LAKE MINNETONKA
LAKE MINNETONKA
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2025
Excelsior: South Lake’ s unofficial downtown
Excelsior is the largest of the South Lake cities surrounding Lake Minnetonka. The town serves as an active center full of events, shopping experiences, restaurants and more for both residents and visitors.
The quaint 1-square-mile city houses nearly 2,400 people and features plenty of close-up Lake Minnetonka views wherever you are. While it carries a tight-knit residential community, the lakeside town also continues to build its reputation as a regional destination through tourism in the warmer, and sometimes colder, months. A host of community staple events all year long bolster that reputation, surrounded by a variety of nature scapes and parks that make the city unforgettable.
No matter who you ask, they will agree that Water Street serves as South Lake Minnetonka’ s unofficial downtown. The street carries a series of retail shops and boutique businesses, restaurants that cater to all types of eating experiences whether that be quick bites, a sit-down dinner or a wide range of cuisines, as well as small spots for activities or the street-side patios that allow residents and visitors to hang out for awhile.
Community events are a large part of Excelsior’ s trademark. The town hosts an assortment of annual events, starting with the Luck O’ the Lake and the Our Savior Lutheran Church Community Easter Egg Hunt and the fashionable Black Gown Gala in the spring. As the warmer weather comes to pass, the Concerts in the Commons series lights up the Commons with activity and music, while festivals like Apple Days and Art on the Lake light up Water Street with vendors.
As the weather turns chilly, Excelsior opens its doors to winter activity. Residents look forward to the Christkindlmarkt during Thanksgiving Day weekend and“ Christmas in Excelsior” throughout December with themed activities like horse-drawn sleigh rides and the Giving Tree Project. Arctic Fever gets residents excited in January with opportunities for winter recreation and, more often than not, llamas. But one of the most anticipated events of the year continues to be the Klondike Dog Derby weekend, which has faced difficulty in the last few years due to the warmer weather.
The 13-acre Excelsior Commons park is a popular location for many city events, including the summer concert series, as well as for recreational and leisure activities. The park cozies up to the shorelines of Lake Minnetonka and has been an important part of the city since 1853. The Commons has and is continuing to go through upgrades to better the experience for residents and visitors, with recent updates to its concessions building, surrounding park area, utilities, furnishings and stormwater infrastructure. Top-of-the-line amenities include recreation areas, a bandshell, playgrounds, a baseball field and public access to the lake.
The Port of Excelsior next door is home to several public docks. Not far away is the Lake Minnetonka Regional Trail, a go-to for bicyclists with its 14-mile trail extending from Hopkins to Carver Park Reserve and running through Excelsior.
The Excelsior City Council meets in person at its temporary Council Chambers at 106 Center Street, the home of Minnetonka Center for the Arts’ second location. Information about meetings are available on the city’ s website: ci. excelsior. mn. us.
LAKE MINNETONKA | COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2025 | 13