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Travel site puts community at top of Minnesota places to visit
When it comes to charm, Ely has the rest of Minnesota beat.
That’s the verdict from a national travel website, which this week named Ely “the most charming, beautiful town in all of Minnesota.”
The ranking came from AFAR, which rated the most beautiful small-town vacation spots in each state across the nation.
According to AFAR, Ely ranked “among the most charming small towns across the country,” and noted it as a “one-of-a-kind town for its stunning landscape among other desirable qualities.”
Here’s what AFAR detailed about Ely: “Cozied up to the Canadian border, Ely is best known as the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a million-acre reserve of interconnected rivers, lakes, and forest. The town also boasts the world’s highest concentration of dog sled outfitters per capita. Test your mushing skills by signing up for a half-day fun run or challenging backcountry trek with Chilly Dogs Sled Dog Trips; the family-run operator counts dozens of retired racing dogs among its crew. While you’re in the canine spirit, pop by the International Wolf Center to meet its ambassador wolves and learn why wolf conservation is so important.”
The complete list can be found at www.afar.com, and the website noted about Ely: “Have you ever traveled to a town that leaves a lasting impression on your mind? A place so beautiful and quaint that you never forget your time there?”
The recognition is just the latest in a long list of features and honors.
It was a decade ago that Ely was the runaway winner in worldwide balloting and named the “Coolest Small town in America” by Budget Travel Magazine.
Since then, Ely has been featured in numerous lists highlighting outdoors-related travel and top vacation getaways.
In 2021, Smithsonian Magazine named Ely one of the “15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2021.”
The publicity only enhances the community’s reputation, according to Eva Sebesta, executive director of the Ely Chamber of Commerce.
“I think it’s always a tremendous boost,” said Sebesta. “It keeps reinforcing that Ely is a destination, a vacation spot and that we have a lot to offer for being such a small town.”
The 2024 summer tourist season is off to a strong start, and the buzz in town has only picked up in recent days with the start of the Ely Memorial High School All-Class Reunion.
“It’s been a really good season,” said Sebesta. “We’ve been out visiting the lodging facilities and it definitely sounds like the bookings are coming in. And we’ve done most of the storefronts and it sounds like those folks are seeing a lot of traffic. (And) I just have to commend the folks putting the reunion together. There have been a lot of people coming into the Chamber regarding the all-class reunion.”
