City of Isle
Isle Minnesota was founded over 100 years ago on the southeast shore of Lake Mille Lacs, and has kept its small town appeal with a population of 750 people. The town was first created by a lumber tycoon for its large stands of white oaks, but slowly earned a reputation as a resort town due to its claim of being “The Walleye Capital of the World”. Isle is located 1 ½ hours north of the twin cities, which is in most vehicles less than a tank of gas, making it a great place for a weekend getaway. McQuoid’s Inn is a short quarter mile north of town, making it an easy and convenient run for anything you may have forgotten at home.
The town has many local businesses that can accommodate many of your needs. Our local grocery store is Teal’s Market; They have a small bakery, deli section, florist, a good selection of meats for your grill, frozen foods, and many of the extra toiletries and commodities you may need. The Mille Lacs Health System Community Pharmacy here can fill a forgotten prescription. Isle Bowl and Pizza is a great place to pass a rainy day, and their pizza is nothing short of phenomenal. Isle Bakery has fresh doughnuts and rolls, and can easily take custom orders for a cake if you are here for a birthday, anniversary, or wedding. Isle also has a Mille Lacs Health Care System Clinic, a Hardware Hank store, a Library, a post office, and other various small businesses. There are several restaurants in the area that our front desk can recommend if you are looking for a great place to eat out.
Along with its basic stores, Isle has some great specialty shops. The Unique Boutique, The Bear’s Den, and Someday Isle are all great places to find Northwood’s treasures, gifts, or souvenirs. Most of these shops offer great holiday and seasonal items and gifts. Stop by Snacks on Mille Lacs for a latte and sandwich, or sit down for family brunch at Goody’s Corner Cafe. Isle also has a weekend Flea Market and Farmer’s Market during the summer and early fall months. It’s just a short drive to other small towns in the area that have other specialty shops as well. The Country Caboose Quilt Shop four miles south in Wahkon is a great example. Stop by our front desk and ask about some of these other towns in the area!
If you are looking for other outdoor adventures Isle has a city park, two state parks located nearby, three state forests, and two wildlife management areas. The city park downtown has a large pirate ship playground that is state of the art, with sound making devices and plenty of places to climb, swing, and slide. It has a great sandy beach with plenty of area to go swimming. Isle is also home to Father Hennepin State Park. The park has hiking and biking trails, geocaching adventures, naturalist activities throughout the summer, and a great view of the sunset. Father Hennepin is also one of the best places to find the Isle area’s famous albino deer. Just outside of Isle you can find Kathio State Park, located 20 miles away on the lake’s west side. It offers the same amenities as Father Hennepin state park, but is larger and offers some extras such as horseback trails, canoe and boat rentals, a fire tower to climb, a hiking club, and a naturalist center. These are great places to be wild and get away from people without going any further north- hidden gems in central Minnesota!