Iowa is home to numerous lakes across the entire state. The state’s most famous lakes are located in the Iowa Great Lakes region, spanning from the Minnesota order southwest, according to the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. The glacier-carved lakes include Spirit Lake West Okoboji, East Okoboji, Upper Gar, Lower Gar and Minnewashta. Resorts can be found at most of the state’s lakes featuring hotels, cabins and campsites.
Bridges Bay Resort features furnished two- and three-bedroom condominiums that can accommodate up to 12 people. Each condominium offers access to Lake Okoboji and features a kitchen, living room with a sofa sleeper, gas fireplace and private deck or patio.
Resort condominiums are connected to the Boji Splash Indoor Water Park and Crazy Parrot Cantina Snack Bar. Water park passes are included with each rental. The resort recently added a new outdoor pool featuring Bracco, swim-up pool bar.
Bridges Bay Resort
630 Linden Drive
Okoboji, IA
800-727-4561
bridgesbayresort.com
The 850-acre Honey Creek Resort State Park opened in 2008 just 90 minutes from Des Moines. The resort includes access to the 11,000-acre Lake Rathbun--the second largest lake in Iowa--one- to four-bedroom cabins, a 105-room hotel, lodge, outdoor patio, indoor water park, conference center and 18-hole golf course.
Lake Rathbun is surrounded by forests, prairies and wetlands preserved by the Army Corps of Engineers. Bald eagles, white-tailed deer, birds and other wildlife are prevalent in the area.
Resort amenities include a 50-slip boat dock, water sports, bike rentals, a multi-purpose trail system and Buccaneer Bay Indoor Water Park. Passes to the water park depend on your accommodations.
Honey Creek Resort State Park
12633 Resort Drive
Moravia, IA
877-677-3344
honeycreekresort.com
King’s Point Resort recently added new Sunrise Park Cottages in 2010. Located on the 3,200-acre Storm Lake, the resort also features 100 guest rooms and suites with complimentary wireless and wired Internet access.
Additional resort amenities include an arcade, fitness center, bike rentals, fishing guide services, walk paths and indoor and outdoor water parks. Admission for the outdoor and indoor water parks is $14 for adults and $10 for children as of 2010. Children under the age 3 are free.
King’s Point Resort
1520 East Lakeshore Drive
Storm Lake, IA
712-213-4500
kingspointeresort.com
The Redwood Resort is located in the Iowa Great Lakes region on Lost Island Lake. The resort features 65 campsites, single cabins, small-sized, two-bedroom cabins, large-sized, two-bedroom cabins and house rentals that can sleep up to 14 people.
Redwood Resort
3524 330th St.
Ruthven, IA
712-837-4481
redwoodatlostisland.com
Lake’s End Cabin Resort offers newly built, one-room cabins and bunkhouses on the upper end of Lake Delhi, about 6 miles from Manchester and Delhi. Resort amenities include a riverfront common area, patio furniture and fire pit, a beach area, a boat dock and canoe and paddleboat rentals.
Lake’s End Cabin Resort
20105 247th St.
Manchester, IA
563-922-2649
lakesendcabins.com
