For those without cabins, how do you take your trips?

I have no family cabin so we will stay a week at a resort each summer and that’s about it. I always wish I could take long weekends throughout the summer for more getaway time, but that means hotels or, if lucky, a campground. But campgrounds are hard to find open spaces for anymore for last minute trips. Once August comes, it becomes easier to stay at a resort for less than a week, but what are the options for June and July?

Thinking about getting an RV this year. Or looking for a cabin to rent the entire summer so I have the freedom to go whenever I want.

Any other ideas I’m not thinking of? Do the big lodges like Rutgets, Breezy Point, etc allow you to book just weekends?

I have no cabin nor does any family. We rent vrbo every year on vermillion. 10 days is typically 1500 to 2k. Always beautiful spot on lake and private dock. We also tent camp a lot on the st croix. Thats me her and 2 kids plus a dog.
We make it work. I wish I was born in to a family with all those things, but I wasn’t so we make it work. And then we make it work even better. I hate camp grounds they pack you in like sardines. Rual camping is the way to go.

Ash River Trail has a state campground that is seldom full.
My yard has room for a RV for a nominal 12 pack of Grain Belt Premium a boat ride of Rainy could be arranged also.

A lot of resorts have seasonal passes for RVs or Ice Castles since many of them are often now used as a weekend cabin. Even a small camper wouldn’t cost a lot and you could tow it around to various locations. I prefer a camper with some modern amenities such as AC and electricity instead of a tent but that’s just my personal preference.

VNP is awesome. Book a few weekends up there and you will be set. Get a guide to cut the curve and it’s a great time with almost no people in some areas.

Yes, all the resorts on the Ash River Trail save a couple RV spots for weekend use. Call to reserve a spot.

Dutchboy wrote:

Ash River Trail has a state campground that is seldom full.
My yard has room for a RV for a nominal 12 pack of Grain Belt Premium a boat ride of Rainy could be arranged also.

Does that mean mason and I could set up a tent with plenty of room to play?

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
Ash River Trail has a state campground that is seldom full.
My yard has room for a RV for a nominal 12 pack of Grain Belt Premium a boat ride of Rainy could be arranged also.

Does that mean mason and I could set up a tent with plenty of room to play?

Absolutely, more than welcome anytime.

Wheelhouse and a 27′ boat that sleeps 3, lots of options.

Its just a matter of where you want to go and creativity.

What you described queenswake is what we do as well. Sure there are times I wish I owned a cabin to have everything already in place and really get to know a lake. There are obviously pros and cons to both sides which could be another whole long lengthy thread.

I do like the option of criss-crossing the state and checking out all kinds of areas, and not having a cabin allows for that. June and July can be tough but I found last year that later in August into September can be plenty tough as well. If your situation allows it, spending a good chunk of time during the week can work out well. If you’re able to go a fair amount I’d say that RV option sounds pretty good.

Check into campgrounds that have seasonal sites. We’ve had a site for 34 years. I get to our site roll out the canopy and you’re camping. Fridge is always cold a deck and shed. Our campgrounds has satellite channels and internet options. We’re in northern Wi. Around $3000 a summer and leave our trailer there year round.

Find the county seat of the area your interested in… see if there is any tax forfeited land available. Sometimes you can find small parcels, 2 acres or less, perfect for a Camper or Fish house to sit on. Most counties up north have some available and will auction it off in the spring typically.

We 5th wheeled it until insurance totaled the camper because the roof ripped in a storm. We made it almost every weekend last summer. Sometimes with the Warrior and sometimes without. My sons loved it and I’m sad we won’t get to have that freedom this summer. When life settles down the boys will have a 5th wheel again.

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I am fortunate to have a good friend that owns a cabin on a small lake in North Central Minnesota. It is the only place I have gone fishing in the past few years.
With that, my wife is very interested in the Hayward Wisconsin area. I “grew up” on a small campground on the Namekagon river, so I have been introducing her to the area and I get to fish. We have been passively looking for property with or without a cabin to move to in retirement.

Dutchboy wrote:

Ash River Trail has a state campground that is seldom full.
My yard has room for a RV for a nominal 12 pack of Grain Belt Premium a boat ride of Rainy could be arranged also.

Billy and I stayed in a cabin at the Ash Riviera Resort in Sept 2018 and it was wonderful! Lots of nice places to stay along the Ash River Trail and a beautiful area of MN. We did a little grouse hunting while we were there and the rocks up there are something else!

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I’d bet you could find a VRBO that would rent the whole summer at a slightly reduced rate. Otherwise the limits are endless for camping, State Parks, County Parks, VNP, private campgrounds, etc and then there are a lot of first come first served public camping areas on the rivers, most state forests, and some lakes as well. If there’s a specific area you are interested in, I’d bet there’d be plenty of recommendations.

Our family used to rent a cabin for a week every summer, usually Cass Lake area. Two years ago we decided to buy an RV and rented a seasonal lot at Mille Lacs since it’s only about an hour from home. We bought used to decrease investment in case we (or our kids) didn’t like it. After 2 years we decided that this is definitely what we like, so we just sold our RV and ordered a Park Model. We realized that cabin ownership was just not something that was going to work for us, both financially and from the maintenance standpoint, so the seasonal thing is great for us. We go nearly every weekend from mid-April through October and also stay for a week at a time once or twice a summer. Works great for us and the whole family loves it.

A few of the resorts on ML rent out their nicer skid shacks for the whole summer and seems to be a pretty cheap option.

We do the VRBO or Airbnb thing a few times a year for long weekends and take one long warm winter vacation every other year. This used to be easier before the market and demand exploded with others following suit. Now you really have to book early. Kicking the kids or younger relatives outside to tent allows you to find smaller cheaper places to rent. Thankfully we have a few relatives and my sibling with lake cabins who we visit. The whole saying about “building a life you don’t need a vacation from” is cliche but we try. Without traveling more than 10 minutes we can have relatives come golf, fish for anything that swims, cruise the river and do water sports, hunt trophy deer, ski and snowboard, and it works for us.

I could win the lottery and doubt we would buy a cabin while keeping our house. I would either sell everything here except for the land and make the cabin my home…or continue to rent and check out various places around the Midwest. There’s just too much maintenance to do around the house, buildings, land, etc. already that it’s only going to be an all-in move or not at all for our family. If we did make the move to a cabin home it’d be when our children are grown. For now our style of trips or not as many trips work for us.

Seasonal Campgrounds, been doing it for the better part of 25 years. Usually May to October and you can go all summer! Usually runs anywhere between 2500 and 4000. All have different options.

I married into a cabin. I’m grateful and wouldn’t trade it for much, but it does definitely limit other places we go in the summer, especially in the MN. With maybe 4 months of good weather, you feel like you should be there nearly every summer weekend.

Growing up, we always rented an affordable cabin for a week, and it was always the best week ever. Our family didn’t do much for vacations, so I looked forward to that week all year. It was a sad day when the couple that owned it (they owned a 4-cabin “resort”), decided they were too old to continue.

I just sleep in my truck

Tony Hanson wrote:

After 2 years we decided that this is definitely what we like, so we just sold our RV and ordered a Park Model. We realized that cabin ownership was just not something that was going to work for us, both financially and from the maintenance standpoint, so the seasonal thing is great for us. We go nearly every weekend from mid-April through October and also stay for a week at a time once or twice a summer.

I could foresee myself doing this. I don’t really have the interest or time to maintain 2 properties but a park model with a seasonal pass at a resort where someone mows the grass is a great alternate option. What resort is your park model at Tony?

I have a 2015 Cedar Creek 40CCR for sale. It’s on a beautiful lot on the Ash River (VNP). Excellent condition with extras, Priced right.

I have a seasonal on Leech Lake and am up there Mid April through mid October, spend most my time there.
The wife’s family lake home is in central Minnesota 2 hours from Leech.

Retired and come and go as I please….
Ahhhhh…

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Tony Hanson wrote:</div>
After 2 years we decided that this is definitely what we like, so we just sold our RV and ordered a Park Model. We realized that cabin ownership was just not something that was going to work for us, both financially and from the maintenance standpoint, so the seasonal thing is great for us. We go nearly every weekend from mid-April through October and also stay for a week at a time once or twice a summer.

I could foresee myself doing this. I don’t really have the interest or time to maintain 2 properties but a park model with a seasonal pass at a resort where someone mows the grass is a great alternate option. What resort is your park model at Tony?

We are at Edgewater, it’s a very small place without some of the amenities of the larger resorts, but it has everything we need and love that it’s a quick trip from our home in the NW metro.

This is how we’re rolling this year, it finally came in after ordering in September.

We have a campsite reserved near Duluth for the entire month of May and June (July and August are pretty busy with other trips to LOTW and Isle Royale, so we’re bringing it to my Dad’s cabin or back home)

Since it will take and 3/4 ton to tow and need 15″+ of ice, I ordered it as a toyhauler. That way I can park on shore and take a wheeler and portable out. It will get used 12 months a year

It’s crazy how much bigger it is than our old 6.5’x16′ Yetti lol

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That’s awesome B-man. Any inside pics? I’m curious with the toy hauler setup.

Dan wrote:

That’s awesome B-man. Any inside pics? I’m curious with the toy hauler setup.

Thanks Dan, just added some

There’s a queen lift bed that lowers down in the back. It’s big enough for a wheeler, a sled, a rzr or I think even a ranger. Also plenty of room for portables.

I still have to cut the holes in. I wanted to do them myself so I can put them where I want them, not where someone else thinks they should go.

Today I finished up putting hardware on the cabinet doors. 38 knobs and pull handles lol. I’m never going to be able to find anything

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Holy $h1t B-man that looks rather large.I think i would want 20″ at least before i head out on the ice.