Things to Do in Nisswa, Minnesota

Every summer Wednesday since 1963, kids and grown-ups have raced turtles on the official track behind the chamber building on Main Street. The small entry fee buys a racing button and the loan of a turtle. The races have run every summer for more than 60 years.

★ Good to know Registration opens at 1 p.m. and races start at 2 p.m. You can’t bring your own turtle; state rules require using the chamber’s.

At 115 miles, this is Minnesota’s longest state trail and the longest continuously paved rail-trail in the country, running from Crow Wing State Park to Lake Bemidji State Park. It passes right through downtown Nisswa on the old railroad grade.

★ Good to know Big Axe Brewing sits steps off the trail on Main Street, so it makes an easy turnaround point.

Main Street is the town’s other big draw, with a long list of independent stores. The Chocolate Ox does candy and ice cream, Zaiser’s sells gifts, Turtle Town Books & Gifts covers reading, and Martin’s Sport Shop and Lundrigan’s Clothing round out the block.

★ Good to know StoneHouse Coffee in Nisswa Square roasts its own beans and is a good first stop.

At the north end of Main Street, the historical society runs a self-guided site with a pioneer village of log homes, the old depot and a caboose. Exhibits cover Ojibwe roots, logging, the railroad and the resort era, and a Heritage Garden grows plants from local farms and gardens.

★ Good to know It keeps limited seasonal hours, so check before you go.

This Gull Lake resort dates to 1916, and its log Main Lodge, built from red pines cut on site, opened in June 1921. It’s on the National Register for its rustic log architecture. Today it has two golf courses, a spa and several restaurants, including a Chocolate Ox outpost.

★ Good to know Its Pines and Preserve golf courses are listed with the Nisswa chamber, so golfers can book a round here.

Nisswa native Chris started brewing in his garage and opened Big Axe as a taproom on May 14, 2015, adding a kitchen in 2017. It pours its own beer, root beer and cream soda, and serves walleye, brisket and burgers.

★ Good to know Dogs are welcome on the patio and kids everywhere, and the beer list changes often, so call ahead for a specific brew.

Nisswa’s local ski hill offers downhill skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing, and it was voted the Brainerd Lakes area’s best place for winter family fun in 2024. It also runs lessons and a program for 4th graders.

★ Good to know Conditions vary by winter, so check the hill’s site before you drive out.

Gull Lake sits just west of downtown, and Boats and Beyond Rentals runs a Nisswa office and a marina for getting on the water. In winter, Hole-in-the-Day Bay on Gull Lake hosts the Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza, one of the largest charitable ice fishing contests in the world.

★ Good to know The Extravaganza runs on a Saturday in late January or early February, from noon to 3 p.m.; check icefishing.org for the date.