Resort Meeting and Conference Event Venues – Not your same old Minnesota corporate retreat.

It used to be the term “corporate retreat” brought to mind nightmarish thoughts of miniscule cabins, outhouses, dinner-plate sized spiders, and the threat of itchy, swollen rashes from fungi encountered while hiking through the woods. Thank goodness things have changed. In fact, if you book your next corporate retreat at any one of these venues, your guests will experience a dream-come-true event and quite likely, tweet their friends and families that they’re never leaving. At least, not for a while.

Go jump in the lake

Minnesota is most surely the land of luxurious lakeside resorts. Comfortable rooms, an indulgent spa, a championship golf course, indoor water park, riding stables, fully-equipped marina and more than 28,000 square feet of meeting space can be found on the gorgeous sprawling acres of Arrowwood Resort + Conference Center in Alexandria. Just two hours from the Twin Cities, and located near Carlos Creek Winery and the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum, Arrowwood offers your guests outstanding accommodations and activities year round.

Looking for sweet breezes, waves lapping on the shore and spectacular views? Check out Breezy Point Resort + Conference Center in Breezy Point. Then check in to enjoy this classic, four-season resort that offers spacious rooms, fabulous food from its four on-site restaurants, and a state of the art conference center for groups of up to 450. Here your corporate retreat can incorporate golf at one of three courses plus boating, beach time or even biking.

For a grand old time, nothing beats Grand View Lodge in Nisswa. With breathtaking surroundings and outstanding service, your corporate retreat will be a huge success. Especially when your attendees take in a round of golf at one of the resort’s three championship courses. Or relax and revive at the glacial waters spa. Or surrender to the temptations of steak, seafood or even burgers and fries from one the resort’s seven on-site restaurants.

Madden's on Gull Lake in Brainerd has become a destination of choice for corporate retreats, with a national reputation for professional service, stunning landscapes, unparalleled accommodations and meeting space for up to 800. With more than 1000 acres of Northwood’s beauty for hiking or biking, miles of Gull Lake shoreline for swimming or boating, plus spa, tennis courts and more, your guests will never be bored. Tired? Yes. Bored? Never.

For more than a century, Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood has been delighting its guests with their hospitality, accommodations and one of the most scenic corporate event spaces in Minnesota. A seemingly endless list of possible activities include golf, boating, waterskiing, fishing, sailing, spa treatments and custom-designed activities for your group. With choices that include everything from a kayak excursion to an outdoor movie to a big bonfire, activities here will inspire your team and nurture a sense of camaraderie.

For a really superior experience, why not book your retreat at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors? With meeting space for up to 175, lakeside lodging, on-site restaurant and full-service catering, could it get any more grand? As a matter of fact, it could. With beautifully rustic accommodations, plus biking, skiing, dog sledding, guided fishing, golf, hiking, and pool, your guests will truly appreciate the massages available at the onsite spa.

Though it’s not technically on a lake, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake is still a premier place to jump right in and enjoy. Featuring 67,000 square feet of meeting space, top-of-the line technology options, first-class catering, ten bars and restaurants onsite, 600 beautifully appointed rooms -- and oh, yes…gambling too --you’ll find that business is a pleasure here.

Your event will hit new heights at Shooting Star Casino, Hotel and Event Center in Mahnomen. Everything you need is within reach here, including 30,000 square feet of meeting space, Las Vegas style gaming, big name entertainment, luxurious rooms, soothing spa and four restaurants.

And whether your group hoofs it to Hinckley or moseys to Mille Lacs, you can bet you’ll find thousands of square feet of meeting space, hundreds of comfy rooms and suites, dozens of delicious cuisine options, plus a plethora of exciting gaming choices at either Grand Casino location.

The Minnesota corporate retreat has come a long way in the past twenty or thirty years. But fortunately, when planning your next one, you won’t have to go very far to find something extraordinary.