Minnesota Inline Skate Tour
Five Top Trails in the Best US Skating State
August 8-12, 2012

Price	$1,600
Single Supplement	$400 (always optional)
Length	Five Days & Four Nights
Activities	Skating
Other	Optional Bicycle Rental $25/day
Guides (Tentative)	Desiree, Gary, and Terry
Skating Level	Advanced Beginner and better
Navigation Required	Basic Map Reading

While Idaho has one of the best paved skating trails in the world and Florida has the best winter skating, Minnesota has the best overall network of paved trails anywhere in North America.

The state Department of Natural Resources has created dozens of long paved trails and local governments and citizen groups have joined in to develop even more. Most of these trails are laid out on old railroad beds, meaning the trails are flat, long, and scenic.

We start by meeting you in Minneapolis and skating on the Gateway Trail, just north of Saint Paul and a favorite of Twin Cities skaters. After the skate, we head south to the cute small town of Red Wing, located on the Mississippi River and proud of its charm, walkable streets, and fantastic historic hotel, the Saint James, in which we stay.

The next day, we venture out to one of the best skating trails in the country, the Cannon Valley Trail, a privately managed trail that runs along the Cannon River and always has swept pavement and well-kept rest stops to complement its woodland environment. We spend a second night in Red Wing and then head north the next day to skate on the Dakota Rail Trail.  Our loyal skate tour participants Steve and Joni Marti say this trail is "what we feel is the best trail in this state and possibly anywhere." That is saying a lot, given Minnesota's vast trail network and the Martis' deep experience. We'll pass by a whole slew of things to gaze at, including lakes, boats, golf courses, luxurious waterfront homes, and several small towns. We spend that night in downtown Minneapolis.

In the morning we skate on the paved paths of the famous Chain of Lakes, three connecting lakes in the hip Uptown area of Minneapolis that are the lifeblood of urban recreation in the city. Our final night, we do a morning skate tour of downtown Minneapolis and the Mississippi River paths, where Zephyr owner Allan Wright and retired guide Mike Merriman years ago started the Minneapolis Friday Night Skate.

The Minnesota Skating Adventure is perfect for all ability levels, with van support and multiple route options each day. (You do need to be able to brake and skate on your own.) After the tour, you'll understand why we say Minnesota has the best paved skating trail network in the country.

Accommodations
You will love the hotels on this tour!  We stay two nights in the St. James Hotel, an historic hotel in the Mississippi River town of Red Wing, boasting fantastic architecture and excellent service.  Our final two nights we spend at the luxury boutique Hotel Minneapolis, right in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.

For More Information
See our Minnesota Frequently Asked Questions page or request a detailed Trip Description by email.