Minnesota North Shore Saunas Featured on TPT Almanac

The iconic red sauna’s at Sisu + Löyly in Grand Marais, MN

Minnesota’s Sauna Scene Heats Up — and Sisu + Löyly Is at the Heart of It

Recently, TPT Almanac took viewers inside the fast-growing world of sauna culture in Minnesota — a trend rooted in deep tradition and flourishing across communities from Grand Marais to the Twin Cities. The segment “Finnish Saunas in Greater MN” profiles how cultural heritage, wellness interest, and entrepreneurial spirit are converging to make sauna experiences more accessible and vibrant across the state.

At the center of that story is Sisu + Löyly, a Nordic sauna destination on the North Shore of Lake Superior that’s helping redefine what sauna means for locals and visitors alike. The Almanac piece highlights how sauna — once a private or family ritual — has become part of a broader wellness and community movement.

“Sisu” and “löyly” are Finnish concepts central to what the business embodies:

• Sisu expresses grit, perseverance, and resilience.

• Löyly refers to the steam that rises from hot sauna stones, a poetic idea often translated as spirit or life force.

In the segment, Almanac reporter Kaomi Lee visits Minnesota saunas — including the cedar-lined saunas in Grand Marais — to show how this cultural tradition has blossomed into a thriving industry. It’s not only about heat and steam; it’s about connection, wellness, and slowing down together in a space where the rhythms of hot, cold, and rest invite presence and human connection.

For Sisu + Löyly, the feature reinforces a simple but powerful idea: saunas aren’t just a service or a business — they’re a shared experience rooted in history, community, and wellbeing. Their presence on Almanac offers a chance for more people to see Minnesota’s role as a national focal point for sauna culture, and to understand how a local sauna can be both a destination and a communal hearth.