WILLMAR

The Willmar area has not seen the same kind of tourism growth experienced by the Brainerd area, which is not necessarily a bad thing; the rolling, forested countryside and quiet lakes can provide the utmost in tranquility. The downside is that there is less to do for visitors who don’t want to spend their entire vacation on the lake. But for those who appreciate a restful, beautiful retreat, the Willmar area has plenty to offer.

To See and Do

FOR FAMILIES Big Kahuna Fun Park (320-796-2445; spicerfunpark.com), 190 Progress Way, Spicer. Open daily 11–9, Memorial Day–Labor Day, and a few weekends into the fall depending on weather. Rates for individual activities vary from $4.50 to $6.75. This outdoor amusement park has mini golf, junior mini golf, bumper boats, two go-cart tracks, and a kids’ Power Wheels course.

MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC SITES Schwanke’s Museum (320-235-4341 or 800-537-5582; schwanketractor.com/museum), 3310 S. US 71, Willmar. Open daily mid-May–Sept. Gift shop open year-round. Adults $6; children 5–12 $3; free for under 5. The vehicular counterpart to the Mikkelson Collection, this museum has more than 300 antique tractors, cars, and trucks.

Cokato Museum (320-286-2427; cokatomuseum.org), 175 SW 4th Street, Cokato. Open Tues.–Sat. Admission is free (but donations are appreciated). The region’s Finnish and Swedish heritage is celebrated and documented in this museum, which includes a log home and sauna, as well as a rather intimidating early dentist’s office.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS Darwin Twine Ball Museum (320-693-7544; darwintwineball.com), US 12, Darwin. Museum open daily Apr.–Sept., by appointment the rest of the year. Admission free. Memorialized in song by Weird Al Yankovic, the centerpiece of the little town of Darwin (east of Willmar) is the giant ball of twine, the largest to be rolled by one person. It took Francis Johnson (son of US senator Magnus Johnson) nearly 30 years to roll this ball, which now stands 11 feet tall. The accompanying museum has interesting exhibits about the accomplishment. The twine ball itself is on display outdoors and can be seen year-round.

Green Space and Outdoor Activities

The Willmar lakes area is really about the outdoor activities. There are more than 100 lakes scattered throughout the rolling land, punctuated by farmland and forest, and ringed with small resorts. Fishing, boating, biking, hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing—it’s a playground for the outdoors lover.

GOLF

While lake-related activities are extremely popular, golf is also a big draw in this area.

Eagle Creek Golf Course (320-235-1166; willmargolf.com), 1000 NE 26th Avenue, Willmar. A nearly 90-year-old course situated right between two lakes, Eagle Creek offers 18 holes and an upscale restaurant (see Dining Out).

Little Crow Golf Resort (320-347-1500 or 1-877-659-5023; littlecrowresort.com), 15980 MN 23, Spicer. Little Crow has three nine-hole courses and a tavern and grille (see Where to Eat).

Island Pine Golf Club (320-974-8600; islandpinegolf.com), 1601 W. Wyoming Avenue, Atwater. Island Pine has an 18-hole championship course and some of the largest greens in the area.

Hawk Creek Country Club (320-967-4653; hawkcreekcc.com), 100 NE Spicer Avenue, Raymond. Hawk Creek offers a nine-hole course, driving range, and putting green.

HIKING AND BIKING Glacial Lakes State Trail (dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/glacial_lakes/index.html). A great way to get a feel for the glacier-created topography of the area is to explore the Glacial Lakes Trail, a 22-mile paved trail that travels from Stearns County on the east into Willmar, Spicer, New London, and Hawick. There are large segments of the trail that have horseback trails adjacent, and the trail (a former Burlington Northern Railroad grade) has become very popular with hikers, bikers, and inline skaters. Parts of the trail are groomed for winter activities, but studded tracks are prohibited.

PARKS Sibley State Park (320-354-2055; dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/sibley/index.html), 800 NE Sibley Park Road, New London. Open daily. A state park permit is required; a day pass is $7 per vehicle ($35 for an annual pass). Sibley State Park has a wide variety of activities, including hiking to the top of Mount Tom, the tallest hill for miles, and swimming, fishing, boating, and canoeing on one of the many lakes. Camping is allowed, including one camping area specifically for horse riding campers.

Lodging

HOTELS Holiday Inn Express & Suites (320-231-2601 or 877-666-3243; ihg.com), 250 23rd Street SE, Willmar. Several accommodation types in a newer hotel with a fitness center and indoor pool. Buffet breakfast included. Rates start at $140.

Country Inn & Suites (320-214-0300 or 1-800-830-5222; countryinns.com), 201 28th Avenue SE, Willmar. This recently renovated hotel offers both standard rooms along with whirlpool and extended-stay suites. There’s an indoor pool with a weekend water slide. Full breakfast included. Rates start at $119.

AmericInn (320-231-1962; wyndhamhotels.com), 2404 E. US 12, Willmar. An all-suite hotel with flat-screen HDTVs, refrigerators, and microwaves. Rates start at $90.

CABINS Diamond Lake Resort (320-444-5440; diamondlakeresortmn.com), 14800 49th Avenue NE, Atwater. Six recently remodeled cabins along Diamond Lake, all with air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, and fire pits. The resort also has a good sandy beach, and guests have free use of kayaks, canoes, paddleboats, paddleboards, and fun bugs. Rates start at $215.

Island View Resort (320-796-2775 or 1-800-421-9708; islandviewresort.ws), 5910 132nd Avenue NE, Spicer. Open May–Sept. Island View is located on quiet Nest Lake, and the resort has a decent sandy beach. The resort offers several small but comfortable cabins, all with private fire rings. There are plenty of beach toys, and boat and motor rental areavailable. Rates start at $170.

Where to Eat

EATING OUT The Oaks at Eagle Creek (320-235-4448; oaksateaglecreek.com), 1000 26th Avenue NE, Willmar. Open daily for lunch and dinner in summer, call for winter hours. Located at the Eagle Creek Golf Course, this casual but upscale restaurant offers burgers, sandwiches, steaks, and prime rib on weekends. Try the Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin or the Topless Martini Burger (bleu cheese, gin BBQ, green olive relish, and no bun). Moderate/expensive.

Little Crow Tavern & Grille (320-347-1500; littlecrowresort.com/restaurant), 15980 MN 23, Spicer. Open Mon.–Sat. for lunch and dinner, Sun. for brunch, Memorial Day–Labor Day; open Tues.–Sat. for lunch and dinner, Sun. for brunch, mid-May–Memorial Day. Steak burgers, walleye, BBQ ribs, and other sandwiches and salads. Try the maple-pepper bacon burger with Havarti cheese, maple pepper bacon, aioli, and arugula, or the wild rice stuffed chicken breast. Moderate/expensive.

LuLu Beans (320-214-9633; lulubeans.net), 1020 1st Street S., Willmar. Open daily for all three meals. This cozy coffee shop and café is popular with locals and visitors alike, no doubt due in no small part to the scrumptious pastries and lunch paninis. Inexpensive.

Westwood Café (320-796-5355; westwoodcafe.com), 142 Lake Avenue N., Spicer. Open daily for breakfast and lunch. Solid diner food with lots of flavor. Try the Lake Avenue breakfast (wild rice sausage, green peppers, onion, and Swiss cheese) or the German burger (caramelized onions, grilled sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese). Inexpensive.

Special Events

June: Lakes Area Studio Hop (studiohop.wordpress.com), Willmar. Taking place in mid-June, the Hop allows guests to visit numerous artists in and around the Willmar area, either in their private studios or in local art galleries.