Deriving its name from the Dakota Indian word mni tonka, which means “great water”, the city of Minnetonka, Minnesota is one of the larger suburbs in the southwestern metro. Minnetonka is close 20-minute drive to Minneapolis. The city is home to over 51,000 residents, and covers a geographical area of more than 28-square miles, easily making it the largest city that has shores on the iconic Lake Minnetonka. The main outlet of Lake Minnetonka is Minnehaha Creek, which travels through part of Minneapolis before ending at Minnehaha Falls and flowing into the Mississippi River.

Both Interstate 394 and Interstate 494 pass through Minnetonka, proving connections to several other highways. The city is home to the state’s largest publicly owned company, United Healthcare. Minnetonka also contains other large businesses and is close to other commercially developed cities such as Eden Prairie.

Although it has only one location that provides access to Lake Minnetonka, Minnetonka is still largely influenced by the lake. There are plenty of nearby areas and parks in other neighboring cities that allows the locals to also enjoy the many activities the large body of water brings.