The state’s second-largest lake is Lake Mille Lacs, and as such, it draws thousands of fishing and water-sports lovers each year. Located on the Mille Lacs Reservation, Mille Lacs is just about as popular in winter as it is in summer, thanks to continued growing interest in ice fishing. The region has responded by adding more options for ice house rental, including some very deluxe buildings with electricity and heat.
To See and Do
GAMING 
Grand Casino Mille Lacs (1-800-626-5825; grandcasinomn.com), 777 Grand Avenue, Onamia. Open 24/7. A full-scale gambling complex with slots, blackjack, and bingo, it also has several restaurants (see Where to Eat), a hotel, a theater with frequent live performances, a Kids Cove child-care area, and an extensive video arcade.
MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES Mille Lacs Indian Museum (320-532-3632; mnhs.org/millelacs), 43411 Oodena Drive, Onamia. Open Tues.–Sat. Memorial Day–Labor Day; Wed.–Sat. Sept.–Oct. Adults $10; seniors 65 and older, active military members and veterans, and college students $8; children5–17 $6; children under 5 and Minnesota Historical Society members free. This museum is a joint venture between the Mille Lacs Indians and the Minnesota Historical Society, and it’s a thoughtful, detailed collection of exhibits showing how Native Americans of the region lived and worked centuries ago. The crafts room has an especially lovely collection of beadwork and birch bark basketry. Check the website for event information, as they often have interesting classes and demonstrations. An adjacent trading post, a re-creation of a 1930s-era trading post, sells Native American gift items.
Green Space and Outdoor Activities
MILLE LACS INDIAN MUSEUM
The Lake Mille Lacs area is all about the outdoor activities, many of which are centered around the massive lake (the second largest lake in Minnesota). Fishing, hunting, boating, biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling—it’s all here.
Kathio State Park (320-532-3523; dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/mille_lacs_kathio/index.html), 15066 Kathio State Park Road, Onamia. Open daily. Near the Mille Lacs Indian Museum (see To See and Do) is the entrance to this park, which has year-round opportunities for recreation. The Rum River flows through the park from its source in Lake Mille Lacs, and visitors can use canoes or rowboats to explore. A swimming beach is open during the summer, as is a 100-foot observation tower and a wide variety of campsites and cabins (some of which are available year-round). Winter enthusiasts can cross-country ski, snowshoe, or snowmobile on groomed trails.
Mille Lacs Wildlife Management Area (651-296-5484; dnr.state.mn.us/wmas/index.html), 29172 100th Avenue, Onamia. Open daily. This small wildlife management area (61 acres) is a carefully preserved area of forests and wetlands. During hunting season, camping is allowed, and hunters with permits can hunt deer, bear, and small game.
Lodging
Izatys Resort (320-532-4574; izatys.com), 40005 85th Avenue, Onamia. On the shores of Lake Mille Lacs, this luxury complex includes townhomes and villas (ranging from two to four bedrooms), as well as a lodge offering hotel rooms. Boat rental, two 18-hole golf courses, fishing and hunting guides, tennis courts, spa, seasonal kids program, and indoor and outdoor pools are all available on-site. There is also a fine-dining restaurant (see Where to Eat). Rates start at $129.
Grand Casino Mille Lacs (1-800-468-3517; grandcasinomn.com), 777 Grand Avenue, Onamia. This huge hotel has several room types, including a number of luxurious suites with four-person Jacuzzis and separate living areas. The large indoor swimming pool and whirlpool are in a nicely decorated wing. Rates start at $89.
Mille Lacs Lodge (320-532-3384; millelacslodge.com), 8659 340th Street, Onamia. This rustic, cozy lodge has just six rooms, which are available for rent only as a group. All rooms have private baths. The lodge has a full kitchen, satellite TV, two-story fieldstone fireplace, deck, pool table, and large dining area. Rate is $650 per night.
Eddy’s Resort (320-532-3657 or 1-800-657-4704; eddysresort.com), 41334 Shakopee Lake Road, Onamia. A hotel with two- and three-bedroom cabins as well. The hotel is more upscale than what’s usually found in this area, with walkout balconies and patios and large flat-screen TVs. Guests have access to the Grand Casino Mille Lacs pool and arcade. Rates start at $89.
Twin Pines Resort (320-692-4413; twinpinesmillelacs.com), 7827 US 169, Garrison. A family-friendly resort with cabins and motel rooms on Lake Mille Lacs, the property is a good value, with summer and winter fishing guides available (as well as ice house rental in the winter). A restaurant/bar is on-site. Rates start at $69.
Where to Eat
DINING OUT Izatys (1-800-533-1728; izatys.com), 40005 85th Avenue, Onamia. Open daily for dinner year-round, seasonally for lunch (check their website). One of the few fine-dining restaurants in the area, Izatys has an upscale dinner menu that includes traditional steakhouse foods, including grilled steak panzanella, as well as stuffed peppers and shrimp and smoked tomato pasta. Moderate/expensive.
EATING OUT Grand Casino Mille Lacs (1-800-626-5825; grandcasinomn.com), 777 Grand Avenue, Onamia. The casino has five restaurants on-site, one of which (Plums, a quick-service burger-and-pizza café) is open 24 hours. There’s also a buffet restaurant (open Wed.–Sun.), a burger bar, coffee shop, and the 1991 Kitchen, a casual grill restaurant with supper club entrées including prime rib and chicken-fried steak. Inexpensive/expensive.
Eddy’s (320-532-8590; eddysresort.com/eat), 41334 Shakopee Lake Road, Onamia. Open daily for all three meals. Located at Eddy’s Resort, this eatery has a limited but thoughtful menu, with Jars (house-made jams and spreads served with grilled flatbread and crostini, including a Thai chili hummus), smoked walleye salad, and beef brisket sandwiches. Moderate.
Svoboda’s Spotlite (320-692-4692), 9653 Madison Street, Garrison. Open daily for breakfast and lunch, Fri.–Sun. for dinner. Breakfast is served all day at this friendly café, a local institution. The home-cooked foods are simple but delicious, and prices are reasonable. Kids’ and senior citizens’ menus available. Inexpensive.