Sometimes winter can feel like it drags on and we need something to keep our mind off of the cold, snowy weather. We suggest planning an unforgettable spring break in the Willmar Lakes Area to give you something to look forward to! Some people take it as a restful break from the normal routine while others use it to experience new things! No matter if you’re looking for a nice relaxing staycation or a time of adventure and excitement, the Willmar Lakes Area has a variety of fun attractions for you and your family to experience this spring!

Outdoor Recreation
Whether there’s snow on the ground or not, you’ll love exploring the trails at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center on their fat-tire bikes. Make sure to call at least 24 hours in advance to book your bike rentals. If the fat-tire bikes aren’t your cup of tea, you can always enjoy the trails by walking and taking in the many sights and sounds of spring. You’ll also love the many scenic trails and expansive natural beauty at Sibley State Park.

Biking is another great way to explore the many parks and trails in the Willmar Lakes Area. Some of our favorite biking trails include the Glacial Lakes State Trail, the Eagle Lake Trail, Robbins Island trails and the beautiful road route around Green Lake. Bring your bike and explore the Willmar Lakes Area or participate in one of our area’s biking events. Don’t have a bike? Rent one (starting in May) from one of eleven BikeWillmar bike share hubs.

Need the kids to wear off even more energy? Then take them to the Destination Playground at Robbins Island Regional Park in Willmar. There they will get to enjoy 19,000 square feet packed with swings, merry-go-rounds, and draw bridges, all on a soft rubbery flooring. The fully-enclosed and accessible playground offers a safe and fun place for children of all ages and abilities to play and interact while the surrounding area provides seating and gathering areas for families. And if you’re family loves disc golf, don’t forget to pack your discs so you can enjoy the long and short holes, wide and narrow fairways and hilly terrain at Robbins Island Disc Golf Course. This 18-hole disc golf course is set between two lakes and offers a challenge through a beautiful park filled with scenic terrain, trails through forested oak hills and grassy knolls.

Indoor Fun
If you happen to have a rainy or snowy day during your stay in the Willmar Lakes Area, don’t worry; there’s still plenty of indoor options to keep your family having fun and staying busy. Head to Willmar Indoor Golf (WIG) in Uptown Willmar, where you can play a round or two of golf on advanced simulator technology, practice batting at one of their two state-of-the-art batting cages featuring HitTrax, play a game or two of cornhole, pool or electronic darts! And don’t worry, they’ve got you covered with a great selection of drinks and food items if you get hungry or thirsty!

You can also stay active indoors at Rendezvous Axe Throwing in downtown Willmar. What’s unique about this axe throwing experience is that you can play a variety of games since the targets are projected (instead of painted) onto the wooden surfaces. So whether you want to shoot down some alien spacecrafts, play cricket, or just aim for that bullseye, you’re sure to have a fun time! Bring the whole family along as kids under 16 can shoot nerf guns alongside everyone else! And when you get hungry, they have a delicious menu featuring a variety of appetizers and pizzas!

Other great indoor options including bowling at Alley on Ash, painting cute ceramics and wood pieces at Artsy Fartsy, or taking in a movie at one of two great theatres;  Spicer Cinema 4 and Golden Ticket Cinemas Kandi 6.

If you’re traveling with young ones, you’ll want to check out The Village Children’s Museum where your kids can enjoy hands-on exploration of cultural and academic exhibits including plenty of space for physical activity. And for those that love history, be sure to make a stop at the Kandiyohi County Historical Society to see the variety of exhibits that depict the many years of history that has taken place in Kandiyohi County. The kids will love to explore the Great Northern Steam Engine #2523 that was built in 1916 and is now on display outside of the museum.

Springtime Events You Don’t Want To Miss
Every spring the Willmar Lakes Area hosts a variety of events that the whole family will love. Starting off in March, you can enjoy walking or running a 5K when you register for the St. Patrick’s Day Red Beard Run. Not only do the top three finishers get an award, but there are also awards given to the person with the best beard and the one that has the best St. Patrick’s Day outfit. In April, you can always look forward to an amazing production put on by community members at The Barn Theatre. The production for April 2025 is The Tin Woman.

Spring also brings the Home & Outdoor Living Expo. During this two-day expo, the Willmar Civic Center is full of the best local businesses and vendors highlighting the latest trends and innovations from home building, remodeling and décor to landscape design, party vendors to green energy, boats and docks, storage buildings, outdoor fun and adventure. Lastly, the whole family will enjoy the Earth Day Celebration at Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center. This fun and educational experience takes place each April at the farm site at PWELC. Booths, exhibits, and kid’s activities offer information about water quality, energy efficiency, land management, and much more.

With fun for all ages, we invite you to make new Spring Break memories in the Willmar Lakes Area!

So go ahead and book your stay at one of our hotels in the area or at one of our beautiful resorts. And don’t forget to make a list of all the delicious restaurants you’d like to stop at during your stay in Kandiyohi County!