Wander Minnesota: Regatta Tours in Duluth
By Amy Rea
If you've visited Duluth before, you may already be familiar with Vista Fleet, a company offering harbor and Lake Superior cruises. For the remainder of the summer season (through August), they're offering a Wednesday night event that promises all kinds of fun (and good food, to boot).
Duluth has Wednesday night regatta races hosted by the Duluth Yacht Club. This is a long-time favorite of residents and visitors. Vista Fleet offers special Wednesday night regatta cruises, combined with the unbeatable combo of bluegrass and BBQ.
Get a closer view of the races, while enjoying a generous picnic served by local favorite, OMC Smokehouse. The menu includes pulled smoked pork and chicken, bacon bleu cheese potato salad, cole slaw, watermelon, and cookies--a perfect summer evening spread for watching sailboat races. Commentary is provided by long-time racer, Dale Hedtke, who can fill in the gaps in your regatta knowledge by explaining the rules and what's happening on the committee boat. If you're lucky, he'll be willing to share some gossip about the boats and crews. "For years, we've all enjoyed seeing the sailboats out there. But if you don't have someone in the know telling you what the different flags mean and where the course is — you're not going to appreciate it the same way," says Justin Steinbach, co-owner of Vista Fleet.
If that's not enough, each Wednesday night cruise will feature music by regional award-winning bluegrass bands. Tickets are $32.95 per person and are available here. The cruises last about 90 minutes, with boarding starting at 5:30 to get the cruises under the bridge for the 6 p.m. lift.
What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.