No matter what time of year it is, it’s easy to find residents out and about in the Twin Cities suburb of White Bear Lake. Each summer, they celebrate the sunshine with local markets, waterski shows and beachfront concerts, and winter doesn’t hold them back from carving a hole in the ice for a polar plunge or hosting a makeshift golf tournament on the frozen White Bear Lake. The area charms with its historic downtown dining district and surrounding housing, but buyers with bigger budgets often opt for custom lakefront estates. Less than 25 minutes from both Twin Cities, White Bear Lake attracts residents looking for resort-style recreation only a short drive from urban amenities. It’s “a community with deep roots,” according to Realtor Pat Kinney, who’s been a top-producing agent in the Twin Cities area since 1979. “Generations of people stick around because it’s a great place to raise a family.”
White Bear Lake is a city in Ramsey County in the state of Minnesota.
There are over 23,000 residents in White Bear Lake.
Expect to find large Lakefront homes with private lake access to White Bear Lake.
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Year-round recreation on White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake has 24 public parks, many of which sit along the city’s eponymous lake. In the summers, residents enjoy kayaking, boating and swimming, and in the winters, they get creative with their use of the lake. “People drive on the lakes here; they go out ice fishing. It’s a whole different thing,” says Realtor Joel Friday, who’s sold in the area for nearly 20 years. “Occasionally, they’ll do a polar plunge, you know, cut a hole into the ice and jump into the water. Because it’s so warm,” he laughs. Other recreational amenities include the White Bear Lake Sports Center, White Bear Area YMCA and the public Gem Lake Hills Golf Course. On the city's northern end, Tamarack Nature Center is a popular spot for cross-country skiing, and Bald Eagle-Otter Lake Regional Park has boat launches on both Bald Eagle Lake and Otter Lake.
White Bear Lake is one of the more popular lakes that is visited within the Metro area.
White Bear Lake residents often visit the beaches for swimming, picnicking & to play outdoors.
The marina on White Bear Lake.
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Historic and waterfront homes
Most homes in White Bear Lake are midcentury builds like ranch-style, split-level and bi-level homes, with the exception of some historic houses near downtown and new traditional homes further out. Real estate in White Bear Lake primarily consists of single-family homes costing between $300,000 and $500,000, though lakefront estates often list for several million. The market moves quickly in White Bear Lake, with homes selling after an average of 24 days. “Their price point has been growing in the past year,” Friday says.
White Bear Lake has a wide variety of Lakefront homes within their housing market.
A little bungalow located in the downtown area of White Bear Lake.
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Summer festivals, waterski shows and golf on ice
White Bear Lake celebrates summer with Marketfest — “the equivalent of a county fair every Thursday night” from mid-June through the end of July, according to Kinney — and Manitou Days, a three-week festival with a daily treasure hunt, annual parade and live music on the beach. On summer Sundays, the Midwest Ski Otters perform free weekly trick shows on Little Goose Lake. In the winter, the town makes use of its frozen lakes at the annual BEAR’ly Open, where a golf course is set up on White Bear Lake.
Old-school charm in downtown White Bear Lake
“White Bear Lake has a unique downtown area, built in the early 1900s. They try to keep the old-school charm,” Friday says. “There’s a good mix of formal, casual and family dining in the downtown area,” Kinney adds. With a bar, brunch options and a rooftop patio, Rudy’s Redeye Grill is one of the more upscale options, and more casual picks include Pizzeria Pezzo, which serves Chicago-style deep-dish, and Don Julio, a colorfully decorated Mexican restaurant. A downtown Kowalski’s Market makes grocery shopping convenient, and the nearby Maplewood Mall, with over 130 stores, is the area’s top retail destination.
Downtown White Bear, has historically structured buildings with a rustic charm.
Residents can travel to downtown White Bear Lake for shopping, small businesses, & local eateries.
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White Bear Lake Area Schools
White Bear Lake Area Schools contains nine elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school divided into two campuses. Some of the district’s top-rated schools include Lincoln Elementary School, which received an A-minus on the educational review site, Niche; Central Middle School, which received a B; and White Bear Lake Area High School’s B-rated South Campus, where all students attend 11th and 12th grade. White Bear Lake Area High School offers career pathways designed to prepare students for college or the workforce, and some options include business, communication and construction. “We have high-quality schools, and the community recently made a huge investment in the system,” says Tracy Shimek, the city’s housing and economic development coordinator. Thanks to a $326 million bond request approved by voters in 2019, the district is updating and adding facilities, including a unified high school campus set to open in the fall of 2024. White Bear Lake also has two private schools: Frassati Catholic Academy and Magnuson Christian School.
Unleash your potential in the inspiring setting of Central Middle School in White Bear Lake.
Students at White Bear Lake Area High South Campus excel academically, standing out as leaders in the White Bear Lake community.
Frassati Catholic School is located in the White Bear Lake community.
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Getting to the Twin Cities
White Bear Lake is about 20 minutes north of Saint Paul and 25 minutes northwest of Minneapolis. Metro Transit provides bus routes throughout the city and to both Twin Cities. The closest hospital, M Health Fairview St. John's, is less than 2 miles south of the city, and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is about 20 miles away.
Residents rely on the public transportation system near McKnight Road.
Take Highway 61 to travel in and out of White Bear Lake.
Brenda Schiemo-Smith was raised in Minnesota, with a Business degree from St. Cloud State University, and currently residing in Coon Rapids, MN. Her family life is full with husband, four sons, daughter-in-laws and 4 grandbabies! In addition to being a full-time real estate agent since 2003. Brenda owns and has operated apartments, vacation rental homes, and property management for other single-family homes and townhomes.
Also, with a love of travel both domestic and internationally, Brenda has worked for four years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the education and hospitality industries; plus travels to Singapore, Philippines, Germany, France, and Canada. After her travels, she worked in marketing positions for a food products company and an International Engineering Company in Minneapolis, MN.
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