Trolls Among The Trees: A Whimsical Overnight Hiking Adventure in Detroit Lakes

Name: Trolls Among The Trees: A Whimsical Overnight Hiking Adventure in Detroit Lakes
Start: 2024-10-12T07:00:00-05:00
End: 2024-10-12T23:59:00-05:00
Location: GetKnit Events

Schedule

Sat Oct 12 2024 at 07:00 am to 11:59 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

GetKnit Events | Saint Paul, MN

Tickets Now On Sale! Gather up your fellow troll hunters and get yours while supplies last!
YOUR TICKET INCLUDES:
- Luxury Roundtrip Transportation from the Twin Cities
- Overnight Stay at Best Western Premier The Lodge On Lake Detroit
- Lakeview Room in Detroit Lakes, MN
- Hiking and Exploration to Discover Eight Supersized Sculptures by World-Famous Artist, Thomas Dambo
- One-of-a-Kind Treasure Hunt to Track Down Five Trolls, One - Villainous Golden Rabbit and Two Magic Portals
- Optional Guided Hikes and Free Time to Explore Each Site
- Coffee, Donuts and Savory Hand Pies for Breakfast on Saturday
- Flavorful Mid-Trip Brunch on Saturday on our way to Detroit Lakes
- Choice of Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Beer, House Wine or Non-alcoholic Beverage with Brunch
- Free Time to Explore Detroit Lakes, MN and Enjoy Hotel Amenities (Beach, Indoor Pool, Hot Tub, Lounge, etc.)
- Lakeside Dinner on Saturday Night
- Choice of Craft Beer, House Wine, Rail Cocktail or Non-alcoholic - Beverage with Dinner
- Optional Late-evening Activities at Lodge
- Deluxe Continental Breakfast at Hotel
- Celebratory Lakeside Lunch at the Infamous Zorbaz
- Choice of Margarita, Beer, House Wine, Rail Cocktail or Non-alcoholic Beverage with Lunch
- Keepsake Treasure Map to Guide Us on our Troll Hunt
- Overnight Parking at Union Depot while you’re off Exploring
- GetKnit Staff to Guide You
EARLY REGISTRATION PRICE STARTING AT: $349*
Note: Price based on quad pricing, see package outline below, and doesn’t include 5.25% processing fee.
AVAILABLE PACKAGES:
- Quad Occupancy (4 people sharing a double queen room) – $349 Per Person
- Triple Occupancy (3 people sharing a double queen room) – $369 Per Person
- Double Occupancy (2 people sharing a king or double queen room) – $399 Per Person
- Single Occupancy (1 person in a king room) – $499 Total
*Multi-Occupancy Ticket Packages must be purchased together in same transaction
EVENT DETAILS:
The charm of Minnesota’s north woods have long inspired fanciful tales, colorful folklore and legendary characters – like Paul and his mighty blue ox. World renowned recycle artist, Thomas Dambo, has been weaving his own whimsical tales all around the world with his larger than life troll sculptures made of reclaimed wood and recycled materials. Dambo’s hidden over 120 trolls throughout the world in 17 other countries and across five continents! Just this summer, his infamous trolls have recently taken residence in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota and its surrounding communities in his largest exhibition in the United States – inspiring new tall tales and encouraging explorations of the beautiful forests, lakes, parks and riversides in this unique part of Minnesota. Project 412, a local non-profit that focuses on enriching the community through art, music, and events were at the heart of getting Danbo and his trolls to Minnesota. Join us as we head northwest to “cabin country” for our newest overnight adventure for a one-of-a-kind treasure hunt to discover the whereabouts of five supersized trolls, two magic portals, and one villainous golden rabbit. From exploring the diverse countryside and the parks theses sculptures reside in to taking in the views of picturesque Lake Detroit, enjoying some delicious meals and festive drinks to relaxing in your lakeside hotel room…this weekend getaway has something for everyone. Not only will you find fun and adventure, but GetKnit will plan all the details of your weekend “up north” so you can truly relax and enjoy this unique overnight experience.
Our weekend will begin bright and early on Saturday morning as we gather at St. Paul’s Union Depot where your local GetKnit Gurus will excitedly await your arrival with donuts from A Bakers Wife and hot coffee to start our day off right. We’ll be able to store your luggage safely below and then board our luxury coach bus that will whisk us away for our journey northwest! Once we’re on our way, we’ll enjoy a savory hand pie of our choosing from The Buttered Tin. At time of registration, you’ll be able to choose between their Ham and Pimento Cheese; Brie Cheese, Caramelized Onion and Potato; or the Chorizo Sausage, Cheese and Potato.
As we make our way to Detroit Lakes we will make a pitstop in the lovely city of Perham, MN. Here we will begin our “troll hunt” as we search for clues on what the trolls are up to in the north woods, as we discover our first sculpture of the weekend – a magic portal – located in the quirky and fun “Turtle Park”! While in town we will visit local favorite Brew Ales & Eats, who will whip up their own kind of magic elixir for us – brunch! Here we’ll be invited to start off our weekend getaway in style and enjoy a Bloody Mary, mimosa, beer, wine, or NA beverage of your choice to go along with our flavorful brunch of choice. At time of registration, you’ll be able to choose between: French Toast: Two thick slices of brioche bread, house batter, bananas foster compound butter, powdered sugar, syrup; Heuvos Rancheros: Crispy fried corn tortillas, black beans in ranchero sauce, two up eggs, avocado, crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, pickled jalapeño, salsa; Biscuits and Gravy: Two biscuits, chorizo country gravy, green onion, served with tots; Breakfast Sausage Croissant: Sausage patty, cheddar cheese, scrambled egg, sriracha aioli, avocado, red onion on a croissant, served with tots; Spicy Creole Hash: Hashbrowns, andouille sausage, two fried eggs, sautéed peppers & onions, shredded smoked gouda.
After we’ve recharged with brunch, we will continue onward to Detroit Lakes, MN – which is located in one of the most diverse transition zones in North America. Here eastern deciduous hardwoods, northern coniferous forests and western tallgrass prairie all convene – creating a rich assemblage of plants and wildlife. Our first stop here will be Detroit Lakes City Park, nestled on the shores of lovely Lake Detroit. Here we’ll have the opportunity to discover our first troll for the weekend – Alexa’s Elixir – and get a glimpse of her giant wooden book of potions as we seek out clues of what this wise old traveling brewer of potions is up to. After we’ve collected clues on the whereabouts of Alexa’s fellow trolls and the Golden Rabbit, we will set off to your next destination – the up-and-coming Ortenstone Gardens. This beautiful park features a winding hiking trail through the rolling prairie and in and out of the forest. Here we enjoy a .65 (round trip) hike as we discover our second troll sculpture – Barefoot Frida – and learn a little more about her philosophy for nature. We will then follow her path back out of the woods and be on our way to our next destination – Detroit Mountain Recreational Area. Here we will set out on a lovely .75 mile (round-trip) hike along a trail that leads us through prairie and woods to our third and final troll sculpture for the day – Long Leif! This troll is nearly 40 feet tall – making it Dambo’s tallest ever troll sculpture in the world!
After we finish our days hunt, we will head to the beautiful Best Western Premier The Lodge on Lake Detroit, our home-away-from-home for the night. Here we will get checked into our lakeside rooms and kick up our feet and relax. Once we get settled, we will be able to choose our own adventure — hang out at our Lodge and enjoy their many amenities like taking a swim in their indoor pool, enjoying a cocktail in their lounge, or take out a kayak for a fall-time paddle on Lake Detroit. If you’re craving further explorations – you can jump on our GetKnit shuttle and head to the charming downtown of Detroit Lakes to explore the quaint shops, bars, and cafes along main street – like the local favorite, Bucks Mill Brewing.
After some free time we’ll regroup and drive to the nearby Lakeside Tavern 1891. Here we’ll be invited upstairs to our private room overlooking Lake Detroit and be welcomed with a house salad and choice of dressing. For our next course (chosen at time of registration) we will enjoy a delicious pub dinner featuring your choice of: Fish and Chips: house-battered pollock fillets served with fries. Served with tartar and lemon; Chicken Pub Pie: Tender chicken and vegetables in a hearty gravy, topped with baked puff pastry; Bangers and Mash: Two wild rice, onion and garlic sausages locally sourced from Lakes Processing, whipped potatoes, caramelized onion gravy and green peas; Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger: 7 oz. burger topped with smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion. Served with your choice of fries or onion rings; Shroomer Burger: 7 oz. burger topped with melted swiss cheese and sautéed mushrooms. Served with your choice of fries or onion rings; The Herbivore: southwest seasoned veggie patty, pub sauce, pepper jack cheese, artisan greens, fresh cucumber and tomato. Served with your choice of fries or onion rings; Pulled Pork Sandwich: juicy pork served up in a toasted Cuban roll with shredded Cheddar cheese. BBQ sauce on the side. Served with your choice of fries or onion rings; Chicago Foot Long: foot long hot dog served with relish, onions, pickle spear, banana peppers, tomato and celery salt. Served with your choice of fries or onion rings; Chicken Ranch Wrap: crispy breaded chicken, ranch dressing, cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and sunflower seeds. All packaged-up in a flour tortilla. Served with your choice of fries or onion rings. With dinner you’ll be able to order up a house made craft beer, house wine, rail cocktail, or a non-alcoholic beverage. After dinner, we will head back to our Lodge where we will be set free to enjoy the rest of our evening as we see fit – with complimentary s’mores on the deck, a late night walk along the Lake Detroit boardwalk, a post-dinner soak in the hot tub, bonfire by the lake, or just head back to your room for a well-deserved early night in. Your GetKnit Gurus are happy to make suggestions and join in your evening excursions!
After a good night’s rest, a scrumptious continental breakfast will be waiting in the hotel lobby upon waking. Once you fill up your belly and take in the sunrise over the lake, we’ll re-group for our second day of “troll hunting” where we’ll set out to discover the final two trolls, one more magic portal – with the goal of unlocking the hidden location of the Golden Rabbit!
A short 20 minute drive to the nearby town of Frazee, Minnesota will bring us to Wannigan Regional Park, home to coniferous and deciduous forests and prairies that provide a beautiful and contrasting setting for our .80 mile (round-trip) hike to our next troll sculpture – Jacob Everear. Here we will not only have time to enjoy this big eared giant, but also enjoy the picturesque scenes of the Otter Tail River and its lovely surroundings. Next – we will head back to Detroit Lakes and make a quick pitstop at one of Alexa’s magical mirrors located outside the Becker County Muesum, as we get closer to unlocking the whereabouts of the menacing rabbit and seek to break his spell. Our adventure will take us to the nearby Dunton Locks County Park, a 53-acre park nestled on the quiet shores of Muskrat Lake and Lake Sallie. Here we will enjoy a .80 mile (round-trip) hike to our final (and funniest!) troll – Ronny Funny Face. After we crack a few jokes with Ronny, we will have time to enjoy the picturesque views of the nearby lakes and explore the historical importance of this county park.
Having discovered all five troll sculptures and two (of three) of Alexa’s Magic Mirror Portals – we should have enough clues to decipher the whereabouts of the larger than life Golden Rabbit. Once we’ve collectively uncovered his location – we will head to this undisclosed area and enjoy a 1 mile (round-trip) hike to this gigantic rabbit sculpture nested in the rolling woods.
With our treasure hunt complete – we will head to the original Zorbaz on the Lake – a beloved gathering place in lake country! Here we will celebrate the completion of our hunt with a celebratory signature margarita, beer, wine, rail drink, or NA beverage of our choice. We’ll be treated to a lunch of our choice from their eclectic menu at this self proclaimed “world’z greatezt Mexican-Pizza joint”! At time of registration you’ll choose from: Gene’s Pregnant Burrito: Beef or bean (vegetarian) burrito smothered in enchilada sauce & cheese, garnished with lettuce, tomato, black olives, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream & chips; Chicken Enchiladas: Two corn tortillas filled up with chicken. Smothered in enchilada sauce & cheese and garnished with lettuce, tomato, black olives, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, sour cream & chips; Taco Salad Bowl: served with feef or rice (vegetarian) , beans, layered shredded Jack & Cheddar cheese, topped with tomato, red onions, cilantro, black olives, jalapeños & sour cream. Served in a deep fried shell; Chicken Quesadilla: stuffed with seasoned chicken, red onions, cilantro, tomato, black olives. sour cream, jalapeños & salsa; Spaghetti Dinner: Italian style spaghetti served with thick & zesty “meat & mushroom sauce”. Served with a salad & garlic bread; Personal Pepperoni Pizza: 8″ pizza with pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, and red sauce; Personal Peta Pizza: 8″ pizza with green peppers, tomato, red onions, mushrooms, black olives, artichoke hearts, Italian spices & xtra cheese (vegetarian); Personal BBQ Chicken Pizza: 8″ pizza with fajita chicken, bacon pieces, red onions, cilantro, BBQ sauce and extra cheese; Personal Mexican Pizza: 8″ pizza with feef, beans & four cheeses. Topped with lettuce, black olives, tomato, red onions, cilantro, jalapeños & sour cream chips & salsa included!
We will then board our comfortable bus for the last time and finish our journey home to the Twin Cities. Our drive will give us a chance to spin some of our own tall tales and reflect on the beauty, magic and whimsy we experienced on this one-of-a-kind getaway to northwestern Minnesota!