8 Fun Lakes in Minnesota for a Summer Family Vacation with Kids
Summer vacation isn’t complete without a fun family weekend getaway to the lake! Minnesota boasts thousands of picturesque lakes, each offering its own unique blend of natural beauty and recreational activities. With over 10,000 lakes, you may wonder where to take your kids this summer. Well, you’re in luck! We’ve identified 8 of the best lakes in Minnesota for a family vacation, from Lake City to International Falls. Whether you’re seeking sandy beaches, thrilling water sports, epic fishing, or a scenic retreat to relax with your family, this guide showcases eight must-visit lakes in Minnesota with kids. Each one is perfect for a summer getaway for the whole family. Get ready to dive into fun-filled days of sun, sand, and endless memories. Please keep reading to discover our top picks for 8 Fun Lakes in Minnesota for a Summer Family Vacation with Kids.
Lake Minnetonka, Wayzata/Excelsior
Let’s kick off this list of Minnesota’s best lakes for kids to visit, with a great option near the Twin Cities – perfect for day trips or quick weekend getaways! Located near Wayzata and Excelsior, Lake Minnetonka is a sizable lake featuring upscale lakeside restaurants, dinner cruises, and about a dozen charming towns dotting its shores. A chain of interconnected lakes with numerous bays and islands, Lake Minnetonka is excellent for families seeking enchanting downtowns with great shopping, top-notch fishing, and boating activities. When you’re ready to explore its waters, Wayzata Bay Charter Cruises on Lake Minnetonka is perfect for a family dinner cruise.
Plenty of thrills are found off the lake, too! Excelsior Commons provides everything needed for a beautiful lakeside day with kids, including a playground and public beach. Not to mention, several boutique shops and restaurants are within walking distance. Alternatively, Lake Minnetonka Regional Park is also a great spot. It features a beach, fishing pier, and playground. Of course, dining along its shores is one of the best ways to soak in beautiful lake views. Refuel your family at beautiful lakeside restaurants like Maynards, Vann Restaurant, COV Wayzata, or Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge. For a sweet treat, grab a custard at Adele’s Frozen Custard. Finally, off-water adventures can be found at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Paisley Park, and Big Stone Mini Golf – just a short drive from Lake Minnetonka.
Lake Pepin, Lake City
A naturally occurring lake on the Mississippi River, Lake Pepin is an exciting destination for a family vacation this summer. The lake is part of the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin and is well-known for its sailing opportunities. Sailboats and lessons can be booked with Sail Pepin or Lake City Sailing. Ready to don your swimming suits and hit the beach? Head to Ohuta Beach in Lake City. This lovely beach also offers a lakeside playground and walking trail. Broken Paddle Guiding Co. provides kids-friendly boat tours. You can even choose a Raptor Tour or a Stand-Up Paddle Board Tour!
Off the water, families traveling to Lake Pepin can enjoy all the activities, eateries, and amenities in the many charming towns surrounding the lake, including Lake City, Red Wing, Reads Landing, and Wabasha. The unique collection of charming towns here is a huge draw for families! Outdoorsy families will be in a great position to explore Frontenac State Park. The park offers excellent bird watching, epic views of Lake Pepin, and several miles of kid-friendly hiking. Meanwhile, on the Wisconsin side, literary enthusiasts can visit the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. You can learn about everything from her life and legacy to the area’s rich history at the museum. Back in Minnesota, remember to indulge in a sweet treat from The Chocolate Escape, located in Wabasha. Undoubtedly, Lake Pepin is one of the best lakes in Minnesota for a family vacation!
Best Lakes Minnesota: Mille Lacs Lake, near Brainerd
The Brainerd Lakes region is one of the best places for families to take a lakeside getaway in Minnesota! If you want to book a family trip to Brainerd this summer, consider making Mille Lacs Lake your home base. Minnesota’s second-largest lake, Mille Lacs Lake, is often considered the best fishing lake in the state. No wonder it’s one of the best lakes in Minnesota for a family fishing trip!
From boating and swimming to hiking and lazy days at the beach, this area offers several kid-friendly activities to fill your days. Add the Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge to your itinerary when you’re ready to explore the lake. Two small islands make up this refuge, a popular bird breeding area. The sanctuary is best observed by boat, as visitors must stay 100 yards off-shore. Then, it’s time to hit the beach! Make the massive beach at Father Hennepin State Park your next stop. Alternatively, Kathio State Park offers a climbable observation tower, hiking trails, and more fun things to do for kids of all ages. Finally, you can embark on a fun day together on the Mille Lacs Soo Line Hiking and Biking trail, which boasts 11 miles of wide, kid-friendly trails.
Gull Lake, near Brainerd/Nisswa
Experience one of the best Minnesota lakes for a family trip when you choose Gull Lake! One of the largest lakes in the state, many Minnesotans consider Gull Lake to be the epitome of a Minnesota summer. Cabins, resorts, and rental homes dot its beautiful shores—perfect for a family vacation with kids. Grand View Lodge is one of Minnesota’s best lake resorts with kids on Gull Lake!
Beloved for its pristine waters and nearly 40 miles of picture-perfect shoreline, Gull Lake boasts some of the state’s best fishing, waterskiing, and swimming! Want to make your family trip even more memorable? Book one of the Gull Lake Cruises for an unforgettable experience with your kids. Off the water, families can spend their days exploring parks, biking, hiking, and golfing.
Are you interested in hiking? Add Crow Wing State Park to your itinerary! It’s also a great place to learn about local history, as many interpretive signs and historic buildings exist. Families will also find the park’s calm river waters perfect for paddling by canoe or kayak. Finally, families enjoy Paul Bunyan Land, Safari North Wildlife Park, and Northland Kart Kountry when planning kid-friendly trips to Gull Lake. Indeed, if you love exploring on land just as much as you do by water, Gull Lake is one of the best lakes to visit in Minnesota with kids!
Rainy Lake, near International Falls
Pack your bags; Rainy Lake is calling! Beloved by outdoor families, Rainy Lake is one of the best lakes in Minnesota for an adventurous family vacation. Set along the Canadian border, near International Falls, it is also one of Minnesota’s northernmost lakes. This lake is divided between the US and Canada, with most residing on the Canadian side. Rainy Lake is also home to the only national park in Minnesota, Voyageurs National Park.
When you’re ready to explore, Rainy Lake boasts 930 miles of shoreline and approximately 1,600 islands. If your family loves fishing, begin your vacation with a guided fishing experience. Through this tour, knowledgeable local guides will take you out onto the lake to help you and your kids reel in dinner with ease! If you want a slower-paced experience, kayakers and canoers will adore the many waterways they can explore together. Alternatively, you can book a houseboat to make it a unique and memorable experience for all ages. Kids will love sleeping on the water!
Then, Voyageurs National Park is one of the largest draws for visiting Rainy Lake with kids. The park has a visitors center, waterfalls, hiking trails, wildlife spotting, and other kid-friendly experiences for all ages. Finally, Minnesota families love Rainy Lake for its unparalleled sunsets and starry skies. Talk about a thrilling summer adventure for the whole family!
Burntside Lake, Ely
If you’re looking for beautiful Minnesota lakes for a family trip, put Burntside Lake at the top of your list! Located in Ely, this lake has no motor restrictions, making it popular among water sports enthusiasts. Plus, despite the high boat traffic during peak days, Burntside Lake is remarkably clear (some areas have 20+ feet of visibility). If you’re interested in spending your days boating, water skiing, and wakeboarding, this is the Minnesota lake for you!
As one of the best lakes in Minnesota with kids, fishing, boating, kayaking, and swimming are central to a family trip here, but it’s not the only source of family fun! Get off the water and spend warm summer days lounging on one of the many sandy beaches along the lake. Families can enjoy fantastic activities nearby, like hiking, biking, ATVing, and more. Undoubtedly, families love hiking Kawishiwi Falls Trail, a 1.5-mile trail with waterfall views! Or, explore the many lakeside trails at Bear Head Lake State Park. You can even find backpack sites here! Then, the International Wolf Center or the North American Bear Center will surely be a hit with kids. Both are just a short drive away from Burntside Lake! Finally, outdoor enthusiasts will also appreciate that the western boundary of Burntside Lake connects via Tamarack Creek to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Leech Lake, near Bemidji
Located just a short drive from Bemidji, Leech Lake is the third-largest and one of the most popular lakes in Minnesota. It has a terrific reputation amongst Midwest anglers for catching walleye and muskie! As such, fishing should be at the top of your itinerary here!
In addition to fishing, Leech Lake is also popular for watersports of all kinds. If you don’t have a boat to tow along and want to rent one on your family trip, you can find what you need in nearby Walker. Here, you can rent various boats and watercraft, including jet skis, pontoons, sailboats, and ski boats. Undoubtedly, sailing is one of the unique water activities families can do on Leech Lake. Sailing rentals and lessons can be booked with the Shores of Leech Lake.
Ready to get off the water and explore more? There are several beautiful places to hike in the area. Consider destinations like the Chippewa National Forest, Paul Bunyan State Forest, and Itasca State Park. Itasca State Park is particularly popular because it is home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River! Finally, golfing, dining, and shopping can also be found near Leech Lake. With so many options, no wonder this is one of the best lakes in Minnesota for a family vacation!
Best Lakes Minnesota: Pelican Lake, Otter Tail County
Pelican Pete is ready to welcome you and your kids to Pelican Rapids, Otter Tail County, and nearby Pelican Lake! As one of the best lakes in Minnesota with kids, fishing families will adore Pelican Lake for its variety of fish species. Here, anglers of all ages can reel in everything from black crappie and bluegill to largemouth bass, muskie, and northern pike. Plus, the lake offers plenty of options for boating and swimming too. Want to rent a canoe or kayak to explore the Pelican Lake or surrounding waterways? One can be rented from Pelican Paddle Company.
Adventures don’t end off the water! Maplewood State Park is an excellent option for families to explore. Here, you can hike, bird watch, fish, and more. Plus, there is also a sandy swimming beach in the park! Alternatively, the Heart of the Lakes Trail is also an excellent spot for kid-friendly hiking. Then, when tummies get hungry, Pelican Rapids offers an outstanding selection of family-friendly restaurants and eateries. Several local summer festivals (like turtle racing and minnow racing!) are also a huge draw for families to Pelican Lake. Many of which become fantastic family traditions! Finally, take the chance to stay hi to Pelican Pete, the world’s largest pelican.
Keep Exploring Minnesota with Kids!
Now that you know more about the many fun lakes in Minnesota for a family vacation this summer with kids, it’s time to start planning your trip! There is nothing sweeter than making summer memories on the lake with kids. Whether you want to go fishing and boating or enjoy lazy summer days at the beach, there is a Minnesota lake on this list for you. Keep exploring the best lakes in Minnesota with your kids!
Antonia Grant is a Minnesota mom + freelance writer who loves encouraging parents to find ways to connect and make memories with their kids. She’s a firm believer in providing children with experiences over things. You can find more from Antonia and her family adventures on Instagram @knead.to.roam and on her website. She shares all things family travel, outdoor adventures, and their favorite foodie finds.
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