Soak Up a Long Weekend on Lake Mille Lacs (Here’s How)

If you haven’t read our blog post, Mille Lacs Magic: A Parents guide to planning a Minnesota Summer Family Vacation  give it a read. It’s got all the good stuff you’ll want to know first. Consider it the appetizer to the entrée and dessert below. Go on, we’ll wait… Cue Jeopardy music… 

Okay, welcome back. Pull up your Notes app, things are about to get exciting! 

Having kids in different age brackets can get a little dicey, but one of the magical things about taking a   Minnesota lake vacation with kids is that the list of things to do excites the biggest book nerd, the extreme sports player, the wallflower, and the social butterfly. 

🏖️Fishing for all skill levels (yes, even you beginners!)

🏖️Front float, butterfly, and freestyle the day away in the lake.

🏖️Sandcastle building–longest standing one wins!

🏖️Hiking and biking trails twist and turn through this area like the world’s coolest slide–add in a picnic stop or two, and you’re set up for a day of core memory making.

🏖️ Explore and enjoy on a paddleboard made for one… or two! This water activity is the perfect mix of adventure and tranquility.

🏖️Who doesn’t love a pontoon ride? See? Nobody raised their hand.

🏖️Mini golf? Yes. Ice cream stops? Yes. Charming shops? Yes. Cozy cafés? Yes.

🏖️Rainy days don’t have to bring you down. As I’m sure your dad has mentioned, “We needed this.” So grab a board game or puzzle, hit up a local candy store, or plan a movie marathon.  

If we could sit down and have coffee, mom-to-mom, just think of what we could accomplish. For sure, matching sock pairs for every kid and world peace, but what about how to plan (and enjoy) a smooth summer trip? We could share packing list tips, like pack layers, leave space in your suitcase for souvenirs, make a ‘mom survival kit’ with chargers, snacks, and ibuprofen, and START PACKING EARLY. It reduces stress and gives you time to think. How about talking meal prep tips for the cabin? Pre-chop veggies for road trip snacks and to have them at the ready for meals when you arrive. Keep breakfast simple with toast, cereal, or muffins with fruit, and invest in a really good cooler–it’ll make your life so much easier on the road, at the cabin, and on the boat. Speaking of making your life easier, if you have the room in the car, pack scooters and bikes. When the kids need to get wiggles out on the way up, or if you want to take a nice, long walk by the lake, these will come in handy!

How about sample itineraries for a long weekend at Mille Lacs?

Day 1: Arrive, unpack, check out your digs (resolve the argument over who gets what bedroom), beach time, bonfire (insert glow sticks, s’mores ingredients, cozy blankets), early to bed to rest up for your first full day. 

Day 2: Fishing or some sort of lake adventure, pack a picnic to enjoy on a trail walk, finish up the day with a sunset boat cruise. 

Day 3: Check out a local café for coffee and breakfast, shop local boutiques, one last swim, triple scoops for everyone on the way home, and a few tears that tonight is your last night. 

Plan your Mille Lacs family vacation NOW, before family calendars fill up. This way it’s set in stone and you can focus on other things (besides looking forward to it) until the date approaches. Book your Minnesota getaway early, plan smart, and get ready for sun, sand, and enjoying the summer the way it’s meant to be–Living the Lacs Life!