Although not every national park lodge is as spectacular as Yosemite's Awahnee Hotel, Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn, or the Grand Canyon's El Tovar Hotel, plenty of others are still worth visiting. The Kettle Falls Hotel in Minnesota's Voyageurs National Park offers families a wonderful combination of rustic charm and natural surroundings. (Prices are nightly rates for a family of four.)
KETTLE FALLS HOTEL
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA
OVERVIEW: 1913 vintage hotel with dining room and 12 guest rooms, plus 10 modern housekeeping villas.
WHAT'S COOL: You can get there only by boat, ski plane, seaplane or snowmobile.
ACTIVITIES: Hiking and bird-watching, plus canoeing, kayaking and fishing on Rainy Lake and Namakan Lake.
PRICES: Hotel rooms are $70 for two adults, plus $15 per child; lodge units (with kitchenette) start at $170. Call one to two months ahead.
SEASON: The park and hotel operate from mid-May until early October. The hotel is also open from late December to mid-March.
RESOURCES: Call 888-534-6835 or 218-374-4404 or click here for more information. Park headquarters can be reached at 218-283-9821.
For more lodging ideas, see THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL PARK LODGES by David L. Scott and Kay W. Scott. For park brochures or more information on individual parks or lodges, write the National Park Service, Office of Public Inquiries, 1849 C Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20240, or call 202-208-4747. Click here for the National Park Service's Web site.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.
