Our Blog

Creative 2020 Changes | Here’s what to expect:

//  by 

Creative Changes | Here’s what to expect:

We want to share exactly what we are planning in attempts to calm any questions that may be lingering for you. We’ve lead multiple 2-5 hour Zoom webinars with other resorters to help plan and prepare for this season, thinking of every aspect, every detail, brainstorming every possibility of how to make this the best season for our guests!

We even had the honor of speaking to the original owners from the 1940s, the Plattens. They encouraged us & reminisced over their time hosting during a pandemic, giving us even more feedback on what to provide for our guests that worked great for them.

We have a lot of ideas, and so much support to implement a few changes for this year. We will follow CDC guidelines & recommendations to ensure your & our community’s safety. Here’s what we plan to do:

Cabin & boat cleaning: Additional disinfecting in every cabin & boat, every touchpoint, with the EPA recommended Sol-U-Guard with a dwell time of 10 minutes. We have an experienced staff ready to up their already high standards. We also plan to include a bottle of disinfectant in every cabin for your own use.

Bedding: We will send out additional information directly to you regarding bedding. We are currently planning on asking our guests to bring their own pillows & blankets for extra precaution. We will provide sheets (already made on your bed) and extra blankets in a vinyl sanitized bag. We of course will also have pillows and blankets available if you forget or can’t travel with them.

Curbside check-in: You get to go straight to your cabin to relax & settle-in. No need to stop in at the lodge. We’ll send out a pre-registration e-mail ahead of your arrival, ensuring you get the most out of your cabin time.

Outdoor recreation: We will have built-in “sanitation stations” that will dwell near any community area, which includes paper towels, disinfectant, and hand sanitizer. We will disinfect all recreational equipment at certain posted times of the day and have disinfectant and hand sanitizer available to you at all times at those areas.

The sanitation stations will be strategically placed at:

      • Beach area | for kayaks, paddle boards, & paddles
      • Playground area
      • Kids Recreation & Game Shed
      • Bike area
      • Lodge/Lodge Screen Porch
      • Fish Cleaning House

 

Fish Cleaning House: Our fish house naturally fits about one family at a time anyway, but we are going to request one family/cabin in the cleaning house at a time. 

Potluck: For now we are unfortunately cancelling our weekly potluck. We have some fun ideas for a recipe share though that one of our guests (Kim) has been wanting to get started! Now’s the time! We have spread out our picnic tables, and shifted the fire pit a couple feet over so you can still enjoy a picnic at the recreation area, and added a couple more picnic tables down by Cabins 5.5-7.

Lodge: Most of our wi-fi is at our lodge, & although we love that we are mostly unplugged, we understand needing to catch-up too. So the lodge will mostly be for wi-fi users, requesting up to 4-5 people in the lodge at a time (& can check-it-out to your cabin per request.) We will then take treat, pizza, and ice cream orders, game requests, & questions from our new curbside desk or via phone/text for delivery by Norton (fish statue near Lodge) or anywhere on the resort.

Community: Park Rapids is excited to welcome our guests! Your favorite restaurants & shopping spots are offering curbside takeout & pickup! They’ve been so wonderful at preparing for our upcoming season! In addition, we will gladly pick up your groceries or items for you this year if you prefer…text, email, or call with your arrangements & we are on it! 

We’ve enjoyed the following so far:

_________________________

Get in touch with us! If you have any questions or special requests, we would love nothing more than to help you work out the details. We are open to out-of-the-norm requests and everything in between this year, as we work to be as flexible as possible to ensure you are able to enjoy your vacation!

We are so grateful to have our first May guests here, and our longtime friends as our biggest cheerleaders book for our first weekend open, all of our spring prep and cleaning crews that have shown up with a big smile & so much encouragement, and the endless amounts of love we’ve received from you all. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

We love that we get to do this with you!

Sincerely,
James & Kayla Daigle
  Jameson, and Hadley

Resort Updates | What’s new!

//  by 

Resort Updates | What’s new!

We’ve been planning for this season for over a year, dreaming about it for longer. Here’s some of the new things you can look forward to if you didn’t experience it last year:

  • Individual bonfire pits available to rent
  • Curbside check-in (Norton-side) & treat ordering
  • Water trampoline is back thanks to the end of 2019 July/Aug. guest crew!
  • Sailboat is back with a new sail
  • New swim raft (goodbye old friend, you treated us well.)
  • King beds in Cabins 10 & 5.5 + Queens to Tree Top & Cabin 4
  • New septic at Cabin 5.5 (what!? –yep!)
  • Landscaping galore!
  • Wi-Fi added to Cabin 8 & Cabin 10 Screen Porch (+all of Cabin 10 in the winter)
  • New stove in Cabin 8
  • New lights to Cabins 0 & 7 (and we can’t wait to do more!)
  • New refrigerator, couch, & rug in Cabin 5
  • Toddler & kids recreation toys/bikes a plenty.     
  • Bouldering climbing wall – one side for beginners, other side for a challenge

Meet our Staff | Summer 2020

//  by 

Staff Updates | Meet our team!

We are so excited to welcome our staff back this year! We wanted to add a few more to our team to ensure your needs are met above anything else! Meet our team, ready to jump in and make your stay delightful! Get to know them below.

We also are welcoming our expert cleaning crew back, all who were with us in our previous season. They are so ready to up their already high cleaning standards to ensure you all can relax & enjoy your stay. We have all of our favorites including Renee, Brian, Kaaren, Rian, & Brenna all joining us again!

Anna ┋ Kid Whisperer + Jill-of-all-Trades
We have the honor of welcoming Anna for her third season with us! She’s our favorite ever & the kids absolutely love her! We all took a deep sigh of relief, then jumped with excitement when we found out she was coming back!

Anna is finishing up her senior year at Perpich Arts High School, although now finishing closer to us than she expected. This year looks really different than what she had ever planned for her senior year. We are so lucky to have her early & our lives our brighter with her in it! Here’s an amazing interview of her from her school.

I asked her to share a couple fun facts, “I love music; I can play four different instruments, & I like to think that I can dance after going to an arts school.” Yes Anna, you can dance, and four instruments…what!? We beg her to teach the kids to dance & how to play the ukulele on a weekly basis.

Gerald ┋ Plant Expert  + Business Enthusiast
Gerald is joining us for his first season all the way from Uganda! We’re so honored to have him!

Gerald has extensive training in all things agriculture! The number of certificates he holds in AgriStudies is absolutely inspirational! He tells me often when I need to water and deadhead the flowers, when is a good time to fertilize, where we should plant certain flowers, and just shows up with new ones to plant! 

Gerald loves animals, especially dogs, in fact they’d certainly be his Patronus. He has the biggest heart, was the first to climb the backside of this climbing wall, and aspires to be a business owner once again.

We honestly think it may be the divine that led us all together. We’ve loved everything about learning about Gerald, his culture, and his experiences. He’s so hard working, and always has the biggest smile. Ask him lots of questions, he loves it.

Gabe ┋ Paraprofessional + Lumberjack + Utility Player
If you were here over the weekends last year, you probably got to meet Gabe, or Mr. Gabe as his students call him. We’re excited to have him back and can’t wait to hear all about his music, book, and movie recommendations!

We get to enjoy Gabe early, coming from Northeast Minneapolis (originally from Alexandria) for the summer, currently helping his students from Cabin 10 by day, and helping us prep for the season by night. We go back 10ish years with Gabe, previously going to the same college, church, our favorite babysitter in the cities, & even working together for about three years prior to moving to the resort.

His favorite resort task is hauling wood with the golf cart, especially during the “golden hour, when the sun is the strongest and the lake sparkles.” His favorite author is Stephen King, but he’s also “ready to branch out.” We ask that you don’t judge him by his music critiques. Gabe is a kind heart, respectful to every living soul. If our kids learn one thing this summer, we’d love them to observe how they are treated by Gabe & how he treats others.

We’re so excited to have them all here this summer! Get to know them & ask them for help at anytime.

Let’s Get You to the Lake | Covid-19 Updates

//  by 

An update & letter to our guests from James & Kayla Daigle.

Some things should never change- perfect s’mores on a quiet night, taking that first wriggly fish off a line, the feeling of jumping in the lake for the first time, & the constant of the stars. These stable & majestic traditions are the reason why we are raising our family at Two Inlets Resort, and why we have so much passion for helping facilitate these traditions for you & your families. We will continue!

We know life has changed since we’ve last seen you, connecting feels more intentional, busyness feels less necessary, and family and friends feel like the most important part of our lives. We’ve all shown resiliency and endurance that only shows up in the midst of change- and now summer is approaching and we are absolutely looking forward to you coming together again.

Here’s the thing about a Minnesota resort vacation, the secret you already know. You can drive up in your own car, and stay in your own cabin, and completely relax and gather at your own pace.  For all of these reasons, we have officially been given the green light to open by Governor Walz and we couldn’t be more excited! We will welcome our first guests with social distanced open arms on May 7!

You may have seen the Star Tribune article about our part in the larger Minnesota community recovery. This story isn’t just about James and I- it’s about all of us together, taking care of each other and our loved ones. You all have shown us nothing but support & encouragement, we want to take a moment to thank you. We ultimately want to return that hope to you!

We are getting creative, our favorite thing to do.  We will do anything to help you feel safe & usher you into relaxation. Logistically, we are working on the details that make that difference, following CDC guidelines, amping up our already high standand cleaning regimen, sanitation stations around the resort, curbside check-in, and delivery service.

We invite you to listen to the loons, sit on the screen porch after the kids pretend to sleep, feel small looking at the stars, and find rest. We are so excited for your vacation to begin. 

If you have any particular needs, we’d love nothing more than to work out the details with you so you can start looking forward to your summer at Two Inlets Resort.

Passing along all of our love,

James & Kayla Daigle

      Jameson & Hadley Daigle

Resorts Have Always Met Current Guidelines

//  by 

MINNESOTA RESORTS HAVE ALWAYS MET CURRENT COVID-19 GUIDELINES

I’m currently reading a book titled “The Early Resorts of Minnesota.” An interesting thing is that Minnesota resorts were a popular summer destination in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. The book states that there was fear of three of the most dreaded diseases of the nineteenth century – tuberculosis, yellow fever and malaria, often in epidemic proportions. This fear was a factor in American’s travel plans. All these diseases were common in the southern states during the summers. Travelers headed north to breathe some fresh air and hopefully avoid getting one of these diseases.

Amidst this COVID-19 craziness, I can’t help but think that Minnesota resorts are once again going to be considered a very healthy, low risk (and affordable) vacation option. Here are some of the benefits of vacationing at a Minnesota resort related to current COVID-19 concerns. Of course we all need to do what’s right for ourselves and our families. But looking at what is recommended as of now, makes me realize that, most Minnesota Resorts have always met the current COVID-19 guidelines.

 

1) Easily reached – If you live in the midwest, you can easily reach a Minnesota resort in a half to full day’s drive. There is no need to get into an enclosed space like an airplane, train or bus with strangers.

2) Animals do not carry the disease – that means fishing, birding, wildlife viewing and feeding the squirrels and chipmunks are all on the “allowed” list of activities!

3) Social distancing made easy – A typical Minnesota resort sits on hundreds of feet of lakeshore and several acres of land. Depending upon the size of the resort, it may have enough cabins to accommodate 50-200 people at any one time. That simply means there is plenty of room to spread out.

4) Super clean – Resort owners work for themselves, not for somebody else. This means that they truly care about you and your family! Your reservation and your experience at their resort is very important to them. They understand the importance of providing super clean cabins and will strive to provide you with the cleanest cabin and environment possible.

5) Focus on the outdoors and activity – Fresh air, sitting outside, spending time in a boat, hiking in state parks, swimming at the beach, exploring new bike trails, etc, etc. Need I say more?

6) Affordable – The stock market isn’t doing anyone any favors right now, but getting away and changing your scenery is always needed. In the big world of vacations and tourism, Minnesota resort vacations are very affordable.

Resorts are open for business and are already gearing up for summer!

Until next time ~~ Jennifer Bateman
Jennifer owned and operated a resort for over 20 years
and encourages everyone to give this type of vacation a try!

-Written for Community of Minnesota Resorts

5 Reasons to Stay at a Minnesota Lake Resort in May

//  by 

Written by Jennifer Batemen for Community of Minnesota Resorts

Minnesota lake country is full of owner operated resorts, all providing a family vacation experience like no other.  There seems to be a universal thought that the only time to go to a lake resort is in June, July or August.  Well, I’m here to tell you that the month of May is an overlooked gem!  If you are a lover of lakes, then May is the month for you. Here’s why:

1) Wildlife watching — May is the month that Minnesota lakes come to life. Spring is actually happening.  And a comfortable cabin by the lake is one of the best places to experience it! The spring bird migration occurs during this month, so it’s a great opportunity to see a wide variety of birds move through the area. The lakes attract groupings of waterfowl such as trumpeter swans, loons and ducks. Wildlife is also on the move, increasing your chances of seeing deer, fox, moose, bear and other furry creatures. The sights and sounds of wildlife, during both the day and night, are unique and more plentiful in May.

2) Value — May is no doubt the least expensive time of year to stay at a Minnesota resort. The reason for this is the demand for cabin rental is lower. Most mid-west schools are in session until early June, which means families with children typically do not vacation in May. Lower demand means lower rental rates, but you still get the same great cabin, the same great lake view and the same great customer service as you would get during peak season.

3) Quiet — Staying at a lakeside resort that isn’t full to capacity with few to no kids means quieter days and nights. May is a more popular month for couples and empty nesters.

4) Full choice of water activities — Yes, lake water takes time to warm up after ice-out, so swimming is rare in May. But if you’re not one to have to actually get in the water to enjoy the lake, then May is a really good option for you!  With the exception of swimming, all lake activities are possible.  Just to name a few are fishing, sailing, kayaking, canoeing and paddle boating.

5) The Common Loon — Minnesota lakes are the summer home for the Common Loon, which are a beloved bird for their beauty as well as their vocal singing. Loon cries are most prevalent during breeding season as pairs aggressively defend their territories and begin mating and guarding their territory. And as you may have guessed, May is their breeding season. So if you love the call of the loon and want to hear it during the day AND night, book your resort vacation in May!  Click this YouTube link to hear what a loon sounds like. Be careful, you may want to listen to this sound for hours!

Until next time ~~ Jennifer Bateman
Jennifer Bateman has owned and operated a Minnesota resort for over 20 years
and can attest first hand the experience a May vacation at a resort can provide.

February 2019 Newsletter

//  by 

 

We had a great 2018 season and wanted to stop by and say thank you!

Our 22nd Summer | Bob & Jennifer

We were so happy to find Kayla and James and to be able to bring them on board to manage this past season. Having them work at the resort, and knowing all of our guests were in good hands, allowed us a little more free time to enjoy simple summer pleasures. Bob got in a lot more fishing (of course), and we also ran off to Milwaukee to attend our nephew’s wedding in August.

2018 was our 22nd year as resort owners, and we are forever proud of our “little red cabins” and the quaint, natural environment that Two Inlets Resort provides to so many people. Thank you for your business and your friendship. We consider ourselves so lucky.
 

Our First Summer | James & Kayla
It was about a year ago exactly that we first met with Bob & Jennifer about moving to Two Inlets Resort & we’re so glad we did! That first night I couldn’t sleep because I was so excited about the possibility of working at Two Inlets. Having a newborn also likely contributed to the sleepless night but who’s counting. 

Our family was so kindly welcomed by all of our lovely guests & neighbors. We were so honored to have the opportunity to serve you while you spent your precious time with each other at the lake. Thank you for choosing to spend it with us!

We learned so much this year. I can’t help but mention the many hours Jennifer & I spent together in our cabins. Whew…put on the music, give her a vacuum, and watch out!
Our kids, Jameson (4) & Hadley (1) definitely are living their best life at the lake. Jameson asks daily if the snow is going to melt, he’s highly anticipating the return of the “Kids of Two Inlets Resort.” I love that we’ve gotten to the point where we have to make him come inside more than we have to force him to go outside. When asking Jameson what he wanted to share in this newsletter, he said, “Tell them I want them to come back to play!”

James loved hearing the fish cleaning house door slam shut and chatting with those tasked with cleaning the day’s catch. Just like Jameson, we are excited for you all to come back and play! We are also anticipating a couple fun updates we are working on for our youngest resort guests! We’ll keep you updated. Thank you for a great first season! We’d love to see you again in the 2019!
Jameson had the best summer of his little life! He is the self-declared “Resort Helper.”

Have a question about a large group or accommodations?
Get in touch
 

Some of our favorites from this past year
 

#1 on Trip Advisor

We are so appreciative of your kind reviews. Thanks to you, we received #1 in the Park Rapids area for specialty lodging! We love knowing you enjoyed your stay!
Read some of our reviews here.

We’re excited to have you back this summer! If you haven’t planned your vacation at the lake yet, we’d love to have you join us in the 2019 season! 
Rates & Availability
 

Gifting an Experience at Two Inlets Resort

//  by 

I was struck this summer (my first summer at the resort) by the number of guests who have grown up coming to Two Inlets Resort and now bring their own kids – our legacy guests, their parents, and their kids. I loved hearing stories of our earliest and youngest guests, months old, now in middle school and enjoying Two Inlets Resort with gusto & imagination, their self-proclaimed second home. 

I myself remember meeting all of my cousins at the lake every summer, organized by my matriarch Grandma Squirt, water skiing, watching my baby cousin crawl naked into the lake, playing volleyball, late night bonfires, maybe a little skinny dipping (only once!). This was the first summer since that time that my entire extended family gathered outside of a holiday or wedding and it was right here at the resort … some getting to meet the new babies in the family for the first time.

The generational gift that grandparents and parents are providing for their kids’ childhood is so beautiful! It is saying to their kids — unplugging is important, I want to spend time with you, and connect with your imagination, use nature to do it.

As I’m thinking through holiday gift giving and reflecting on this last year, I love the idea of experience gifts, choosing to give experiences together instead of toys.  My fondest memories this year happened here at the resort, or when I was gathered with friends and family, when people were together, rather than over things, I think my kids would say the same. We’ve tried experience gifts in the past, Jameson received a pool pass from his grandpa & nana, and a movie & ride ticket with his uncle from CA, & some live shows. I won’t lie, I got a great deal of benefit from these gifts, but so did Jameson, so did his uncle, as did anyone who he went to the pool with!

My brothers and I were brainstorming about this year’s holiday giving. We all agreed we’d rather give experiences than toys this year and we thought back to Two Inlets. We want to spend time together, see our kids swim, dig in the sand, dance, giggle, and get to know each other. We want them to have the same memories with cousins that we did and more! We want them to have bath time in the lake and squeal at the sight of a turtle eating a minnow.

Here’s an awesome list of experience gift ideas and I’d like to add one more — a long weekend or week at the lake, where you can do all of these together! So join us and let your imaginations dream again, find rest, make memories, and just be together.

Happy holidays from Two Inlets Resort! We’re dreaming of the warm weather and are excited to see you in the next season!

__

PS If you have stories or pictures to share of your families gathering together at Two Inlets, please send our way! We love them! 

Also, Two Inlets makes the perfect family picture setting, for all of those gifts that include pictures! These were taken by jennichristi.com.

When Do Fall Colors Peak in Itasca State Park

//  by 

When are leaves at their peak fall color in Central and Northern Minnesota? I usually tell guests the first weekend in October, and it looks like we are right on track. The pictures in this post I took on September 30th. The trees on the resort are mostly birch, basswood and pine, so you can see from the pictures that we are mostly green and yellow at this point, but changing quickly! I’m going to bet this weekend is going to be glorious!

The Park Rapids area in general has some really quiet areas to enjoy fall. One section of the Lake Country Scenic Byway runs from Park Rapids to Detroit Lakes, and the closer you get to Detroit Lakes the more oranges, reds and golds you will see. This can easily be seen from your car.  Another spot to consider is Tamarac Wildlife Refuge. You’ll see great color here, along with birds and wildlife. And of course the obvious “go to” is beautiful Itasca State Park located just 10 minutes from the resort. If you can handle the climb up the fire tower, you’re guaranteed a great view at the top! 

I also wanted to be sure to mention that because Minnesota has so many evergreen pines, the landscape is always dotted with deep green for contrast.

If kicking through the leaves on a crisp, sunny October afternoon is your thing, we encourage you to make a reservation now. We are open until October 15th and have two and three bedroom cabins to choose from. The Department of Natural Resources has a map that shows the progression of the changing leaves. It’s a good tool to use if you’re trying to time your visit just right!

Until next time ~~ Jennifer

Two Inlets Resort is located north of Park Rapids, MN and just south of world famous Itasca State Park.

Resort Guests Are Special

//  by 

When you own a Minnesota resort, some common questions often pop up from interested people. One question we hear a lot is, “So I suppose you have all the same guests year after year? You know, repeats?” The answer is “Yes.” We do have a lot of guests who have made a visit to the resort an annual tradition. I’m kind of surprised that this seems to be common knowledge! But it is true. A certain number of guests who stay at Minnesota resorts are people who stay at the same one year after year!

The Minnesota resort industry is pretty unique in that as the owners, we really get to know our guests and enjoy those relationships. Just as families get excited to come on vacation, we as owners also look forward to seeing our “repeats” every year to give a cheery “Welcome!” and catch up on their lives.

One such guest is Cliff from Ames, Iowa. As far as we know, Cliff holds the record in repeat years with a whopping 44! Here is the story he wrote for me, and gave me permission to share.

“I had fished some in Minnesota in my youth when my family vacationed on Gull Lake but at that time I only used a hand held drop line over my finger. We learned that Jennifer’s folks, Cal and Sheila Moe, had become owners of Two Inlets Resort from Sheila’s brother, who was a friend of the family. We decided to spend our vacation there one year. To the best of my recollection, that first year was 1973, and at the end of the week I hated to leave, having had such a wonderful time. Cal and Sheila were wonderful hosts and became dear friends, and Cal helped me learn how to fish, introducing me to the Beetle Spin, which became my favorite lure. The second year Ruth and I came for two weeks and in later years often came for three weeks. One year I recall it was four weeks and we still hated to leave at the end of our vacation. Over the years our children visited us, bringing with them their children. When Ruth died in 1993 I missed coming to Two Inlets Resort, but the next year, 1994, I had all my family come during a three week stay at Two Inlets Resort. Also, that year I brought a new partner, Peggy, who also liked to fish. Peggy and I have returned each year since 1994 for two weeks at Two Inlets Resort. During those years our children have joined us and they too learned to love this place. A few years ago we started scheduling a fall trip during September, a beautiful time at the lake. Our time at Two Inlets Resort was always very special, as we enjoyed the lake and the Park Rapids area. It was also special because of the special treatment we received from Cal and Sheila initially and then from Jennifer and Bob when they assumed ownership. They have treated us like family and we have felt as if Two Inlets Resort, and specifically Cabin #7, was our second home. We always looked forward to our trips there and experienced wonderful times there.”

Like all of us, Cliff’s age is advancing. I don’t know his exact age, but I know he’s over 90. I was visiting with him on his check-out day this year and he shared that he was pretty sure that this was going to be his last year. Cliff said, “The rest of the family is going into Park Rapids tonight for dinner, and we were invited to go along. Peg and I talked it over and gracefully bowed out.” Then he said something that really struck me. “We just don’t want to leave the lake.”

I’m sure every resort owner in the state of Minnesota can tell a similar story of history, tradition and sentimental value. If you’re reading this post and have yet to find your Minnesota resort, why not give us a try? We always have room for new guests!

Until next time ~~ Jennifer

Jennifer and her husband, Bob, for 22 years have owned and operated what they believe to be the best family resort in Minnesota.

Kayaking the Mississippi while Fighting Suicide

//  by 

“We stand united in the war against veteran suicide,” the mission statement on the Mission22 card that Kris hands me as he pulls up to Two Inlets Resort, kayak strapped to the top of the rental car, nervously getting ready for the Mississippi River. Today is PTSD Awareness Day, everyday there are 20 veterans who commit suicide on average, according to a Department of Veteran Affairs Study. Our guest in Cabin 5 wants to bring awareness to this epidemic and show his support to his fellow veterans.

Kris Saunders is on his own mission, but supported by an entire community. He quit his job and travels to bring awareness, trekking across country from the south and kayaking down the ENTIRE Mississippi, relying solely on the help of strangers. His entire trip is a metaphor for the struggle against mental illness, its connection to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injuries so many veterans fight. Some days are rough, winds will make it hard to paddle, there will be rough terrain making portages difficult, and some days will be calm, quiet, and beautiful. He hopes his journey will reach even a few folks that will be inspired to research veteran suicide and learn to help.

“I am completing this trip solo to represent the veterans who feel they are going through PTSD alone. I want to show them there is a whole community of family and friends out there willing and able to help at a moment’s notice.”

When Jennifer at Two Inlets Resort received a call from Kris, he wasn’t expecting a free bed, he was asking for shelter. Kris was offered rest in Cabin 5 and a ride to the headwaters at Itasca State Park (we’re only 10 minutes away!) before his 70 day kayaking adventure began. James took him out for one last meal, handed him a caulk gun to fill in a gap, and happily packed the kayak on the Tahoe.

Kris’ sendoff at Itasca State Park had little perks of interest from curious strangers and then people started gathering around him at the landing. James wondered if he was going to run out of Kayak4Vets cards before he even started, applause broke out as he began paddling. Our four year old was able to watch, and although he doesn’t understand suicide or mental illness yet, I want him to be educated one day and remember this experience he shared supporting our veterans, being an advocate against mental illness.

Since his send off, his Instagram post reports he has already capsized, been demolished by bugs, and even had a bear visitor, sent gear home, and is still going! We are so glad we were able to host him, share a meal, send him off with a prayer, and thank him for his service and commitment to his community, our community.

Follow Kris on his 2,550 mile journey from the headwaters to New Orleans via Instagram, reach out to a vet, and research how you can help through Mission22.

By Kayla & James Daigle

 

Today, June 27, is National PTSD Awareness day. So many of our veterans come back home with wounds much deeper than the eye can see and they have limited to no knowledge of the resources available to them. One of those resources, maybe one of the most comforting, is the veterans such as myself, who stand beside you and fight the battles alongside you. We are still in the fight each and everyday. If you’re in need or want of more information about PTSD, checkout National Intitutes of Health (nimh.gov), or the Veterans Affairs (va.gov). If you’re in need of help and want to talk to someone, you can call Vets4Warriors at 1-855-838-8255 and someone will answer right away, visit them at Vets4Warriors.com, reach out to mission22.com and speak to someone about their mission and programs. Or give me a shout, any time. Can’t say I’ll have all the right words of wisdom, but I can listen and I’m here. Together we can bring an end to veteran suicide and raise support and aid needed to fight PTSD. #kayaking4vets #mission22 #vets4warriors #ptsdawareness #somewoundsarentvisible #source2sea

Best Resort

//  by 

What’s the best resort in Minnesota? What’s the best resort in Park Rapids? I would imagine these questions gets asked a lot, or are used in a Google search when families are shopping for a family resort. To be honest, I’m not sure any resort in Minnesota or Park Rapids can be considered the “best”, because all resorts are so different!

We’ve taken two resort vacations this winter, one with our kids and one with another couple. It was very educational to spend some time at a different resort, with a different atmosphere, and different cabins, on a different lake, with different amenities, at different price points, and with different people. As it turns out, I still think Two Inlets Resort is the best resort (surprise, surprise!), BUT we also thoroughly enjoyed our time at the other resorts, for different reasons at each.

I would imagine that the families that return to Two Inlets Resort year after year have determined that Two Inlets Resort is the best resort …… for them. And we are glad about that! That’s our goal.

We found the best treasure tucked behind some paneling when we were tearing apart Cabin #2 this fall. It was a delightful note from a family who truly found Two Inlets Resort to be the best resort for them. It read:

August 10th 2001
 

To whom it may concern,
 

This family has been coming to this resort 20 some years. Cabin 2 is the best and most beloved of Steve, Colleen, Annelise and Arianne Bowers (the latter two having spent most every summer here). This is our last year here as we are building a cabin across the lake. It is with much sorrow and gratitude to God for the glorious weeks spent here.
 

Good-bye.
 

Annelise Bowers, Colleen, Steve, Arianne
 

(Please leave this note here as someday we may return.)

As the owner of a resort, what a great find! I smile every time I read it.

We still have openings for this coming summer. Why not give us a try and see if Two Inlets Resort might be the best resort for you.

Until next time  ~~  Jennifer

Located north of Park Rapids, MN and south of Itasca State Park, Jennifer and Bob are dedicated to making Two Inlets Resort the best family resort it can be.

Making Family Vacation Memories

//  by 

Much promotion related to Minnesota resort vacations is “Making family memories that will last a lifetime.” You see and read it all the time. Resorts promote it, tourism communities promote it, and so does Explore Minnesota Tourism. Two Inlets Resort promotes it, too.

Bob and I recently helped lead a class in our church titled “Intentional Parenting: 10 Ways to Be an Exceptional Parent in a Quick Fix World”, and one subject that the course included was family vacations, under the topic of positive family memories. So I guess it turns out that it’s not just the vacation industry that thinks family vacations are a really good idea! Parents wanting the best for their kids will take them on vacations. It’s the time spent together, and the memories created from that time, that truly counts. Not how fancy or expensive the vacation is.

Research reveals that vacations typically provide children with the strongest family memories. I know that’s been true with our family. But sometimes it seems like there’s never a good time to take a vacation. Too much work, too many sports, etc. My suggestion is just get it on the calendar and GO! There may always be hurdles and excuses as you near the date, but if specific dates are blocked out on the family calendar, it’s a done deal. The times family vacations DON’T happen are when you say, “We should get away some time in the spring.” Vague doesn’t work. It won’t become dynamic until it becomes specific. Get it on the calendar. Money and time are not strong enough excuses — it doesn’t have to be an expensive vacation or a long vacation to create great memories.

Minnesota resorts see this scenario all the time. Families with young children come to the resort for 10 or 20 years in a row, and those kids develop some of their best childhood memories. But then college or summer jobs or weddings get in the way and they stop the tradition of the family lake vacation. Years pass and then you get a phone call that goes something like this: 

“Hi. My name is Billy Smith and I used to come to your resort with my family when I was a kid. I have SO many great memories of that time and that type of lake experience, and I want my own kids to have that some experience. Do you have anything open this coming August?” 

Other than providing a nice place for families (big and small) to spend some time together, the whole “family memories” thing just happens on it’s own. Every day. Every week. Every year. Simple.

I invite you to contact me to make a reservation. As you might imagine, I think it’s a good decision for your family.

Until next time  ~~  Jennifer

Two Inlets Resort is north of Park Rapids, Minnesota and south of Itasca State Park. It’s been in the business of helping create family memories since 1946.

Minnesota Family Resort Ringing in 2018

//  by 

Happy New Year from Two Inlets Resort! We hope this letter finds you well and full of excitement for 2018! We nestled into the new year with crazy cold temperatures, just like many of you did. Our morning routine includes sleeping in a bit, building a wood fire in the fireplace and brewing a pot of hot coffee for the two of us. We are empty nesters now, so our winter break is a bit quieter than we’re used to. You’ll notice that we’re “matchy matchy” in our buffalo plaid coats. We’re not exactly sure how that happened, but I suppose some things are just out of our control!

2017 was a terrific season. We welcomed our regular, faithful guests, and introduced the resort to lots of new families and couples. It’s our guests that give us purpose, and we love to share this beautiful place with all of you!
 
Lots of resort improvements are either completed or well underway. This fall we poured a new cement slab in front of the garage and laid a new asphalt drive into the resort. Nothing lasts forever, not even concrete and asphalt! We also said goodbye to Mr. Bear. The ants and woodpeckers were loving him just a little too much. Two dry creek beds were added to help control some pretty bad water runoff problems. They are beautiful and consist of a lot of really great rocks! We predict lots of family photos will be taken in the bigger bed.
 
Cabin #2 is getting a major remodel, much like what we did to Cabin #1 a few years ago. We are vaulting the living room and kitchen ceiling, putting in new bedroom windows, new kitchen cabinets, new flooring, a new roof, and maybe a few other changes along the way as we get deeper into the project. We’re very excited about this cabin improvement!
 
Perhaps you have already confirmed your reservation for next summer, but if not, we still have room for you. Our online availability chartis 100{674011a044e07fd46ca5ff51a5614ccef4c72bb3f32b5a2a3c5bf8fa5a15d6e0} up to date. If you are thinking about booking a vacation with us it’s a good place to start.
Stay in touch through the year with Facebook or our Blog.
Thanks for being a guest at Two Inlets Resort. Whether you are a guest from the past, present or future, we sincerely thank you for your business and friendship.
Wishing you all the best in 2018!
~~ Jennifer and Bob Bateman
 
Two Inlets Resort, located near Park Rapids, MN and Itasca State Park, has been owned and operated by Jennifer and Bob for 21 years. Their passion for the Minnesota resort industry shows in their care of their classic Minnesota resort.

Minnesota Vacation for 55 and Over

//  by 

If you’re over the age of 55, I’d like to suggest that you take a Minnesota resort vacation during one of the last two weeks in August, and choose Two Inlets Resort as your destination. What makes these weeks different from the rest of the summer weeks? Here are some things to think about — 

1) The resort in quieter because we have fewer kids staying at the resort. Surrounding states have started school, and Minnesota schools have started their sports practices, which means families with kids are not vacationing.

2) The lake water is warm for all water sports, such as kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, swimming and floating, all of which we provide free of charge!

3) There are still plenty of things to do in the area, such as hiking at Itasca State Park, biking the Heartland Trail, visiting museums, taking a stroll along Main Street in Park Rapids and spending an evening (or two) in Dorset, MN, the Restaurant Capital of the World. Forest Edge Winery is also close by and an interesting place to visit.

4) The weather still has “summer” written all over it! Plan on warm days and cooler nights. If a good night’s sleep is what you’re looking for, I can pretty much guarantee it!

5) Discounted rates! Our quaint, lakeside two bedroom cabins with a screen porch drop from $434 per night down to $231 per night for up to four people. Same great resort at a lower price is hard to beat!

6) Short stays are welcome after August 12. Full week reservations not required!

I hope these points will entice you to pick up the phone and give me a call. We have your cabin waiting for you!

Until next time ~~  Jennifer

Jennifer and her husband, Bob, have owned and operated Two Inlets Resort since 1997. Located north of Park Rapids, MN and south of Itasca State Park, all ages enjoy simple lakeside living when they visit the resort.

Family Resort Vacations Are Underway

//  by 

Family vacations to northern Minnesota have begun. We’ve already hosted couples, families and multigenerational reunions and it’s not even the middle of June yet! 

When we are busy getting the resort ready in May it’s tough to find the time to blog. I try to post regularly to Facebook to help keep you abreast of what’s going on here, but there’s so much to share that I’ve fallen behind on that, too. So keep reading and I’ll bring you up to date.

We’ve seen a lot of wildlife on and around the lake. A black bear has been sited by several neighbors at both the north and south ends of the lake, so that’s fun! I haven’t seen it personally yet, but hope to get a glimpse of it sometime this summer. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to have my camera with me. Several guests have seen a red fox trot along the lakeshore right in front of their cabin, usually in the late evening. Bob saw it trotting down the resort road one morning at about 5:30. A porcupine made a short visit one day, and a couple guests have seen some raccoons in the evening. The loons on our side of the lake have not laid any eggs yet, and it’s not looking like they probably will. The nest on the west shore, however, hatched two chicks about two weeks ago so you’ll still have a chance to see a loon family if you’ll be visiting us this summer. Nights have been filled with loon calls, barking from the fox and occasionally some coyotes will start up. Our turtle pond is full with four painted turtles and we expect to start seeing both painted and snapping turtles laying their eggs in the yard and on the roadsides.

I’m afraid my fishing report is slim. The northerns are biting, as are the crappies, but not in abundance like some years. Our wacky weather has created drastic swings in the water temperature, and the fish don’t like that. We did have a guest last week catch a beautiful 29″ walleye which they took a picture of and then immediately released back into the lake. The best fishing story I’ve heard this year started with “So we had two dead minnows left …..”. Long story short, one of those dead minnows resulted in a nice 17″ walleye — a nice size for eating! Bob always says you should fish when the fishing is slow, because it forces you to try new things, which makes you a better fisherman. And lots of our guests say “It’s not about the fish you catch, it’s about the time in the boat with family.”

As usual, most guests head up to Itasca State Park for at least one day while they are here to ride the bike trails, hike the hiking trails, and of course cross the Headwaters of the Mississippi River. They’ve reported that the park hasn’t been super busy, so there’s been no waiting to climb the fire tower.

If you like what you see on our website and what you read in this blog, I encourage you to visit our availability chart, find a date and an available cabin, and then give me a call to make a reservation. Our TripAdvisor reviews prove that the experience here at Two Inlets Resort is well, frankly, pretty awesome!

Until next time ~~  Jennifer

Jennifer is a second generation owner of Two Inlets Resort, and it’s been in the family for 45 years. Spaced for privacy along 1000′ of lakeshore, 13 comfortable cabins provide that ‘lakeside cabin’ experience that so many are looking for.

Getting Ready for Your Minnesota Vacation

//  by 

When you get ready for your Minnesota resort vacation, you make a list and pack the car. When we get ready for your Minnesota resort vacation, we spend time getting our family resort cleaned up and ready to go. So I guess that’s two different ways of getting ready! Earlier this week we concentrated on cutting down dead trees. It’s all part of the spring clean up.

Early last fall Bob marked all the trees that were dead. Most of them were birch trees. Pine trees seem to last a lot longer than birch trees, for whatever reason. We got a good chuckle from the first tree to come down. It was on old birch near the garage. We noticed there was an animal hole in it, but never saw any activity in or out of it. It turned out to be a squirrel’s next, complete with shredded paper towels taken from the garage. Bob said, “I wondered where those were going!”

The white stuff that looks like snow is the shredded paper towel.

The tree was getting very, very hollow!

Another tree to come down was a dead poplar tree at the bottom of Cabin #10’s deck steps. This one required the help of the truck to pull it in the right direction so that it didn’t fall on any lakeside cabins.

The poplar literally shattered when it hit the ground!

Another tree that had to go was the spruce in front of Cabin #4 1/2 that blew over in the March wind storm. Luckily it didn’t bend the dock frame. It just broke a couple dock boards, which are much easier to fix. (No welder needed!)

Even the beavers got in on the action! We didn’t actually invite them to help, because they obviously can’t tell a live tree from a dead one! Grrrrrrr …………

No animal leaves more obvious signs of its presence than the beaver!

Our first guests of the season will arrive May 10th. The early spring has given us a head start on getting the resort ready for your family vacation.

Until next time  ~~  Jennifer

Jennifer and Bob are proud to own and operate Two Inlets Resort which is located north of Park Rapids, MN and south of Itasca State Park. 

Winter Up North – Life at a Minnesota Resort

//  by 

When our Minnesota resort is closed up for the winter, to some degree we sort of forget that we’re living on one all year around. In the winter we only plow to the house, so to access the rest of the resort we have to walk through the snow. If there’s never a need to walk around the resort, we just don’t …. from about November to April.

As some of you may or may not know, we had three very windy days here last week. It blew all day and all night. Gusts were measured at up to 61 mph. Since the resort faces west, we got a lot of gusts right in the face! On the first day Bob’s thought was “I’m glad we don’t have any boats in the water.” And on the second night when the power went out, it was no big deal since we didn’t have any guests in. However, when the electricity goes out, it makes us think about trees. So after the wind storm I took a walk around the resort to see if the wind did any damage.

All was clear until I made it to Cabin #7. I thought, “Holy cow! It was windy enough to blow the screen door right off the screen porch!” As I rounded the cabin I expected to see the screen door broken and in a heap somewhere, but then remembered that Bob had taken it off earlier this winter to do some repairs to it up in the shop. Whew!

A large spruce did go down on the lakeshore between Cabin #4 1/2 and Cabin #5. Unfortunately it landed on the docks, so there may be some dock repair come this spring, but at least it didn’t land on a cabin!

New Drone View of Two Inlets Resort

//  by 

When it comes to marketing our northern Minnesota resort, verbal description either on the phone or in an email can get very challenging. A few things that I personally think are so nice about our resort is how close the cabins are to the lake, how they are spaced for privacy, and how many pine a birch trees we have. It’s pretty hard to paint the lovely visual picture that actually exists at Two Inlets Resort, and features of the property that I think are important to guests.

Thanks to Penn, our budding teenage videographer guest, we now have a drone video of our lakeshore. Actually, I probably shouldn’t use the word “budding” because he’s beyond that in my book. Penn is 16 and has been vacationing at Two Inlets Resort with his twin sisters and mom and dad for the past 11 years in a row, along with some close family friends. He enjoys the freedom that is provided in rural Minnesota. In August of 2016 he brought his new drone on vacation to do some experimenting. (There aren’t any “no fly zones” around here!) He willingly created this new video for us. Thanks, Penn! I’ll be referring potential guests to it regularly to show them how quaint and classic and roomy we truly are.

If you have kids and wonder what they will do on this type of vacation, view this video that Penn created for us about four years ago. It’s lively and true!

Until next time  ~~  Jennifer

Two Inlets Resort is located north of Park Rapids, MN and south of Itasca State Park. It’s family run and truly a classic.

Minnesota Resort Gives New Year Wishes

//  by 

Greetings! We hope this letter finds you well and looking forward to the upcoming new year. 2016 was our 20th summer at the resort. Wait! Did I just say that? We arrived in 1997 pretty green behind the ears, but energized for our new adventure. Our kids were just 2 1/2 years and 10 months old the day we moved in to this beautiful place. Grace is now a college graduate, Calvin is in the middle of his college years, and Jack will graduate from high school this spring. It is hard to believe that much time has passed already.

Another milestone is that 2016 was the resort’s 70th anniversary. Through six different owners over the years, we’re proud that Two Inlets Resort is still here and still operating as a classic Minnesota resort. Families continue to make memories year after year and we couldn’t be happier!

The wild turkeys are keeping us entertained at the bird feeder for now. And let me tell you, the chickadees are terrified! It looks like we’re going to have to move the feeders away from the deck. Those turkey claws are quite damaging when they get to scratching.

We were pleased with how the new lakescaping project at the swimming beach survived the winter and made a strong reappearance this spring. We’re told that the first year the plants “sleep”, the second year they “creep” and the third year they “leap.” We should see a color explosion when they “leap” in 2017!

We’ll be adding a 20 foot long Water Whoosh to the beach this year which we are certain will be popular for all ages! It’s one of those water toys that will be used differently every week, depending upon the creative ideas of the guests who use it. We’re also adding several new beds and continue to discuss some other improvements and additions for the spring.

Perhaps you have already confirmed your reservation for next summer, but if not, we still have room for you. Our online availability chart is 100% up to date. If you are thinking about booking a vacation with us it’s a good place to start.

Whether you are a guest from the past, present or future, we sincerely thank you for your business and friendship.

Wishing you all the best in 2017!

Jennifer and Bob Bateman