Please tell me you've been to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.  Any Minnesotan or Wild fan should make a point to visit this hockey hot spot to gain a better appreciation for our much loved sport.  Best of all, the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Eveleth, Minnesota, just 2 miles from my hometown!

Eveleth is a little town, about 3,500, and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame selected this little city for its headquarters due to Eveleth's early prominence in the sport.  It's only a 3 hour drive from Minneapolis/St. Paul and 55 minutes from Duluth. 

Also, Eveleth has a massive hockey stick on display.  It weighs in at a whopping 3 tons and 107 feet.  What more could you ask for?

While you're in Eveleth, I'd recommend checking out local attractions like Mineview in the Sky (massive mining trucks and iron ore displays), cliff diving into a real mine pit in nearby Gilbert, checking out the big curling club right in Eveleth, and eating at The Whistling Bird, a Jamaican restaurant known for coconut encrusted shrimp and other mouth watering specialties. 

With gas prices so high, a quick day or two day trip up north is the perfect solution to budget and time concerns.  Enjoy!