Want to Rent a Private Island? Here Are 7 Options in Northern Minnesota
Earlier this year, I shared a couple options of entire islands you could buy on a couple Northern Minnesota lakes. Pleasant as that may sound, you might not have half a million dollars (or more) to toss at an island getaway. If buying an island retreat might be out of your budget, how about the next best thing - renting an island?
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Cruising around the internet, I found a series of options on AirBNB, VRBO, and various other places online that range in price from super affordable to options on the fancier, more expensive side. Here are 7 island rental options across Northern Minnesota, ranked from most to least expensive.
Note: Prices listed are average prices as of the time of publishing this post. Prices for specific dates/times of year will vary.
Strand Island on Pelican Lake (Orr, MN) - $930/night
Located on a 45-acre island on Pelican Lake in Orr, Minnesota, there is no lack of opportunities to explore, fish, and relax on this island getaway. This island rental is geared toward bigger groups, with a total of 9 bedrooms and room to sleep 20 people across a couple of buildings on the island. The main cabin is over 100 years old, offering a classic charm that features 6 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. While it is over a century old, their website says the cabin underwent a major remodel in 2015. Some other highlights include a sauna on the property, a game room, a pair of kayaks, and a pontoon for rent for an extra charge.
Rush Lake (Near Crosslake, MN) - $479/night
This island rental is actually one of the islands that is also listed for sale in a previous post. If you can't afford the $990,000 asking price to buy it, you can rent it for quite a bit less. Many of the island offerings have the option of renting a watercraft as part of your stay, but this one encourages anyone without a boat to check with any of a number of nearby rental companies on the Whitefish Chain. Yep, this island rental is on the famous Whitefish Chain of Lakes in heart Minnesota's lake country.
This rustic rental, listed on VRBO, features 2 bedrooms (spread across two cabins) and room to sleep a total of 8 people. A pair of kayaks, sand beach, dock and deck space to enjoy views of the lake, and 30 acres of island land to explore are some of the notes about this island rental.
Bad Medicine Lake (Near Ponsford, MN) - $475/night
This island cabin on Bad Medicine Lake, not far from Itasca State Park, claims to offer incredible views from every window and door. The cabin, listed on VRBO and AirBNB, has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and can sleep 10-12 people. One highlight of note is a Finish sauna along the island's shoreline. There is also a utility pontoon available for rent for an additional fee as well.
Jackrabbit Island on Lake Vermilion (Near Tower, MN) - $350/night
Whether fishing or boating, Lake Vermilion is a fun and expansive place to spend time on the water. This private island getaway, listed on AirBNB, gives you an entire 13-acre private island on the east side of the lake, not far from Fortune Bay Casino. Described as "semi-rustic", this island getaway offers 2 bedrooms with room to sleep 9. Along with that is a screen house to relax in as well as a fire pit.
Juggler Lake (Near Park Rapids, MN) - $349/night
This private island, listed on AirBNB, features a cabin with room for 10 people. It boasts 3 bedrooms, 6 beds, and two bathrooms. While it is a cozy and somewhat rustic getaway, it includes satellite TV, wireless internet, an indoor hot tub in the master bedroom, and offers a pontoon you can rent for an additional fee. The cabin features lakefront views on three sides, with 18 acres of old-growth forest to explore on the island.
Pork Chop Island on Burntside Lake (Near Ely, MN) - $271/night
One of the more reasonable private island getaways on our list just so happens to be in the incredible Ely area of Northern Minnesota. This private island getaway is one of roughly 125 islands on Burntside Lake, west of Ely. Resting in the western arm of the lake, this island offers 2 1/4 acres of space to relax. This rustic log cabin, listed on VRBO, has one designated bedroom and basic 'bathroom', with additional sleeping space on beds in the loft area above and on futons in the main room of the cabin.
Rustic as it may be; a candle-lit, electricity-free cabin this is not. It still has creature comforts like satellite TV to kick back at the end of the day to relax.
Being in the heart of canoe country, you'll be happy to know they have 3 canoes ready for you to use during your visit. If you are looking for a boat and/or motor, however, the owners do note they can help you find options.
Blackbird Island on Lake of the Woods (Near Northwest Angle) - $143/night
Our least expensive private island getaway is also the most remote of the bunch. This island, listed on VRBO, is just a stone's throw away from the international border, tucked between Flag Island and Oak Island on Lake of the Woods. You can literally see Canada from your island from this rustic offering that's perfect for anglers looking to target fish on LOTW.
While this cabin isn't the most frilly of our offerings, it offers creature comforts of home like a full kitchen with microwave, stove/oven, and refrigerator, full bath, DSL wireless internet, as well as TV (though it doesn't mention if there is satellite TV available). The cabin has two designated bedrooms and will sleep 8. This island getaway offers the biggest yard space on our list as well, giving your crew the chance to enjoy yard games if that is your thing.
One other note - while this is listed as a "private island", there is an additional home/cabin space visible on a satellite view of the island that is not identified in the VRBO listing. There is a separate VRBO listing (also for $143/night) for what appears to be the other cabin on the island, offering a 2-bedroom, 1 bathroom cabin that sleeps 6. That said, this technically isn't a full-on, "private island", being there is a second rental, but they are on opposite ends of the island, and you could theoretically rent them out together for a bigger group, or to accommodate two parts of your group that enjoy extra space or privacy.