Fall Colors Attract Tourists To Ely's Northwoods

ELY - Businesses are taking advantage of fall travelers and spectacular views as the leaves start showing off their bold colors.Every season thousands of out-of-towners travel up north to experience what many people get to see every day. Campers pulling boats and trucks packed with camping gear are still rolling into Ely hoping for a late-season escape into the Northwoods."Having days and sunshine with the beautiful leaves, this is my favorite time of year," smiled co-owner of A Taste of Ely, Gordon Sheddy. Ten years ago, Sheddy started out as a tourist from New Jersey.  It was the charming downtown and rugged woods that made him decide to call Ely home and open a business catering to both locals and visitors."It's important for our guests to feel wanted and because they're important to us," Sheddy said. When it comes to tourists taking the trip up north, Ely has had a rough season."Winter was tough and there was snow everywhere," Sheddy said. "It was a very strange, very late spring and it was a very wet season." Two weeks ago, visitors were wearing winter coats. But Wednesday afternoon, it was sweater weather. “This is the kind of time if people have been here before they know this is the time to come back and enjoy it," smiled manager of Spirit of the Wilderness Outfitter, Ginny Nelson. The locals say business this fall is the best they've seen in years."The colors on the trees are fantastic. The fish are biting. It's a little bit less busy,” Nelson said. As the traditional tourist season winds down, businesses are seeing a steady flow of traffic because more people are looking for a one-of-a-kind destination that is beautiful and memorable. "The weather is a little bit nicer this year,” Nelson said. “I think the colors are around a little bit longer so people have time to enjoy them."If the weather stays as nice as it has been this week, businesses say they'll stay open until the end of October.