Lakeside living at Green Heron, Grand Rapids, Minnesota

Last updated on January 7th, 2025

Lovely Green Heron Bed and Breakfast on Lake Pokegama offers all the advantages of having your own place on a northern lake, but without the work. And both breakfast and happy hour are included! In any season, it’s the best place to stay in Grand Rapids, Minnesota.

Front of a large house with a garden

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A perfect retreat on Lake Pokegama

The Grand Rapids area is home to many picture-perfect lakes. Despite that, it can be a challenge to find a lakeside room for just a few nights. But Green Heron is the perfect answer to that challenge.

Green Heron Bed and Breakfast nestles in the wooded shoreline along beautiful Lake Pokegama.

lake with distant shore and clouds

(That’s the view from the dock.)

From the water, this small inn looks like just another fancy home along this popular lake. But step inside and you’ll discover a perfect bed and breakfast.

Stay for a day or two (or more) and you’ll feel like you are living in your own lake home – but without the chores that come along with lake home ownership!

It’s the perfect retreat in any season – even in winter!

large snowy yard with chairs and house

Lovely lodging along the lake

The exterior only hints at how beautiful Green Heron is inside.

Inviting shared spaces

Step inside and you’ll immediately notice the book-lined study just off the front door. It’s a warm, comfortable space. Often used for happy hour (yes, Green Heron has a happy hour), it can as easily serve as an office if needed.

But, most likely, your attention will quickly turn to the living room with its huge fireplace and wall of windows overlooking the lake.

Living room with fireplace and big windows

You’ll be forgiven for dropping your bag right then and there to get a closer look at this comfortable room and its view of the lake beyond!

Read more about the interior of Green Heron

Beautiful in any season

Green Heron’s location makes it the perfect summer escape. It has everything you could want, with a big, sandy beach, dock, and a variety of toys to help you enjoy the water.

sailboat along a beach with a lake home B&B in the background

If you have your own boat, they’ll make space on the dock for you and provide a spot for your trailer so you can spend your time exploring Lake Pokegama worry-free.

But even if you don’t plan to get out and play on the water, the large sand beach is a great spot to relax with a drink and/or watch the sun set.

orange plastic chairs and closed umbrella on beach by a lake

lumpy blue clouds over a lake as the sun sets

I often end up here in winter. (You usually need to plan ahead farther than I usually do to get a room at Green Heron in summer.) Fortunately, it’s a beautiful spot then too.

two pine trees and shrubs with sun and a snow-covered lake

I’m not sure there is a better place to sit out a snowstorm!

The most hospitable of hosts

Not only is Green Heron beautiful, but hosts Chris and Johnnie Fulton are delightful.

Of course, they make sure you have a wonderful stay, but it’s more than that. These are people you want to have as friends. Both seem to genuinely enjoy having guests in their home and it’s a pleasure to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine or beer with them. There is always a lot to talk about, as they are both well-traveled and deeply involved in the local community.

Even if Green Heron wasn’t the best lodging in Grand Rapids, you’d want to stay here just to get to know Chris and Johnnie and their very friendly dog Jake.

Book your room at Green Heron

The only way to book a room at Green Heron B&B is through their website.

dresser with roses and mirror with reflection of bed

Because there are only two rooms, Green Heron is usually fully-booked during peak vacation times. When possible, I check their availability for a week’s worth of dates around the time I want to travel before selecting specific dates. That increases my odds of finding an available room and planning my trip around it. But it isn’t always enough. The farther out you can plan, the better.

By the way, I pay for my stay at Green Heron just like you would. I did not get compensated in any way for writing this and won’t derive any benefit from your booking a stay there. It’s just a great spot I thought you should know about.

Other options in the Grand Rapids area

As much as I love Green Heron, I hardly ever get to stay there anymore because they are usually fully booked by the time I start making plans.

If you can’t get a room, there are plenty of places to stay in the area. Just none that are as fabulous at the Green Heron!

Hotels and resorts

Grand Rapids has a range of all the standard hotels. I’ve stayed in several of the moderate-priced ones and they were all fungible, but ok.

Read more about other lodging options in Grand Rapids

Private rentals

Airbnb and VRBO also offer a variety of options in the Grand Rapids area, some of which are quite far from the city. I’ve stayed at a few places along different lakes, including a lake home with an amazing site on Wabana. However, it’s really a mix. And keep in mind that multi-night stays are often a requirement during summer and fall leaf season.

This is a complete update of a post about the Green Heron from March 2015.

Winter at Lake Pokegama

sunset on a beach with chairs and umbrella and text "Green Heron B&B Grand Rapids MN"

fog over a lake with text "Minnesota's Northern Lake Country and the Iron Range"

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