Whether your interest lies in landing giant northern pike, massive lake trout or what is the much revered and sought after, walleye, Ely has it all. And THE place to begin your quest is Babes Bait and Tackle. Babes has been in the same location for over 30 years, one of the oldest fishing landmarks in the region. Fishermen from all over the country and beyond pass through the doors of Babes locally known as “the best little bait shop in Ely”.

A Stay Inn Ely offers a unique lodging experience to Ely travelers at 112 West Sheridan Street. The Inn has an old world hostel charm yet still offers guests the privacy of individual bathrooms. Located in downtown Ely, MN, the Inn is within easy walking distance to Ely’s finest restaurants and shops. New and old friends alike can share their vacation stories within the Gathering Room around a stone fireplace. A modern fully equipped kitchen is available for guests to prepare their own meals. A large wrap around porch provides the guests with an excellent place to pack and unpack Duluth packs, dry gear, reminisce over their BWCA canoe trip, visit with family and friends, or just enjoy the fresh evening air. Each room is paneled with different locally harvested lumber (white and red pine, black ash, tamarack, and white cedar). Some of the wood has been left rough cut, to add rustic beauty. Other woods have been milled to random widths, either tongue and groove, shiplapped, or board and batten. Sanding and then varnishing the rooms to a beautiful luster allowed each room to achieve a rustic eloquence of its own. The spacious bathrooms have white cedar ceilings and large showers. All rooms can be individually heat controlled and air-conditioned; and all rooms have cable T.V. and access to complimentary wireless internet. Please note that the A Stay Inn Ely is a pet friendly, recycling friendly and smoke-free business.

Insula restaurant features American fare with a twist served in a cool setting with industrial accents & a sizable bar. Owned and run by Executive Chef Daniel Vollom and Sarah Wigdahl-Vollom, Insula has captured the imagination and enlivened the tastebuds of the eating scene in Ely, Minnesota.

The mission of the Ely Area Food Shelf is to provide a resource for people living in Ely, Minnesota, and the surrounding communities who have run out of options to alleviate hunger. The food shelf is located at 15 West Conan Street and is open on the third Wednesday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. People who need assistance can shop between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Home delivery is available for people who are homebound and have no other options for receiving food, such as having a friend or relative shop for them. A volunteer will call to help you “shop by phone” and your food will be delivered. Call (218) 235-8527 to register for this program. Emergency assistance is available during the month by calling (218) 235-8527.

From ethnic cooking classes to basket weaving, jewelry making, furniture building, photography, fabric arts, writing, painting and other arts, stained glass making, gardening, sustainable living, herbs and health, foraging, canoeing and canoe building, dances and music, there are classes for most every interest at Ely Folk School, conveniently located at the top of the hill in downtown Ely, Minnesota.

Chapman Street Books has thousands of vintage and modern books to be had in varying degrees of quality. Prairie Fire Tobacco is a small smoke shop that sells pipes, tobacco, vintage tarot and gemstones.

Log Cabin Coffee is Ely’s only drive-thru espresso! Serving up delicious hot & cold specialty drinks from a cozy little hand-scribed log cabin.