Heading up north this summer? Be sure to get a Duluth Passport! You can visit 3 area attractions for the price of 2!
Are you even Minnesotan without going up to Duluth for a roadtrip this summer?! We absolutely love going up north but it sure has gotten expensive! It’s hard to say no to all the fun things to do- the Duluth area has some amazing attractions. With the Duluth Passport you can say yes– and visit 3 area attractions for the price of 2!
The Duluth Passport is your ticket to three of the most amazing Duluth attractions: The North Shore Scenic Railroad, The Great Lakes Aquarium and the William A. Irvin. It’s the best of all worlds with a family- a fun train ride up the North Shore, an exciting visit to a huge aquarium and the opportunity to tour an actual ship that carried iron ore on the Great Lakes for over 40 years!
The North Shore Scenic Railroad
Let’s start with The North Shore Scenic Railroad. Our family absolutely loves trains, so this one is an easy sell for us! But for anyone, riding on The North Shore Scenic Railroad is relaxing, informative and offers some gorgeous views of Lake Superior!
With your Duluth Passport, you get a general admission ticket on the 75-Minute “Duluth Zephyr” train excursion ride. It’s very family-friendly with restrooms on board and a concession car with many delicious snacks available for purchase. You are also welcome to walk around the train and explore (I know that’s always important with my busy kiddos!).
We were gifted tickets to the Glass Dome Car for our ride. And wow- it was so nice! The North Shore Scenic Railroad calls it “First Class Under the Glass” service in the SkyView and they are right! You can upgrade your tickets with the Duluth Passport and I would highly recommend it.
Not only are the views extra spectacular with the glass dome, there are two free drinks per person and tasty snacks. The day we visited we received charcuterie boxes and fresh baked brownies! It was an amazing experience.
Either way, you really can’t go wrong with the North Shore Scenic Railroad. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the relaxation of the train chugging alongside Lake Superior. It’s a great addition to any trip up north!
The Great Lakes Aquarium
Next up with the Duluth Passport is the Great Lakes Aquarium. It’s a huge aquarium dedicated to the study of freshwater ecosystems. The aquarium is home to North America’s largest sturgeon touchpool and several marine touchpools. If you asked my kids, they would say it’s cool and has the best yellow tree slide they’ve even seen (if you know, you know!!).
My kids really enjoyed the Great Lakes Aquarium- we loved checking out all the aquariums, watching the cute otters, visiting the birds in the Raptor Ridge, experiencing the touchpools, playing in the interactive water exhibits and checking out the brand-new Oceans Alive exhibit.
We ended up visiting on a rainy day, and that was perfect for us! I know how hard it can be to peel yourself away from the outdoors when you’re up north, but the Great Lakes Aquarium is worth the time. My kids are 7, 5 and 2 and they all had plenty to do and explore here, which can be hard to find all in the same place!
William A. Irvin
Lastly, the Duluth Passport gets you into a tour of the William A. Irvin, a Great Lakes vessel that transported iron ore for over 40 years! But don’t worry- this ship is still in tip top shape, making it quite the adventure for your entire family!
The tour of the William A. Irvin is at your own pace, which is perfect for families! Tours typically last 45- 60 minutes and there are museum staff on board to provide insights and answer any questions you may have. Please note that due to its historical nature as a retired freighter, the Irvin is not ADA accessible and includes multiple staircases to access certain locations.
The Duluth Passport
The Duluth Passport can be purchased online on their website. Adults are $45, children ages 3-13 are $25 and children 2 and under are free. The Duluth Passport can be used anytime during the 2025 season.
The last tours of the year on the William A. Irvin are 9/16/2025. However, the Aquarium remains open daily, and train excursions operate into October, and both locations will accept the passes after the September deadline, anytime before the end of the year (12/31/2025).
Still looking for more ways to save and explore in Duluth? Check out our post about Thrifty Things to do in Duluth Minnesota.
- About the Author
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Hannah is a married mom of 3 kiddos in the Twin Cities. Born and raised here in MN, she loves finding deals and special events to share with others.
Hannah enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading books, going on road trips up north, singing along with the radio and finding new thrift stores to shop! Hannah is also a fierce advocate for people with disabilities and is always on the lookout for more sensory friendly opportunities in the Twin Cities.
Julie Kolasinski says
What an awesome family weekend!
Erin Bollinger says
Is this a one time use or is it you can use this pass for multiple trips
Hannah says
You can use the pass at each of the three attractions once, but you have until the end of the 2025 to use all 3. So you could break it up throughout the year, they do not all need to used the same weekend. Hope that helps!
T says
Did you do these all in one day? My kids are about the same age as yours. Or in what order would you recommend?
Hannah says
We didn’t do them all in one day, I don’t think my kids could have managed that. We did one a day but you could easily space them out over several trips up north throughout 2025!