• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
home page logo.

2026 NNGC

Register now.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • General Safety Precautions
    • Terms of Service
  • Convention Activities
    • Vendors and Exhibitors
    • Inspirational Clinics
    • Model and Photography Contest
    • Home Layout Tours
    • Modular Layouts
    • Operating Sessions
    • Extra Fare – Guided Tours
    • Extra Fare – Self-Guided Tours
    • Hospitality Room
  • Schedule
  • Hotel
  • Register / Merchandise
    • Refund Policy
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Extra Fare - Guided Activity / Experience Al & Alma’s Lake Minnetonka Lunch Cruise

Experience Al & Alma’s Lake Minnetonka Lunch Cruise

Our convention planning committee has worked with Al & Alma’s to bring you the opportunity to enjoy a private lunch cruise on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026 aboard the yacht Isabella.  We will be leaving the Port of Wayzata to enjoy lunch, refreshments and take in the wonderful sights of Lake Minnetonka. Wayzata Bay is only 16 miles from our convention hotel. Please see the details below for a full description of this experience.

Schedule

The lunch cruise is being held on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026.

Prior to the Lunch Cruise

  • Use our mail-in registration, purchase one of the limited number of tickets for the Al & Alma’s Lake Minnetonka Lunch Cruise. Each ticket includes:
    • A chaperoned round trip motorcoach ride from the DoubleTree Bloomington convention hotel to the Port of Wayzata and back
    • The Lake Minnetonka boat cruise
    • A buffet lunch served on the boat
    • All gratuities included

Travel to the Lunch Cruise

  • We will be boarding our motorcoach and leaving the DoubleTree Bloomington convention hotel at 10:00 AM to travel to the Port of Wayzata.

Enjoy the Lake Minnetonka Lunch Cruise

We will be boarding the Isabella at 11:00 AM and embarking on our two and half hour cruise of Lake Minnetonka. Take in the sights on portions of this massive 14,000+ acre lake that has approximately 125 miles of shoreline. Known as the most popular boating lake in Minnesota, Lake Minnetonka and its large number of bays is also known for both its fishing and the large number of luxury homes that populate its shoreline.

The yacht Isabella

Enjoy Lunch On The Yacht

Enjoy a buffet style lunch served on the yacht. Lunch consists of a Beef & Chicken Fajita Bar provided by Al & Alma’s. Gluten-free corn tortillas will be available. Beverages will be available for you to purchase at the cash bar on the yacht.

The Dinning Area
The Cash Bar

Travel Back To the Convention Hotel

We will be debarking the Isabella at 1:30 PM and returning by motorcoach to the DoubleTree Bloomington convention hotel by approximately 2:30 PM.

For questions or additional information, please contact us.

Back to Extra Fare – Guided Tours.

Primary Sidebar

SEARCH

CLINICS, TOURS, & MORE

Home Layout Tours

The 46th National Narrow Gauge Convention features many fine home layouts … [Read More...] about Home Layout Tours

Inspirational Clinics

High quality clinics are one of the most popular features of the annual … [Read More...] about Inspirational Clinics

Vendors and Exhibitors

The vendor and exhibitor rooms are one of the most popular features of the … [Read More...] about Vendors and Exhibitors

Convention Hotel

We are excited to once again host the 46th National Narrow Gauge Convention at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington, located at

46th NNGC Promo Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mP8HejuXQE

Important Dates

Most important dates.

46th NNGC: September 2 — 5, 2026

Early Bird Registration Ends: May 31, 2026

Footer

2026 NNGC FAQs

Here are Frequently Asked Questions about the convention:

Minnesota’s Three Major Railroads

From Minnesota Digital Library:

“The growth of Minnesota can be tied directly to the growth of railroads. The railroads supported farmers, millers, miners, and loggers by moving the raw materials they produced to sell at markets. In turn, the railroads brought other goods and products to the people to build their homes, businesses, and towns. Railroads also brought immigrants to settle the land and provided jobs and income to laborers and investors.

Three of Minnesota’s major railroads were the Northern Pacific, the Great Northern, and the Soo Line. While these three were not the only railroads that operated in Minnesota, they had a major impact on the state.

The U.S. Congress chartered the Northern Pacific Railway in 1864 to build a transcontinental railroad from Lake Superior to the Pacific coast. When it was completed in 1883, the railroad had laid nearly 6,800 miles of track through Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Its headquarters were in St. Paul, Minnesota.”

Minnesota Lingo

From ThievesRiver.com:

1) Uff da

Background: A Scandinavian import, particularly from Norwegian, “uff da” is widely used to express dismay, exhaustion or sometimes even relief. It embodies the stoic yet expressive nature of Minnesotans.

Example: “Uff da! I forgot my wallet at the cabin. Now I can’t pay for the meat raffle tickets, gosh darn it!”

2) You Betcha

Background: This phrase epitomizes the friendly and positive attitude of Minnesotans. It’s often said with enthusiasm and is used to mean “absolutely” or “you can count on it.”

Example: “Do you want to come to the hockey game this weekend? Grain Belts are on me!” – “You betcha!”

Read more at ThievesRiver.com

Copyright © 2026 · 46th National Narrow Gauge Convention LLC · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in