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• Camping out west
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• A week at the lake
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The buzz on Brainerd

Away from the crowds, Minnesota's busiest vacation area can be tranquil.

To hear resort owners in the north woods tell it, Brainerd is the Times Square of Minnesota.

“It’s crazy down there,’’ they say, shaking their heads. “It’s a zoo. We don’t want to be like Brainerd.’’

In Wisconsin, people talk the same way about Door County. Those places are busy, all right. They’re busy because plenty of people like that kind of atmosphere — the restaurants, the golf, the shopping, the fancy condo resorts.

Over the years, money has changed the Brainerd lakes area. On the bigger lakes, $2 million cottages have replaced mom-and-pop resorts. Private jets fly into the Brainerd airport, and limos mix with minivans on forested county roads.

Go-cart tracks, miniature-golf courses and amusement parks keep children constantly entertained. Crowds of 26,000 jam the grandstand at Brainerd International Raceway to watch drag racing, motocross competitions and muscle-car contests in which “the bad boyz of the blacktop battle it out.’’

The Brainerd lakes haven’t been a quiet north-woods destination for a while. Nearly from the start, they’ve attracted prominent guests: to Grand View, built on Gull Lake in 1919, and Breezy Point, which was built in 1922 on Pelican Lake and had a casino gambling operation that drew movie stars and mobsters.

Many of the more affluent resort guests later built their own cottages in the area. In the 1930s, Floyd B. Olson became the first of several Minnesota governors to build a home on Gull Lake, and it became the most prestigious address in Minnesota after Lake Minnetonka.

In the 1990s, the big resorts began building top-quality, famous-name golf courses to draw well-heeled guests from around the nation. Today, the area has more golf holes than fishing holes — and there are 465 lakes within 25 miles of Brainerd. As greens fees rose — to $100 and more for 18 holes — so did real-estate prices.

But ordinary folks aren’t priced out of the Brainerd lakes. And if you know where to look, there are pockets of serenity. There’s a gorgeous public beach, quiet parks and traditional resorts, even on Gull Lake.

“People like to think Brainerd is the Twin Cities of the north, but you can find the quiet spots,’’ says Roger Lykins, who has owned and operated Lykins Pinehurst Resort for 25 years. “It ends up being as secluded as most people want, when they say they want a secluded vacation.’’

Lykins knows he would make much more money selling his Gull Lake shoreline than operating his nine-cabin resort, shaded by tall Norway and white pines and huge basswood.

“I think of that every spring, when we’re getting ready,’’ he says. “But then you get everybody coming back, and we remember why we’re here.’’

Nisswa is the center of what most people call  Brainerd, and when I arrived early one August morning, bicyclists already were gliding by on the Paul Bunyan State Trail. At 9:45, Marlene Dupree was sweeping the sidewalk in front of the Totem Pole, beloved purveyor of souvenirs. By 9:50, traffic had picked up, and customers started to slip into the store behind Dupree’s back. At 9:55, a little boy climbed onto the mechanical train in front of the store, and his mother plugged it with a dime.

“It’s always busy,’’ Dupree said. “There aren’t many places where you can park your car in one place and shop all day. They’ll go down one side of the street and up the other; it’ll take four to five hours.’’

At 10 a.m., the smell of hot oil wafted over the street, and the man in the mini-doughnut stand took his first order.

“And they ask what we do all winter,’’ Dupree said. “We relax!’’

A five-minute walk from the Totem Pole, at Eagle’s Nest Resort, 4-year-old Megan Carlson had just pulled a crappie out of Lower Cullen Lake and was showing it off.

“They can catch a fish every 10 minutes,’’ said her mother, Heidi Carlson, smiling. She looked around the shady resort. “It’s really quiet, but there’s a lot of action around here.’’

From Nisswa, I drove east to Pelican Lake, and after a few wrong turns found myself looking out on a broad swath of sand. The scarcity of public beaches in the Brainerd lakes area is odd; even odder, there are no outdoor public swimming
pools. But this beach — wide, well-maintained, on a clear lake — almost makes up for it.

“It’s the best beach in the world for kids,’’ said beach host Chris Certain, who spends the summer camping at the beach, part of Crow Wing State Forest. “My boss says you can’t drown in it, unless you put concrete blocks on your feet.’’

Only a handful of people were there, and I started chatting with Jan Gillmor, who lives nearby.

“We moved here 15 years ago, and we looked and looked and looked, and didn’t
find this until a few years ago,’’ she said. “This is the most secluded place I’ve been. It’s so busy with tourists here, we who live here hide in our own little spots.’’

From there, I headed around Pelican Lake to Breezy Point, a crossroads that is less a village than Breezy Point Resort, a collection of hotel rooms, condos and cabins on the northwest corner of the lake. From there, I hooked onto the 48-mile Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway and headed toward Crosslake, on the 15-lake Whitefish Chain.

Next to the little downtown, around the mouth of the Pine River on Cross Lake, the Army Corps of Engineers maintains two small beaches, a boat launch and a shady campground, as well as the dam. It’s a lovely spot, and a find for vacationers on a budget.

Crosslake can get busy. But the quiet county roads that circle the Whitefish Chain,
through Manhattan Beach and Ideal Corners, still are lined with resorts and
supper clubs from the 1920s and ’30s, with a languid vacation ambiance that
has remained unchanged even as the pace quickens.

Passing the turnoff for Driftwood, one of the last traditional family-owned, full-service resorts in Minnesota, I returned to the hurly-burly of Minnesota 371. The next day, I explored two resorts that, for many people, are synonymous with “Brainerd’’; on the far southeast end of Gull Lake, they’re closest to the Baxter-Brainerd strip.

Both started small, but Cragun’s and Madden’s since have grown into behemoths, each sprawling along the lake and offering every conceivable entertainment — magic shows and massage, carnivals and concerts, nature walks and water-skiing. Cragun’s has an enormous indoor sports center; Madden’s has an art gallery, an ice-cream parlor and a shopping emporium, all linked by paths that wind past flower beds and fountains.

Each is its own little world, far from reality — which is what most people want on vacation.

There’s a different kind of world just two miles up the road, at the Gull Lake Recreation Area, and it’s no less charming. Operated by the Army Corps of Engineers, it has a paved bicycle trail, an oak-shaded picnicking lawn on the lake, a picnic area with playground on the Gull River, a volleyball court, a fishing pier and walking trails, plus a beach and campground.

A family could stay busy there, too — and for only $24 a night.

In the Brainerd lakes area, there’s room for everyone. People with money are making the waves, but ordinary folk still can enjoy the water.

Trip Tips: Brainerd lakes 

Getting there: It’s 2½ hours from the Twin Cities to the lakes north of Brainerd. Brainerd itself is a former railroad center that offers little to tourists; when most people speak disparagingly about “Brainerd,’’ they’re talking about Baxter, where strip-style development radiates from the junction of Minnesota 371 and 210.

When to go: For a quieter atmosphere and lower prices, go midweek or off-season. Avoid the first full week of August, when the Hot Rod Association Nationals fill the area. Resorts offer good deals from mid-April to mid-June and mid-August to mid-October.

Smaller resorts: Lykins Pinehurst Resort has a lovely atmosphere, with nine cabins set amid pines and hardwoods above a long beach on Gull Lake’s west side. (800) 963-2485, www.pinehurstongull.com.

Sandy Beach Resort, established in 1938 and still in the same family, has 32 cabins, nearly all right on the beach around a point on west Gull. (218) 963-4458, www.sandybeachresort.net.

On Lower Cullen Lake, Eagles Nest has a peaceful collection of 16 small cabins between a large playground and sports area and the lake, which has a swimming area around docks; wave runners are prohibited. (800) 922-0440, www.eaglesnestnisswa.com.

Medium-size resorts: Driftwood, on the southwestern shore of Upper Whitefish Lake, is a smaller, friendly, full-service, family-run resort with lots of do, including daily pony rides, tennis, children's activities, evening entertainment and golfing on its own nine-hole Norske Course. Fine meals in the Norwegian-accented dining room are included in the rates. There's an outdoor swimming pool and flowers everywhere. (800) 950-3540, www.driftwoodresort.com.

Lost Lake Lodge, 10 minutes west of downtown Nisswa, is a small, quiet boutique resort on 80 acres between Lost Lake and the Upper Gull Lake Narrows. It's known for its fine food; breakfast and dinner are included in its rates. Supervised children's activities, naturalist programs and daily maid service also are included. (800) 450-2681, www.lostlake.com

Boyd Lodge, on the southern shore of Whitefish Lake, is a family-run resort on property that includes two lakes, five miles of trails, and luxury lodgings. (800) 450-2693, www.boydlodge.com

Manhattan Beach Lodge near Crosslake is a hotel with the homey touches of a B&B. The 12 attractive rooms, with views of Big Trout Lake, are a good value; suites have gas fireplaces, fridges and microwave, and two have double whirlpool and decks. Breakfast is included Mondays-Saturdays. (800) 399-4360, www.mblodge.com

Big resorts: Lodgings at the larger resorts generally include a mix of rooms, cottages, cabins and townhomes, some on the lake, some on fairways. At the three big Gull Lake resorts — Grand View, Madden's and Cragun's — a family of four pays $3,000-$4,000 a week during peak season, including two meals a day, supervised children's programs and golf on social and executive courses. Rates drop significantly in the off season, and always ask for packages.

Grand View Lodge, on the northern shore of Gull Lake, is a 1919 log classic with a big stone hearth, kerosene-lamp chandeliers, telephones set into wood barrels and stuffed moose and stag heads everywhere. A cobblestone path lined with flower boxes and arts and crafts-style lamps leads to a 1,500-foot beach. It's the hub of Brainerd-area golf, with 54 holes of its own, including the Pines, the Preserve and the new Deacon’s Lodge. There's a spa and an indoor pool complex with a 110-foot slide. (800) 432-3788, www.grandviewlodge.com, www.thepines.com

Madden's, on a peninsula in Gull Lake's south shore, looks more like a New England resort, with beautifully landscaped grounds and a villagelike atmosphere. It’s a longtime golf resort, with 63 holes of golf on four courses, including The Classic, and offers the Chris Foley “For Women Only’’ golf school throughout the summer. It also has a tennis and croquet club. (800) 642-5363, www.maddens.com

Cragun's, on the southern tip of Gull Lake, is a sprawling resort with 45 holes of golf, including The Legacy, and a large indoor sport center. (800) 272-4867, www.craguns.com

Breezy Point, on Pelican Lake, is a large resort with a variety of accommodations, including the historic Fawcett House, and two golf courses, Whitebirch and The Traditional. It has a large beach, with a playground adjoining a lawn for volleyball and games. (800) 432-3777, www.breezypointresort.com.

Camping: Two Army Corps of Engineers sites are among the best spots; both have sand beaches, playgrounds and fishing piers. Gull Lake Recreation Area is on the southeast corner of the lake, just down the road from Madden’s, (218) 829-3334, and Crosslake Recreation Area is walking distance from stores and restaurants, (218) 692-2025. Call (877) 444-6777, www.reserveusa.com.

Dining: Lost Lake Lodge serves excellent prix-fixe dinners to the public. Reservations required, (800) 450-2681.

Grand View's Sherwood Forest, in a historic lodge between the west shore of Gull and Margaret Lake, is an atmospheric place for dinner. (218) 963-0225.

Iven's on the Bay, halfway between Nisswa and Brainerd on 371 on North Long Lake, serves fine seafood and meat entrees and has a nice wine list. (218) 829-9872.

The Boathouse at Quarterdeck Resort, on the west side of Gull Lake, has an interesting menu with Asian touches, (218) 963-2482.

Manhattan Beach Lodge, whose dining room has a view of Big Trout Lake, serves steaks, ribs, fish and pasta prepared in fresh ways. (218) 692-3381.

Sibley Station, right on the Paul Bunyan Trail in Pequot Lakes, features pizza, pasta and Mary Etta’s pies. (218) 568-4177.

Public beaches: To get to the Crow Wing State Forest beach on Pelican Lake, take County Road 18 east of Nisswa and continue east on County Road 4 to its intersection with 118. From there, it’s 1.7 miles to Pelican Beach Road; turn left, and the beach is another mile.

The beaches at the Crosslake and Gull Lake recreations areas also are open to the public for a small fee.

Paul Bunyan State Trail: The trail starts in Baxter, just east of the Paul Bunyan Amusement Center, off Minnesota 371 at Excelsior Road; the first 15 miles, to Nisswa, are most scenic, and the section from Hackensack to the  Heartland State Trail is very hilly; for details, check www.paulbunyantrail.com.

Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway: The tour map and guide includes lots of interesting information; pick one up at the tourist office in downtown Nisswa, www.paulbunyanscenicbyway.org.

Nightlife: In summer, Chris Olson's Elvis Saturday-night outdoor concerts at Breezy Point are popular, (800) 432-3777; he also performs at the Exchange Club in Crosslake, (218) 692-4866. His schedule is on www.espking.com.

Golfing: The Classic at Madden’s and Grand View’s The Pines and Deacon’s Lodge courses are top-rated.

Shopping: Nisswa, with dozens of small shops, is the browsing hub on overcast summer days. Pequot Lakes also has many small shops, as well as the large Silver Creek Traders, which sells classy gifts, furnishings and gourmet foods (there are always plates of samples) as well as a coffee bar, where it also sells cones, baked goods and deli sandwiches.

Auto racing: Brainerd International Raceway holds sanctioned races plus street-rod and muscle-car weekend events. Camping is available on 525 acres. (218) 824-7220, www.brainerdraceway.com.

Information: (800) 450-2838, www.explorebrainerdlakes.com; (800) 950-9610, www.Nisswa.com.

Last updated on August 4, 2008