Iona's Beach isn't just a pretty sight; it's also a protected area, designated as a Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Many North Shore visitors likely skirt past Iona's Beach as they zip by on Hwy. 61 en route to popular waterfalls and some of the most visited state parks in Minnesota.

As the only freshwater beach on this list, Iona's Beach in Minnesota is definitely one of the most unique in the country. Far from being a lookalike for another destination (like the Maldives of ...

Iona's Beach stands out from the iconic gray rocky shoreline of the North Shore. But it's more than the color of its rocks that makes this site unique.