This place was an awesome kayaking spot. A bit windy for Spirit Lake so we looked for other…read moreoptions. The DNR was No help. Looked for a map, nada. Not like Wisco there's a map for everything on the DNR website. So we decided to head to the office. Closed but the road led us to this spot. We glamped at Marble Beach and the road I think it's 125th street is right up the road on the left. Pack some cold ones and enjoy.

One evening a few week ago, Gayle and the Kid stayed at home, while I was given permission to…read morewander around to various Iowa Great Lakes sites. I toured around the Lakeside Lab, stopped in at Vic's Corner and then decided to explore the back country a little bit. After you move beyond the major lakes here, there are a lot of small prairie lakes and associated wet lands. And since I didn't hunt or really fish growing up, I actually missed a lot of this cultural territory. It really was a pretty drive, especially late in the day. I went North on Highway 86 and turned right towards Welsh Lake. After that, I angled up to Kettleson Hogsback, and the spine road that travels between Hottes and Marble Lake. There's also a DNR Wildlife HQ (including home and corporate yard) and lots of bird houses. It was fun to pause and look, and then wander on somewhere else. And since Iowa's roads pretty much run on a square grid system, there's at least a gravel road every mile, and very little chance of getting lost. The name Hogsback comes from the linear and glacial plateau which resembles the ridge between the shoulders of a hog. This hogsback rises 40 feet and separates Marble Lake from Hottes Lake and can be seen from the access road. This area has shallow lakes, marshes, uplands, and woods, making it a great wildlife viewing site due to its variety. Hottes Lake is also an excellent site for canoeing and kayaking, and an opportunity to get closer to wildlife. And in the winter, a brisk cross country skiing trip, would complete the 4 season perspective on this hidden backwater jewel of the Iowa Great Lakes Region.

The Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery is located between East Lake Okoboji and Spirit Lake. This facility…read morecollects, spawns, incubates, and raises walleye for use throughout the state. Each year between 60 and 70 million walleye fry are hatched at this facility. My son and I love to come here every year. There's a neat aquarium in the lobby that's stocked with a variety of local fish. And depending on what's going on, many of the fish tanks on the floor are fully accessible for viewing. The DNR staff has always been very friendly and willing to explain almost anything about their jobs. Of course in a resort area such as this, there are many other options, such as Arnold's Amusement Park, swimming at Pikes Point, etc. But also this area is about the Lakes as natural resources and this place kind of grounds our entire experience here.

Memorial Park is the one you see on your right as you first drive into Spirit Lake from…read moreEstherville. This is perhaps one of Spirit Lake's larger parks and perhaps its best. There's also a long and scenic walking path along East Lake Okoboji as you also approach the park from that direction. One of my fondest childhood memories was the old toboggan run that you could take from the park to the lake in the winter. Public safety standards would never allow that today, and I'm no worse for wear from my experiences. Besides great lake access, views, and lots of walking opportunities, Memorial park features a shelter house, pedestrian access under the highway, a horseshoe court, playground equipment, 2 handicap-accessible piers, park benches, picnic tables, grills, basketball court, and handicap-accessible restrooms.

Gilbert Park is a cute little green space that is on the way home between Downtown Spirit Lake and…read morecottage. I have fond memories of playing with my stepdaughters here during a pleasant evening sunset over a most enjoyable Labour Day weekend. The park itself features a shelter house, walking trail, 2 floating docks, approximately 500 feet of shoreline along East Lake Okoboji, basketball court, playground equipment, park benches, picnic tables, grills, and handicap-accessible restrooms.

This is an awesome park. It has an outdoor amphitheater for concerts during the summer. The…read moreshelter area is broken up into four different areas with their own roofs and then a big roof in the middle which brings them all together. The kids play area is massive and one of the largest I have ever seen. It has lots of areas for kids to play for a long time. There is a lighted bike trail that goes through the park and a sand volleyball court. Finally there is a fairly decent sized skate park connected to the park.

We actually got to make 1.5 rounds of mini golf thanks to a storm. On our first attempt, we got to…read morehole 9/10 before the downpour trapped us under the waterfall alongside another family. The staff were kind enough to give us a "free game" card so we were able to come back the next day. Luckily, no weather issues the second round. Crowds weren't too bad and seemed to move quickly for the most part. At $12/person, this was a good way to spend a few hours out for Labor Day weekend.

It's a decent family friendly little putt putt mini golf place. The water flowing through has…read morestarted to bloom some algae and stink a bit. Prices are a bit steep in my opinion but then again it's a fun family outing and I wouldn't discourage anyone from going.

I'm not much of a golfer. I find it sort of long and dull, but appreciate the social aspect of it,…read moreincluding making deals and fellowship at the 19th Hole. The Loon Lake Golf Course is a family favourite, mostly because it's reasonable close to the cottage, it has a interesting hilly and woodsy layout, it's only 9 holes, and it's relatively cheap. The course is Par 36 and 3037 Yards long. It's also worth a trip if you want to stay at the lake, but not deal with some aspects of the associated resort experience.

What an awesome 9 hole course! Great greens, great service, great people. I have golfed 200 courses…read morein Minnesota and this is among the best 9 hole experiences available.

Imperial Lanes is where I discovered my inner Lebowski. The Dude abides…read more... Imperial Lanes is located across from Estherville High School (Home of the Mighty Midgets!) and was a place where I bowled during PE and Leagues. I really didn't have a good hook, but this is where I became a better than average bowler. In fact, I still have my original shoes and ball from this era around someplace.