Where Would You Rather be in 2023, than RENDEZVOUS!

by Scott Wakefield

With an abundance of snow, and a well-established trail system, great parks and abundant trail stops, Hinckley, Minnesota is about halfway between Duluth and the Twin Cities, making it an excellent destination for a snowmobile day trip or for a weekend.

And what a weekend we have planned for you! Our destination for the weekend is Grand Casino Hinckley. If you have never been to Grand Casino, you’re in for a treat with the amenities they offer. At Grand Harmony Spa, just steps from the front desk, you can warm up those snowmobile riding muscles, or work them up in the fitness center, or jump into the indoor swimming pool with raised whirlpool area. They also offer complimentary high-speed wireless internet so you can keep up with the latest during your stay, five delicious restaurants within the casino, and shopping at Grand Gifts. There’s 24-hour security with K-9 “Jet” patrolling the property, and a secure snowmobile parking corral, so you can sleep with complete confidence that someone is watching your sled. And of course, if you so desire, a chance with lady luck—with a 300-seat bingo hall, 2,400 slots, and a large pull-tab booth area with games from 50 cents to $5.

Hotel check-in begins at 4pm and check-out is 11am. A fee is charged if you depart later than 11am.

Riding opportunities abound! With close proximity to the St. Croix and Banning state parks and Willard Munger State Trail, you will have endless options and directions to go from our home base of Grand Casino. Thursday night will start off with a reception with a cash bar, and time to get settled in and acclimated to your surroundings. Friday begins with the VIP ride (separate fee) with an opportunity to ride with your local elected officials, other elected officials, DNR staff, and other guests. We will congregate at a designated location in the park for lunch. You can decide if you want to head back to the casino or continue to ride that afternoon. Friday evening enjoy a reception and dinner, and I’m sure there will be some activities planned within the group; stay tuned for details.

On Saturday, we will start with a welcome meeting and discussion regarding the planned guided trail rides for the day. There will be a variety of trail rides available depending on experience level—those who want to go 25 miles and those who want to go 125 miles, and so on. We look forward to full day of riding; hopefully we will get back in time for a social hour, followed by the banquet on Saturday night. A delicious meal will be prepared by Grand Casino. The evening also includes program and awards, and will finish with a “live” auction, which should be a fun time. Rumor has it, a few prized MnUSA cookbooks, once extinct, have now been found!

Sunday we will awaken to a new day and our schedule we will have a General Membership meeting take a break and finish our exciting weekend with the Board of Directors meeting. And then unfortunately we will have to load up and head home, but one can always recall the great memories, we all had by letting, “our story begin at Grand Casino Hinckley.”