Bring on the Minnesota Summertime Fun

Fun in the sun never ends when you visit Detroit Lakes. Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, is your destination for summertime fun!

Begin your day with a mile-long sunrise walk along the City Beach. Listen for loons calling in the early morning or evening. Rent a boat from the city beach marina and take in the stunning sunsets over the lake. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, go by boat to dine alfresco from a patio with a lake view. Some will welcome your pooch on a leash, too.

Stroll downtown Detroit Lakes and you’ll be greeted by boutiques, coffee shops, Washington Square Mall, upscale thrift stores, and more. Catch up with friends over a cold beer and bags game at the new brewery. Venture outside downtown to discover art galleries, a unique weekend flea market, and exceptional eateries.

You’re invited to feast your eyes on our local art. Building murals, utility box art wraps, and over 100 sailboat sculptures provide plenty of photo ops. Tap your toes to live music in City Park on Tuesday evenings all summer long, at Historic Holmes Theatre, and see live bands at bars and grilles. Crank up your music experience at outdoor venues like Detroit Mountain Recreation Area’s Music on the Mountain, the Water Carnival’s Bash on The Beach and WE Fest Country Music and Camping Festival . Join the fun—our summers are jam-packed with annual festivals .

Whether you’re looking for scenic trails or spine-tingling switchbacks, you’ll have miles of mountain biking terrain to choose from. Rent a mountain bike or bring your own. Step outside the city and reconnect with your wild side in three state forests, three state parks, two national wildlife refuges and thousands of wilderness acres in our backyard. It’s a hiker’s paradise with trailheads to 60 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail in the county.

Drop a line in one of our 400-plus lakes and come back with a whopper—of a story, at least. Rent a boat, gear, and a guide to make your angling day in Detroit Lakes unforgettable. For an up-close view, rent SCUBA gear for an underwater adventure. If you prefer to stay on the greens, take the challenge at one of seven area golf courses.

Photo Courtesy of Thomas Dambo

Join the worldwide troll-hunting phenomenon in Detroit Lakes! Six giant trolls will be installed by mid-June by international recycling artist Thomas Dambo . He uses tons of thrown-away materials to make beautiful things out of trash. Make it your mission to see each one of them.

Stay a while . Several of the city’s 400-plus rooms, area cabins, and campgrounds offer picture-perfect lake views to make your getaway to Detroit lakes especially memorable.

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