Superior WI. (camping, safe, best)

[mrs.cool]

As his post is now 3 1/2 years old, he's probably either taken the job, or not, by now.

[ozzie679]

I haven't been to Superior in 20 years. Is it that bad?

[akravenlady]

Well, then there is more info for the next person asking about the area. Not a problem, eh?

Originally Posted by mrs.cool

As his post is now 3 1/2 years old, he's probably either taken the job, or not, by now.

[akravenlady]

Yes.

Originally Posted by ozzie679

I haven't been to Superior in 20 years. Is it that bad?

[pkldhering]

I think we can get back on track and help this guy feel good about his decision. I want you to know that you will love Duluth/Superior. They are kind of together because they are so close. Wherever you choose to live it's an easy commute back and forth. I grew up in Duluth and my sister live sin Superior. I've moved 15 times in my life all over the country and I can tell you there are very few cities that are as beautiful as Duluth. The view from the hill will take your breath away. My family still lives there (I live in Minneapolis because my husband is a big city kind of guy) but I travel up to Duluth 10-12 times a year. Canal Park is the highlight of the city and has been totally revamped as a touristy point, but it isn't like the cookie cutter ones you see in every other tourist town in the country. It's unique. The Ariel Lift Bridge is very original and watching the ore boats come in is so fun. There are a million nature trails and parks that are very well kept up. the colors in the fall are to die for. If you are an outdoorsy person you could not find a better place. The people here are known for being hard core because the winters can be tough, but guess what, everyone there loves them. Just get yourself a good snowsuit and a pair of Sorrel's and you're set. And book a trip to Florida in January like everyone else does. I grew up in a lake house and got the full effect of the Canadian winds coming across Lake Superior and I found it magical. I used to sit up on my roof wrapped up in a sleeping bag and watch the storm clouds roll in from probably hundreds of miles away. You can get that view from just about anywhere in the city.

The towns are both somewhat industrial so there is a significant blue collar society. The new lean is towards tourism, so the places that get visited more often get the most attention with sprucing up. Duluth is actually going bankrupt, so that can sound discouraging, but the cost of living is super low, too so I think it kind of evens out. I would start with renting and explore the neighborhoods. Duluth is really skinny and really long, stretching up the North Shore, dotted with cute small towns like Two Harbors. The school system is rotten in Duluth right now because Central High School is closing. The students have to merge into Denfeld and East, which I've heard is crowded. You'd probably have better schooling out of the city. There is a private school also, Marshall. Superior schools are much better right now. I know one of the guys who helped run the Stampede until last year when he was injured. Fun group.

I have family in Cloquet, which is kind of nice, but I think the economy is worse than Duluth. Also the Black Bear Casino is there. Good job opportunities if you're not a gamblaholic. I grew up in west end Duluth, more blue collar and what might be considered more run down. East end is more high end with more queen victorians and renovations. Don't look at houses downtown. Just over the hill you can find acreage and new builds. Superior, WI is right across the bridge with some nice housing options in Billings Park, and it looks at the beautiful Duluth hillside, so nice view. You can also easily see Spirit Mountain ski hill, which is a lot of fun with some decent "hill" skiing, and activities for the summer as well. My dad works there. And at Enger golf course in the summer; one of the hilliest golf courses I've ever been on. If you head out east in Superior you can find rural and acreage.

Anyway, I think you'll be happy moving to the area. I know I loved living there. I give it a thumbs up!

[Drover]

This FOUR-YEAR-OLD thread is four years old.

[mamagean119]

Like akravenlady said, so what...It will give others who are interested/curious about the area some insite whats the harm in that?!

And I agree, I to give Superior/Duluth a

[MSPLove]

I like the bumping of old threads. They have much information that's still useful and relevant to movers today. It's generally posts from 2-4 years ago. It'd be different if they were from 1999 or something.

It always DOES peak my curiosity as to what the OP eventually decided on. They never come back and update us.

[yooper62]

I don't live in Superior but I visit there often. I live about 100 miles east of there in the UP. We do our major shopping in Duluth and Superior. I really like the atmosphere in Superior. It is a blue collar working town and that is exactly the kind of city I grew up in. They have their bar fights at night but as a rule the crime in Superior doesn't seem to hold a candle to the knifings and murders and drug deals going on in downtown Duluth. And one thing nobody else bothered to mention. Superior is flat. Duluth is very, very hilly. Which place would you prefer to drive in in the winter? Lastly, I studied taxes as a retired person in the entire upper Midwest. Wisconsin has high income taxes but you do get breaks on certain types of pensions. In Minnesota you don't get squat on tax breaks and their taxes are through the roof. Not to mention Duluth busted their budget in giving generous retierment pensions and benefits to city and county employees. So anyone who lives there is paying through the nose to try and erase the huge deficit.

[tvdxer]

Superior is right across the bridge (actually, two, or three if you count Oliver, Wisconsin as "Superior") from Duluth. The two towns have intertwined identities: it's the "Duluth-SUPERIOR Metropolitan Area" and the "Twin Ports". A large percentage of people from Superior work in Duluth, and the other way around. Further inquiries on the town would probably fit equally well in the Duluth, Minnesota forum.

Superior is popularly known as "Soup Town" in Duluth, probably because of the abundance of bars (especially on Tower Avenue) and also the later bar closing time, which leads to the 2 am Friday night (or early Saturday morning) traffic on the bridges. It's not the "ghetto" that some people make it out to be, but it is true that it has seen better times. It does lack the scenic views of Duluth, as the town has little relief. It also has a confusing street system, in contrast to the lower and hillside portion of Duluth. Many of the streets seem to lack adequate signage. One thing you will notice about Superior in comparison to Duluth is the wider streets. Even residential streets are impossibly wide.

Duluth residents are generally fans of the Vikings, and Superior residents fans of Packers.

Superior seems to have a similar demographic to West Duluth - blue collar, almost all white, working class. And a lot of retired / elderly working-class people.

Superior has its own downtown - as would be expected for a city that old (even older than Duluth), but it's moribund in comparison to Duluth's, which has both workers and tourists, and lacks a Skywalk system, although there are no buildings tall enough for that there. It also has a commercial district further down Tower Ave. (WI 35) with strip malls, a large car dealership, and a hospital complex, and also many strip malls and development of the sort on Belknap Ave. (Hwy 2).