9 Best Things to Do in Nisswa, Minnesota, This Winter

Located in the Brainerd Lakes area, Nisswa is known for it's incredibly cute downtown main street, fun turtle races in summer, and excellent ice fishing and snowshoeing in the winter. However, if you're new to the area or don't know what to look for, finding fun winter activities can be a little difficult. Lucky for you, we've gathered our favorite winter activities in the Nisswa area to help make the best of your next visit. We've also included some tips on visiting the area, and a recommendation on the best place to stay!

Our Essential Travel Resources :
​There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are our favorite websites and resources to help you plan an incredible trip.

For flights, we recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to your destination.

Car rentals comparisons are best through Discover Cars - just make sure to bring your international driver's permit with you if you're heading somewhere international!

We always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, we always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required), and always use NordVPN to stay safe while connecting to different wifi connections.

For fun things to do, we always recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick, especially for tours in Asia.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my packing list for your international or domestic travels.

Getting to Nisswa & What to Expect

Nisswa is located 16 miles North of Brainerd. Surrounded by plenty of other small towns and many, many lakes - this is a great area to visit if you're looking to spend some time reconnecting to nature, or just looking to find a peaceful spot to get away from it all. If this is the kind of stay you're looking for, we highly recommend booking a stay at Nature Link - one of the newest properties here in Minnesota that focuses on rekindling guests' connection to Nature...dare we say their "link to nature?" ;)

​Not only do they have an incredible private island you can snowshoe out to, but their self contained cabins are adorable - and they even have a new barrel sauna onsite! It's so peaceful that there were multiple instances we saw deer on the property, and many times we could hear an owl somewhere across Clark Lake.

Once you make your way to Nisswa, you might be looking for a delicious place to grab a bite to eat. Although it's a little trickier in the winter months, we've listed a few of our personal favorites below!

• ​Rafferty's - the original Rafferty's serving up delicious pizzas, calzones, and salads - my personal favorite is their summer berry salad
• The Chocolate Ox - although only open on weekends, this is the perfect spot to go if you're craving something sweet, they have delicious chocolates, ice creams, and candies to fix your sweet tooth ;)
• Stonehouse Coffee & Roastery - a spacious cafe with teas, coffees, and some baked items just about 2 miles from Nature Link!
• Main Street Ale House - the perfect spot to stop if you're looking for a nice dinner, they serve pasta, steaks, burgers, sandwiches, salads...they really cover all their bases (main entrees range from $24-$34)

9 Best Winter Activities in Nisswa

1. Explore Downtown Nisswa
​Let me just start by saying downtown Nisswa is adorable. There are plenty of boutique stores, the infamous Chocolate Ox (only open weekends in the winter), and quite a few places to grab some food or drinks! You can easily spend an entire half day exploring the downtown Main Street that also has plenty of parking. 

2. Go Snowshoeing
​One of our newest favorite things to do to get outside in the cold Minnesota winters is to go snowshoeing! We do have our own, but for those that just want to try it out Nature Link has their own that are easily available to all guests. They also have a huge property and private island you can snowshoe to! If you aren't staying there, then you can't rent snowshoes for $15 for 4 hours from Breezy Point Resort - we recommend heading towards Pillsbury State Forest or the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Crosby!

3. Visit the Spa
​The Glacial Waters Spa at Grand View Lodge is the perfect place to unwind and relax if you feel you've spent enough time outdoors (or if you haven't felt like spending much time outdoors in the first place). They offer everything from massages and facials to halotherapy and nail services.

4. Family Fun at Mount Ski Gull
​Mount Ski Gull is arguably one of the most popular places to visit during a winter trip to the Nisswa area! Open on weekends only, they offer tubing, ski lifts, lessons, and even a yurt rental - making it a perfect stop for the whole family. Season passes are available for $175 per season, otherwise lift tickets are $45 for the day and $30 for gear rental.

5. Romantic Date Night
If you're looking for a fun, winter date night - then look no further. The Grand View Lodge in Nisswa offers horse drawn carriage rides and ice skating, this would be a perfect activity to then pair with a nice dinner in town for a romantic date night! It's important to note that the Grand View Lodge does not offer skate rentals, so you'll have to bring your own.

6. Enjoy the Christmas Lights Downtown
Alright so I know we already mentioned exploring downtown Nisswa on our list of the best winter activities in the area, but many of the stores are closed by the time it gets dark - meaning you'll have to make another trip back if you want to enjoy the Christmas lights downtown! You can meander around the Nisswa Parks & Recreation area and enjoy the "Nisswa City of Lights Celebration" while warming up with a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate from Stonehouse Coffee!

7. Go Ice Fishing
​The entire Brainerd Lakes Area is known for fishing - whether during the summer months or ice fishing in the winter months. In Gull Lake and many others, you can find walleyes, northern pikes, crappies, perch, and sunnies. Like we always recommend, it's essential to known the ice thickness and have your Minnesota State fishing license before you head out. If you don't have your own gear or this is your first time going, you might want to look into renting gear or going through an outfitter! Places like Grand View Lodge offers ice house rentals for $280 per 8 hours. FishTraxx also offers a guide service and ice house rental for $500 per 22 hours.

8. Embrace Nordic Culture for a Sauna Session
​If you happen to stay at Nature Link, then lucky for you they have a barrel sauna onsite that you can take advantage of 24/7! Sauna's have been a Minnesota staple since they were first introduced in the late 1800's by Finnish immigrants - and a true Minnesota winter experience just isn't complete without a true Sauna session! Make sure to jump in the snow for your cold cycle too!

9. Try Snowmobiling
​Our last recommendation for the best winter activities in Nisswa is actually the only thing on our list we haven't done ourselves - snowmobiling! You can either bring up your own snowmobiles or rent them for the day from Nisswa Adventure Rentals for $299 between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm. There are hundreds of miles of trails in the area, but we've heard the best ones to visit are the Paul Bunyan Trail or to head towards the Pillsbury State Forest.

Watch our Nisswa Adventures here!

Other Minnesota Blog Posts :

• Alexandria - Best Things to Do
• ​Bentleyville - Our Honest Review
• ​A Guide to Crosby-Ironton
• Best Winter Activities in Crosby
• Cuyuna Cove, A Review
• Duluth, Minnesota - 9 Best Winter Activities
• 3 Day Weekend in Duluth, Minnesota
• Ely, Minnesota - 9 Best Winter Activities
• A Minnesota DIY Winery Tour 
• A Guide to Grand Marais​
• Complete Guide to the Gunflint Trail
• Fergus Falls - Best Things to Do
• Morris - BEST Things to Do
• ​Taylors Falls-St. Croix Falls
• Voyageur Canoe Outfitters, A Review

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