Start from 25 curated places around Brainerd, MN, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Bar Harbor Supper Club
A classic Gull Lake supper club on the water, built in a former lakeside gathering hall, with steaks, walleye, and sunset cocktails on an open-air deck where boaters tie up. Arrive by boat or come at golden hour for a cocktail on the patio.
Ernie's On Gull
A Gull Lake institution and marina with a full bar, casual American lake fare, and one of the best on-water views in the region. It doubles as a working marina, so you can boat in; sit on the beach side and order a drink while you wait.
Trails & outdoors
Paul Bunyan State Trail
The longest continuously paved rail-trail in the country, running flat and shaded through Baxter, Nisswa, and Pequot Lakes. The Brainerd-to-Nisswa stretch is the smoothest and most beginner-friendly, with cafes and bike rentals at stops.
Northland Arboretum
Hundreds of acres with a dozen miles of trails through bur oak and jack pine forest, restored prairie, and grasslands, plus gardens and prime birding, and groomed ski trails in winter. Bring bug spray in summer; the white-birch loops are the prettiest.
Things to do
Nisswa Turtle Races
A beloved summer tradition for generations, weekly turtle races on the official track behind the Nisswa Chamber that draw hundreds of kids and vacationers downtown. Get there early; it gets packed, then hit the shops and the candy store after.
Brainerd International Raceway
Minnesota's premier motorsports venue, with a drag strip, road course, and karting track, host of a national drag-racing event. For the big races the campground turns into a legendary party; reviewers insist the in-person nitro-car experience is nothing like TV, so bring ear protection.
Landmarks & sights
Paul Bunyan Land & This Old Farm
Home of a twenty-six-foot animatronic Paul Bunyan who greets visitors by name, plus a pioneer village of dozens of antique-filled historic buildings, all on one family-owned admission. Tell the ticket-taker your kid's name so the talking Paul calls it out.
Crow Wing County Historical Society Museum and Library
Three floors of county history in the old sheriff's residence and jail, with exhibits on logging, the railroad, mining, and Native American history, plus original jail cells. Do not miss the preserved cells downstairs.