I've had the opportunity to experience multiple different summer lifestyles in multiple different places; Minnesota, Iowa, Utah, California, Florida, Idaho... all those cool places. Now, being born and raised in Minnesota, so I guess you could maybe call it a biased opinion, but Minnesota summers are hands-down the best. Hands down. No bias. Promise (you'll just have to believe me). There are so many reasons that play into this, and being a native Minnesotan, it's a little hard for me to pinpoint exactly why, so I thought of some of the main reasons why. Here are six reasons why MN summers are the absolute best:
1. Lake Life
Lake life. What Minnesota summers revolve around. The atmosphere created by this lifestyle is what people in Minnesota live for. It's what we count down the days to when Mother Nature is bombarding us with lovely negative temperatures and blizzards that bury your car in five feet of snow. We gaze out our windows at the frozen lakes and cannot wait until we can get our boats and pontoons out there. And when that day comes... life is good. Every day.
What time do you have to work at? 3? Hit the lake before. Hit the lake after. Don't have a boat or a pontoon? That's alright. Your friend who does will pick you up at their dock. What do you wanna do? Tube? Wakeboard? Ski? Wake surf? Just chill with a cold drink and your best friends listening to country music? Sounds good. Do it again tomorrow? OH YA YOU BETCHA. A day spent on the lake is never a day wasted.
#LakeLyfeOrDie
2. WE FEST
Mother. Truckin'. WE Fest. It's disgusting. It's hot. You'll probably see your high school teachers throwing down super hard. It's a three day marathon of beer, live music, probably embarrassing yourself at some point, making new friends, and jamming your face off. In the small town of Detroit Lakes where the population hovers around 10,000, 40 to 60 thousand people from around the world come together to celebrate summer and country music. I met a couple, bless their country music, America loving souls, who fly from Norway every year to attend. Still don't really understand how they discovered this magical event, but I'm glad they did.
Tim McGraw. Kid Rock. Eric Church. Billy Currington. Joe Nichols. Gary Allen. See you at #WEFEST2016
3. Zorbaz
If you are from Minnesota, visit frequently, or are even from a neighboring state, there's a very high chance that you know what Zorbaz is. The lakeside restaurant and bar that made the lake life culture 10 times better. With 11 locations, everyone has a chance to experience the absolute magnificence that is Zorbaz. Pizza, Mexican, and craft beer are their specialties, and it's all you could ever ask for. 10 out of 10 would prefer a Zorbaz pizza over some sort of weird 5-star cuisine. Because Zorbaz pizza is 6-star cuisine. Being away from home, I can say in full honesty I am always craving Zorbaz pizza. If you're not... just get away from me.
It's not only the food, but the atmosphere. No shirt, no shoes, no problem. Pull up your pontoon on the beach, and walk right in in your bathing suit. Enjoy a pizza. Then get back out on the lake. When it gets dark, head back for a great time. We love you, Zorbaz. Never change.
4. The 4th of July
Probably (definitely) the most crowded day out on the lakes and the beaches, but also one of the best. Boats are decorated from bow to stern with the beautiful Red, White, and Blue. Uncle Sam would be so proud. Toby Keith would be in tears. It's an all day, all night party celebrating our great country, and Minnesotans know how to do it best. The fireworks competitions that everyone has on their lake isn't bad either.
5. Night Life
When I say "night life" I don't mean what you probably think I mean. I'm not talking about some crazy clubs with a stupid dress code and an ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS $5 cover charge. I'm talkin' sweatshirts, I'm talkin' starry skies, I'm talkin' BONFIRES. If you live on a lake, there's about a 100% chance that you have a fire pit next to it. When the sun is set, the boats are docked, and the grill is turned off, it's time to sit back, relax, throw some wood on the fire, crack a Summer Shandy, and laugh with your friends. This is probably the one thing I miss most about Minnesota summers. The lack of light pollution also makes for some pretty great star-gazing.
Oh, and you can't forget about the loons. Loons are dope.
6. The Beauty
Sunrises, sunsets, and stars are things that are just way more awesome when they're reflected off of a lake. The echoes of laughter and loon calls traveling across neighboring lakes only makes it all better. The sheer beauty of Minnesota summers (and Minnesota in general) is like none other. There's something unique about it, and it absolutely cannot be matched. There are many summer nights in Minnesota where you watch the sun go down as the bonfire starts, and watch it come back up when you put the fire out. Silhouettes of pine trees and rolling hills signify either the start or the end of another day out on the lake, another day spent with friends and family, and another day soaking in the Minnesota summer.
Minnesota... you're just the best.
