Tour of 10,000 Lakes
Destination: Bemidji
by Lee Voss, WJON.com

BEMIDJI -- Summer is coming to an end, but there is still time for this week's "Tour of 10,000 Lakes."

Today we bring you to Bemidji, Minnesota...home to Minnesota's first Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox statues. Convention and Visitors Bureau spokeswoman Cindy Habedank says it's a must-see stop in Bemidji.

From there, Habedank says the options are plentiful. She says the Bemidji-area is well-known as a fishing destination with 400 lakes within a 25-mile radius. 

Lake Bemidji is in the heart of town and Habedank says if fishing isn't your thing, Bemidji State Park has things for the whole family including a bogwalk which gives you a chance to see a unique ecosystem up close.

There is also the Paul Bunyan State Trail, the Chippewa National Forest , golf, horseback riding and of course nearby Itasca State Park -- the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

Habedank says Bemidji is known as the first city on the Mississippi. She says the name reflects its place in history.  She says it is short for an Ojibwe Indian name meaning lake with crossing waters.

When choosing a place to stay, Habedank says there are all of the options available to you, including two hotels right on Lake Bemidji.  There are also campgrounds and bed and breakfasts too.

So, while the kids are swimming or at the amusement park, Habedank says there is a great shopping district for moms like the ever popular Bemidji Woolen Mills, Loonfeather Leather and plenty of antique shops.

Habedank says if you can't make it there yet this summer, they want you to visit in the winter too, with snowmobiling, ice fishing and curling. She says you can't pass up a visit to the Curling Capital of the U.S.

Photos Courtesy of Visit Bemidji!

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