A real Minnesota summer
Boat days that end at the docks, campfires that end past midnight, and sunsets that hang around until almost ten.
Detroit Lakes has more than 400 lakes within 25 miles, more freshwater and shoreline than anywhere else in northwest Minnesota. Here's what's within reach of your patio.
Across the street
City Beach & the Pavilion
A mile of public sand runs along West Lake Drive, with the restored century-old Pavilion at its heart. Swimming and sandcastles by day; live music, food, and the whole town out walking on summer evenings. Pontoons pull right up onto the shore.
Rent a pontoon at the marina, drop a line off the observation pier, or just claim a stretch of sand. It's your front yard while you're here.
The shortlist
Where we send our guests
The main strip
The fun bars are literally next door, and downtown is a short walk: shops, restaurants, a brewery, boutiques and coffee, plus lake-life goods at Red Willow and Lakeshirts and antiques by the acre at SuLaine's.
Next door
Alexa & the trolls
Six giant troll sculptures by Danish artist Thomas Dambo hide around town. Start with Alexa in City Park and follow the clues in her book. There's a golden rabbit at the end of the hunt.
5 min walk
The marina
Boat launch, gas dock, slips and rentals, directly across the street. If you trailer your own boat, the launch is right there; if you don't, a pontoon is waiting (more on that below).
Across the street
Tube the Otter Tail
A lazy two-hour float down the Otter Tail River just east of town: gentle current, turtles and eagles, cooler tube included. K & K and Charlie’s handle tubes and the shuttle back.
15 min drive
Music in the park
Live bands at the City Park bandshell on Tuesday nights, food trucks and Trucks & Tunes on Thursdays, and the farmers market twice a week at Peoples Park. Bring a blanket; it’s all free.
City Park
Detroit Mountain
A 310-acre recreation area: mountain-bike trails and hiking all summer; skiing, snowboarding and tubing when the snow flies. The chalet handles the warming up.
3.5 miles
Pine to Palm golf
Award-winning golf at the Detroit Country Club, home of the Pine to Palm tournament for more than seventy years, plus hiking and fishing piers at Dunton Locks, trumpeter swans at the Tamarac wildlife refuge, and three state parks within reach.
10 min drive
Summer events
WE Fest, one of the country's biggest country-music festivals, in August, the Northwest Water Carnival and its region-best parade, Street Faire at the Lakes, Art in the Park, and live music at the Pavilion. Most of it within walking distance of your patio.
All summer
Winter, done properly →
Classic Minnesota: ice-house villages on the frozen lake, snowmobile trails in every direction, skiing and tubing at Detroit Mountain, and Polar Fest with its ice palace in February. Your suite has the warm kitchen waiting.
Dec – Mar
Across the street · all summer
Rent a pontoon, be on the water in minutes
The marina sits directly across the street: pontoon rental, boat launch and gas, with 400+ lakes to point yourself at. Tubing and wakeboarding for the kids, walleye and muskie for the early risers, a slow sunset cruise for everyone else.
No trailer, no launch line, no drive. Walk over, load your cooler, go.
Early August · Soo Pass Ranch
WE Fest week, with a real bed
One of the biggest country music festivals in the country happens a short drive south of town every August. Skip the tent: a real bed, a real shower, a full kitchen, and the lake to recover on between shows.
Nine suites. WE Fest week books out months ahead.
Book WE Fest week
Getting here
45 minutes from Fargo, 3 hours from the Cities
Take US-10 straight into town; the Amtrak Empire Builder also stops downtown. We're at 220 W Lake Drive, where the road meets the beach.