We were really looking forward to our stay at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, especially since our kids…read morewere so excited to use the pools. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we were disappointed to find both pools closed--a fact that was never mentioned on the website or during booking. The website was also out of date, with no notice about the pool closures or the restaurant being closed. This lack of communication was a huge letdown for us and especially hard on our kids. After receiving a text that our room was ready, we checked in only to find the room still dirty. The staff did try to help by sending a manager intern, who found us another room, but that one was also dirty and needed cleaning. We ended up waiting an additional 30-45 minutes before we could finally get settled. Once we were finally in, we found the condo-style cabins to be cute and comfortable, with a nice deck and great views of the golf course and lake (though some big pine trees block part of the view). There's plenty of parking, and the property has several docks for fishing and a large marina, which was a big hit with our family. However, due to pool construction, the trail to the marina dock was blocked, forcing us to take a much longer and less convenient route. We had fun fishing and caught some big sunfish off the main marina dock. The restaurant had a nice deck and a DJ, but closes pretty early and the food is quite pricey. The community fire pits are a great touch, with plenty of wood provided for guests to enjoy a classic evening of s'mores. As a gesture of goodwill for the pool closure, the resort offered us a two-hour pontoon rental, which was appreciated but didn't fully make up for the disappointment and lack of communication. We tried to rent a fishing boat, but it had mechanical issues. The marina crew was super helpful and gave us a good deal on a full-day pontoon rental instead, which turned out to be the highlight of our trip. Big thanks to Rob and Casey at the marina--they were friendly, hardworking, and made our experience so much better. The kids had an absolute blast on the lake! We also enjoyed the ice cream shop and took out kayaks and other water toys, which were reasonably priced and lots of fun. At first, we weren't sure if we would return or recommend Ruttger's to others, but the marina crew truly turned things around for us and made the end of our trip memorable. I would recommend this resort to families and groups, but I really hope management improves communication, keeps the website updated, and ensures rooms are ready and clean for arriving guests. With a few improvements, this could be an amazing place for a family getaway.

Want a fun family event??!!! Dinner, art fair and great food!!! Want a perfect event for the fall.read more

This is a great family friendly resort. I have been bringing my family up here for the last 14…read moreyears and it's our most favorite week of the year. The lake is fun with the water trampoline, iceberg, kayaks, canoe, paddle boards and paddle boats. The pool is great and so is the hot tub. Cabins are clean and beds are comfortable. Worth every penny, can't wait to come back next year!

Great family resort -…read more My family started staying here in 1940. We have seen a lot of changes - all good. 6 generations of memories. Lakeside cabins are traditional cabins filled with up north charm. The lake shore has a great beach for kids and a large dock for adults to sit and talk, enjoy the sun and be able to keep an eye on the kiddos. Boat rental is available or bring your own boat. The Rave and swim raft are great additions to swim out to and get away from others on the main dock. Paddle boats, paddle boards, kayaks and a canoe are also available to resort guests. A play ground, game room and a small general store round out the resort amenities. We wouldn't stay any where else.

Red Rider was perfect for a bike trip! The cabin was great! Bike repair stand, locked bike storage,…read moreclothes drying spot, etc. we loved having our own fire ring and picnic table. Everything was spotless clean, including the bathroom and shower house! Check-in was easy. We were able to hit the bike trailers directly from the cabin. I can't wait to come back here again! Highly recommend! Thank you!

I stayed at Red Rider on July 29, 2019. Hot showers! Brand new facility, opened this past spring…read more Splendid vista over Manuel Mine Pit Lake. Loons called during the night. Affordable and well-run, even on a low-occupancy Monday. They even provided free firewood at the tent site. Be sure to check out their cabins. They look really cute and comfy. Only downside, tenting, is that due to Hwy 6 construction, lots of detour traffic goes right by Red Rider. Kinda noisy, but didn't disturb my sleep after 7 hours pounding the Cuyuna Bike Trails!

Pine Crest Resort is a very friend, family owned resort. We stayed in one of of them cabins closest…read moreto the lake and it was very nice! There are multiple docks where you can put your boat on and fish from the docks. It's a gorgeous small lake and we had good success fishing!

Pine crest is a very friendly and family oriented resort. The cabins are clean and cozy and the…read moreproprietors are very nice and helpful. We have gone back there for many years now and love the quaint atmosphere there. By the way, lots of fish in the lake! It's a great value compared to other high buck resorts in this area. I highly recommend this resort!

My family had a great time at Towering Pines. We loved our cabin overlooking the lake. The family…read morethat owns it is super nice. The grounds are beautifully kept with lots of fun things to do. Our kids are teens & tweens and they enjoyed themselves on the water tramp, bikes, canoe & water playground. I can see that this would be a fantastic place for smaller kids too. The beach is protected and shallow entry, the water playground is surrounded by dock, also feels very protected and safe. It's a quiet section of lake with perfect access to the chain of lakes great for boating, skiing etc. there's a convenient boat rental place right up the lake too. We will definitely be back.

This has been a fantastic family resort that we have been coming to for many years. They have 3…read morelarge cabin's set back from lake that are great for large family's or groups. Along the lake they have many smaller cabins that have great views of the lake. This family friendly resort has ton to keep you occupied! Mini golf, basketball court, old fashion arcade, swim area and raft, and tons near by to head off too if you feel the need. They have a boat launch and docks with boat rentals and a variety of water craft that require human power to move. The owners are super friendly and have something going on all week long to help if the fishing is slow. The gift shop is great if you need T-shirt or some basic kitchen items to save the run into town. This has been our favorite spot for the past 15 years and will be for years to come

This is one of the best golf experiences in the Brainerd lakes area. Everything from the course to…read moreclubhouse to the staff is very well run. The course is in excellent shape. Lots of trees, to be sure, but still forgiving enough for the average player. Greens are fast and challenging. The clubhouse and staff are outstanding. You can order food after 9, and they drive it out to you on the course. Oh, and the breakfast is excellent! Highly recommend.

Please do NOT plan to go to Maddens towards the end of September. We arrived and we're told the…read moremarina was closed the next day, the day we had planned to rent a boat. The website did not mention the place practically closes down the third weekend of September. The gift shops were closed by 2PM, check in is 4PM. The food was extremely over priced. Unless you are here to golf, save your money and go somewhere else. Also.. the water in the rooms was horrible. The odor was so strong and smelled of a sewer, that I had to brush my teeth and wash my face with bottled water. Mentioned it at check out, and front desk just acknowledged it,so must be a known problem they don't intend to address. #gross

Well kept. The owner Jim is very hospitable. Easy access from the road. Beautiful beach access.read more

This was a great location for a resort. The water is clear and the owners provide water activies…read morefor both and small kids. I love seeing families spending quality time together. Our cabin was Birchwood, it was as perfect as we could expect. 2 recliners are a rarities in a cabin. I tend to sleep better in them so I realy appreciated having the option. Plenty of room for 6 adults and a couple kids The screened in porch was huge and perfect for gaming. The weather was chilly but that's the risk of mid to late August. The owners were very accommodating and pleasant to work with. The beach is full of toys and playground activity as well as room for yard games and volleyball and the private campfires. Very relaxing My only suggestion would be a better game room for those rainy or cold days. Ice hockey, foosball, pinball or pool table, stuff like that but otherwise... It was a great time with our children Highly recommend this resort. This is the first-time we have reserved again. It"a hard to find all the accomodations to meet everyone's needs and this one did

I've been going up to Gull Lake Resort for 30 years. My husband's family had been going for over…read more40. It's always a good time and my kids look forward to it. It's a dog friendly resort which is nice. The cabins are clean and have modern amenities including air conditioning. It's located close to town so you can run in as needed. Outside of the cabins you can dock your boat. The lake provides amble fish for our annual end of week fish fry. The garage mirage as the kids call it has ice cream, slushies, candy, games and other necessities. There is laundry facilities in case you need to wash something. You can also grab a sweatshirt, t-shirt, hat or other souvenir. Nisswa is just down the road with lots of shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. Pirate's Cove is also just down from road. Zobaz's is easy to get to by boat or car. Lots to see and do!

Went up for a week and had a great time! You can rent pontoons, kayaks, canoes and paddle boats to…read morekeep yourself entertained. Plenty of room for sure. Rustic and on a great part of Gull Lake. They have a store on site but not much for groceries but plenty of grocery shopping close by. They have stuff for the kids to do and if you have a boat bring it! They have plenty of docks. Very relaxing time! Staff is great!

Fantastic location on Wahkon Bay. Convenient to restaurants, bars, groceries. Cannot say enough…read moregood about the cabin and the owners. Highly recommend for families or couples.

From the owner: Specializing in: - Pontoon & Boat Rental…read more- Lodging - Resorts - Cabins & Chalets Lake Front

This is our first visit to Mille Lacs and after glancing through options the ratings on Yelp helped…read moreour decision. It's important to know a lot of the options with high rankings may not reflect the kind of lodging you desire so do your homework. We wanted cabin style lakeside housing that was simple yet provided options.... Appeldoorn's delivered. We rented cabin 1 which is 300 feet from the water. They have a sandy beach with two docks and water toys for kids including kayaks, paddle boats, a blob and in water slide. Throw in a sandy beach that is sifted daily you have a great place to enjoy this massive lakes beauty. The front desk is extremely helpful and they have a lot of convenience store items available for reasonable price. They also arrange fishing chartered and have rental equipment weather permitting. We also dined at the resort for breakfast and dinner and were impressed with the quality and originality of the food. The dining options are closed Monday and Tuesday so you will need to explore the local area. They have four varieties of housing and they all seem pretty awesome, we are definitely planning to return!

OK WHAT AN UPGRADE!!!!…read more I was here a few years ago for a wedding, and was not impressed to say the least. But, things have changed for the better in a BIG way!! Very different. The current event coordinator, Mariah, knocks everything she does of of the ball park. I was here for another wedding, and I was in for a huge surprise. There were many improvements, too many to list! The new wedding area is perfectly located. A permanent Arbor is there for the couple to decorate as they wish, or not. The lakeside now has 2 docks, many aquatic amenities, and a great sandy beach. Even a lakeside bar! I could go on and on, but you need to see this place on Mille Lacs to really appreciate it. However here is my thoughts on some menu items there: CHEESEBURGER SLIDERS toasted bun, gooey cheese, fresh burger SHRIMP COCKTAIL: large fresh shrimp, not from a shrimp farm in Yuma AZ PECAN ENCRUSTED WALLEYE FINGERS: none better (it should be a law that every restaurant on Mille Lacs offers something like this) but try it here NEW LOOK NEW FOOD NEW VIBE