houseboat rental in northern MN
Sep 27th, 2005, 07:50 AM
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houseboat rental in northern MN
I would love to get some feedback from ANYONE who has rented a houseboat in northern MN. Where did you rent? Was it worth it? Pros...Cons...
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
Sep 27th, 2005, 10:44 AM
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Yes to any of the northern lakes. I'm looking for feedback on ANY houseboat rental in the northern half of the state. If you've rented a houseboat, tell me where, the good and the bad. e.g., Birch Lake, Cross Lake, Lake of the Woods, Lake Vermilion, Leech Lake, Rainy Lake, Voyageurs National Park, etc. I realize it's an ambiguous question, but limiting my question to one lake, is too limiting...
Thanks in advance for any response.
Thanks in advance for any response.
Nov 29th, 2005, 03:51 PM
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You hit the jackpot! 10 of us rented a houseboat last August (2004) in Voyageurs Natl. Park. My sister's family of 4, my family of 4, and my parents. We had a huge houseboat, and rented it from Ebels ( you can find it online). We were prepared to fish like crazy, and the fish refused to cooperate! And it was terribly, unusually cold for August- we were there for a week- mostly on Rainy Lake. We had days of rain, pouring rain! However, despite both of those setbacks, we had a wonderful time. The area is pristinely beautiful- I truly can't describe it adequately.
The rental for the houseboat was quite expensive, but we did get the deluxe model, which we are thankful that we did, because 7 days on a houseboat is a fair amount of togetherness time! And we did have our moments! The houseboat had a slide, and despite the very cold temps, we probably slid every night, and the kids enjoyed the hot tub. If you do decide to go, remember to factor in the price of gas- we really motored around a lot, and the gas bill was enormous. Because our boat was the largest one, it was a little tricky backing into some of the campsites. There are some prime, private campsites with nice beaches, which the person at Ebels can circle for you on the map- they are worth getting to early in the day, as the competition can increase as people look for a site later in the day.
There are several spots on Rainy Lake where you can get out and hike, which we did, and really enjoyed- we neeeded the exercise. There were certain spots on the Lake where we were totally alone, and other spots where we saw lots of houseboats.
The houseboat was well equipped, including mice. We discovered the stowaways on the 2nd night- listening on the boat's radio, we discovered we weren't the only houseboat with extras on board. Apparently because it was so unusually cold, they were coming on board via the mooring ropes!! Ebels brought us mousetraps, and we put plastic plates around the ropes at night to try to ward them off. Added a little unwanted excitement!
Most of our group would say it was definitely worth the money. The only thing that would prevent us from going again is that all three of we women suffered severe dizziness and swaying for weeks afterward. We were unable to get our land legs back. I finally researched it online, and found that we weren't alone- it's really a fairly interesting 'disorder', but it was very disruptive to our daily lives. Disruptive enough that my mom and sister will never go again. Some people say that they never lose the sensation. That would be the only con I can think of- we have wonderful memories, and it's one of the most beautiful places I've been, and we've travelled extensively. I would take advantage of it before it too gets ruined as so many places do. Enjoy!
The rental for the houseboat was quite expensive, but we did get the deluxe model, which we are thankful that we did, because 7 days on a houseboat is a fair amount of togetherness time! And we did have our moments! The houseboat had a slide, and despite the very cold temps, we probably slid every night, and the kids enjoyed the hot tub. If you do decide to go, remember to factor in the price of gas- we really motored around a lot, and the gas bill was enormous. Because our boat was the largest one, it was a little tricky backing into some of the campsites. There are some prime, private campsites with nice beaches, which the person at Ebels can circle for you on the map- they are worth getting to early in the day, as the competition can increase as people look for a site later in the day.
There are several spots on Rainy Lake where you can get out and hike, which we did, and really enjoyed- we neeeded the exercise. There were certain spots on the Lake where we were totally alone, and other spots where we saw lots of houseboats.
The houseboat was well equipped, including mice. We discovered the stowaways on the 2nd night- listening on the boat's radio, we discovered we weren't the only houseboat with extras on board. Apparently because it was so unusually cold, they were coming on board via the mooring ropes!! Ebels brought us mousetraps, and we put plastic plates around the ropes at night to try to ward them off. Added a little unwanted excitement!
Most of our group would say it was definitely worth the money. The only thing that would prevent us from going again is that all three of we women suffered severe dizziness and swaying for weeks afterward. We were unable to get our land legs back. I finally researched it online, and found that we weren't alone- it's really a fairly interesting 'disorder', but it was very disruptive to our daily lives. Disruptive enough that my mom and sister will never go again. Some people say that they never lose the sensation. That would be the only con I can think of- we have wonderful memories, and it's one of the most beautiful places I've been, and we've travelled extensively. I would take advantage of it before it too gets ruined as so many places do. Enjoy!
Nov 29th, 2005, 05:51 PM
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About 5 years ago our extended family of 10 rented a houseboat from Voyageurs(sp?) in Crane Lake,up in the Boundary Waters area. It was a great trip, although a little cool even in August. Our boat had a slide which the kids loved. Went hiking,fishing etc. and even saw a wolf chasing a deer ( the deer escaped by swimming to another island).
Just remember that a boat that sleeps 10 really doesn't! You need to upgrade in that department. And even the best boats can have a mouse or two- you are in the wilderness after all. Oh, and at that time our cell phones didn't work- whether that's a pro or con is debatable. I really enjoyed the experience and would do it again.
Just remember that a boat that sleeps 10 really doesn't! You need to upgrade in that department. And even the best boats can have a mouse or two- you are in the wilderness after all. Oh, and at that time our cell phones didn't work- whether that's a pro or con is debatable. I really enjoyed the experience and would do it again.
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