Sharing the Love at Wildwood Resort!
Back in August I asked our Facebook fans to tell us their favorite things about Wildwood. As usual, our people came through in a BIG way and as I look back at their responses and pictures they shared I can’t help the big smile on my face. Seriously, our guests are just the best ever!!
So here it is – our list of the Top 10 Things Guests Love About Wildwood Resort:
1. SUNSETS– I probably could have guessed that this would top the list since most of our guests confess to having thousands of photos of the setting sun. Since we face the west we have a front row seat for some of God’s most amazing masterpieces. Sometimes they are awe-inspiring with vibrant, warm colors and at other times they are washed in cool, vivid colors that are peaceful and serene. Partly cloudy skies often make them more dramatic and something as odd as the Canadian wildfires can turn them blood red. Each one is a work of art!
2. FAMILY TIME – There’s something special about a Minnesota family vacation. It’s not a like a week-long car ride to the Black Hills and it’s not like an active-every-minute trip to Disney. It’s an experience as individual as the families that head north and as unique as the Minnesota resort at which you stay. Our families come in all shapes, sizes and colors and some are families-by-choice rather than blood relatives. But one thing remains the same across all of them – time spent together is treasured.
3. FISHING– We’ve seen all kinds of fishermen in our time here. Some are novice and some are expert. Some fish for dinner and some fish for sport. But ALL of them fish for the love of being out on the lake, for the thrill of “the big one” and for the tale that’s told long after vacation is over!
4. CABINS– When we bought Wildwood in 1999 we had 9 traditional, summer cabins and a dream of making Wildwood a year round Minnesota resort. I’m not sure that we really believed we would make that dream a reality! But here we are almost 20 years later with everything for which we hoped. We love being able to welcome guests year round into cabins that we hope feel like their home “Up North.”
5. CAMPFIRES – What would a night by the lake be without a campfire?! I love the smell of a campfire and based on the Facebook votes for this “favorite thing” I’m clearly not alone. We go through a lot of firewood (says Jay!) in a summer but I think the results of this poll indicate that he should just keep splitting and stacking that wood. Summer is only 7 months away….
6. MEMORIES & TRADITIONS – The older we get the more we appreciate #6 on this list. Many of our guests have been vacationing at Wildwood for decades and we love to hear their stories. But don’t think reminiscing is just for those with significant birthdays behind them. Even the resort kids love to talk about vacation friends they’ve met, epic waterskiing fails and the big fish that live on in their memories. And don’t even get me started on the kids’ traditions – one year I tried to make something other than goulash for the weekly potluck and I was almost run off the property! There is power in our past experiences and we savor sweet memories through stories, photos and, hopefully, annual visits back to to the source.
7. PLAYING ON BASS LAKE – There’s an 1960s Wildwood postcard that I love because it shows guests on the beach under a blue sky with wooden docks and flat-bottom boats in the background. I often wish I could step into old photos like that one and experience the resort as it was 60 years ago. The setting would be different and the cars & clothing would be a hoot but I’m sure that it would all feel strangely familiar because in all the years between then and now the important things haven’t changed. The sun still beats down from an impossibly blue sky while families play and relax by the lake. While time marches on it’s good that some things stay the same!
8. PEACE– Whenever people compliment us on the beauty and peace they find here I always say the same thing: it’s really got nothing to do with us. There is simply a peace here that originates with the Creator.
9. TRAILS– We have lots of people that come here year round to enjoy the amazing trails in our area. There are hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails and ATV trails. The Mesabi Bike Trail stretches from Grand Rapids to Ely with 120 miles (of the 155 total miles) paved. The trail is used not only by bikers but also by walkers, runners and skaters! Add to that the many hiking trails in Itasca County and it’s clear that we’re right smack in the middle of an explorer’s paradise.
10. KIDS’ ACTIVITIES – This one is a fav of mine, too. Between mid-June and mid-August we offer supervised kids’ activities. The activities are headed up by a fun and creative leader who spends a few hours each summer week with our resort kids playing, crafting and, of course, face painting!
There you have it! The 10 best things about Wildwood Resort as reported by the people who know best – our guests! There is no better group of people on the planet than those who stay with us. Through their love of this place they remind us to appreciate our life at Wildwood. We’re so blessed!
Many thanks to all our Facebookers who contributed to this blog!
Kim & Jay