About halfway between the Twin Cities and Duluth on I-35W is the small community of Hinckley.
To See and Do
GAMING 
Grand Casino Hinckley (1-800-472-6321; grandcasinomn.com), 777 Lady Luck Drive. Open 24/7. Grand Casino offers extensive gaming opportunities for slots, blackjack, and bingo. Five restaurants are available for dining, and the on-site Kids Quest provides childcare for kids too young to be on the casino floor.
MUSEUMS Hinckley Fire Museum (320-384-7338; hinckleyfiremuseum.com), 106 Old Highway 61 S. Open Tues.–Sun. 10–5, May–mid-Oct.; open daily Jul. and Aug. Admission is $5 for adults ages 18–61; $4 for 62 and older; $2 for age 7–17; 6 and under free. On September 1, 1894, a historic event occurred in the quiet logging town of Hinckley, just south of Duluth. A fire started, and while any fire that burns out of control in the wilderness can be considered a wildfire and therefore devastating, the fire that consumed Hinckley was worse. Its technical name is “firestorm”; flames shot up 4 miles into the air, and 20 square miles of land were destroyed in less than four hours. The firestorm evolved much like a natural disaster, with cyclones of fire advancing and wreaking havoc. The only other comparable firestorms in the 20th century were related to the launching of atomic bombs in Hiroshima. The Hinckley Fire Museum is housed in a small building that previously served as the town’s railroad depot (the one built to replace the one destroyed by the firestorm). Though small, it has a sizable collection of fire artifacts, as well as a brief documentary movie and Native American items. The friendly staff knows the history of the firestorm well and is happy to answer questions or provide information on the individual artifacts.
THE HINCKLEY FIRE MUSEUM
Lodging
BED-AND-BREAKFASTS Dakota Lodge (320-384-6052; dakotalodge.com), 40497 MN 48. The Dakota offers a wide variety of accommodations: four bed-and-breakfast lodge rooms, all with private bath and fireplaces; cabins; and a two-bedroom guesthouse. The bed-and-breakfast rooms come with a full breakfast daily. The property is a naturalist’s haven, with easy access to nearby St. Croix State Park. Moderate/expensive.
Woodland Trails Bed & Breakfast (320-655-3901; woodlandtrails.net), 40361 Grace Lake Road. Built in 2003, this country charmer is situated on 500 acres of woodland. The property includes 4 miles of trails for hiking as well as access to Grace Lake for bird-watching, paddleboating, or catch-and-release fishing. There are golf carts, snowshoes, and fat-tire bikes available for guests. The five guest rooms all have private baths and electric fireplaces; full breakfast is included. Expensive/very expensive.
HOTELS Grand Casino Hinckley Hotel (1-800-468-3517; grandcasinomn.com), 777 Lady Luck Drive. This is the larger of the Grand Casino Hinckley hotels, with 281 rooms and suites. Inexpensive/moderate.
Grand Hinckley Inn (1-800-468-3517; grandcasinomn.com), 777 Lady Luck Drive. The inn, operated by the Grand Casino Hinckley, has 154 rooms and suites, as well as an indoor pool. Inexpensive.