After several visits over the years, I could give a 3- or 4-star review, depending on where you sit…read moreand which server you get. Sitting on the deck is ideal, but very difficult to obtain at dinnertime. The main dining room is okay, but I'm not a big fan of the rustic look (and I certainly don't agree that it is "rustic, yet elegant" as noted on their website. If you arrive at peak time then you might be relegated to a table in the lobby, which just isn't my idea of a nice dinner venue. The menu is a bit variable also -- there are some very good offerings and several so-so dishes. I've found that the specials and fish dishes tend to be better. Note that you really need to call for a reservation; ideally 3-7 days before you want to go. There aren't very many higher-quality restaurants in Ely and they get busy very quickly during peak season.

Perfect place to stay while in Ely. Looking forward to our next visit this summer of 2026 ! Always…read morea treat to be at Burnside Lodge . Looking forward to being there this summer. It's the nicest place to stay that I know of in northern Minnesota.

Online shopping, information, websites and blog is the best I have ever seen.read more

From the owner: Family Minnesota vacation resort with 10 housekeeping cabins in a wilderness setting on Jasper…read moreLake. Located in NE Minnesota, (Ely, MN) and 5 miles south of the Canadian border. We are on a smaller lake with few people. Free Wifi in cabins and beach toys for guests. Motors are allowed on boats but generally it is very quiet. Our lodge property has waterfall and creek running through the middle. This our 72nd year of continuous operation by the same family. Many of our cabin rental guests have been coming yearly for 30 to 50 years continuously! We also offer kevlar canoe rentals to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness for day paddles or extended camping stays. Northwind Lodge is a very nice place to enjoy Minnesota's wilderness for a week. Please check out our out short stay specials and complete cabin outfitting as well.

Just got back June 29, 2024 and it was excellent!!! The staff, packs, food, and bunk house were…read moregreat and they provide great points of takeoff for a trek as well as planning. Hope to go back next summer! Good people. M Skelley, MD

We arrived at Packsack as fish out of water when it came to canoeing and camping in the Boundary…read moreWaters. Danielle and Nick set us up optimally with every single item we would need to navigate, survive, and thrive during our amazing trip. They kindly provided us with pro-tips, and answered all of our questions. Plus, there was a fun little surprise when we returned!

We have been making an annual trip to Kinsey's Houseboats for 5 years now. This is where I find my…read moreserenity. The lake is big enough not to see anyone else for days. Never had a problem with the houseboats or Murray and his staff. We have never been disappointed. Headed back this month and can't wait!

We were so happy with our experience. We rented Boat 6, the three bedroom houseboat. We have a…read morewonderful time enjoying the lake, the peace and quiet, family time around the campsites, and just a easy and wonderful experience. This was the first time renting a houseboat and the staff has good instructions for our captain and have very useful maps to navigate by. We got to fish all day and everyone got a bite at some point. Staff sold us ice to transport our fish and had tons of dry firewood to start our campfires. Beds were comfortable and everyone got good sleep after all the fresh air every day. Thank you for the memories.

This place is a Gem! Gary was very very attentive and responded very quickly to all our questions…read moreand requests. We stayed in the Hilltop cabin and it was updated and charming. It was set up well with comfortable furniture and beds. In fact, the couches were so comfy, you might never want to get up!! The views were great! The location was close to Crane Lake if needed, but far enough from neighbors that you felt you were alone in the woods. There are some trails out back if you want to do a little hiking. We didn't get to fish, but boats were fishing right off of the shore all the time. Cable and Wifi were a nice plus, although we didn't watch much TV. Kitchen was stocked with all the needed supplies including basic spices. There were also plenty of soap, towels and paper supplies (ie: Hand soap, dish soap, toilet paper, paper towels and even Kleenex!) Bring your own paper plates if you don't want to wash dishes. There is a beautiful place on the rocks for a bonfire, with great views of the water. Even with the cold rainy weather, It was a peaceful little slice of heaven and we hope to come back again.

From the owner: Secluded cabin rental on the edge of the wilderness. Crane Lake is the gate way to Voyageurs…read moreNational Park, the only water only park enter by boat only with lots of interconnected lakes and excellent fishing. Gates way to the BWCA Boundary Waters Canoe Area, the most preserved wilderness of interconnected lakes in the would. Three cabin with different features to fit all vacationer wants. Spruce cabin sleeps up to 10 with gourmet kitchen, large full sized pool room, wi fi, direct TV, deck front and back overlooking lake, much more. Hilltop cabin sit on top of a granite outcropping overlooking lake, sleeps 4-5 , 2 bedroom, direct TV, new bath and modern kitchen and a deck with soaring views of the lake. The Norway cabin is 2 bedroom new bath dock right off your cabin deck, great views and fishing off the dock. No distractions here of tv , phone etc.

Custom Cabin Rental is a five star resort. There are several unique cabins, each with a…read morespectacular view of Moose Lake. The owners are very friendly and accommodating. Besides fishing, there are canoes and kayaks available as well as swimming and great hiking nearby. The boats are very well maintained and the staff is helpful with fishing suggestions. There are several lakes for fishing which makes for a different experience every day. Ely is a short drive away and provides many family activities.

We just returned from staying at cabin 8, The Hilltop Cabin. Not only was the cabin immaculate…read morewhen we arrived, the screened porch, overlooking Moose Lake allowed spectacular views. This family-owned business earns five stars for cleanliness, beautiful views, access to fishing boats/ kayaks/canoes well-equipped cabins, and friendly advice/service/suggestions from the owners. We plan to return here often now that we have discovered this gem of a rental. Thank you to Willie for all your help and hospitality.

It was our first time staying in a houseboat and our experience with Ebel company was great. We…read morefelt comfortable working with Katy, Justin, Justin's wife, Dennis and Garvin. Our family has been in some national parks but the whole family all agrees that this trip to Voyageurs National Park on is one of the best. The main reasons are that we stayed on Ebel's houseboat, did motorboating, kayaking and some camping. Before this trip, we didn't know much about operating boat. But Dannis explained everything in details and went extra mile helping us on our first day. On the 3rd day something unexpected happened and we needed urgent help. Justin and Katie responded quickly and efficiently solved the problem. They truly care about their customers and we really appreciated their help. We highly recommend Ebel.

This was our second adventure spending a week traversing Voyageurs National Park on a houseboat…read morefrom Ebel's and we have only positive things to say!! They are so welcoming, friendly, and go above and beyond to help!! We had a flat tire on our boat trailer about 6 miles away from them and they went above and beyond to help us!! The houseboats are truly the adventure of a lifetime. Talk about having all of the amenities in the middle of nowhere...there is truly nothing quite like it. We had the vista series this trip and it was amazing! We loved the solarium front of the boat and the hot tub on the upper deck! Thank you to Katie, Justin, Heather, and the rest of the Ebel's crew for a great time!

Cabins are nice, but it's impossible to talk to the owner/manager…read more Needed to cancel a reservation due to college move-in dates, and and I contacted them almost four months in advance to cancel. Still have no refund.

Great place until you make a mistake…read more Clean cabin, lovely office manager, beautiful view.... I had my small dog with me for a two night stay. I picked up a few poops outside, all the ones that I saw/ knew about in addition to leaving a clean cabin, a tip, and busing my trash and recycling. Well, apparently I left some dog poops too. I received a phone call a half hour after I left stating I was not welcome to return by a very emphatic man. He said there were poops "all over", which given that I picked up two I find hard to believe, as the dog is 11 pounds and we had a two night stay. Had I been charged to my credit card for the pick up, perhaps even told I couldn't bring a dog again I would have understood. A call saying that I was not welcome to return? Way over the top in my opinion. Way over. Yes, I screwed up but this was a really harsh way to treat an otherwise good customer. The man also stated inaccurately that hardly anyone on the shore accepts dogs. Not true, over half of cascade vacation rentals homes do. Furthermore, if THIS is how they treat a guest who makes a mistake, they should not allow dogs and they should take a long hard look At their attitude. What happens here if you break a coffee pot? Wow. Update: In a response to me on this matter, I was accused of "having my dog off leash in violation of policy". I have NEVER had my dog off leash outside of his own yard, and who would in the open in Northern MN? Insane that the response to this was this accusation. Dog or not, please avoid! It won't be pretty if anything goes amiss during your stay, obviously.

Came in for a quick lunch. Quick service and excellent burgers and fries. Great place for a burger…read moreand kid friendly

Hidden away in Ely you will find Stony Ridge, right off the lake you can boat on up or just drive a…read morecar;) These burgers are SO fun, SO huge & SO delicious! The portions are SO generous, you will defiantly not leave hungry. Enjoyed sitting outside, we felt up in the trees. Great wait staff ! I'll be back!