Photo by Ryan Donnell
Kids jumping off dock into Lake Minnetonka
Forget about the mansions. The money. The Maseratis. Lake Minnetonka is a special place for reasons that have nothing to do with nice things. A special place, maybe, in spite of them. Drive Highway 15 west out of Wayzata on a sunny Saturday. Ignore the estates on Ferndale and the prim (pompous?) grounds of Woodhill Country Club.
Try, instead, to see just the lake that surrounds you. Once you’re out on the water—jumping off Arcola Bridge, sightseeing on the top deck of the Steamboat Minnehaha, imbibing on the wharf at Lord Fletcher's—all that fancy stuff fades to the background. And you’re left with 22 square miles and 30-plus channels of grandeur. Lake Minnetonka will capture the imagination of even the most jaded of passersby if you let it. So why not let it?
Water Street in Excelsior in 1907
A Brief History of Lake Minnetonka
By Drew Wood
Tourism is at the heart of Lake Minnetonka, and it has been forever. We look back at the lake's origins.
Girl eating ice cream at Licks Unlimited in Excelsior
The Ultimate Summer Guide to Excelsior and Wayzata
By Stephanie March
One big lake, two different cities. You could spend a perfect day in Wayzata or Excelsior. But which one is your speed?
Illustration of Big Island
Back in Time: Origins of Minnetonka’s Islands
By Drew Wood
A lost amusement park. A forgotten hermit. A whole bunch of buildings that burned. What’s the story with those dots in the middle of Lake Minnetonka?
Biking around Lake Minnetonka
The Ultimate Lake Minnetonka Bike Ride
by Frank Bures
Yacht? Not. Here’s how to see Lake Minnetonka the right way: on a three-hour bike trip.
Deck of Minnehaha
Tour Lake Minnetonka—Past and Present—on Steamboat Minnehaha
by Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl
The Steamboat Minnehaha gives passengers a glimpse of Lake Minnetonka’s glamorous past—and present.
Tonka Paparazzi on boat on Lake Minnetonka
Six Questions With Tom Palm, the Tonka Paparazzi
By Steve Marsh
Here’s a philosophical question: Did you go cruising on Lake Minnetonka if the Tonka Paparazzi didn’t take a picture of you cruising on Lake Minnetonka?
Boat on Lake Minnetonka
An Itinerary for the Best Lake Minnetonka Day Ever
No boat? No problem! Pack your cooler and don’t forget your ID. Here’s your rent-and-go guide to the best lake day ever.
Private concert on Lake Minnetonka
Rock the Boat: The Moguls and Private Concerts of Lake Minnetonka
By Steve Marsh
The private concert scene on Lake Minnetonka is a story of luxury boxes and bleachers. Except the grandees actually stand on the lawn and the groundlings occupy the water.
