Minnetonka Beach

Welcome to Minnetonka Beach

Laidback lakeshore getaway with famous attractions

Minnetonka Beach is a unique lakeshore community on Lake Minnetonka that juts out into the lake’s waters on a boot-shaped peninsula. Minnetonka Beach was first developed as a resort community in the late 19th century and was considered one of Lake Minnetonka’s most exclusive getaways. The grand hotels were later replaced with stunning lakeshore homes, and this idyllic community is now almost entirely residential. The Lafayette Club remains as a reminder of Minnetonka Beach’s earlier resort years with its golf course and clubhouse offering spectacular views over Crystal Bay. Minnetonka Beach’s other attractions include lots of open space and parkland, along with the sandy swimming stretch known as The Beach.

Minnetonka Beach is one of Minnesota’s smallest incorporated cities, featuring around 230 properties. The communities’ unique geography means a majority of its properties are located on the lakeshore. Minnetonka Beach’s luxurious homes are among Lake Minnetonka’s largest and most spectacular real estate.

What to Love

• Exclusive community
• Surrounded by the lake
• Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge
• The Lafayette Club

People & Lifestyle

Minnetonka Beach is home to some of Lake Minnetonka’s most famous recreation spots, including the golf course at the historic Lafayette Club and the sprawling outdoor patio at Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge. This is a laidback community where lake-based recreation is at the heart of everything.

Dining, Entertainment & Shopping

A short drive west of Minnetonka Beach along Shadywood Road, Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge is one of the best spots to relax and take in the Lake Minnetonka scenery. A local favorite since 1968, Lord Fletcher’s has several indoor dining spaces and an expansive outdoor patio lined with boat slips. Enjoy exceptional chef-driven dinnertime eats in the rustic main dining room, or head to The Oar House for more casual eating and dining in a sports bar setting with 10 screens. Lord Fletcher’s signature space is the expansive outdoor Wharf, which has seating for 400 people. The Wharf is equipped with three bars, three sand volleyball courts, and over 100 boat slips. Open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Wharf is one of the best places on Lake Minnetonka to people watch. On Thursdays through Sundays, the Wharf showcases live music from a varied lineup of bands and musicians.

Things to Do

The historic Lafayette Club covers 38 gorgeous acres of rolling hills, tall trees, and open lawns with sweeping Lake Minnetonka views. The Lafayette Club first opened in 1882 and was quickly acclaimed “the finest hotel west of New York City.” Early visitors to the Lafayette Club included Presidents Chester Arthur and William Howard Taft, Vice President Adlai Stevenson, and General Ulysses S. Grant. The 1925 Spanish-style clubhouse offers members fine and casual dining spaces, aquatics and fitness centers, and a recently-renovated members’ lounge. Other amenities at the Lafayette Club include a nine-hole golf course with exquisite lakeside views, an outdoor pool, tennis courts, and boat docks. The club organizes many special events throughout the year including family bingo nights, a children’s Halloween party, and a spectacular end-of-summer fireworks display. During the summer, the club runs a variety of special programs for kids that include a junior golf league, junior tennis academy, and swim teams.

Schools

Minnetonka Beach is zoned to the Orono and Westonka Public School Districts. Highlights include:

• Hilltop Primary School, Public, K-4
• Shirley Hills Primary School, Public, K-4
• Orono Intermediate Elementary School, Public, 3-5
• Grandview Middle School, Public, 5-7
• Orono Middle School, Public, 6-8
• Mound Westonka High School, Public, 8-12
• Orono Senior High School, Public, 9-12