When was this published?

This article was first published on July 23, 2026 by Star Tribune and curated for The Minneapolis readers.

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This story was reported by Star Tribune.

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Tolkkinen: This Minnesota county has no swimming lakes. We vacationed there anyway.

Summary by The Minneapolis Editorial Desk · Based on reporting from Star Tribune · July 23, 2026 · 1 min read

When people think of summer vacations, cabin and lake country often come to mind. But the counties with no lakes are also great experiences.

Why this matters in The Minneapolis

Minneapolis residents looking for a unique summer getaway may not have to travel far to find it. The fact that some Minnesota counties have no swimming lakes yet still offer great vacation experiences raises interesting questions about what makes a successful local tourism economy. In the Twin Cities area, communities without lakes are exploring alternative attractions, such as parks, trails, and local festivals, to draw visitors and support local businesses. This approach could have implications for Minneapolis' own tourism strategy, particularly in neighborhoods that are not traditionally associated with lake-based recreation. By highlighting the strengths of non-lake destinations, local leaders may be able to promote a more diverse range of experiences, appealing to a broader range of visitors and supporting economic development in underserved areas.

About this story

Original reporting by Star Tribune. The Minneapolis surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit Star Tribune. Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 23, 2026 · Source: Star Tribune · Reading time: 1 min

Summary created by	The Minneapolis Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Star Tribune
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 23, 2026
Indexed here	Jul 23, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

Tolkkinen: This Minnesota county has no swimming lakes. We vacationed there anyway.

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