Making Memorial Day Memories at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge
Our family was invited to spend the long weekend up at Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge in the Brainerd Lakes area.
We brought another family with us and spent three nights at the resort.
There was so much to do that we never ended up leaving the resort for the entire time!
We learned that Ruttger's is the ultimate family resort! There is definitely "something for everyone" there... world class fishing, golfing, tennis, canoes, kayaks, horse-back riding, indoor and outdoor pools, a coffee shop, a spa, and multiple restaurants!
On our first day there, we spent the morning fishing with the Ruttger's Fishing Guide Lynn. He was so sweet with our boys and kept it lighthearted and fun. He was one of the nicest and most knowledgeable guides I've ever fished with.
He also knew where to stop the boat to watch this eagle fly down and grab a fish! That was an experience we will never forget!
Georgie caught a fat walleye!
The resort cooked up her walleye (plus some other fish they caught) and everyone ate fresh fish for lunch!
We noticed right away that Ruttger's puts guest needs' at the top of their list. Every spot we visited in the resort was well stocked with items you may need... like life jackets, swim toys and even goggles at both the indoor and outdoor pool.
They had an impressive fleet of boats and water sports items like canoes, kayaks, waterski's, fishing rods, bait and more! All gassed-up, cleaned, polished and ready for guests to use.
We also noticed that the resort was incredibly well-staffed. The boat-house always had someone there to help you. The Activities Director was in her office all weekend, ready to set you up with a plethora of fun! Horseback-riding, mountain bikes, tennis rackets, and a huge bookcase of board games. All free for guests to sign-out and use!
That afternoon the dads and Cy golfed while we stayed at the resort with the other kids. Cy golfed his first full 18 holes and loved it!
The course is right across the street and was the perfect spot for Cy to try 18 holes. Beautiful and low-key (but not easy!)
While the boys golfed, we stayed back and swam in the outdoor pool, the indoor pool and then ran up to the Kids Klub area to make tie-dye t-shirts!
The Kids Klub area had plenty of staff on hand to teach us how to make tie-dyes! They have a ton of activities all day long that kids can do. They are also next to a great playground! You can even sign up for them to watch your kids if you wish to do an adult activity!
Chill time in the cozy cabin
We caught the dads and Cy at the end of their game and took a few quick family photos of our friends on the greens of the golf course!
That evening we spent our time by the water, relaxing, watching the kids play and listening to some live music while snacking on s'mores.
Each night the resort had some sort of entertainment or activity. They had a Tami Lee and the Northern Lights concert on Saturday out in the lawn. We let the kids stay up late and dance under the stars. On Sunday, practically the everyone staying at the resort turned out for Bingo! It was so fun to see!
We woke up bright and early the next day and headed out on more adventures!
The breakfast and dinner buffets were delicious. Very fresh and a huge selection!
This was one of my favorite cozy spots in the lodge. Perfect for a cup of coffee and a newspaper!
That day we tried our hand and many of the activities! Like tennis and more fishing and golfing and water sports!
We loved spending the day exploring the grounds!
They even have a full service Aveda spa on site!
Such a lovely place to relax and enjoy the beginning of summer!
We are so grateful to Ruttger's for this amazing opportunity! We were already looking at our calender on the way home, trying to figure out when we can book a return visit! You can see why so many families make this their summer vacation spot year after year! It really has everything a family could ask for! And s'more!😆 #dadjoke
Thank you Ruttger's family! We loved starting our summer with you!
❤️
The Emmer's
ps: we bought matching sweatshirts!😂