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Lake Info

MINNETONKA

Locals bore holes in the ice for an annual golf tournament – “The Chilly Open” - in which players smack around tennis balls until they drop into the cups. The ice gets so thick that they use snowplows to clear the "fairways." It's a simple step to determine when it's safe: 1 inch to walk on, 4 inches to snowmobile on and 8 inches to drive on.

As spring approaches, residents begin the countdown to “ice-out”, the day ice begins to break and signals the coming of summer. Local bars and restaurants sponsor betting pools in which they place an object - such as a junk car or, lately, an anchor - on the ice. They stopped putting cars on the ice when environmental types voiced concern over its effects on the lake. The person who guesses the date when the object falls through takes the pot.

During summer, it's time for motorcycling, hiking, canoeing, fishing and - in the land of 10,000 lakes - boating. On Lake Minnetonka, Minnesotans attack the boating season with the same voracity they attack winter. And, with good reason, Lake Minnetonka is a summer boater's fantasy, with plenty of opportunities for sightseeing, cruising, fishing, skiing, partying and dining.

Begin the day with a few ski runs in one of the lake's many secluded coves. There are enough of them so that you can usually find some glassy water. If you've forgotten a piece of gear, there are plenty of pro shops and marinas that carry water-sports equipment.

Though you can never become a local during a vacation on Lake Minnetonka, you can find acceptance from a group of boaters with a voracious appetite for one of America's premier lakes.

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05/07/2008
molly
 

molly
 
Lake Minnetonka

 


BIG ISLAND

People anchor there to read or relax and soak up a few rays. More than likely, people come to Big Island to party. And things have been known to get out of hand, especially at the "Sacrifice to the Sun God" party toward season's end in mid-August. Here, you'll find everything from a personal watercraft to a 40-foot Wellcraft, trawler yachts and pontoon boats embroiled in a party scene that rivals any on Lake of the Ozarks, Lake Powell or Havasu. Big Island is the place to see and be seen on Minnetonka.
The celebration usually begins around noon, but you can always find a place to anchor and enjoy the festivities, which have the feel of Bike Week at Daytona Beach, except the theme centers on boats. Often up to a hundred boats are lashed together to form one giant party. It seems everyone here has known one another for years - and not that drinking and boating is the mark of brilliance, but there have been known to be than a couple of beer kegs lashed to bowsprits each afternoon.
If you stay too long at Big Island and soak up too much sun and suds, you may have trouble getting home. Drag yourself away from the island and check out one of Minnetonka's numerous lakeside dinner restaurants.

Al and Alma's makes a great place to end the day. Try the walleye fresh from the lake. Or you can head over to The Caribbean, the only restaurant with a deck over the water. Lord Fletcher's is open for dinner and features seven dining areas in addition to the wharf. Over in Wayzata, Sunsets restaurant offers lakeside dining with a view overlooking the bay and most of the Lower Lake North section. Here you'll find some of the best sunsets on Lake Minnetonka.