Gifting my wife on our anniversary (surprise)

April 16, 2004 9:50 AM

My first wedding anniversary is coming up in about a month. I'd like to surprise the crap out of my wife…. [more inside]

Ideally, I'd like to pull some sort of surprise trip. Times are tight, so the budget would be in the $400-$500 range. We're in Minneapolis. My leading contender is a trip to the International Wolf Center in Ely, but I'm not 100% sure that that's the best I can do. Any suggestions for good surprise trips, and/or suggestions for tactics to make the whole thing more surprising?

posted by COBRA! to shopping (7 comments total)

I can't help on the location, but I know if you can pick her up with everything packed she will love it. (works for me, anyway) Just make sure you don't forget anything important like a jacket, the curling iron or socks! Good luck and happy anniversary!
posted by dual_action at 10:00 AM on April 16, 2004

Do you subscribe to the SmarterLiving.com cyberfare list? Every Wednesday they send you a list of cheap airfares leaving that Saturday from the city of your choice. I used to live in Mpls and sometimes I would take the next Monday off in advance and just buy whatever cyberfare sounds most intriguing that week. You may end up in Thunder Bay, but then again, you may end up in Seattle. If she likes surprises, don't tell her your destination until you get to the airport.
posted by GaelFC at 10:25 AM on April 16, 2004

I like your Ely idea, particularly if she's the sort who would forever treasure a cute plush wolf. Tell her she's your "alpha" and quote some Byron (love will find its way / through paths where wolves would fear to prey)....

Alternatively, you could head south and make for Blue Mounds State Park. It offers a resident herd of bison, great birdwatching, and by the time you go, probably the first wave of what should be an incredible crop of prairie wildflowers. As an added plus, one of the nearby small towns, Luverne, is the home of the Brandenburg Gallery, and you can make a great side trip to check out Jim Brandenburg's spectacular photography.

If she's a camper, make some reservations ASAP in the park. If she's not, I suggest heading up to Pipestone, and checking out the Calumet Hotel. You'd be a stone's throw from Pipestone National Monument there.

Whatever you choose, if you drive, plan ahead and make the gettin' there as much fun as being there. You could read a book you know she would love onto tape and play it for her, arrange some old favorite and amazing-new snacks, turn up the radio very loud and sing together, encourage her to catch up on some sleep, etc.
posted by clever sheep at 10:39 AM on April 16, 2004

BTW, you might also consider Stillwater. It's got a hotel (the Lowell Inn) that specializes in over-the-top gourmet meals featuring fondue. I've tried it, and though I went in dubious, I came out a believer. I didn't stay overnight in the hotel, but my dinner companions did, and they thought the place was swank.

Stillwater also offers a lift bridge, antiquing, books, crafts, rock climbing and canoe rental (P.J. Asch), and the studio of an off-the-beaten path clay artist, Warren Mackenzie.
posted by clever sheep at 10:54 AM on April 16, 2004

Oh--and I swear, last thing I'll write--Stillwater also has a winery (Northern Vineyards) with a deck that looks out onto the St. Croix. Some drinkable stuff there--my husband and I served some a few varieties at our wedding reception.
posted by clever sheep at 11:00 AM on April 16, 2004

I second (third?) Stillwater, but then again i've never been to Ely, and can't vouch as a comparrison.

I've also heard good things about Devil's Lake in Wisconsin.

And don't forget Duluth, which has its own share of scenic bed and breakfasts.
posted by jazzkat11 at 11:32 AM on April 16, 2004

You could visit Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and, staying on theme, lodge at the Usonian Inn. Perhaps you could stretch the budget and stay at a Wright-designed home.
posted by samuelad at 3:47 PM on April 16, 2004