Grand View Lodge

Travelogue

Two hours north of the Twin Cities in Minnesota’s Northwoods, Grand View Lodge offers a sublime retreat that boasts 45 holes of championship golf: 18 at The Preserve (a few miles off property) and 27 at The Pines, which has three beautifully distinct nine-hole layouts in the Woods, Lakes and Marsh. The Preserve’s elevation changes (all five sets of tees were renovated in 2015) provide more dramatic views than the Pines, but both courses are well-conditioned and weave through towering pines with blind shots and tricky approaches around every turn. The resort’s signature hole is the short par-3 7th at the Lakes, which has water left and a steep hill, complete with railroad ties, sloping toward the green on the right. Carve out time to have lunch, dinner or a drink on the clubhouse deck at The Preserve, which provides a camera-worthy 19th-hole view. Or grab the family and spend the day at the beach, where you can bounce seamlessly between the lake, indoor pools and splash pads and several restaurants. The resort recently finished a $55-million expansion and unveiled a two-story boutique hotel, a new indoor/outdoor recreation center, a wedding chapel and more lodging and restaurant options.