What Are Your Favorite Minnesota Beaches?

[Govie]

Originally Posted by VelcroQueen

Ah, forgive me. Not being facetious!

Minnesota is firmly planted in my heart, even though I cannot live there. I fell in love with the state the first time I flew over it, saw its sparkling beauty, and thought, "Ireland has nothing on this place!" Driving down Cedar, under the continuous living awning of the trees was breath-taking (before Dutch elm disease -- are the elms back?).

Of all those I know who came into Minnesota from other states, they all think back to Minnesota with (really) longing -- others as well, but mainly my first parents-in-law, their children, and even my children (who moved from there at ages 8 and 5).

Sure, we may be romanticizing Minnesota a little, but I don't think so. We lived there with our eyes wide open. Fabulous place, no doubt.

My first husband was a golfer, too, to the point of having orange golf balls for the snow! Do they have golf ball locators for snow yet?

It's funny you mention that because the last couple years we've been out past Thanksgiving, almost golfing into December one year. Of course, the greens will not hold anything because they are rock hard, which would probably explain why a guy like Tom Lehman won the Open Championship playing bump and run golf.

But I must say I've been out there when there was snow on the ground before, no doubt.

Glad you have fond memories of the 'New England of the West.' I refuse to live anywhere else, regardless of my position in life. BTW, I'm doing my Capstone (basically a mini dissertation for my BA) this semester and I am going to establish my thesis on some aspect of history of the state for sure.

[VelcroQueen]

Very best wishes on your studies!

. . . and your golf game!

[Musikälskaren]

I only saw City Beach in Ranier and Park Point Beach in Duluth. My favorite is Park Point Beach.

[Lodestar]

I'm reluctant to tell because mine is a quiet, sandy and shaded oasis on a small pond and I'd like it to stay that way.

But I will give you a tip for what I think are the best bodies of water for swimming in MN. Those are the many abandoned sand and gravel quarries that exist. They are mined until the companies hit a spring and then they become of little use. Eventually they fill with clean water and trees grow up around them. You have a natural sand bottom and beach and sometimes people will even stock them with game fish. And usually there will be an abundance of wildlife to enjoy while you're there.

If you are lucky enough to know where one of these is and have the owner's permission to use it count yourself lucky indeed.