How to Spend a Weekend in the Brainerd Lakes Area
Leading cities like Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth, and peerless outdoor attractions like Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters, tend to get all the glory in national coverage of Minnesota. Ask a local, however, and they’ll tell you that more of the state’s magic can be found when you step off the beaten track and towards such beloved spots as the Brainerd Lakes area.
Located a little over two hours from the Twin Cities and its multi-award-winning MSP Airport, it’s lake life personified — the epitome of a small-town escape. Make that towns, actually.
Here’s how to make the most of a weekend in Brainerd Lakes.
Friday
Get thee to Grand View Lodge
Once you’ve picked up your rental car from the airport, head north to the widely revered Grand View Lodge. Nestled among the shores of Gull Lake, this sprawling resort offers golf, a spa, and a whopping 15 dining options.
Once you drop your bags, head straight to Grand View’s Northwoods Pub. Open all year long, this cozy and casual family spot is located in the property’s main lodge and offers classic pub fare and a lot of live music to fuel your first day in Brainerd Lakes.
Lean into lake life
Once your belly is full, it’s time to explore the area’s primary selling point — its lakes! For those visiting during the warmer months, sign up for a Gull Lake cruise if you want someone else to do the driving, so all you have to do is relax. If you want more of a self-guided experience, rent a pontoon, boat, or jet ski from Sportland to bask in Gull Lake’s beauty while stretching your legs after a morning of sitting on a plane and in a car.
If you’re up for adventuring during a colder time of the year, there’s still plenty of non-aquatic fun to be had in the Brainerd Lakes area. Grand View guests can rent a warmed ice fishing house on nearby Roy Lake for an authentic Minnesota winter experience, as well as enjoy a 15% discount off lift tickets at nearby Mount Ski Gull, which offers skiing, snowboarding, and tubing fun for the whole family.
Winter visitors should also check whether their plans align with the annual Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza, which draws thousands of visitors and participants from around the world.
Don’t worry about dropping a line. Simply wandering around the event is so entertaining that HBO devoted an entire “Real Sports” segment to Soledad O’Brien’s first trip.
Dial it back before dinner
After a big day of travel and outdoor adventure, head back to Grand View Lodge to unwind with pre-dinner spa services at Grand View’s Glacial Waters Spa. There are plenty of treatments to choose from, including last-minute appointments at 30% off the service’s regular price.
Once you’re soothed and relaxed, slide over to an on-site restaurant for a delightful dinner before retiring for the night. Open from May to December, Cru uses seasonal ingredients to offer guests a French-inspired worldly dining experience complete with a vast selection of wines, while Char serves up impeccable steak all year-round.
Saturday
Mountain bike down a former mine
Once you’ve filled up on breakfast at Grand View — whether it’s coffee and sweets at Brownie’s or a big ol’ buffet — take a short drive to nearby Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area for a unique way to experience the Minnesota outdoors. What was once an iron ore mine is now a mountain biking icon. Today, Cuyuna’s reddish earth is filled with trees and more than 70 miles of trails to enjoy.
In the winter months, rent a fat tire bike and shred the trail that’s best suited to your experience level. Advanced bikers often attack the 9.6-mile Yawkey trail, intermediate riders tackle the 5.9-mile trail, and beginners start with a 2.3-mile option.
If biking isn’t your thing, never fear! There’s snowshoeing to be had, too. The 7.8-mile Cruser’s Kettle is a dog-friendly trail that offers a truly remote experience. In fact, it’s suggested that you don’t go it alone, considering how remote it can be.
Other options include Yawkey routes for beginners, two for intermediate snowshoers, and another for advanced adventurers.
Check into a former church
The Sanctuary — a Lutheran church from the 1950s turned boutique hotel in nearby Crosby — is the place to drop your bags and freshen up after a big and busy day on Cuyuna’s trails. In addition to eight guest rooms that can accommodate a total of 28 people, it’s pet-friendly, ADA-accessible, and just two blocks from Crosby’s Main Street and all it has to offer.
Grab dinner and drinks
Once you’re all washed up, scoot on over to Crosby’s Trailside Tavern & Patio. Expect wagyu burgers, broasted chicken, wings and more from this seasonal menu that’s paired with craft beer and spirits.
Linger on the patio when the weather allows for a laid-back evening before heading to bed.
Sunday
Slay your appetite at 6
Start your last day with a serious breakfast at North Country Cafe. They open at 6 a.m., so you can get things going early with a stack of pancakes, heaping hash browns, and a massive caramel or cinnamon roll.
Walk it off
Composed of more than 400 acres of land filled with over 12 miles of trails for easy exploring, the Northland Arboretum is a nonprofit that’s open year-round. Brought to life in the wake of the closure of a landfill in 1972, it now straddles two towns and is the site of a critical prairie restoration that’s brought native grasses, plants, and flowers back to the land.
The arboretum allows guests to ponder what today’s world might look like if humans had tread more lightly, as well as imagine how beautiful a more natural and sustainable future could be.
Bag a bottle of wine
Next, head to the town of Brainerd to sample the house-made specialties of the Dennis Drummond Wine Co. and buy a bottle to bring home. Plenty of light bites pair well with the wine — everything from carefully assembled charcuterie plates to rosemary chicken salad and salmon filet sandwiches — so the scenic bistro is a perfect spot to linger for lunch, too.
Grab a last-minute gift
Before bidding the Brainerd Lakes area adieu, swing by Fancy Pants Chocolates to grab some treats for your drive back to the airport or gifts for loved ones back home, since candy shops like this are small-town staples. This particular one offers a signature assortment of truffles, creams, and clusters.
Another small candy shop with a big following is The Chocolate Ox. It has two locations in the area: one in downtown Nisswa and one at Grand View Lodge, which is perfect for keeping the kids happy during a week-long lake life getaway.
Find more things to do in the Brainerd Lakes area and plan the ultimate lake life trip.
