In early April 2009, Tom Weber penned a story in the Rochester Post Bulletin, "The arts scene lives amid downturn", telling about the vibrant and vital arts scene in southeastern Minnesota.

The April 16, 2009, issue of the Duluth Budgeteer News carried a story "Tourism forecast is solid and steady", written by Terry Mattson of Visit Duluth told about the strengths of the local tourism infrastructure and how he predicts it will hold steady during the economic downturn.

Stephen Regenold’s story in the April 24, 2009, New York Times, "Northern Exposure", rounded up a series of outdoor experiences in northern tier states, including Minnesota. In the same edition of the New York Times, Gustave Axelson’s story "A Woodland Lesson in Fire’s Power to Destroy and Build", chronicled the devastation of the Ham Lake Fire in the Boundary Water Canoe Area and how impressive the flora and fauna recover.

An April 17, 2009, Forbes.com story, "The call of the wild, luxury style", describes how "wilderness resorts", once remote backcountry outposts, have now become "experiences that blend luxury with the wilds". His Minnesota example is the Lodge of the Whispering Pines, and how the hiking trails transform to cross country ski trails, and lakes turn into snowmobile terrain and anglers become ice fishermen.

In the April 5, 2009, edition of Chicago’s Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), "Something pretty special here", Bob Smith tells about his photographic visits to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

A significant number of media outlets picked up the Explore Minnesota Tourism news release announcing that exploreminnesota.com had moved to mobile, including WCNC.com in Charlotte, NC; dallasnews.com, site of the Dallas Morning News; TMCnet.com, and News Blaze, both national news and information aggregators.