m o r f s g n i t e e r G
Where Minnesota memories are made
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here is no better destination than the Brainerd lakes area to enjoy the great outdoors with all the comforts of home, to be closer to all that nature can provide — sparkling water bodies and 2,000 miles of shoreland amid tall pines, with hundreds of miles of bicycle, walking, jogging and snowmobile trails. There are deep mine pit lakes for a quiet kayak ride or scuba dive, lakes and rivers for fishing and recreation. Load up the bike (or rent one) to try the Cuyuna Range mountain bike trails, then take a break in an area coffee shop or eatery. The area has 45 resorts and more than 400 holes of golf, plus a zip line. Or camp and see the glorious Milky Way, away from city lights. While nature and the outdoor experience are the stars here, that’s not the only attraction. Visit historic homesteads in area parks — from early settlements to the nearby boyhood home of famed
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aviator Charles Lindbergh — along with local history museums and art galleries. But the area offers so much more, from Brainerd-Baxter to Pine River, Pequot Lakes to Crosslake, Crosby to Pillager, there are unique experiences available, whether walking on a nature trail or shopping along a main street. With numerous festivals and events all year long, a visitor can be as active as they want to be or simply relax with a book at the beach. The Brainerd micropolitan offers diverse shopping, theater productions and world-class summer music fests with everything from bluegrass to symphonic orchestra to opera, and a regional airport with commercial and general aviation. Go to visitbrainerd.com and explorebrainerdlakes.com/events for more information and calendars of events.
HE’S KIND OF A ‘BIG’ DEAL MEET TALKING PAUL BUNYAN
Generations of children have heard the largerthan-life and animated Paul Bunyan greet them by name. He’s been a Minnesota tradition since 1954. The 26-foot-tall legendary lumberjack continues this tradition at Paul Bunyan Land, an amusement park 6 miles east of Brainerd on Highway 18. Paul’s faithful friend Babe the Blue Ox is nearby. The amusement park has about 30 rides for kids. For more information, go to paulbunyanland.com.
