TIPS FOR RESERVING CABINS FOR LARGE GROUPS Whether it is a family reunion or a larger group of friends, there are some tips you may want to consider when planning. Although it can be a last minute get away, it is best to plan ahead. Get started a year in advance. Some resorts book up quickly. So as soon as you know the dates, start planning. 1 When to reserve the cabinsAs I mentioned, reserve the cabins early. Many resorts have their availability on-line. You can see how many cabins are available, the size of them and most have photos of the cabins. You can decide if you want the cabins cl ..read more

Minnesota Family Friendly Travel Tips: Tips for Making the Most out of your trip Family-friendly vacationing is a combination of so many small details that add up to amazing memories that last a lifetime. The main goals are to enjoy the outdoors, spend time together, and want to do this again next year! Here are the tips from my personal Minnesota Travel Guide to make traveling with family magical. Tip #1: Know Your Family When traveling with the whole family the real start of the vacation is choosing where you want to go. Minnesota offers so many diverse options what type of vacation you ..read more

Packing for your Minnesota Vacation The kids, the dogs, the spouse, the tent, the snacks, and there is always something that you forget no matter how many lists you make. For me a list for packing is a MUST have; I always say “If it isn’t written down it doesn’t happen.” So here is my list of must-haves for your Minnesota vacation. At the top of the list, the right place to stay! Across all of Minnesota there are hundreds of resorts that cater to all of your needs. If you want a resort that has a pool there is a filter for that. If you want to bring Fido along, there are resorts that ..read more

will the ice be off the lakes for Minnesota Fishing Opener? This time of year we are all ready for spring-like weather. But, mother nature sure seems to be playing a trick on many of us in Northern Minnesota. This bring up the question, “Will the ice ever go off the lake?” The answer is yes, of course. It always goes off the lake. Your resort owners are working hard this time of year to get those cabins and their resorts open for the spring season. If you have a vacation planned for this spring and summer, it will happen and you will have a great time. The ice will go off the lake, the doc ..read more

MINNESOTA CAMPING: TAKE THE KIDS CAMPING Camping with your kids can be an enriching experience. Thinking about a few things ahead of time could certainly make the experience even better than you thought. Camping in Minnesota offers many different options. You can tent camp in Minnesota, rent a camper, go to a Minnesota resort with a campground, tent in the wilderness, rent a cabin (Renting a cabin in Minnesota, that can be considered camping!) or camper cabin. You can vacation close to a town, in the wilderness or in a campground. Plan what you want to do while you are experiencing Minneso ..read more

Reading Retreats Since the beginning of Covid people are looking for ways to pass the time while we are all closed inside. I, like many others, picked up reading again. Most believe that reading is a solitary activity but now-a-days it can be a group adventure. Reading Retreats are the way of the future! For my book club I am planning a relaxing Reading Retreat in Minnesota at a resort! We are able to book a large cabin so that we can all be together. You can also book multiple cabins so everyone has their own space, Click to find a Minnesota Resort for your retreat.  There is so much ..read more

Dog Days of Summer Now-a-days more people are going on vacation with their dogs. This can be so much fun but it is a lot of work and responsibility as well. I am here to help! The first thing to think about is if your Minnesota resort is pet friendly. Do some research and see if they have a dog walking area or if they have a leash maximum or if there is a size limit. Most of this information is on their websites or can be answered with a quick call. Now that you have chosen a resort that fits both you and your dog's needs; next comes packing for your pet. Below is a list of basics tha ..read more

memories of life at the lake My brothers and I were lucky. Our parents loved going to the lake! It was the big trip of the year each summer. We started out at a resort on Cass Lake and moved over to Lake Belle Taine when family friends bought a resort. We made that an annual tradition from the 60’s until 2004. We learned to fish and ski. We made life-long friends with the other families at the resort. And it continues today during every season, but more scattered around the state with fishing, skiing and golf trips to different areas for 3 of us. One family member has a cabin and there is ..read more

When our kids were nine, seven and five, we took them to Disney World. You know this kind of family vacation, right? It’s often referred to as the best family vacation for kids. It’s the vacation that every kid dreams of and that every parent hopes they can some-day give their kids while they are still young. Well, it can also require lots of advance research on how to navigate the parks, the hassle of flying, it’s very expensive, and don’t even get me started on the crowds! But we were able to give our kids the best vacation for kids …… or so we thought. After we returned home, I asked the s ..read more

Do you know what bird makes that chirping sound? Can you identify that animal rustling in the brush? Do you know how to identify the types of trees you see? There are many ways to enjoy nature and learn about and NATURALLY discover Minnesota. 1 GO FOR A WALK  An easy way to NATURALLY learn more about Minnesota is to go for a walk. While on your walk make sure to leave your music at the cabin. As you stroll along, listen for different bird songs and try to match up the chirping with the birds you see around you. Bring your bird field guide book so you can look up all the different species ..read more