Tower, MN

Tower is a tiny lakeside town in northeastern Minnesota that serves as a jumping-off point for the Boundary Waters wilderness. Drive Highway 169 north from the Twin Cities (4 hours) or west from Ely (20 minutes). The town sits on massive Lake Vermilion, famous for its 365 islands and world-class fishing. You can tour the nearby Soudan Underground Mine, descending half a mile into Minnesota's former deepest iron mine.