Recreation in the Detroit Lakes Area
Many people think of the common things to do in Minnesota such as fishing or boating on it’s many lakes, but there are so many other things to do that don’t require one getting wet. People have found and made things to do that do not require the many lakes of the area but they are still a popular attraction. I will show some of the great attractions, areas events and special features of the Detroit Lakes area.
Even though you don’t own property in the area, with lakes that are totally surrounded by seasonal cabins, there is a lot to do in the area. First we’ll start with places to stay, either camping on your own with tent or RV, or the fashionable bed and breakfasts. The area has many places to stay including Country Inn, Holiday Inn, Best Western and AmericInn among the larger names of hotels and motels.
There is a number of other choices available in the form of resorts, bed and breakfasts and campgrounds. There are two B&B’s in Vergas which is less than ten miles from the city of Detroit Lakes. You can reach them here for further information:
Log House & Homestead on Spirit Lake — since 1990
44854 Fredholm Road
P. O. Box 130
Vergas, MN 56587
(218) 342-2318
(800) 342-2318
FAX: (218) 342-3294
E-mail: loghouse@tekstar.com
www.loghousebb.com
The Homestead Inn B & B
606 East Frazee Avenue
Vergas, MN 56587
(218) 342-2141
E-mail: info@homesteadinnmn.com
www.homesteadinnmn.com
There are a number of campgrounds in the area for tent and RV camping. There are also several resorts that specialize in hunting, fishing or just plain relaxing. A good web site to look up individual hotels, camp grounds and places to stay in general is here:
http://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/lodging/
There is also many things to do in the area, there are over four hundred lakes within 25 miles of Detroit Lakes and plenty to do. For starters there are some great golf courses, nine in total in the area with seven of them championship courses.
The area is well known for it’s fishing. Fishing is one of the biggest sports and recreational activities in the state. With so many lakes and areas to visit and try your luck it is no wonder that many find fishing as a sole recreation in the area.
But others find things to do not related to catching that big one. There are many other things to do in the area along with fishing. The area has many activities such as amusement parks, bowling, shopping and tubing on the Otter Tail River. Tubing the Otter Tail is a unique experience that is fun for the whole family.
Just Twenty five miles or so north of Detroit Lakes is a huge casino, the Shooting Star Casino. They have some great entertainment and year round events. Acts such as Bill Cosby, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy are well known comedians to grace the stages as well as bands such as The Beach Boys and the Oak Ridge Boys. More information for the casino is here: http://www.starcasino.com/
There is the usual outdoor things to do such as fishing, hunting, boating and swimming on the many lakes of the area. Detroit Lake has a public park with a fishing pier and lake access along with guided fishing available in the area from two guides in Detroit Lakes. You can go here for information about the guides: http://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/businesses/entertainment-recreation/fishing-charters-and-guide-service/
There is also some great wildlife refuges in the area for sightseeing and hiking in the great outdoors, The Tamarac and Hamden Slough National Wildlife Refuges are both within twenty miles of Detroit Lakes and offers a great outdoor getaway to hike, bird watch and enjoy the natural beauty of northern Minnesota.
Both Refuges are open various hours and you can go here to find more information on them:
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge:
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/tamarac/welcome.html
Hamden Slogh National Wildlife Refuge:
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/hamdenslough/
There are some great activities and events that happen during the year in the area. There is a street fairs, Arts in the park, Festival of Birds, Water Carnival and other events going along with the seasons but the biggest event for the area is the We Fest.
We Fest is an annual country and western festival at the Soo Pass Ranch, four miles south of Detroit Lakes. Featuring the biggest names in country and western music they have a three day music festival. There is more information at their web site here: http://www.wefest.com/
You can visit the Detroit Lakes area calendar to find out events that are happening on a monthly basis:
http://www.visitdetroitlakes.com/calendar/
In the fall for the old times of a good steam thresher visit Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion in Rollag Minnesota. You can visit the city of Rollag’s web site here for information about the event: http://www.rollag.com/
There is more to do during the winter than hibernate, ice fishing, snowmobiling and skiing are some of the most popular winters sports in the area. With the snow comes the ice fishing houses and snowmobiles. The area is well known for its ice fishing and other winter sports. There are over 200 miles of snow mobile trails and 50 miles of groomed cross country ski trails in Becker County.
Although I am lucky and have access to a lake front property on a small lake nearby, the area offers many attractions and events for all to enjoy. I like the area and could not think of a better place to visit for outdoor recreation and fun. I like it so much that I had my honeymoon at my In-laws cabin on Floyd Lake.
We went dancing at the Holiday Inn, horse back riding at the Soo Pass Ranch, getting kicked in the foot by my wife’s horse, and tubing down the Otter Tail River, I won’t mention the sunburn my wife got, Opps.
We had a lot of fun and still visit the area all these years later. Even for a day stay we have gone and done things such as swim or go to the city park and visit the street fair or crafts sales. The area strives to help tourists and locals have fun and enjoy the outdoors of the area as well as the popular attractions.
Because of its thousands of lakes, Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.
