We are often asked by our summer guests what it’s like to stay in the winter.  The people asking the question are usually those who don’t love winter and, therefore, don’t have a lot of winter hobbies. And since they can watch the weather and see our temps well below 0°, they are understandably suspicious about the fun of Minnesota winter vacations.

Winter in northern Minnesota is spectacular! There is just no other word for when the landscape around you makes you feel as if you are in a snow globe.  Flocked trees and a blanket of snow can be just as beautiful as a perfect, sunny summer day! I love a clear night when the temperature is minus-a-lot-below-zero because of the crispness of the air and the clarity of the stars in the sky. Add a full moon to a clear night and it looks like God left on the yard light! The light from the moon reflecting off of the snowy ground easily creates enough light to navigate outside without a flashlight.  Like I said – its just spectacular!

Winter enthusiasts easily see the fun in a Minnesota winter vacation. “Good ice” is the thing they are most thankful for at Thanksgiving.  And a snowy winter is the best Christmas gift they can be given especially if there is a solid 8-12” before the heavy snow! For the last many years, the snowmobile trails in our area have not been ready for traffic by the New Year. But by mid-January they are usually rideable if we have had a December and an early January with good snowfall. The x-skiers and snowshoers can be among the happiest snow-lovers who stay with us since their winter hobbies require less snow than others. Our area has a multitude of fabulous and well-maintained x-ski trails and hundreds of miles of trails for snowshoeing. Both allow the silent sport enthusiast the chance to escape into the quiet of the winter forest.

We also have many “non-winter” enthusiasts who do visit Wildwood in the winter. They often only go outside when unloading and loading their cars! Otherwise, they spend a few days in a cozy cabin with a view watching movies, quilting & crafting or just relaxing with family and friends. For those who do venture outside it is often to take in a performance at The Reif Center, take the kiddos to the Children’s Discovery Museum or to enjoy a great meal at a local restaurant. Others head to the IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids, MN or the Hodgins-Berado Arena in Coleraine, MN to participate in youth hockey tournaments. We love introducing hockey families to weekend at a winter resort as an alternative to a traditional hotel stay.

Hands down the happiest winter visitor we see is the visitor who is ready to just enjoy time Up North.  Usually, these guests bring their ice fishing gear and snowmobiles hoping for good conditions. But they are equally content if their northern MN getaway ends up with more card playing than fish catching. The setting sun still produces beautiful sunsets even though it crosses low in the sky. Regardless of the season Wildwood is a place to take the time to rest and reconnect with family and friends.

Maybe this is the year you discover the joys of Minnesota winter vacations!

We are anticipating the unveiling of our new website very soon! That means I’ve spent lots of time lately looking at content for the new site. Today I was nosing around in our old blog posts and it was so interesting to read about our life from 10 years ago! I realized a couple of things as I read them: 1) I’m very whiney in the fall after the summer resort season ends (sorry!) and 2) we usually have had at least a dusting of snow by the time MEA weekend comes around. 

This year the unseasonably warm temperatures from summer have continued on through fall. We have appreciated the beautiful autumn days as we’ve worked outside to make the switch from summer mode to winter mode.  However, today I’m not thinking about fall – I’m thinking about Minnesota winter get-aways at Wildwood Resort.  In honor of the winter that we know will show up sooner or later I’ve compiled a list of the Top 5 Things to Do During a Winter Get-Away at Wildwood Resort! (in no particular order) 

Plan a Girlfriend Get-Away with your favorite girls

Whether it’s your sisters, best friends or quilting circle winter is a great time to plan a winter stay at Wildwood! Over the years we’ve loved being a prime Minnesota winter destination for scrapbooking weekends, quilting retreats, holiday baking and generally frivolous and relaxing time with friends. Many of our girls’ groups come year after year to enjoy time with besties away from “real life”. We have warm, comfortable cabins perfect for any sized group and we’re happy to help with referrals for local activities and service providers. 

Arrange a MN ice fishing weekend with friends or family

Ice fishing in Minnesota has a long and rich history. There’s nothing quite like fishing for big sunfish through the ice. When conditions allow it, Jay plows a road for our guests from the resort to the most popular area on our end of the lake for ice fishing. During years when conditions don’t allow him to do so our guests still have easy access via their ATV/UTV or snowmobile. With our unseasonable warm temps it will be interesting to see when Bass Lake ices over this year but rest assured it will happen so check availability today for your winter ice fishing weekend at Wildwood. 

Book a weekend to explore our Minnesota snowmobile trails

We’ve traveled a fair amount to different snowmobile destinations in Minnesota and it is our sincere opinion that the snowmobile trails in Itasca County are among the most beautiful in the state! Thousands of miles of groomed trails running through heavy forests create the perfect backdrop for a winter weekend Up North. Our guests appreciate access to the county’s snowmobile trail system directly from their cabin and love returning to our warm and cozy accommodations at the end of a day’s ride. 

Make plans to experience the outstanding cross-country ski trails in Itasca County

We are very fortunately to have an active Nordic ski club in our area that helps maintain the groomed x-ski trails around Grand Rapids, MN. We are centrally located in the midst of 19 beautiful x-ski trails that range in skill level from beginning to expert and some are lit for night skiing. 

Take an opportunity to relax and recharge at Wildwood – a premier winter resort in Minnesota

Life is just too busy sometimes. And lots of us find ourselves just surviving Minnesota winters instead of THRIVING during them! This winter why not plan a trip Up North and embrace life below zero! Many of our guests use a winter weekend to reconnect with friends and family. Some do that with an active weekend full of winter activities and still others do that through a weekend spent by the fireplace playing cards or games. The HOW you spend a winter weekend at Wildwood Resort does not matter – it’s the WHO you make time for that does. 

We invite you to our Minnesota winter resort to relax, recharge and reconnect! Our availability is up-to-date online but feel free to contact us with any questions.

We’re often asked by guests for ideas about dining out in our area.  Since Jay and I consider ourselves world-class eaters we are VERY qualified to provide that kind of guidance. We love our northern MN community and feel very fortunate to have access to great local restaurants when we don’t feel like cooking. (which happens often!!) 

Many of our area restaurants are locally owned and operated even if they are a franchised brand.  Thank you for supporting our neighbors! 

Unwined Up North
UnWined Up North serves Minnesota wine, tap beers, and ciders in a warm, relaxing environment to encourage conversations. We also serve charcuterie, flatbreads and panini sandwiches and salads. UnWined Up North’s goal is customer service and fun! Serving Minnesota wine, tap beers and non-alcoholic drinks. Panini sandwiches, flatbreads, and appetizers.

Florios 
Florio’s Grill and Tavern is a casual family dining experience with a Northwood’s atmosphere. Established in Longville, Minnesota in 1991 then we picked up and moved our building in 2007 to our current location in Cohasset. https://floriosgrillandtavern.com/ 

Timberwolf Inn
We offer everything from a burger to a scrumptious seafood and steak dinner. We also have nightly Chef dinner specials consisting of fresh seafood, tender cut steaks and combo platters, sure to satisfy any connoisseur. The Lounge overlooks our huge deck, where you can enjoy lunch accompanied by your favorite cocktail, wine or beer.

Mad Dog’s Pizza
The Dutch Room was founded by Denny & Anita Madden at our current location in 1974.  Known as a home town bar and grill with top notch Pizza, Burgers and Wings.

Forest Lake Restaurant
Whether you are looking for a casual meal as you pass through Grand Rapids, an appetizer served with your favorite beverage, or a fine dinner with a glass of wine, the Forest Lake Restaurant truly does have something for everyone. Enjoy exceptional food, a friendly atmosphere and a magnificent view from our natural log building overlooking beautiful Forest Lake located in the scenic north woods of Grand Rapids, MN.  

Timberlake Restaurant
Join us at the Timberlake Restaurant after your day out & about in northern Minnesota! Let us prepare a delicious meal just for you, using only fresh ingredients.

Rapids Brewing Company
This community is the heart and soul of what we do and we’ve made it our mission to provide a unique gathering place for locals and visitors alike. This is a place to come together over a beer, take in a live show, enjoy great food, and gather for events big and small…or no reason at all.

The Pickled Loon Saloon
Located on Pokegama Lake in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, The Pickled Loon Saloon is known for our great food & exceptional service. We have a comfortable outdoor patio with great views of Pokegama Lake, events and so much more.

Sammy’s Pizza & Tavern
Our menu features award-winning pizzas, pastas, hot appetizers, subs, burgers, stromboli, broasted chicken, soups and salads.

Zorbaz 
A “great timez Mexican and Pizza Joint”.

Cedar Creek Grille
Cedar Creek Grille, just 11 miles north of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, is a southern style restaurant that serves everthing from ribs to hand cut steaks.

Brewed Awakenings Coffeehouse
Brewed Awakenings’ specialties are: Vegetarian soups made from the most local, fresh, organic ingredients available and Gelato (Italian Ice Cream) made in house weekly, with 12 flavors in the case at all times! Vegetarian and Gluten-free choices for entrees and snacks.

Otis’ Bar & Grill
Overlooking Sugar Lake and the 18th hole of Sugarbrooke Golf Course, Otis’s Grill & Bar offers a casual pub environment serving appetizers, a variety of hand-crafted burgers, a shore lunch walleye sandwich, and a variety of evening entrees. Indoor seating and outdoor deck dining is available, serving up great views of Sugar Lake. The bar features a great selection of Minnesota- and Wisconsin-brewed beer, a Napa Valley wine selection, specialty drinks, and a vast selection of scotches. Stop by for lunch or dinner.

Klockow Brewing
Locally owned and operated  brewery offering food options on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. 

Sportsman’s Café
The Sportsman’s Cafe menu is available the entire day, so your breakfast, lunch or dinner plans don’t need to be altered based on what time you show up. Our staff takes great pride in giving you fast and friendly service each and every time you walk through our doors. The Sportsman’s Café has been a Deer River staple since the 1940s and one thing is for certain, we like to keep things simple, serving customers generous portions at reasonable prices and knowing that everything is better when it’s made from scratch. 

There are also many well-known franchised restaurants in and around Grand Rapids, MN including Starbuck’s, Caribou Coffee, Dairy Queen, McDonald’s, Hardee’s, Culver’s, Taco John’s, Taco Bell, Arby’s, Country Kitchen, Domino’s, Pizza Hut,and Kentucky Fried Chicken.