Little Falls, Minn: Best things to do in Land of Lindbergh

 Charles Lindbergh's boyhood home on the Mississippi. Photo by Lisa Meyers McClintick

Small-town charm, Lindbergh home, a small zoo, fishing and military museums all thrive along the Mississippi River

By Lisa Meyers McClintick

Learning about Charles Lindbergh--Minnesota hero, ace aviator and one of the world’s first mega-celebrities—would alone be worth the visit to Little Falls.

The Soo Line Trail crosses the Mississippi.

But Little Falls also sparkles as an apple-pie slice of Americana and a laid-back destination perfect for younger children as a family field trip or a welcome stop on a drive to northern resort towns. Our son loved sitting in a replica of Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, pretending to start the engine over and over. He also loved seeing trains chug past the historic Cass Gilbert depot and hearing the whistle echo up and down the Mississippi River.

You can bike or walk past the thundering dam and read about the logging boom and catch retired anglers (maybe still with a German or Polish lilt in their voice) on trails along the river. Just a block or two from the river, an old-fashioned downtown beckons with a sweet bakery, an independent bookshop, toy store, classic movie marquee, and an arts co-op.

Here are our top reasons why this is such a nice family destination:

Find inspiration via Lindbergh

Pike's Creek at Lindbergh State Park

Any kid who's a dreamer can relate to a young Charles Lindbergh, who grew up in the home that's now part of the Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site two miles south of downtown ($6-$8). They can picture Lindbergh, son of a U.S. Congressman, spending his summers taking apart engines, and fearlessly exploring the Mississippi River before making headlines in 1927 with the world’s first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean.Interpreters share what fueled his hunger for adventure and how quirks such as sleeping on a cold screen porch toughened him for freezing temperatures while flying. You can even see the hiding spots in the walls where he stashed his toys.

Aquarium at the Minnesota Fishing Museum.

While kids are jumping into the Spirit of St. Louis at the adjacent visitor center, adults can appreciate stories of the Lindbergh family, including Lindbergh’s marriage to author Anne Morrow (who often flew with him while mapping Pan Am routes), the kidnapping and murder of their son, Lindbergh’s controversial WWII stance, his medical inventions for cardiac surgery and transplants, and work for environmental groups in his later years. The historic site opens Thursday through Sunday, Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Roam the state park

Charles Lindbergh used to explore woods near his home and build bridges across Pike Creek, which flows through what’s now the 436-acre Charles A. Lindbergh State Park. The aviator donated the land in memory of his father, U.S. Congressman Charles Lindbergh Sr. You can hike along the creek, watch for spring wildflowers and songbirds, enjoy the WPA picnic grounds and playground, go geocaching with boxes stashed throughout the park or camp at one of 38 campsites. 

Fishing museum's fish camp

This is where we made our first foray into family camping. Lucky for us, it's only 30 minutes from home. That's handy when you forget the tent poles. We also needed to buy another sleeping bag at Wal-Mart (a quick trip into town) when late-summer temps dropped unexpectedly.

Commemorate fishing

Fishing museum lures a-plenty

If you can’t get onto a lake, a trip to The Minnesota Fishing Museum will net a nostalgic look at Minnesota’s favorite sport (and trigger memories of crusty great-uncles and grandpas). The often playful exhibits cover Larson boats which were made in Little Falls, a fishing camp, spear-fishing, ice-fishing, fly fishing, artsy homemade lures, wildlife art, and a look at the biggest catches across the state including a legendary 40-pound muskie that anglers faithfully caught and returned to the Mississippi until its death. There's an aquarium, too.

Greet big cats and bears

Nicely sized for kids 8 and younger, you can get through the Pine Grove Zoo in an hour or two. Look for tigers, wolves, elk, bobcats, bears and more, then leave time for the free Pine Grove picnic area and vintage playground tucked beneath some of the most impressive pines you’ll see. Watch for an impressive trillium bloom in May (or June in the case of 2013 and the winter that wouldn't quit). Open mid-April through mid-October ($5).

Pine Grove

Amble through downtown

Bookin' It

Head down East Broadway and First Street Southeast to find the best boutiques, including Gumdrop Tree for kids’ toys and gifts, Bookin’ It for recommended reads and an adorable kids' area, Ambience@53 for housewares, clothing and gifts, and Great River Arts Association for pottery, photos, paintings and sculptures by area artists. 

A.T. dinner

Keep an eye out for the historic murals throughout downtown. They can be fun backdrops for family photos.

Dine in style at the A.T.

This downtown spot built its reputation on malts and burgers for more than 75 years before it became A.T. The Black and White and moved toward a more eclectic upscale menu. It might include crab omelettes for breakfast, and almond-crusted walleye with risotto or chicken roulade for dinner. It’s worthy of date night, but also family friendly. While on a mother-daughter date, I scored big points with my then 7-year-old thanks to their delicious chicken noodle soup and the "Wow!" factor of Bananas Foster night with real flames. She still talks about it. 

Pete & Joy's Bakery

Indulge in your sweet tooth

Pete and Joy’s Bakery is worthy of a stop just for the sweets, but it's also a homey, affordable café. You can fill up on soup, sandwiches and specials such as polish dumplings with sausage. Polish pottery, kolachys and other pastries also reflect the area’s heritage. 

Goods to go may include fish-shaped cookies, nutty wild rice bread with cranberries, big fritters, sticky orange blossoms, homemade dog treats and a dizzying array of bars and all things sweet and gooey (1-320) 632-6388). 

Explore Fort Ripley

Military families in particular will appreciate a glimpse at soldiers’ lives at Fort Ripley north of Little Falls. Its Minnesota Military Museum covers early pioneer days to the National Guard’s modern role in recent wars. Stroll past tanks and Jeeps or head indoors to see uniforms, photos, weapons, awards and other artifacts. The fort sprawls across 53,000 acres, which has made the area attractive to wildlife--even wolves and bears. Open May-September. ($2-$5; free to military in active service. 

Trails run alongside the Mississippi

Take a ride on the Soo Line

Hop onto the Soo Line Trail, a former east-west railroad route, for a memorable ride across a trestle bridge high above the Blanchard Dam and Mississippi River south of Little Falls. The views are spectacular, especially in the fall. Access the trailhead just off Highway 10 and head west toward the small town of Bowlus. 

Here's a little secret from the locals: Take a strainer to the bottom of the dam and sift through the dirt. You might get lucky and find a staurolite, also called cross rocks or fairy rocks.

The Waller House when it was lavender.

Need a place to stay?

The gracious Waller House Inn B&B lets visitors soak in Little Falls’ Victorian legacy with five guest rooms, many with matching stained glass windows. Feast on breakfasts such as stuffed apricot French toast or a wedge of crispy cheesy hash brown pie flecked with bacon locally smoked at Thielen Meats (another great place to visit--especially with a cooler in the mini-van).  There also are several hotel chains in Little Falls.

More information

Stop by the Little Falls Convention and VisitorsBureau, 606 SE First Street. You can walk upstairs in this 1903 Classic Revival Burton/Rosenmeier house to see a few rooms furnished with period furniture and art.

(Note: Little Falls is included in the guidebook, Day Trips from the Twin Cities). It was also featured in the Star Tribune Travel section.

For more reviews of the destinations included here, check out Midwest Living's online travel reviews. Search for Little Falls and the location such as Pete & Joy's).

Best Twin Cities day trip destinations in Minnesota, Wisconsin

LARK Toys' amazing carousel near Wabasha, Minn., adds magic and whimsy to the Great River Road.

Get help planning the top Twin Cities day trips
If there were a fairy godmother to - "Poof!" - make Minnesota weekend getaways or week-long vacations as easy as Cinderella's dress, I'd volunteer for the post. Really. Give me a sparkly wand and make it official.

Suncrest pizza farm near Alma, Wis.

I could probably find a wand at Rebecca's in Nisswa, one funky shop with everything from Princess Way street signs to lifesize cutouts of the latest heartthrobs.

Few things make me as happy as helping people find places they'll love in this wonderfully varied state of Minnesota. You could spin the car in any direction and find totally different terrain and places well worth a few hours on the road.

Ride the Empire Builder train.

I've collected 24 of my favorite trips, from single towns to several towns, into the new Minnesota guidebook "Day Trips from the Twin Cities: Getaway Ideas for the Local Traveler." Read about where to find:

• Beautiful bluffs and soaring eagles along the Great River Road. 

St. Cloud's Clemens Garden.

• A toy store that could rival Santa's workshop and Christmas morning for nostalgic childhood joy. 
• A pioneer ghost town and Minnesota's coolest cave tours in the Root River Valley.
• One of the nation's oldest family-run breweries, an idyllic German downtown and fascinating tales from the US Dakota War of 1862 in New Ulm.
• A sweet boutique hotel, amazing apples, comical scarecrows and crazy finds such as bacon-flavored soda pop along the Minnesota River Valley.

Rebecca's is among Nisswa's great shops.

• One of the state's coldest swimming holes at St. Cloud's Quarry Park and the inspiring Clemens and Munsinger Gardens along the Mississippi.

• Legends of Charles Lindbergh, a quirky fishing museum and classic downtown in Little Falls.
• Bike trails that whirl through the scenic Chippewa River Valley across the border in Wisconsin. 
• Amazing canoe rides through the Dalles of the St. Croix River. 
• World-class Nordic ski trails near Cable, Wis.
• Girls' getaways with great spas and shopping near Nisswa.

Artsy breakfast at Duluth's Solglimt B&B.

Of course there's more, but I don't want to give it all away.

You can email me to order a copy by mail for $16 (includes taxes & shipping) or head to your favorite bookstore. Buy it online through independent booksellers or the almighty Amazon. If you enjoy it, please leave a review. If you have suggestions for upcoming editions, let me know.

Happy travels!

Emma Krumbee's Scarecrow contest & festival, Belle Plaine.

Minnesota's northern lakeside resorts embrace bigger luxuries

Around since the 1930s, Clamshell Beach Lodge north of Brainerd has new luxuries--like newer cottages and a pool.

 

Minnesota cabins get bigger, modernize

By Lisa Meyers McClintick

My daughter jumps into the pool.

On a Minnesota resort trip last June, my 7-year-old daughter barely glanced at the sandy beach on Whitefish Lake north of Brainerd. Instead, she couldn't wait to cannonball into the pool and slurp a neon blue slushie at Clamshell Beach, a resort near Pequot Lakes, Minn.

With her focus on such pleasures, my daughter was benefiting from the gradual upscaling of Minnesota resorts. Many of them, established in the late 1920s through the 1930s, are evolving to meet expectations of modern vacationers.

They expect luxuries from heated pools to plush bedding. While the big resorts with deeper pocket books have been adding on for the last 15 years, many small, family-run resorts have also added perks and nudged up their level of convenience and service. The bonus: They often maintain a folksy mom-and-pop resort feel.

Meanwhile, Minnesota state parks are steadily adding camper cabins for those in the market for a lower-price, more rustic option.

 From cabins to two-story cottages

Cottage bedroom at Clamshell Beach Resort.

At Clamshell Beach, whose website boasts "lake cottage charm, luxurious amenities," a handful of original 1930s stucco cottages border the Whitefish Lake beach, but most guests want one of the Minnesota resort's spacious new cottages with second-story screened porches. Inside, large bathtubs, northwoods quilts and flat-screen TVs add to the comfort.

But still, there are the homey touches. A dry-erase board at Clamshell Beach Resort's main office welcomes guests personally and lists where they are from. An awning above the refreshment counter is made of dock planks, each autographed by guests and painted with scenes depicting their time at Whitefish Lake. It is dubbed the "Dock of Fame."

Dave Moe, who grew up at a resort near Park Rapids, and his wife, Lisa, purchased Clamshell Beach in 1997 and have methodically upgraded it, selling fractional ownership in the new cottages to fund the work.

Clamshell Beach Lodge and its Dock of Fame.

"It used to be people just wanted a bedroom and a bath and to look onto the lake," Moe said. "Things have evolved like any other industry. People have higher expectations for vacations because they have a limited amount of time."

Resorts expand and evolve

Statistics from Explore Minnesota show that an estimated 2,527 resorts in 1970 numbered only 1,400 by 1985. Today, the figure is down to about 880 resorts. In some cases, one resort may have expanded and absorbed another. The shift has resulted in destinations with more polish and space.

The average size of a mid-century home was 1,000 square feet. Today's average is more than twice that, Moe said. New vacation homes and cabins reflect that change.

According to Tom Proulx, who runs Big Sandy Lodge and Resort in McGregor, Minn., with his wife, Elisa, said that vacationers "want that Up North Minnesota rustic feel, but to be in the lap of luxury and have the best of both worlds."

The resort's nearly century-old Carefree Pines cabins were replaced with luxury lake homes fewer than 10 years ago. The 100-year-old lodge, with its original lobby fireplace, remains, as does one original cabin, albeit with a refurbished interior.

"It had so much character," Proulx said of their so-called Rustic Retreat. It lacks air conditioning, space is cozy and guests share a single bathroom, but that makes it perfect for some vacationers.

Sibley State Park near Willmar has added three camping cabins.

State parks upgrade camping experience

The most rustic of all cabins -- a camper cabin, with no plumbing -- has likewise boomed in popularity. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has built more than 40 camper cabins in the past four years, bringing the total to almost 80.

The DNR charges $45-$50 a night for the cabins, roughly a third of what resort cabins can cost.
Although guests must bring their own bedding and linens and cook most meals outdoors, a stay there doesn't require setting up a tent or trailer or maneuvering an RV. The cabins offer a solid shelter with four bunks that sleep five to six people, plus screened porches, a table and chairs, and heat that makes them popular year-round.

Newer ones include lights and outlets at each bunk for plugging in smartphones.
A survey of the DNR's new reservation system shows cabins book quickly on weekends. It's best to make reservations at least six months in advance and a year ahead for holidays.

"They're beautiful cabins," said Dana Banks, who stayed at a newer one in Sibley State Park near New London for a family gathering during Mother's Day weekend. "It's a nice place for people who don't have campers but still want to get away."

For more photos and details of northern Minnesota resorts and destinations, check out Minnesota Lake Vacations, a mobile travel app, or Day Trips from the Twin Cities, a new guidebook available in August 2012. 

Photos by Lisa Meyers McClintick

Spring getaway to California's flower fields

California's Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch explode into 50 acres of spring color, visible from Highway 1.

SoCal ocean to desert: A flower power vacation  

Photos & feature by Lisa Meyers McClintick

Rows of sherbet-orange blossoms march to the right, sloping toward a hillside of bubblegum pink, ruby red and sunny yellow.

Giant ranunculus blooms offer a colorful feast for winter-weary eyes.

Immersed in 50 acres of flowers, I could be Dorothy on the way to the Emerald City, minus the sleepy effect of poppies. Instead of shimmering green buildings on the horizon, I see the glimmer of ocean beyond strip malls and the Pacific Coast Highway to the west and purple shadows of mountains to the northeast.

The Flower Fields of Carlsbad, Calif., have drawn spring visitors to northern San Diego County for decades. The giant Tecolote ranunculus blooms look like the love child of poppies and peonies: vibrant color, delicate stems and full-bodied blooms dense with silky petals.

They blaze brightly on the hills above the coastal highway, inspiring detours for more than 60 years every March through mid-May.

“There’s something about being surrounded by all this color that’s just magical,” says Lisa Merriam McClure, a former Minnesotan and now a Californian who lives up the coast in San Clemente.

For me, this March vacation during 2011’s slog-it-out winter is inspired not so much by the need for warmth as the need to nourish eyes hungry for more than grays and whites. We’ve dedicated a long weekend to a 90-mile road trip that starts with the Flower Fields on this sunny coastline, climbs through cool mountains and drops into the desert—each place erupting with its own palette of spring color.

One of life's miracl

Renewing a friendship

Lucky for us, we’re celebrating a rebirth and renewal that goes deeper than the seasons. McClure and I haven’t seen each other for 20-plus years, yet we slip back into a steadfast friendship built on sleepovers, family vacations, summer camp and the misadventures of junior high. We laugh how alphabetical locker assignments originally brought us together, and somehow carried into adulthood. Meyers and Merriam each married and became McClure and McClintick. It baffles us, too.

Just as joyous as this long-overdue reunion is traveling with Lisa’s three-month-old daughter, Kate. It’s a magical age: ears as translucent and delicate as newly emerged leaves, steady gazes infused with wonder, tiny hands that make your heart skip.

Lisa, Kate and Lisa

Kate’s a miracle, too, arriving as Lisa turned 42 and had given up hope for a baby.

We hold out my camera and try snapping a self-portrait with flowers unfurling behind us. Kate stares at the lens as if she knows how momentous this is.

Beach cities to mountain town

The ocean calls to us in every shade of sun-infused blue. That’s not to say it’s warm. Zipped into a wet suit, the water numbs my bare feet and squeezes out a few colorful gasps of shock. Lisa married an enthusiastic surfer, and I feel compelled to try my luck on a board.

I apparently did great for a first time out, making it to a standing position on one of my first attempts. But surfing mostly feels like those rough stretches of life. Wait, wait, wait for it. Miss your timing. Take a clumsy fall. Haul yourself back up. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Hiking down to the surf beach near San Clemente

“People think surfers are so mellow,” Lisa says, but most are high energy until waves hammer them into bone-weary submission.

After our dreamy stroll through flower fields and along beaches, it seems wrong to turn our backs on the ocean. But we’re in the mood to explore, to see someplace new and leave busy coastal cities behind. We ditch a traffic jam and pick our way east through suburbs until they’re gone.

We climb, hugging mountain curves with motorcyclists, bicyclists and convertibles, likewise soaking up scenery.  The valley drops below us. Roadsides blur with the hazy lavender of wild lilacs and smatterings of orange poppies.

The drive from Carlsbad to the mountains near Julian.

It’s only 60 miles from the coast, but Julian, pop. 3,000, feels like another world. Apple orchards with clouds of white blossoms and vineyards flank this historic mining town tucked into piney mountains. Daffodils dot wooded roads, and homey whiffs of apple pie, dumplings and pastries waft into the narrow Old-West downtown. A horse and buggy clip-clops past, and a giggling group of girls tries to sell us a cat.

Fog and drizzle roll in as darkness falls and we find our way to a cabin at Pine Hills Lodge, a log resort built 100 years ago. We bundle Kate into a dresser drawer with blankets as our makeshift cradle. Then we fire up the heat, climb into bed, and reminisce about sleepovers in Prior Lake and pay homage to Lisa’s mom, who died a year before Kate was born.

Pine Hills Lodge

I can’t imagine becoming a first-time parent without my mom in the wings. I try to fill a little of the huge gap left by Lisa’s mom. I delight in rocking Kate to sleep and keep Lisa company during middle-of-the-night nursing or fussing.

The next morning, we fill up on quiche at Julian’s Candied Apple Pastry Company. We’ve had our requisite pie and choose one of their chocolate bomb cakes to go. It alone could inspire a return trip. The cake becomes roadside lunch—along with an honor system bag of grapefruit—bought 30 miles to the east in the Anza-Borrego Desert. Like the contrast between beach and mountains, this section of Southern California’s Colorado Desert also feels like its own world.

Julian, Calif., can grow daffodils & apples.

Desert blooms dazzle

 Yawning, scrubby flatness leading to Borrego Springs has that vacant “Are we lost?” feeling. But the sky’s blue, the sun is warming our arms, and we discover we’re in good company as we pull into a busy parking lot at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The largest of California’s state parks and a bit off the beaten path, it’s a less-crowded option to Palm Springs to the north.

It’s been a dry year, and most of the park is brown. But near the visitor center, which is dug into the earth, irrigated areas coax succulent blooms from cacti. Hummingbirds dart in and out of tubular orange blooms on a blue elf aloe. We stroll by and admire hot pink flowers on beaver tail cactus, translucent yellow on a prickly pear, and a fiery orange on claret cup cactus.

Anza-Borrego Desert blooms

We reluctantly pull away from the soothing landscape of desert and mountains and head for downtown San Diego. It’s another scenic route, meandering through the Cuyamaca Recreation and State Park district our last night together. We watch the sun turn the harbor pink then share a milestone together: feeding Kate her first serving of rice cereal.

We click through our photos, smiling again at baby faces, beach shots and brilliant blossoms. Best of all is discovering a friendship can be like spring flowers after a long winter. They both burst into bloom just when you need something to celebrate.

Strolling the paths at Anza-Borrego State Park, California.

Carlsbad-Julian-Borrego Springs Road Trip

What to do

Carlsbad Flower Fields,  ($11 per adult; 1-760-431-0352; www.theflowerfields.com). The season usually runs from March through mid-May, open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (1-760-767-5311; www.parks.ca.gov) in Borrego Springs has 600,000 acres, with desert plants usually blooming between January and March. Call the wildflower hotline, 1-706-767-4684.

Where to stay

Pine Hills Lodge ($80-$190; 1-760-765-1100, www.pinehillslodge.com) offers lodge rooms and cabin rooms tucked into the woods outside Julian. There’s a brunch on Sunday.

Bailey Woodpit BBQ

Orchard Hill Country Inn ($195-$375; 1-800-716-7242; www.orchardhill.com) offers a more upscale option in Julian with 22 lodge and cottage rooms, plus breakfast.

Dining

Candied Apple Pastry Company (1-760-765-2655, www.candiedapplepastry.com) serves fresh breads with spreads such as artichoke-feta plus salads, but the star is the tempting array of desserts. Cases display pear lavender and caramel apple tarts, raspberry almond pastries, sourdough crostini chips for snacking, or the signature apple-blackberry pie with a woven crust.

Candied Apple Pastry Company

Bailey Woodpit Barbecue (1-760-765-3757, www.baileybbq.com) smokes Texas-style meats served with a rustic-cut slaw and washed down with cider, beer or local wine.

More info

San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau (1-619-236-1212, www.sandiego.org).

Here's to a 1980s friendship that's still going.

Minnesota ice bars, ice fishing & polar plunges

Grand Superior Lodge's BLU ice bar takes inspiration from the Split Rock Lighthouse. Lake Superior helps keep it cool.

Minnesota dreams up icy frolics & February fun
By Lisa McClintick

Costumes add to the fun of the Pout Plunge that's part of Walker's Eelpout Festival.

Take warm welcome of Minnesota Nice, nip it with winter temps, and you get Minnesota Ice in all its quirky glory.

I used to think cabin fever inspired the more creative antics and winter traditions here in the north, but it's not just Minnesota. Case in point: Red Bull brought its international Crashed Ice championship to St. Paul two weeks ago. Picture plunging down an icy luge on skates with roller-derby demons.

It's always good to have a fresh, heart-pounding or light-hearted twists on traditional winter fun. Here's a rundown on other Minnesota winter festivals and events to celebrate throughout February, from glitzy ice bars to ice fishing fun:

Guzzling icy shots at Chase on the Lake's Eelpout ice bar.

Are you cool enough for ice bars?

According to Grand Superior Lodge's ice sculpting expert Chris Sworbrick, its BLU Ice Bar and Lounge is the longest running outdoor ice bar in the continental United States. It has the added advantage of a Lake Superior location, which offers the soundtrack of waves and a natural coolant to keep the 12-foot sculpture of Split Rock Lighthouse from melting early. 

This year's version of BLU is triple last year's size and features ice chandeliers, a wall lit like the northern lights, ice-carved shot glasses, a bonfire and specialty bar foods such as oyster shooters and North Shore sushi. The ice benches are fur-lined, but probably not the best place to wear a thong without a layer of long underwear. 

Head up the shore, and Caribou Highlands' Moguls restaurant and lounge has its own ice bar at Lutsen Mountains. It's ideally located for ski-in and ski-out options. If you're in the mood to party, there's a "Shot-ski," which is carved in ice and delivers a shot to four people at once.


If you're more of a city slicker, Rochester throws quite a happy hour with its downtown SocialICE. The event, anchored by a 200-foot ice bar plus eight new satellite bars, drew more than 11,000 participants last year. The 500 ice martini glasses sold out in 30 minutes. 


SocialICE runs from 4:30 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, through Saturday, Feb. 11. Live music starts at 7 p.m. 

Head north for eelpout antics

Walker's Pout Plunge into Leech Lake.

There's also an ice bar at Chase on the Lake during the 33rd International Eelpout Festival in Walker Feb. 16-19, but that's only a sliver of the shenaningans during this raucous weekend. The town population swells about 10 times as people throw together Pout City with crazy, comical encampments on the ice. You can kiss a slimy, ugly pout for luck or bragging rights, compete in curling contest, watch a frozen wet T-shirt contest and ride a mechanical ice bull. The event even drew a crew from Jay Leno last year.


Our favorite event is the Pout Plunge. It's family-friendly and hilarious to see what costumes are worn by the brave--and dare I say crazy?--folks willing to jump into frigid Leech Lake for a good cause. Read more from last year's Eelpout Festival feature.

Brainerd's ice-fishing extravaganza on Gull Lake.

Reel in a big one
Finally, for a fun, holy-cow kind of experience, try your luck at the world's largest charitable ice-fishing contest: the legendary Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing extravaganza. Usually in January, it got bumped to Saturday, Feb. 11, when winter started with a whimper. You need seriously chilly temperatures to drill more than 10,000 holes into Gull Lake. It's a mind-boggling sight to see. Read more about Brainerd's ice-fishing extravaganza.