji, and around the country. Getting its start in 1951, the playhouse has now been continuously operating for over 66 years, and is a tradition worth treasuring for both residents and tourists alike. Visitors will be treated to incredible live performances that include The Complete History of America Abridged, Steel Magnolias, Clue the Musical, and Hairspray.
314 Beltrami Avenue, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-751-7270
6. Sanford Center
The Sanford Center is a multi-purpose convention center and arena with a capacity of 4,700 seated in Bemidji, Minnesota. First opening its doors in in October of 2010, the center serves as the home to both the men and women’s Bemidji State Beavers ice hockey teams. When the center isn’t hosting collegiate hockey games, visitors can catch a concert, or even compete in the Gigazone Gaming Championship. Part of the Sanford Center, the George W. Nielson Convention Center is equipped with a beautiful ballroom that is perfect for weddings, receptions, dances, banquets, and celebrations. The ballroom has a capacity of 1,000 people and can be set up to provide a romantic, sophisticated, or festive ambiance depending on the occasion.
1111 Event Center Drive NE, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-441-4000
7. Buena Vista Ski Area
Buena Vista Ski Area is a ski resort that offers a plethora of outdoor recreation during both the winter and summer months in Bemidji, Minnesota. When snow isn’t clinging to the ground, visitors can enjoy picturesque, horse-drawn, covered wagon rides along the ridge known as the “Top of the World.” The narrated tours wind through Red Lake and Leech Lake trails, on similar routes traveled by early explorers, pioneers, and Native Americans. During the winter months, Buena Vista is primed for snowboarding, skiing, and tubing. The resort offers more than just runs and lifts, the slopes also feature a Terrain Park, Tubing Park, and a Ski School.
19600 Irvine Avenue NW, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-243-2231
Romantic Ideas:
8. Lake Bemidji
Lake Bemidji is a cornucopia of rejuvenating sights, soothing sounds, and invigorating scents, making it one of Minnesota’s truest natural gems. An excellent destination any time of year, the lake provides the ideal location for ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing during the winter months. Spring announces itself with vibrant blooms, especially at the area’s tamarack bog where orchids, dragon’s mouth, and lady’s slippers greet the cheerful hikers. Summer is the season that knows no bounds, this time of year the lake will be packed with people boating, tubing, water skiing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, fishing, and swimming. On the north end of the lake is Lake Bemidji State Park, the perfect location for biking, hiking, and camping.
1001 Naylor Drive S.E., Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-751-6723
9. Paul Bunyan’s Animal Land
The state’s largest wildlife park and petting zoo, Paul Bunyan’s Animal Land is situated along U.S. Highway 2, in the lakeside community of Bemidji, Minnesota. The zoo is home to almost 100 animal species that represent every continent on the planet. Some of the animals featured include exotic birds, reptiles, rabbits, fox, skunk, coatimundi, cavies, coyotes, jackals, wolves, bobcats, three deer species, raccoons, kangaroos, lemurs, camels, tigers, and lions to name a few. Animal Land offers the perfect family-friendly activity in Bemidji. Here, children can feed and pet deer while learning all about the beautiful, gentle creatures. The zoo features a gift shop, indoor learning center, playground, and picnic areas.
3857 Animal Land Drive SE, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-759-1533
10. Beltrami County Historical Center
Beltrami County Historical Center is a history museum situated between Lake Bemidji and Lake Irving in Bemidji, Minnesota. The museum has had several different locations since its inception in 1952 before finally settling in the restored James J. Hill railroad depot in 2001. Visitors will be able to view the county’s history through a variety of collections, public archives, and interpretive exhibits. The museum also provides programs designed to invite dialogue, educate, and inspire self-reflection. There are several exhibits for visitors to explore that include Trails Through Time, Revisiting Beltrami County, Baskets & Beads: Weaving Traditions, The Railroad, and When Beltrami Went to War : A W.W.I. Centennial Exhibit.
130 Minnesota Avenue SW, Bemidji, MN, Phone: 218-444-3376
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