An Often-Overlooked Lake Is Home To One Of Minnesota's Best And Oldest Resorts With Historic Charm

Tucked into the woods of northern Minnesota's lake country is a beautiful family resort that's been delivering stellar North Woods experiences to guests for more than 100 years. Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, situated only 25 minutes from nearby Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, offers scores of activities from its lakeside headquarters as well as unparalleled access to Bay Lake and the beautiful Malkerson Island that sits just offshore.

This often-overlooked part of Minnesota has long been known among locals for the outdoor pursuits visitors can enjoy, but Ruttger's ups the ante when it comes to keeping everyone in the family busy. From a gorgeous swimming pool to a decadent spa, and from notable lake fishing for bass, pike, and sunfish to other more strenuous activities like hiking, tennis, and cycling, Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort is an unmissable destination. With so many activities at your fingertips and even more to explore in the surrounding area, it's unlikely you'll ever be bored

The Ruttger's resort markets itself as Minnesota's original family resort. The resort started modestly in 1898 when Joseph Ruttgers opened the family home to travelers and anglers traversing the state's scenic North Woods and Minnesota's over 10,000 lakes. The resort's website claims that Joseph's wife, Josephine, was an excellent cook and that word quickly spread about the family's small fishing and lodging operation on Bay Lake. Over the last century-plus of its operation, the resort has grown into a full-service outfitter that far extends beyond providing a room and a meal for bone-tired fishermen. Ruttger's location on Bay Lake was, and still is, an inspiring place for all who love the outdoors.

Today, guests coming to Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort can still go fishing. But they can also play tennis or pickleball, play a round or two of golf, or lounge by the pool. Guests can also get relaxing massages after a long day spent cycling the nearby Paul Bunyan State Trail to the northwest. (The resort recommends renting from All Trails E-Bikes.) The resort also offers varied lodging options for everyone from couples to full families, who can rent entire cabins or villas. Throw in the full-service dining at Ruby's on the Lake, which occupies the lodge's historic lodge building constructed in 1921, and folks looking for an all-encompassing vacation can have just that. The resort also operates a bar and grill at the golf course as well as a coffee shop and ice cream parlor, both of which only operate seasonally.

Bay Lake is a gorgeous North Woods natural lake that offers very good angling. And while Malkerson Island — one of three islands in Bay Lake — is a private island, its bays and coves offer some great paddling and fishing opportunities. The lake's original inhabitants were the Dakota Sioux Nation, but they were later supplanted by the Ojibwe Nation after a war in 1800. European settlers started arriving in the area in the mid-1800s; by the late 1800s, the indigenous people of the area were mostly gone.

Today, Bay Lake offers everything from water skiing to fishing. More quiet-sport visitors like stand-up paddle boarders or kayakers ply the many bays and coves of the lake. In the winter, the resort keeps its doors open for ice fishers, snowshoers, and hot skiers, all of whom can rent rooms, cabins, or villas on the resort grounds and traverse the "hard water" of Bay Lake when it freezes over during the colder months.

Unless those winter activities appeal to you, we recommend going to the resort in the warmer months, particularly in the summertime. The Ruttgers family operates its incredible resort year-round, though, and the restaurant is also open in all seasons, making the resort a good option for a bed and hot meal after a road trip to chase fall foliage along the shores of nearby Lake Superior. For families looking to keep everybody interested, though, Ruttger's is hard to beat. As lakeside retreats go, this resort has earned its reputation for offering a well-rounded experience in the heart of Minnesota's beautiful lake country.