When I think of Walker, MN I always think of Moondance Jam. I remember my parent’s always going when I was younger and always wondered where this “Walker” was they talked about.
A few weekends ago when I had a trip planned up to Nevis, Eric mentioned Walker – I had no idea how close it was! We started searching for some things do to check out the town since we figured we’d zip up there for an afternoon. I found plenty of shops, restaurants, cafes, etc but ultimately, I was looking for something unique to do. Since Walker is right on Leech Lake, I was sure there was something cool we could do on the water.
Check out my favorite thing we did in Walker plus a few more fun things we did that afternoon!
Sail on Sailing Daze
I found Sailing Daze online when I was searching for water activities and immediately dove into their website. Eric has a slight obsession with sailboats and I love any excuse to get out on the water so I really want to see if this could work!
I emailed Bruce, the captain, about potentially going out that week. He responded very quickly and we connect via phone. He was up for it as long as the weather held out. We touched base again on Friday and planned to get out on the water on Saturday morning. Saturday morning rolled around and we made our way to Walker! We pulled into Shores of Leech Marina and spotted the boat immediately. Being the largest boat in the marina (and on Leech Lake), the 41 foot “Knotta Lotta” is hard to miss!
We headed on board and watched Bruce get everything all set up. We lucked out and had the whole boat to ourselves! (Me, Eric, and our friend Keith). We left the marina and slowly entered the lake. It was a bit breezier than I thought but Bruce was great about it. He was so relaxed and let us knew what he was doing. It was so informational and oh wow is it a lot of work! I watched him move from front to back and side to side getting everything perfect for us. Once we got out there on the lake, he let us all steer. Yes, you read that right. I STEERED the sailboat! And whoa, it’s way harder than it looks, especially when it’s windy!
The experience was WAY more than I could have asked for. To be honest, I thought we would just sit and chill on the water, but Bruce engaged us, taught us so many things about sailing and about his history and experience with sailing. You can really tell how much passion he has for sailing. He also dove into some unique details about Leech Lake and the Walker area too!
You can book his boat for 2-4 hours or he’ll work with you if you have something in mind too. You can also rent it overnight for a relaxing stay on the water!
Sip something sweet lakeside at Chase on the Lake
After 3 hours of sailing, we built up an appetite! We decided to head into town and grab some lunch at Chase on the Lake. An iconic establishment in Walker, this place was hoppin’! It was a beautiful day out so we grabbed a table on the patio and sipped some cocktails and had some lunch. Make sure to order the almond encrusted walleye sandwich – it was delicious! If you’re hanging out for a while, they also have a bowling alley in the basement of the resort. It was closed when we went but we peeped through the door, hehe.
Snag a kayak or 2 at Reeds Sporting goods
You’ll spot this store coming into town right away. With the colorful kayaks lined up all the way down the block, Reed’s is an outdoorsmen’s playground. They have everything you could ever need to take on the great outdoors in Minnesota. The inventory is extensive, mostly showcasing fishing gear, touristy apparel, and all the Yeti coolers you could ever imagine. You may even run into someone you know here! (Yes that happened to me, I ran into my uncle of all places!) And you will probably end up leaving with something you never even knew you needed.
Get ice cream at Village Square
The temperature was starting to heat up so I definitely needed a little something cold and a little something sweet. Head down the block to the Village Square for some freshly scooped ice cream! This place is really a one-stop shop. Grab a latte in the morning, some ice cream in the afternoon, and then come back for some pizza in the evening!
Shop odds and ends at Walker General Store
If a town has a general store you know it’s going to be great. I always love visiting the local general store because I will always find hidden gems, perfect gifts, a lot of local love. The Walker General Store has just that. Magnets and books about Minnesota, local salsa and stuffed olives, and my favorite – vintage candy, trinkets, and toys. We all snagged some of our favorite childhood candy, a book about Minnesota, and some local seasonings. This store really has something for everyone!
Press your luck at the Casino
If you follow my adventures with Eric, you know we always stop at a Casino. It’s simply a tradition. I personally do not gamble a dime, but it’s definitely fun to walk around and watch the bright lights and see all the new slot machines. The Northern Lights Casino has a good selection of slots and is a pretty decent size. Check out their events calendar because there is always something going on! It was nice to escape the heat too for an hour while I watched Eric win big on Blake Shelton, ha!
What’s your favorite thing to do on the lake in the Summertime? Did I miss any of your favorites in Walker? Let me know! 🙂
