Most people meet Nisswa in July. Fewer meet it in January, which is a shame, because winter here is when the place feels most like itself.
The lake becomes a road
Once the ice sets, Gull Lake fills with ice houses and pickup trucks and a temporary village of people fishing for walleye, crappie and perch. You can rent a heated fish house for a day or an overnight through local outfitters, gear included. It’s the easiest way in if you’ve never done it — you turn up, you sit somewhere warm, someone else drills the holes. Always check current ice conditions locally before going out. Ice is never guaranteed safe.
The trails go on for miles
The Brainerd Lakes region has hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trail, and Nisswa sits on the network. Rentals are available nearby if you didn’t bring a sled. For quieter days, there’s cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and fat biking on trail systems within a short drive, including winter stretches of the Paul Bunyan Trail.
Events worth timing a trip around
Nisswa hosts a sled dog race in the depths of winter that turns the town out in force, and the wider region runs ice fishing contests and winter festivals through January and February. Dates shift year to year, so check locally when you’re picking your weekend.
The other half of a winter trip
Cold days are best when there’s somewhere good to come back to. Our indoor pool, hot tub and sauna are open year-round, and after six hours on the ice, the sauna is not a luxury — it’s the point. Nearly every room has a kitchenette for hot drinks and a proper breakfast before you head out, and parking is free and right outside so you’re not carrying gear far.
Winter is our quietest, best-value season
Rates are at their lowest, the good rooms are available, and downtown Nisswa is calm. Contactless self check-in means a late arrival on snowy roads costs you nothing but time.
Browse our rooms and suites — the Cullen Lake and Whitefish Jacuzzi Kings are particularly good in February.
Check availability and book direct for the best rate, or call 218-963-3500 with questions about conditions.