Memorial Weekend last minute getaway

So, some single girlfriends and myself have decided we want to head out of town this weekend but we aren%26#39;t sure where to go.

We%26#39;d like to go somewhere within a 5 hour drive that has shopping and a nightlife. The general plan is to leave Sat. AM.

We were thinking up North (we live in the TC) because we thought there might be some towns flooded with vacationers that would be fun.

Any suggestions?

Memorial Weekend last minute getaway

Without knowing what kind of nightlife you%26#39;re looking for, I%26#39;d suggest Nisswa and Breezy Point. Pretty easy drive -- defnitely under 5 hours.

There%26#39;s a bar just outside the Breezy Point resort called the Commander, which I like quite abit.

But I don%26#39;t know if that fits the type of nightlife you%26#39;re looking for. It%26#39;s a two-level bar with pulltabs and pool on the bottom and a little more live music potential upstairs.

That%26#39;s what came to mind at least.

Memorial Weekend last minute getaway

Something that is a bar more than a danceclub.

We%26#39;d just like to get out of town and hopefully there will be some busy bars around after we get dinner.

You can try Googling- Hurley WI night life -and see if anything looks interesting to you.

I don%26#39;t think they have 57 bars like in the old days.

The area of Hayward, WI is nice. only two and a half hour from the Twin Cities.

There are several nice restaurants in town...my favorte being The Pavillion in downtown Hayward....check out the Turk%26#39;s Inn for martinis and some local History.

There are two gusts house in town...although I think that if you don%26#39;t have resrvations already you might be a little bit late.

Have a ncie weekend!

Yes, the Commander was far from a dance club when I%26#39;ve been there. And if the upstairs ever got too clubbified for you, you can always go downstairs. It%26#39;s a big place.

That%26#39;s near Breezy Point, not far from Nisswa, which has a bunch of bars as well. I think you could make a weekend of bar hopping for sure.

One option at least.

Another spot that is really fun, but right at your five hour drive limit, is Galena, IL - even though it%26#39;s south and will most likely be crowded as the city is a popular get-a-way for Chicagoans. Think of Stillwater but much larger, it has great downtown shopping, pubs, and restaurants.

It also doubles as Chisolm,

MN....at least in the movie Field Of Dreams. :)

http://www.galena.org/

A few thoughts too add to the Breezy Point answer:

There are a lot of fun bars in the area, some of our favorite are in the Crosslake area The Wharf, Moonlight Bay, Manhattan Beach Lodge for DJ music. The Log Jam for live music (Tim Mahoney is playing on the 27th). Some people like Zorbaz, but its not my favorite. We love the Old Mikwaukee Club in Ideal Corners (10 min from Breezy Point). Classic up north bar with cheap drinks, pool, darts, and a good juke box.

Breezy Point is a nice place, not a lot to do in the immediate area, but a lovely setting. The Commander is fine. It gets a little packed for my liking... Primetime is just down the road and it%26#39;s more of what I like. It is not as big as The Commander but they do usually have a band upstairs with a little dance floor if you are into that type of thing. Breezy Point Resort on Pelican Lake would be the place to stay. The Commander has a motel attached to it and there is also one across the street... Both of which I would not recommend. Breezy Point Resort is within walking distace.

Otherwise there is Ruttger%26#39;s Bay Lake Lodge just south of Deerwood. Lots of different accommodations to choose from. There are restaurants and bars on site as well as lots of little mom %26amp; pop places in the area. Although the bars on site aren%26#39;t really some place you%26#39;d want to hang out for the night as they can be a little... Low key. Lonesome Pine is an awesome place for a nice dinner and some drinks and it%26#39;s just a few miles away. Sometimes they have a band, I really like that place. In Deerwood about 5 miles away there is Coach%26#39;s Corner and The Deerstand, both sportsy bars.

There are also lots of places to stay in Brainerd/Baxter. There you will have not only a little more night life, but also some shopping options. And it%26#39;s just a few minutes drive to Nisswa where there are lots of little up-northy stores and unique gift shops. I would recommend Comfort Suites, Holiday Inn Express or The Lodge. The Lodge has an attached restaurant, Rockwoods, that is pretty good.

If you really want to be in the action (well, compared to the above options anyway), head to Canal Park in Duluth. The Inn on Lake Superior, Canal Park Lodge, Hampton Inn or Comfort Suites.

I%26#39;m pretty sure the Log Jam changed back into The Excahnge... Unless it changed back again. Crosslake is a nice place to stay too. There is a nice hotel up there... Whitefish something I think? I%26#39;ve eaten at Moonlite Bay many times... Good food and a decent atmosphere. It can get pretty packed on holiday weekends. I%26#39;m betting they%26#39;d have a band too.