I am way too excited about this. Bears are my favorite animal and I have never seen one in the wild, except once for a split second. Does that count?

Nonetheless, one of my favorite places is the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr. The spot is perfect for anyone who loves bears, animals, nature or even just a quiet adventure.

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In case you didn't know, the sanctuary is operated by a non-profit organization called The American Bear Association. The sanctuary's primary goal is to help us all understand the black bear better through education.

What better way to get to know these bears than by seeing them with our own two eyes? It's absolutely incredible - and now, there's some big news to share.

The first bear of the season has arrived! It did so just a few days ago on April 15th around dinnertime. The crew asked loyal followers of the sanctuary to guess when the first bear would arrive and someone just about an hour off. Awesome!

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This means that there will be many more bears to follow in the days to come. The sanctuary isn't quite open yet. They typically open in May so we do have to wait a bit. It's still exciting to spot the first bear.

They will open for the season on Saturday, May 23rd. I haven't been for a few years but I definitely want to go back and I think this might be the year. It really is a magical place and surreal when the bears come in.

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Have you ever been here? If you haven't, you need to make a weekend out of it as soon as they open. You can thank me later, I promise. By the way, last year the first bear arrived a little bit earlier. Better late than never!

Inside The Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary In Orr

Ever been inside the iconic Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr, Minnesota? Take a look at what it is like inside the cutest attraction - ever.

Gallery Credit: Lauren Wells

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