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GETAWAY
Escape to Detroit Lakes
Where recreation and relaxation come in equal measure
BEST WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
BY SHEL ZOLKEWICH
TELL PEOPLE YOU’RE HEADED to Detroit
Lakes, Minnesota and you’re likely to
be met with a raised eyebrow or two.
“I think you mean Michigan,” a friend
might chide. But the North Star state
is indeed home to Detroit Lakes, a
scenic spot more than 1,400 kilometres from the better-known metropolis that partially shares its name.
So what’s the connection? Back in
1871, the Northern Pacific Railway
blasted through the Minnesota wilderness and a community was born.
At first, the settlement was simply
called Detroit, so named by a French
Catholic priest who was camping on
the shoreline, admiring his view of
a sandbar in the distance. “Détroit,”
he said, referring, en français, to a
strait—a narrow, crossable passage.
Before long, postal mixups with
Detroit, Michigan became intolerable, and in 1926, the Minnesota town’s
residents formally added “Lakes” to
its name. The change made sense—
after all, the town is huddled along
the north shore of Detroit Lake.
Today, Detroit Lakes is a picturesque resort community about 400
kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.
Its curving West Lake Drive separates a public beach and marina from
shops and restaurants with sprawling
patios. It’s an outdoorsy kind of place
where you can fish, cruise in a pontoon boat or spread a blanket on the
sand and wait for a spectacular sunset.
Active Escapes
If you prefer a more lively getaway,
hop on a fat-tire bike and head for
Detroit Mountain. Just don’t expect
your ride to be a walk in the park.
None of the trails are easy; they all
require a certain degree of bike control
and physical endurance. But there’s a
serious rush to be had in tackling the
creatively named tracks—Shakedown
Street and More Cowbell among them.
In winter, serious downhill skiers
won’t be disappointed by runs like
CAA MANITOBA
SPRING 2016
59