Frequently asked questions

Shady Rest Resort & Campground

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few questions that we have been asked in the past. Much of the information is included in the web site, but we thought we would make a list of the most frequently asked ones.

. How far are we from the town of Alexandria?

How long does it take to get to Shady Rest from Minneapolis?

What type of fish are there in the lake?

Do you ever offer short stays, other than 7 nights, during the Summer?

What is supplied with the cabin?

I'm staying in a cabin, what do I need to bring?

How many campsites do you have?

Why do you not allow pets at your resort?

Can we have a campfire by the cabin or campsite?

Why do you not allow Jet Skis?

The cabins look new, are they really that nice or were the pictures taken years ago?

How noisy is it there, will there be any loud parties?

Why do the people visiting have to pay a fee?

Why can't I bring fireworks and set them off?

Do you have smoke free Cabins?

What is your cancellation policy?

I'm bringing a boat, why can't I park my trailer by my cabin or campsite?

Do you have seasonal sites and are there any available?

Can I put up a tent by my cabin or an extra one at my campsite?

Where is the nearest grocery store?

Do you have wireless access?

Can I have my same reservation dates next year?

Can we come earlier or stay later than the check-in/check-out times?

What is the lake like, is it clean?

Do you have a laundry service on site?

NEW. Do you sell fishing licenses at your bait shop?

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How far are we from the town of Alexandria?
You can get to Alexandria in about 18 minutes by taking a short drive through the countryside. We'll have detailed maps available to you in your cabin or at the office.

How long does it take to get to Shady Rest from Minneapolis?
If you are coming on a Friday, it will take you a bit longer. Minnesotans love to go "Up to the lake" on weekends so be prepared for some traffic. Otherwise it will take you about 2 hours from the center of the Twin Cities.

What type of fish are there in the lake?
Ahh...a fun question. Very nice sunfish and black crappies, walleye pike, northern pike, large and small mouth bass, rock bass, yellow bullheads, and carp. Over all a very good fishing lake. Please visit our FISHING page for much, much more info.

Do ever offer short stays, other than 7 nights, during the Summer?
We have been offering 3 and 4 night packages more and more lately as families find it hard to get away for a whole week. We usually require that the package begin or end on a Saturday and we may limit which cabins or dates that the packages will be offered. We have found that families who stay only 3 or 4 nights never really get a chance to relax or wind down. Although many people are finding it harder and harder to get away for a whole week, by staying a full week, they get the chance to relax and be together as a family. How many times have you said, after a vacation, it was not long enough? There's too much stress in all our lives, too many schedules, not enough time to enjoy the important things in life.

What is supplied with the cabin?
The cabins are air conditioned, have conditioned and softened water, TV, full size appliances (Fridge/freezer, stove/oven, microwave), coffee maker, toaster, pots and pans, and utensils for the number of people the cabin is rated for. It also comes with a picnic table, your own fire ring, an outside charcoal grill, (an open type that that stands in the ground and swivels and you would find in a city park), and an outside deck. Most of the cabins come with full size beds but we are slowly installing queen size beds to many cabins. Please see the individual cabin descriptions for more details.

I'm staying in a cabin, what do I need to bring?
Personal towels, bath towels, beach towels, personal products, soaps and shampoos. We provide charcoal grills, however, many prefer to bring a gas grill. Other items: a blender, extra lawn chairs (we provide 2), beach toys and smiles because you're heading for the lake!

How many campsites do you have?
We have 19 sites. Sites "A"-"F", which are located near the beach and playground and in front of Cabins 3-5, have electric-water-sewer. Sites "S", "M" and "N" which are located behind our store, have the same. Sites "G"-"P" & "PH" have electric and water only and are located in front of the mobile home park.

Why do you not allow pets at your resort?
We love pets, especially dogs. We stopped allowing pets in our campground after the summer of 1998. We never allowed them in our cabins. For many seasons prior to then, we noticed more and more owners not cleaning up after their dogs or leaving them unattended. A resort is a new surrounding with lots of strangers and dogs get confused, excited, and unsure of how to act. Youngsters may see a dog and run up to it and the dog may think it has to protect itself. Because kids like to run around barefoot without stepping in something, too many dogs left unattended and the constant barking, all contributed to our no pet policy. We would also like to go on vacation but we can never take our dog, so we understand.

Can we have a campfire by the cabin or campsite?
All cabins and campsites have their own fire ring. A group campfire may work at some places, but we feel that families like the privacy of their own. It also helps bring the family together. We do require that the fires be totally extinguished before leaving or retiring to bed and that they be contained to the fire ring. NOTE: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is now restricting the transporting of firewood. Check your local ordinance for more information. The spread of diseases and insects have been devastating our forest and we want to pass along this message.

Why do you not allow Jet Skis?
Over the years, jet skis have developed a bad reputation. I would like to rent them I think they are great fun! However, the noise, the constant running too close to fisherman, swimmers and docks by irresponsible people brought on more complaints than they're worth. Jet skis are allowed on the lake, we just don't allow our guests to bring them.

The cabins look new, are they really that nice or were the pictures taken years ago?
Most of the pictures were taken within the last year, a very few more than 2 years ago. We are constantly updating our cabins and so we take a new picture each time to highlight the changes. 36 years ago, when our family took over Shady Rest, none of the cabins even had bathroom facilities. The resort guests were mostly men and more interested in the good fishing and card games than where they were going to sleep. We wanted to make Shady Rest a "Family Resort". This meant remodeling and designing the cabins with mom and the children in mind. Each cabin has been remodeled 2 or 3 times since then with comfortable bedrooms, clean large bathrooms, kitchens that are modern and clean.
Each fall and spring, we go through all the cabins repairing, touching up, or replacing anything that needs to be replaced in order to keep each cabin in a modern, as new condition. Listening to our guests, we use their suggestions in our future renovations. Some returning guests are surprised that we actually listen to them and look forward to the improvements we've done. After all, you are the reason we're here.

How noisy is it there, will there be any loud parties?
Our quiet time is from 11pm to 8am and is strictly enforced. We want everyone to have fun, but we also expect courtesy to the other guests. Loud or obnoxious language will also not be tolerated at any time of the day. If you expect to play music loud or be loud during quiet hours, we would rather you vacation somewhere else. Please remember this is a family resort. We want you to have fun, but not at the expense of our other guests. We want everyone to respect the others around them.

Why do the people visiting have to pay a fee?
Minnesota State Law sections 327.10 to 327.13 requires everyone that comes to a private resort be registered. In the past, a person might rent a cabin or campsite and then invite 3 or 4 families to come up and see them. The resort would become overwhelmed with these visitors using playgrounds, the resort equipment, recreational games - all for free! The paying guest had a hard time finding an opportunity to use the resort amenities. Also, when you're not paying for something, it tends to get abused. Even if a visitor doesn't use any amenities, they are still taking up space with their extra vehicles, using our limited septic system, and taxing our insurance coverage. A fee of $5 per person is a slight fee and helps limit the number of visitors. This is common with most resorts.

Why can't I bring fireworks and set them off?
Although the State of Minnesota has made some fireworks legal, they are only allowed on your private property and are still illegal in public places. Our insurance coverage does not allow fireworks to be used on ours. This is strictly enforced!

Do you have smoke free Cabins?
Yes. As of 2005, all our cabins were made smoke free. Smokers are welcome and we provide containers on the decks for the ashes. As with our no pet policy, so many of our guest are sensitive to smoke and other irritants. These days, most smokers are use to having to go outside whether they are at home or at work. It also keeps our cabins cleaner. Violations may be subject to a $100 fine.

What is your cancellation policy?
Please understand that our season is short and we have a very limited time to earn our income for the year.

FOR CABINS, upon confirmation of your reservation, you become financially responsible for your entire reservation. We can not refund for early departures. If you made your reservation before April 1st and you cancel before April 1st, we'll refund your deposit minus a $100 cancellation fee. If you cancel after April 1st, your deposit non refundable and you are still responsible for the balance of your reservation unless we are able fill those dates without lose of income. If another cabin that is already booked and moves into your cabin/reservation dates...we will then have to rebook their vacated reservation in order for you to have your deposit refunded minus the cancellation fee. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU NOTIFY US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF YOU NEED TO CANCEL IN ORDER FOR US TO FILL YOUR RESERVATION AND RELEASE YOU OF YOUR OBLIGATION.

For Camping, deposits are not refundable.

I'm bringing a boat, why can't I park my trailer by my cabin or campsite?
Trailers are bulky and take up a lot of space. They block traffic, kill the grass, make the area look bad and may prevent emergency vehicles from getting to where they need to be. Because of their low profile, children at night running around have become seriously injured running into them. All trailers, loaded or not, must be parked in our designated trailer parking area.

Do you have seasonal sites and are there any available?
We do have 70 seasonal sites and 16 mobile homes. Occasionally, some of these may go up for sale. The owners of the trailers sometimes sell them on their lot. (Click here for more information on seasonal sites) For information , seasonal sites only please call 1-320-554-3777. (Ron or Eleanor Langhoff)

Can I put up a tent by my cabin or an extra one at my campsite?
No tents are allowed by the cabins. Exceptions are screen tents that must be moved daily to prevent the killing of grass. An extra tent may be allowed at campsites with permission only. Since a tent is considered an extra sleeping unit, there is a charge of $26 per night which includes 2 people.

Where is the nearest grocery store?
We have a convenience store at our office with bread, milk, eggs, canned goods, chips and candy. About 9 miles away is Tom's Super Value in Glenwood. It has a larger selection. Alexandria, 18 miles has a super Wal-Mart and a County Market. Sauk Centre has a Super Wal-Mart also.

Do you have wireless internet access?
We do have free wireless access at the store, game room, and around the office. It is a free open source connection so our guests can stay connected to friends, family, or even work. Many guests sit at one of our picnic tables outside or in the game room on not so nice days.

Can I have my same reservation dates next year?
Yes, if you make arrangements before you leave. An exception is short stays, that fall in our prime time. These packages may not be available the following year during the time period they are offered the current year. Check at the office during your stay.

Can we come earlier or stay later than the check-in\check-out time?
Please do not expect to. During the summer we are almost always completely occupied and we need the time to not only make sure that each cabin is clean but time to make necessary repairs. Hotel rooms can be done quickly, these are 2 and 3 bedroom homes with kitchens and living rooms... they take time to get ready for our next guests.

What is the lake like, is it clean?
Lake Amelia is the last of a 3 lake chain. The other 2 lakes, Villard and Leven, act as filters. Amelia is mostly made up of sand and gravel. During much of the year, you can see down 6-12 feet. Rain, wind, lake level, and lake activity makes it less clear by the middle of the summer but remains very clean. Our guests often comment how clear the water is.

Do you have a laundry service on site?
We have a laundry room with coin operated washers(2) and dryers(2). The room is open 24 hours. The laundry room entry is located on the lake side of the office/game room building.

Do you sell fishing licenses at your bait shop?
After having fishing licenses for sale at our shop for over 30 years, the MN DNR has decided to limit the number of outlets that will be able to sell the licenses and we were one of many that got cut. We are very disappointed but the state office needs to cut down the number of terminals that they service. If you are coming from another state, you can get your license through the DNR web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us

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