The reasons we all love this area so much, has a lot ot do with it's history.

These are a  few fun things to know about the area:

LAKE MINNETONKA is the 10th largest lake in Minnesota!

LAKE MINNETONKA is the gem of Minnesota's metro and one of the most sought-after lake areas in the upper Midwest!  A surprising oasis - a beautiful maze of interconnected bays and waterways dotted with islands.  The best part is, this gem sits only 15 miles from Minneapolis/St. Paul.  It's known for unmatched natural beauty, small-town ambiance, and historic homes. 

The late 1800s became known as the golden age for Lake Minnetonka, which once boasted some 27 hotels and more than 90 sightseeing steamboats, called streetcar boats. One of those streetcar boats, the Minnehaha, has been fully restored and still offers scenic lake cruises on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.

In 1853 the first hotel was built along the Minnetonka shores.

An amusement park was built on Big Island, which at its heyday was a day trip destination for many area families. As the nation's economy dipped and dived into depression, Lake Minnetonka lost its flock of summer tourists, and many of the tour boats ended their illustrious careers sunk off of Big Island. In 1980, the Minnehaha tour boat was raised to the surface and after years of restoration is back in service today as part of the Minnesota Transportation Museum.

We welcome new facts, if you have anything you would like to see posted please email me:

jennifer@vacationontonka.com