EXCELSIOR BAY

DNR Lake ID: 27013300

Location Highlights:
Excelsior Bay is south of Lower Lake and west of St. Albans Bay. The cities of Excelsior and Greenwood surround the bay. These cities are located in the Minnetonka School District. Excelsior Bay has a rich history dating back to the late 1800s as a tourist destination with luxury hotels and excursion steamboats. As Excelsior Bay’s popularity grew, summer homes and cottages began to spring up along the shoreline of Lake Minnetonka. The eighteen-mile commute to downtown Minneapolis made this location especially attractive to city dwellers looking to escape the city heat. After the Big Island Amusement Park closed, Excelsior created its amusement park in 1925, attracting hundreds of thousands each summer. Excelsior today still reflects the once-booming tourist industry with its integration of shops, dining, and entertainment on Water Street.

Water Quality:
The water depth in Excelsior Bay ranges from 4 to 35 feet and has an A rating for water quality by the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District.

Boating Restrictions:
No wake zone

Lake Access:
The abundance of marinas on Excelsior Bay confirms the value in the area; the marinas include the Tonka Bay Marina, Excelsior Bay Harbor, and Excelsior Marina. These marinas provide easily accessible private dock slips in the heart of downtown Excelsior. The Excelsior Public Docks also allow easy access from the water to all the restaurants and retail downtown offers.

Amenities:
Excelsior Bay’s great atmosphere and convenient location make it easy to find attractions to do year-round; in the summer, events include, Concerts in the Commons, Excelsior Farmer’s Market, and the annual Fourth of July celebration, all of which take place just minutes from the water. In the winter, downtown Excelsior hosts a winter festival called the Arctic Fever, but if you’re looking to escape the cold, pop into Excelsior Bay Books on Water Street to curl up and read a new book. There are also events in the fall and spring, like Apple Day and trivia at the Excelsior Brewing Company. Aside from these events, downtown Excelsior presents an abundance of fantastic shopping, including local favorites, The Maker’s Studio, Primp, and Big Island Swim & Surf Company. Excelsior Public Docks make catching a great bite to eat quickly at Lago Tacos, Tommy’s Tonka Trolley, Yumi’s, and Coalition.

Source Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce®  
Source MN DNR® 
Source Minnehaha Watershed District®