Testimonials

Campfire Bay Resort is a great place to get-away, relax, and reconnect with family, friends, or even yourself!  But don't take our word for it....


Watch this video testimonial from Linda & Dennis Johnson:

Dennis and Linda Johnson started coming to Campfire Bay Resort the same year Brian and Heather Sams bought it. They began to add weeks and 23 years later vacation over 8 weeks at the resort between a couple of different stays! Check out their story!


We have vacationed in a variety of resorts, but we returned to Campfire Bay Resort and we found our summer home.  Brian & Heather welcome you and it seems like you’re at your resort.  What a peaceful feeling, hearing the waves lap on the shore, hearing the loons call and seeing other wildlife even including eagles flying overhead.  Of course, there’s the great fishing.  Big crappies abound throughout the summer but especially in May & June.  We’ve caught good size walleyes, bass & sunfish too.  Fish Trap Lake has many bays and so offers opportunities to fish no matter what the weather.  The cabins are close to the water for swimming or relaxing on a float.  You can do absolutely nothing but read all day long or participate in a variety of activities.  Water sports; hydro-bikes, paddleboat, canoes, kayaks, dock fishing or creative projects, jewelry making or wood projects are all available.  These are the reasons we continue to return year after year.
- Linda & Dennis Johnson, Waconia MN


You guys are the best!! Campfire Bay is successful because it’s driven by an amazing and beautiful family. The Sam’s family is truly outstanding and has cultivated a gathering space that everyone just loves!! ♥️

You leave after a spectacular family week and start counting down the days until your family can return the following summer.

If you’re looking to rejuvenate, reconnect, enjoy the outdoors and have beautiful accommodations, all while treasuring family/friend relationships, make sure not to miss a visit to Campfire Bay Resort.

Each year, our family conversations back to the Cities include best memories of the week. The stories shared are lifetime memories we’ve created year after year that will forever be etched in our hearts. ♥️

Thanks Sam’s family for sharing your labor of love with so many!! You and your space is a blessing to all of us. 

–Marce Piller


Our extended family has been vacationing together for 35 years, with the last 15 being at Campfire Bay Resort. Our family has now grown to 50 and spans 5 generations, including 20 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren! Not only do we love spending time as a family, but we love getting to know other resort guests. John and Lisa have been staying here 10 years and we look forward to seeing them each year. They are so kind and accepting of our busy family and even bring a piñata loaded with candy and prizes for all the resort kids! Just one of the countless memories made at Campfire Bay Resort!
–Denise Christenson


Again, I want to say thanks for all the hard work you have done in the past year to get the new cabins ready this year.  They really do make this a great place to stay.  All the kids loved it.  Myra mentioned even the touches of of having soft soap available in the cabins was nice. Everything was well thought out and you could see the details in the planning and work.  Ryan mentioned the rounded corners on the woodwork so there would not be sharp edges.

Of course, the activities planned for the kids are nice.  As our family grows older, they will be able to participate more.  We used the red facility one day when it was not as nice to be out on the lake.   There were plenty of things to keep the two little ones busy and corralled.

The lodge is wonderful, pizza is great, and, my favorite, the nightly trip to get ice cream for everyone.

We loved the upper deck, it became the gathering place for meals, and was the large play pen for the boys.  It was wonderful!

Thanks again for putting so much time and effort into making Campfire Bay a great place to get away for a week.
--John Bowman


Dear Campfire Bay gang,

Our stay exceeded all of our hopes for a fun stay. The cabin was well appointed.  We didn't need a thing. You provided things, that we didn't even have time to make use of. We were too busy relaxing I guess.  Three of us took the kayak for a paddle around the island. We toured the lake each day in the little fishing boat that we rented. The motor worked like a charm.  A particular treat for me was revisiting my grandparents cabin on the next bay. We had ice cream. We spotted a few of the resident loons, eagles and heron. We enjoyed a nice bonfire every night and spent the time recounting tales of our past adventures together on annual retreats. This one will be added to the list of really fun places to be, for sure.  Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. Especially Brian. The array of things you offer at Campfire Bay is amazing. Who wouldn't love a stay with you?

Thank you for everything.

Your friend and fan,
- Judy Pappenfus


Dear Heather, Brian & Family,

Our family would like to thank you once again for making  our week at the cabin a very fun and memorable one.

This was our 8th year at your resort and every year we enjoy the great host and hostess, the many friends we have made over the years and the many activities provided during the week as well as a clean and comfortable cabin.

The ice cream social is great as well as the pontoon ride for the ladies and the fishing contest for the young children.  Our grandchildren especially enjoyed the rocket building, the tie-dye t-shirts, the jewelry making, woodworking and the yummy campfire donuts Brian makes each year!

Thank you again for a wonderful week and we are already looking forward to next year!!
- Larry & Kathy Zika & Family


I grew up going to a resort when I was young and I want the same for my girls and we hit the jackpot when we found your resort. I couldn't ask for much more of an experience for them than you offer, so thank you for that.

As for memories being made....we will never forget our time spent at Campfire Bay Resort! The past three years have always been eventful for us (both good and bad), but for sure we will never forget it and we can't wait to come back. It's all the girls talk about for a year is going back to the cabin. I have decided to keep a journal of our times there along with pictures so the girls will have memory books when they are older. I could almost write a book :).

Please don't EVER discontinue campfire doughnut night - the best ever!!!!

We loved the remodel on our cabin (11), great job!! See you next year.
- The Knights' Michelle, Sami, Madi, Dick and Doris


Dear Brian and Heather:  On behalf of the Fitzgerald Family, thank you for making our stay so very enjoyable, even in the face of some unexpected business challenges I had to take care of.  You two are such gracious hosts.

We appreciated the clean and modern cabins.  The kitchen was spacious, had plenty of refrigerator space, and the utensils and pots where such we could make just about anything.

Some of the activities we enjoyed were the fresh doughnuts made over the campfire, rocket making, and jewelry making.  It was great bonding time with our children.  Some of the activities allowed Sandy and I some alone time as well.

I think a vacation is about enjoying your loved ones, resting, taking in God's wonderful creation, indulging in good food, and having fun.  Thanks for helping us fulfill this.
- Sincerely, Scott Fitzgerald 


Brian and Heather,

Thank you for checking on our stay. We had a great time. Fishtrap is such a pretty lake and it was great for me to spend some time on the lake after being away for many years.

The kids had a great time playing in the water and we all appreciated the separation of the floating toys for the older swimmers from the shallow beach area for the little kids.

We all appreciated the great things you have done with the Resort:

Everything (pretty much) in good repair
Plenty of vehicle and trailer parking
Well stocked lodge store with interesting novelty items
ICE CREAM
Available boats
Friendly owners and staff
Decent grills for each cabin. Even though ours needed cleaning when we arrived, we noticed that it was being cleaned, both ash and grate on the day we were leaving.
- Les Johnson

 

Another Video Testimonial

The Schatz family and the Niemans have both been vacationing at Campfire Bay Resort on Fish Trap Lake for many years. They didn't even know each other before coming to the resort but, like many guests at Campfire Bay, became close friends and look forward to meeting up every summer.

Wedding Testimonials

Campfire Bay Resort made our wedding day the best day of our LIVES!! The building is beautiful and it was easily decorated into exactly what we wanted it to be. The cabins are stunning, clean with plenty of room to get ready in with a large group of people. The lake view was breathtaking and perfect for photos among other unique spots. Brian and Heather along with their oldest sons were so hands on, helpful, and easy to work with. We had so many compliments from our guests AND they were able to stay with us! Truly an incredible venue inside out with amazing owners. Thank you for the wonderful day, stay, and memories we will forever cherish!
- Angie and Jake Johnson


We chose to celebrate our wedding day at Campfire Bay resort and we couldn’t be happier! I grew up going to the resort for family Christmas getaway’s. We got to watch Brian and Heather transform the resort into a rustic, comfortable, serene getaway over the years and we couldn’t picture a more fitting venue. We wanted our guests to have a true “lake country” experience because lake life is so important to us. We were not disappointed! From the First Look on the dock, to the picturesque backdrops of the lake and woods, we were swept away with how beautiful our pictures turned out. The church was right down the road, so we rode on a horse drawn wagon to Campfire Bay where we held the reception in a quaint, inviting tent. Brian and Heather were more than accommodating and helpful throughout the entire process and we are so grateful they let us create our perfect day at Campfire Bay!
- Katelyn and Cody Hendrickson