How to Take the Ultimate Ice Fishing Trip in Minnesota

The Nook doesn't just make some of the best burgers in the state — a signature line of cheese-stuffed "Juicy Nookies," including one that's named after the mayor of Flavortown himself (Guy's Big Bite, a platform for pepperjack and a trio of gild-the-lily toppings: roast beef, shredded cheddar, and bacon). It's also the home of a subterranean bowling alley that the Dude would abide by. 

Your cell phone may not work down here, but the handwritten score cards and frosty cold ones will.

Eat all the essential burgers. 

The country's most extensive outdoor sauna experience moved to an even larger space (175 acres!) in late 2025, which means you can plunge straight into the icy waters of Lake Independence over the winter and warm right back up along the same beach that hosts YMCA groups during sunnier days. 

Sauna Camp Minnesota is now living up to its name, too, with on-site overnight lodging available for restorative staycations and retreats just 30 minutes west of Minneapolis. 

Find out more about Minnesota's vibrant sauna culture. 

Brother Justus is one of many distilleries making award-winning whiskey that benefits from Minnesota's four distinct biomes. (J. Carver, 10,000 Drops, Far North Spirits, and Lost Woods have also earned their fair share of accolades.) 

While all of its single malt whiskies have distinct flavor profiles, Brother Justus sets itself apart from the rest of the industry — Ireland, Scotland, and Kentucky included — with one variety's patented Aitkin County Process®. More of a delicate infusion aged in oak than a harsh smoke-'em-out expression, it exudes the essence of Minnesota's earthy peatland without actually burning it. 

Talk about true terroir — something The Spirits Business recognized in 2023, when it declared Brother Justus' Cold-Peated Whiskey the fourth most innovative spirit in the world. 

Check out some of Minneapolis-St. Paul's top cocktail bars.

Bûcheron chef/co-owner Adam Ritter takes French techniques on a trip around the Midwest, working in regional ingredients like foraged sumac or the acorns his family gathers at their own St. Cloud farm. The latter plays a supporting role in a subtle yet spectacular tortellini en brodo that will leave you wanting to lick the bowl. 

No one would judge you, either. While its service is world-class (Ritter's wife, Jeanie Janas Ritter, was a hospitality superstar before she helmed Bûcheron's front of house), this South Minneapolis smash prides itself on being relatively laid-back. In many ways, it's a welcome counterpoint to Ritter's previous roles alongside Michelin star mainstays like André Chiang (Restaurant André), Anthony Martin (Tru), Joël Robuchon (MGM Grand), Douglas Keane (Cyrus), and fellow Minnesotan Gavin Kaysen (Demi). 

Sample more of Minneapolis' best restaurants.

The line at Marty's Deli often spills out onto the sidewalk during the weekend, largely thanks to its best-in-class take on a breakfast sandwich. Pure jet fuel for a particularly active Minnesota afternoon, the mornings-only masterpiece starts with fluffy eggs, garlic aioli, Cooper Sharp's IYKYK American cheese, and substantial slabs of fluffy, salty focaccia Samin Nosrat would approve of.  

For a truly memorable experience, add braised greens, bacon, breakfast sausage and/or hash browns. If that's too over-the-top, you can also get your daily starch dose on the side alongside whipped feta, tomato jam or garlic aioli. 

Find more of Minneapolis-St. Paul's best breakfast sandwiches.

Don't let Cuyuna Country's status as a world-renowned IMBA Silver Level Ride Center discourage you from tackling one of its trails. Beginners can rent springy fat bikes and all the necessary gear from the Crosby shop/cafe Red Raven, then start their switchback-crushing journey on the six-mile Galloping Goose route. 

It's just a slice of the 40 miles of Cuyuna grooms every winter and the 70 miles of single-track paths offered in the summer. You may want to give the former a go first, however. As Pete and company found out, ripping around corners doesn't feel as brutal when there's snow to absorb your fall. 

Learn more about how to go fat biking in Minnesota.

Get-up-and-go trail access isn't the only draw at Cuyuna Cove. Its five cabins also feature year-round climate control, a walk-in spa shower and full bathroom, a vintage-inspired kitchenette for proper meals and coffee, ample dining and patio areas, and exclusive guest-only access to a redwood sauna. Most of them are dog-friendly, too — a beacon to man's best friend you'll find throughout Minnesota. 

Stay at other widely revered vacation and cabin rentals.

One can literally bring home the bacon — enough to make BLTs for one month straight — by seeking out meat raffle mainstays like Midway Bar in Crosby. You read that right: meat raffle. Kind of like a 50/50 fundraiser, only there's literally steak at stake. 

In Midway Bar's case, they source quality cuts from the nearby butcher, Emily Meats, and help raise money for local charities, such as one that provides children with much-needed sports equipment. 

If you don't win a pack of properly wrapped protein, there's always pull tabs. What are pull tabs, you ask? Picture a Lucky 7s, Instant Bingo or Cherry Bells slot machine on a piece of paper — about as visceral and analog as gambling gets.   

Read about the Iron Range's signature take on porchetta and other iconic food items. 

Find an engaging and experienced guide like Modern Carnivore publisher/editor Mark Norquist, and you'll be fearlessly walking across a frozen lake and ice fishing like a true Minnesotan in no time. Or as Norquist put it during our guests' crash course on everything from heated fish houses (think: MTV Cribs, Star of the North style) to ancient darkhouse spearing (using a decoy to attract fish within a dimly-lit shelter), "You don't know what's going to happen, and that's the fun of it." 

"I'm having a great time," added Puente. "This is sweet; we got beers, we got heat, we got food." 

And that's the thing about ice fishing: it's a bond-building social activity, first and foremost, tailgating as an amateur sport. 

Find out more about how to fish the frozen depths of local staples like Pelican Lake.