REGIONS: CENTRAL TOGETHER TIME By Lisa Meyers McClintick Even the youngest great-grandkids in the Walker family have a hard time waiting for the week of July 4th every other year. “’We’re going to Madden’s this year!’ they’ll yell,” said Lisa Hajek, a Fargo-area teacher, mother of two and grandma of four. Her extended Walker family has been gathering at Madden’s Resort on Gull Lake in the Brainerd area since the 2000s. The now-cherished biennial tradition knits together four generations of siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins who are scattered across Arizona, California, Illinois, Florida and Montana. A typical morning for their fi ve-day get-together begins along the sandy shore of Gull Lake, where anglers cast off in the early hours. After breakfast, it livens up with the rumble of boats towing newbie water-skiers, the “Watch me!” calls of cart-wheeling or cannonballing kids and the giddy shrieks of nephews and nieces launched off beach infl atables. More than 400 lakes around the Brainerd region make it a Minnesota hub for families and friends seeking to reconnect and celebrate milestones together, especially after the isolation of pandemic life. Next to Madden’s, Cragun’s Resort also stretches along Gull Lake’s Steamboat Bay. Grand View Lodge Spa and Golf Resort hugs Gull Lake’s north shore with its historic log lodge. At 101-year-old Breezy Point Resort , you might catch the crooning tunes of Elvis performed at its Pelican Lake marina. These large legacy resorts off er combinations of hotel rooms, cabins, townhomes, modern cottages and reunion houses, along with numerous dining choices and meal plans. Activities include guided fi shing, golf, heated pools, paddle sports, biking, beach campfi res and more. Kavanaugh’s Sylvan Lake Resort hits a sweet spot as a mid-sized destination while smaller resorts, such as those along the Whitefi sh Chain of Lakes, let the owners’ interests fl avor the fun. Black Pine Beach Resort responds to letters left for its fairy garden elf. Boyd Lodge off ers turtle races and medallion hunts. Clamshell Beach Resort hosts fi shing and carpetball contests. Beyond resorts and lakeside action, families can feed giraff es at Safari North Wildlife Park , whirl through classic fair rides at Paul Bunyan Land/ This Old Farm , mountain bike around former Iron Range mine pits at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area , sample the area’s boutiques and breweries, zipline down Mount Ski Gull , mini-golf at Pirate’s Cove or feel ribcage-rattling roars of motorsports at Brainerd International Raceway . The Walker family usually stays put at Madden’s. In addition to swimming and fi shing, they enjoy a golf day, game night, themed party night, fi reworks and ladies’ lunch in Brainerd. Someone makes sure to bring scrapbooks. “It’s so fun to see how much the kids have changed and grown,” Hajek said. “We came to realize just how important family is.” Photos courtesy of Lisa Meyers McClintick, unless otherwise noted. RESORTS REV UP FAMILY REUNION FUN AROUND BRAINERD LAKES Madden’s Resort, photo by Peter Wong Water toys at Madden’s Resort, photo courtesy of Lisa Hajek 62 | EXPLORE MINNESOTA .COM Four generations of the Walker family at Madden’s Resort, photo courtesy of Lisa Hajek
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2022 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 62
