It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend in the Willmar Lakes Area. Don’t have plans? Here are a few ideas to help you out.

Enjoy the lakes!
There are so many ways to enjoy the lakes in our area from simply taking a swim to renting a boat and going fishing. For those with a boat, try water skiing, tubing or wakeboarding on one of our beautiful lakes. Renting kayaks and canoes from the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center is another

 great way to get out on the lake. If you’d like a more leisurely option, why not sign up for the Sunday Brunch Cruise from Green Lake Cruises or rent a pontoon and tour Green Lake? Otherwise just relax and delight in one of the two most popular beaches in our area: Saulsbury Beach on Green Lake and Games Lake County Park beach.

Pool time!
If you’d rather not jump in the lake but still want to cool off, head over to the Dorothy Olson Aquatic Center in Willmar. Fun for the whole family including two raging waterslides, a zero depth entry play pool with interactive play features for younger guests and a six lane recreation pool with a poolside climbing wall. You’re sure to work up a hunger in the sun all day so from there head over to one of the many delicious restaurants in Willmar including the delicious 1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza.

New London Water Days!
We also suggest heading over to New London for their New London Water Days and all the fun events that go along with it! Take in their Grand Day Parade, hog roast, fishing tournament and their family fun carnival. Catch one of the great performances by the Little Crow Water Ski Show as they perform on both Friday and Saturday this week. Don’t miss their street dance on Friday night starting at 8pm.

Food & Drinks!
For those that prefer the air conditioning on hot days, plan to visit one of our area’s three breweries: Foxhole Brewhouse, Goat Ridge Brewing Co. or Intuition Brewing and enjoy a refreshing, cold craft beer. Not sure which beer to have? Try a flight and taste 4 different varieties. Then satisfy your hunger by stopping at O’Neil’s, Zorbaz on Green Lake, Ruff’s Wings & Sports Bar, or the New London American Legion for your favorite tasty meal. Stick around to enjoy a night of live music after dinner!

Shopping!
Another great way to spend your weekend is by shopping at the many unique boutiques in the Willmar Lakes Area. Start off by heading to New London for some of our favorite stores: Ali J Boutique, Dragonfly Boutique, K & Company, Lucky Duck, Mill Pond Peddler, The Happy Sol and Three Sisters Furnishings. Then head over to Spicer and Willmar to check out Urban Escape, Shoppe 14, Primrose Boutique, Mainstream Boutique Willmar and Lotus on Burlington. You’ll also want to check out the many farmers markets in the area on Saturday morning. It’s the best way to support your local growers, producers and artisans.

These are just a few ways to enjoy your weekend in the Willmar Lakes Area. For more events and attractions to see, check out our website at www.willmarlakesarea.com.