From cozy horse-drawn wagon rides and twinkling Christmas lights to ice skating, let’s get in the holiday spirit!

November 14, 2019
Holidays, Family Fun, Packages

Imagine a stress-free holiday—where you can let someone else do the cooking, and even clean up after too! Spend this upcoming holiday season here with us at Grand View Lodge and experience just that. Enjoy a multitude of exciting activities, delicious dinners, and all the family-fun that you and your loved ones can imagine. Let us host you and your family for your best holiday season yet! This will be a holiday tradition that everyone will be sure to want to continue for years to come.

If you are one that loves to host, do not miss out! We have cabins available for up to 20 people so families of all sizes can spend the holidays making memories together. Prepare that delicious Thanksgiving turkey in a spacious kitchen and then enjoy the many activities we have right on site such as our new NorthPark recreation center, snowshoe, and cross-country ski trails (weather permitting), and much more. Book your stay at Grand View Lodge for the family, a couples getaway, or a weekend reconnecting with friends, with our two great packages for the upcoming holiday season: A Grand Thanksgiving and Grand Holidays.

A Grand Thanksgiving November 24th – 30th | Starting at $160/night
We are offering a Grand Thanksgiving package throughout the week of Thanksgiving. Enjoy the inclusive all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving Buffet end enhanced activities to kick off the holiday season! Partake in the iconic Nisswa City of Lights, go skating or play a game of hockey on our lighted ice rinks, ski the slopes at Mount Ski Gull for a reduced rate (if the season allows), and much more!

Deluxe lodging with breakfast buffet daily
Thursday Thanksgiving Buffet (included in Wed. night stays)
Nisswa City of Lights
Waterfront pool, hot tubs, and water slide
Snowshoe and cross country ski trails (complimentary equipment rentals)
Scheduled family fun activities
15% off ski, snowboard, or tubing pass at Mount Ski Gull
NorthPark: indoor pool with swim lanes, hot tubs, and water slide, fitness center, yoga studio, Wellbeats™ fitness, lighted ice skating and hockey rinks (weather permitting)

Book Package | Sample Activity Schedule

Nisswa City of Lights – Friday, November 29th
A great holiday tradition for the whole family! The city of Nisswa is transformed into a winter wonderland with dazzling lights and holiday spirit. The annual event begins in the afternoon the day after Thanksgiving with horse-drawn wagon rides, photo opportunities with live reindeer, holiday storytelling, warm bonfires, and delicious holiday foods and beverages. The city will be illuminated as the countdown begins and the Christmas lights are ignited. Make sure to stick around for a unique winter fireworks display to end the night.

Schedule of Events
2:00 pm – Main Street closes (no parking!) – Big Ax Brewery to Main Street Ale House.
Food Vendors on Main Street. Seating available.
2:00 pm – Bonfires will be lit (Paul Bunyan Trail & Main Street)
2:00-4:00 pm – Write a letter to Santa (Nisswa Chamber office)
2:30-7:00 pm – Horse-drawn wagon rides (Nisswa Square)
3:00 pm – Storytelling – Turtle Town Books & Gifts
3:30 pm – Polar Express Storytelling (Caboose) limited seating
4:00 pm – Polar Express Storytelling (Caboose) limited seating
4:00-5:45 pm – Santa in the Nisswa Square Courtyard
4:00-7:00 pm – Family photos at The Schoolhouse
Live Reindeer – Turtle track parking lot (East side of the Chamber)
Strolling Carolers throughout downtown
4:00-7:30 pm – Warming House (Journey Church)
4:30 pm – Polar Express Storytelling (Caboose) limited seating
4:45 pm – Hot Cider & Mini Donuts (Pioneer Village) FREE
Luminary Walk (Pioneer Village)
4:45-7:00 pm – Kids Crafts with Black Bear 4-H Club (Pioneer Village Summer Kitchen)
5:00 pm – Polar Express Storytelling (Caboose) limited seating
5:00-6:00 pm – Legacy Chorale Carolers (Nisswa Square)
5:00-7:00 pm – Live Nativity Scene by Lake Country Parish Youth (Pioneer Village)
5:30 pm – COUNTDOWN FOR LIGHTING DISPLAY!
5:30 -6:00 pm – Holiday Carolers (Gazebo)
5:45 pm – “Love Lights a Tree” ceremony – Good Sam Communities (Pioneer Village)
6:00 pm – SANTA ARRIVES IN THE GAZEBO!
7:30 pm – FIREWORKS! (Nisswa Community Center)

Downtown Nisswa Holiday Buttons
Promoting “Shop Local” during the holidays, kicking off at the Nisswa City of Light celebration on November 29th and extending through December 31st. Enjoy discounts and special offers at stores throughout the Brainerd Lakes Area when you purchase a Nisswa City of Lights button for $5.00. Buttons can be purchased at the Nisswa Chamber Welcome Center.

Grand Holidays December 20th - January 3rd | Starting at $160/night
Get into the spirit of the holiday season with us at Grand View Lodge and enjoy a holiday you and your family will never forget. See your family member’s faces light up as they enjoy all the holiday traditions like warm and cozy fires, snowy sleigh rides, and more. With the Grand View Lodge Grand Holidays package, you will be able to spend a vacation full of holiday spirit, without the stress and planning of hosting a holiday at home. The Grand Holidays package runs from just before Christmas until after the New Year’s holiday. Spend the holidays in one of our rentable state-of-the-art multi-bedroom cabins that provide space for the whole family for unwrapping gifts, playing games, and spending time with those that mean the most. Your family will never forget the memories made participating in the multitude of fun holiday activities available throughout the resort, from horse-drawn wagon rides to ice fishing and more. Also, enjoy all that the area has to offer by paying a visit to iconic downtown Nisswa and taking in the shops lined with magical Christmas lights or hit the slopes at Mount Ski Gull (if the season allows).

Don’t forget to sign-up for the Elf Cabin visit. Your kids will love meeting and getting their picture taken with real-live elves. This unique experience will be sure to get you and your family in the holiday spirit!

Deluxe lodging with breakfast buffet daily
Waterfront pool, hot tubs, and water slide
Snowshoe and cross country ski trails (complimentary equipment rentals)
Scheduled family fun activities
15% off ski, snowboard, or tubing pass at Mount Ski Gull
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day buffets (additional cost)
New Year’s Eve buffet
NorthPark: indoor pool with swim lanes, hot tubs, and water slide, fitness center, yoga studio, Wellbeats™ fitness, lighted ice skating and hockey rinks

Book Package | Sample Activity Schedule

Experience all the fun that winter has to offer right here at Grand View Lodge!
Even though when many people think of Grand View Lodge they think of summer, golf, and fun on the lake; winter offers just as many fun activities and memories to be made!

Bonfire and S’mores - Warm up by an outdoor fire and experience that warm, cozy feeling that only a wood fire can bring. Also, it doesn’t have to be summer to enjoy a delicious s’more!
Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing – Indulge in the beautiful Minnesota winters by strapping on your skis or snowshoes. Explore over 20 kilometers of groomed cross-country ski trails surrounding the resort. Snowshoes and cross-country skis can be rented free of charge by guests.
Snowmobiling – Bring your own snowmobile or rent one from our friends at Boats & Beyond Rentals and explore the hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails surrounding Grand View.
Horse-Drawn Rides – Two beautiful Clydesdales will take you on a magical ride through the Grand View Lodge property. Be transported into a winter wonderland as you listen to the clip-clop of their hooves and the jingle of the horse’s harnesses.
Ice-Skating Rinks – Take a leisurely skate around our illuminated ice-skating rinks hand-in-hand with your loved ones. If you want to get competitive, challenge your friends or family in a game of hockey or broomball. You will never forget the memories and laughs that are sure to follow!
Ice Fishing – Rent one of our fish houses or bring your own. Make life-long memories with your loved ones as they reel in that big fish!
Pools and Hot Tubs – If you are still yearning for that fun by the pool, look no further! Our Waterfront Pool and new NorthPark offer two large indoor pools and multiple hot tubs. Make sure to spend some time in our year-round outdoor hot tub, the biggest in Minnesota!

You will never forget the priceless family memories made here at Grand View Lodge this holiday season. With the multitude of activities and events for all ages, there is sure to be something for everyone. Let us help you create a memorable and stress-free holiday tradition that you will be sure to want to continue well into the future. Join us this holiday season for a vacation you will never forget!