I brought a group of 20 up for a fishing charter. We called toucans to let them know they had a…read moregroup coming. It took them over 60 minutes to deliver a grilled chicken wrap and a BLT, totally unacceptable. Some of my group ordered with at least 90 minutes before the charter was supposed to leave and they didn't even get their food, totally unacceptable. Some of my party got their food but didn't get what they ordered. Neither myself, nor any of my party will be back.

Stopped by on our boat... we were able to tie our boat to the dock while we had lunch. Service was…read moregood, prices were reasonable (a bit high for the area, we thought), and the burgers were great! If coming by boat, be sure to bring fenders with long ropes. And watch out for the cleats on the dock as they can be hard to see, and not friendly for bare feet.

We were really looking forward to our stay at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, especially since our kids…read morewere so excited to use the pools. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we were disappointed to find both pools closed--a fact that was never mentioned on the website or during booking. The website was also out of date, with no notice about the pool closures or the restaurant being closed. This lack of communication was a huge letdown for us and especially hard on our kids. After receiving a text that our room was ready, we checked in only to find the room still dirty. The staff did try to help by sending a manager intern, who found us another room, but that one was also dirty and needed cleaning. We ended up waiting an additional 30-45 minutes before we could finally get settled. Once we were finally in, we found the condo-style cabins to be cute and comfortable, with a nice deck and great views of the golf course and lake (though some big pine trees block part of the view). There's plenty of parking, and the property has several docks for fishing and a large marina, which was a big hit with our family. However, due to pool construction, the trail to the marina dock was blocked, forcing us to take a much longer and less convenient route. We had fun fishing and caught some big sunfish off the main marina dock. The restaurant had a nice deck and a DJ, but closes pretty early and the food is quite pricey. The community fire pits are a great touch, with plenty of wood provided for guests to enjoy a classic evening of s'mores. As a gesture of goodwill for the pool closure, the resort offered us a two-hour pontoon rental, which was appreciated but didn't fully make up for the disappointment and lack of communication. We tried to rent a fishing boat, but it had mechanical issues. The marina crew was super helpful and gave us a good deal on a full-day pontoon rental instead, which turned out to be the highlight of our trip. Big thanks to Rob and Casey at the marina--they were friendly, hardworking, and made our experience so much better. The kids had an absolute blast on the lake! We also enjoyed the ice cream shop and took out kayaks and other water toys, which were reasonably priced and lots of fun. At first, we weren't sure if we would return or recommend Ruttger's to others, but the marina crew truly turned things around for us and made the end of our trip memorable. I would recommend this resort to families and groups, but I really hope management improves communication, keeps the website updated, and ensures rooms are ready and clean for arriving guests. With a few improvements, this could be an amazing place for a family getaway.

Want a fun family event??!!! Dinner, art fair and great food!!! Want a perfect event for the fall.read more

W E D D I N G V E N U E…read more Under the new management, I attended a small intimate wedding ceremony on the shores of Mille Lacs. There was a nicely manicured area and a perfect aisle with chairs on both sides. This was a very picturesque site, and just perfect for the 20+ guests. If you plan on having your intimate wedding here, forgo the canned music and have a real musician play guitar, violin, or any stringed instrument. It will take your experience to a higher level, and make it a magical Fairytale Wedding! It truly will! M I C R O W E D D I N G H E R E!

Resort seems to have fallen on hard times related to money. All "resort amenities" were closed…read moreJune 2025. Golf course was not in good shape, and you could see great lack of general maintenance and groundskeeping on the property. Stick and tree branches that had fallen that had clearly been there for a while.

Best breakfast place on Mille Lacs. Love the Fisherman's special, Walleye with hashbrowns and two…read moreeggs.

It took over an hour to receive our food, and the restaurant wasn't even that busy. Our server was…read morecranky, rude, and frankly shouldn't be working in the service industry. Her attitude and comments throughout the meal were so unprofessional that we felt compelled to bring it up before we left. The food was just as disappointing. The hamburgers arrived cold and lacked any flavor. One person in our party never received their soup before the entrée came out, and the prime rib melt was served cold and was so poor that most of it was left uneaten. One plate was missing fries, and despite mentioning it, they were never brought out. There were so many issues that I could keep going, but the bottom line is this: the experience was not worth the time or the money. As locals, we were excited to have a new restaurant to visit regularly, but unfortunately, this won't be one of them. We won't be returning.

Great place. The deck at Rutgers was hit or miss - mostly miss - until they moved it to this spot…read more Much better food and service. We love eating on the outdoor deck and enjoying the view and people watching.

Terrific family resort. People are very friendly. There is an incredible amount of activities…read morefor everyone to do.

Small state park along Lake Mille Lacs. The hiking trail it about 2 miles but you should add the…read moreextra mile to Pope Point. Very flat trail. About half of the trail runs along the lake but nearly the entire trail is in the shade. With the heat being in the high 90s, it was a great park to check off our list of visiting all MN state parks. Nice area. Good facilities. Tons of camping.

Father Hennepin State Park is about 120 miles (or two hours) from the Twin Cities. The park offers…read morea panoramic view of lake Mille Lacs, and has a 1-mile long sandy beach making it popular for swimming and fishing. There is park spans 344 acres, and has over a hundred campsites. The hiking trails wind through a hardwood forest and along the rocky shoreline of Mille Lacs Lake. You can expect to see hawks, osprey, and eagles along the shoreline.

My friends and I have been staying at Mac's resort every winter for the past 10 years or so. One…read moreyear we stayed at a different place to mix it up, but that was a mistake. Mac's is the best! The ice houses are clean, functional, and well outfitted with all the gear needed to have a good time on the lake. Customer service is excellent and friendly, especially for novices to ice fishing. Check out their 14 hole houses -- palaces on ice! I would recommend Mac's to anyone looking for a great ice fishing experience.

Some of my friends rented an ice house from Mac's last month. The icehouse itself was large and…read moreclean. I've only gone icefishing a handful of times but it was the nicest icehouse I had ever been in. They are worth checking out if you're planning to rent an icehouse on Mille Lacs. Mac's has a restaurant and bar as well a small office for renting icehouses and lake passes. I visited the restaurant and bar both for some late night drinks and for breakfast. At night, the bar has a lively atmosphere, good service, and stiff drinks. Everything you'd expect from a bar up north right on the lake. The next morning, we went for breakfast. The bartender/ waitress offered the breakfast buffet for free with purchase of a drink because she said they were still working on their breakfast menu which I thought this was generous of them. If you're planning to be up in the Mille Lacs for fishing or want a stop to place to drink some food or a drink on the east side of Mille Lacs, Mac's is worth a look.