Shorewood Homes for Sale

Shorewood is a small town right along beautiful Lake Minnetonka, located about 14 miles from Minneapolis. Originally part of the Excelsior Township, Shorewood broke off and became a primarily residential area with an abundance of beautiful lakeshore property and lakeside real estate. Residents will enjoy its small-town charm and the recreational and entertainment venues in nearby Excelsior, Deephaven and Minnetonka, as well as Minneapolis. Shorewood’s location, right on Lake Minnetonka and surrounded on its other side by a number of lakes, makes it an ideal place to buy a home.

Perhaps Shorewood’s most distinctive feature is its beautiful lake access and abundant lakeshore real estate. Shorewood wraps around a large part of Lake Minnetonka and its beautiful resort areas, including Saint Louis Bay, Carson bay, the Lower Lake, Excelsior Bay, and Saint Albans Bay. Many other residents nearby will find lakeside homes on Christmas Lake, Silver Lake, or Galpin Lake. With all lakes accounted for, the city boasts over 8.1 square miles of water, totaling over 60% of the city’s whole area. Thus, while the city is relatively small to other, larger suburbs, being only roughly 13 total square miles in area, it has more lake area than almost any other suburb in Minneapolis.

The abundance of lakeshore property and lakeside real estate makes buying a lake home and enjoying Minnesotan lake life very easy in Shorewood. The beautiful lake area has historically ensured Shorewood’s continued existence as primarily residential. Thus each house in Shorewood enjoys, on average, over three acres to itself, meaning buying a home in Shorewood is buying peace, security, and independence.

Buying a home in Shorewood also means convenience. Downtown Excelsior is a short bike ride away from nearly any Shorewood home, and that means access to Excelsior restaurants, boutiques, its movie theatre, and more. The Minnetonka area and the Deephaven area are similarly just a few miles down highway seven, providing residents of Shorewood with almost anything they need. Continue down highway seven and you’ll arrive in Uptown, Minneapolis after just a ten-mile drive. Thus, while Shorewood is primarily residential, and its lakeside real estate guarantees a peaceful, recreational lifestyle, Shorewood’s proximity to Minneapolis and to other local downtown areas make it a convenient and exciting place to live as well.

Shorewood also has a rich history that embellishes the atmosphere and the community in which Shorewood residents live. Originally formed during the last ice age, when glacial melting created Lake Minnetonka and surrounding lakes, Shorewood’s lakes and abundant waters became home to a number of Indian tribes over the centuries. Eventually, Dakota Indians settled in the area and gave Lake Minnetonka the name it retains even today—a name which means “big waters” in native Dakotan. Eventually, a group of New Yorkers came out and settled the Excelsior and Excelsior Township area around 1853. The area gradually became a very successful luxury area, with opulent inns and social gathering becoming frequent as access to the city grew with the construction of the Great Northern railroad and later highway seven. As Minnesotan suburbs grew in the 1960’s, with the construction of major highways and shopping centers, Shorewood broke off from the Excelsior Township, becoming a statutory city in 1974. Today, Shorewood retains its sense of history and its dedication to beautiful residential living.

Shorewood’s combination of rich history, convenient location, and abundant lakeshore make it a peaceful place to call home. Its 8+ square miles of lake area and lakeshore real estate are virtually unparalleled, and its small-town atmosphere and suburban ambiance make it a great city in which to buy your new home.

If you are ready to work with an experienced Realtor in the Shorewood area, list your home for sale, schedule a showing for Shorewood real estate, or have questions we are ready to help. Simply call or text Travis Senenfelder at 651-216-9466 or send us a message online here.

Shorewood is home to beautiful lakeshore real estate and peaceful residential life. That residential life is only bolstered by Shorewood’s great local schools, which rank highly both nationally and state-wide for test scores and for quality of education.

Shorewood is served by, Minnetonka School District 276, which features one high school, one middle school, and one elementary school. They are the following:

Excelsior Elementary, at http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/Schools/Excelsior/Pages/default.aspx, serving students in grades K-5 with a Chinese immersion program.
Minnetonka Middle School East, at http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/Schools/MiddleSchoolEast/Pages/default.aspx, located just two miles from the center of town, serving grades 6-8
Minnetonka High School, at http://www.minnetonka.k12.mn.us/Schools/MinnetonkaHighSchool/Pages/default.aspx, serving approximately 2,700 students in grades 9 through 12, and ranked by Newsweek as #285 in their “List of the 1200 Best High Schools in America”

Excelsior also features two private schools:

St. John the Baptist Catholic School, at http://www.classroomconnection.us/schools/home_page.asp?school_id=1, teaches students in grades K-8
Our Savior Lutheran School, at http://www.oslcs.org/school/, teaches students in PreK-8^th grade

Prestigious private schools in the metro area include the following:

Breck School, at http://www.breckschool.org/, a private, Episcopal school serving approximately 1,200 students in grades PreKindergarten through 12 in Golden Valley Minnesota
The Blake School, at http://www.blakeschool.org/, serving approximately 1,350 students in grades PreKindergarten through 12, with a lower school in Wayzata, a middle school in Hopkins and a high school in downtown Minneapolis
Providence Academy, at http://www.providenceacademy.org/, serving approximately 900 students in grades PreKindergarten through 12 in Plymouth

Restaurants

Maynard’s: Maynard’s is a bustling American-cuisine restaurant right on Lake Minnetonka. The location and atmosphere is hard to beat, with an expansive outside patio right on Lake Minnetonka lakeshore property, and with special deals and a full bar, Maynard’s is a great place for lunch, happy hour, or dinner.
Biella Ristorante: Biella is located right on Water street—Excelsior’s main street—and features authentic Italian food in a wonderful atmosphere. The delicious food and desserts, as well as the wine list and romantic setting, make it a great spot for dinner for two.
Yumi’s Waterfront Café & Sushi Bar: Yumi’s is a small sushi bar right on Water Street and is home to delicious sushi for both sushi-lovers and non-sushi-lovers alike. The quaint location and atmosphere make it a great café and sushi bar right in Excelsior.
318 Café: This cozy, quaint café on Water Street serves great breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and is home to live music almost every night throughout the week, making it not only a trendy place to hang out, but a great place for daily lunch.
Jake O’Connor’s Public House: Jake’s Pub features great Irish food and American dishes in a lively pub atmosphere with a full bar. The restaurant’s location right on Water Street and Second Street in the heart of Excelsior along with its great food and lively atmosphere make it a great stop for lunches and for nights out.

Entertainment

Chanhassen Dinner Theater: In addition to its delicious meals, the Chanhassen Dinner Theater provides quality theatrical and musical entertainment that is appreciated and renowned throughout the Twin Cities Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Visit http://www.chanhassentheatres.com/ to learn more or to hear more about upcoming shows.
Valleyfair Amusement Park: Valleyfair is located just ten miles from any Shorewood house or home and provides a day’s worth of unforgettable entertainment for a whole family, featuring exciting roller-coasters and rides, fair activities, and food.
Old Log Theater: Located on ten acres of historic Lake Minnetonka lakefront property, Old Log Theater offers plays and comedies in a local, historic setting.
Excelsior Dock Cinema 3: The Excelsior Dock is a small, local theater and is home to three movie theatres showing major films. Located right on Water Street, it’s a convenient stop for moviegoers.
Minnetonka Yacht Club: Minnetonka’s Yacht club has beautiful boats and even more beautiful sailing right on Lake Minnetonka. The coach is a world-class sailor and sailors in the club rank internationally. But despite its reputation, Minnetonka Yacht Club is a great place for sailors of any age and any skill level.

Leisure

Excelsior Commons: The park area right along Water street is home to two public beaches, a baseball pitch, a playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic tables, a baseball pitch, and open greens alongside a bandstand for live music during community events.
Lake Minnetonka Boat Cruises: If you’re looking to host a fantastic party or corporate event, Lake Minnetonka Boat Cruises is the ideal venue. Food, drinks, and catering are provided as you cruise around the beautiful water and lakeshore of Lake Minnetonka.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: Open every day of the year (except Thanksgiving and Christmas), Minnesota Landscape Arboretum offers a variety of gardens and collections in a variety of settings, from woodlands to prairies to marshes. It’s beautiful and extensive property features 80 miles of trails for leisurely strolls, power hikes, or deep woods biking.
Bearpath Golf and Country Club: Located right on Lake Riley and featuring beautifully maintained lakes and amber hardwoods, Bearpath Golf offers a serene relaxation and wildlife. In addition to golf and the country club, Bearpath offers luxury real estate, featuring beautiful single family homes and houses in an ideal location.
Minnetonka Country Club: The Minnetonka Country Club is just one mile from downtown Excelsior and is home to a full golf course and a number of tennis courts, as well a number of dining facilities.

Churches

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church of Excelsior, at www.stjohns-excelsior.org/
Trinity Episcopal Church of Excelsior, at http://www.trinityexcelsior.org/
Our Savior Lutheran Church, at http://www.oslcs.org/
Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, at http://www.mountcalvary.org/
Excelsior United Methodist Church, at http://www.excelsiorumc.org/
The Congregational Church of Excelsior, at http://www.thecongregationalchurchofexcelsior.org/

Just a few decades ago, Shorewood was part of the Excelsior Township, being only a short distance from Excelsior’s downtown area. Today, though Shorewood has formed its own city, Shorewood’s community events largely overlap with the community events of the City of Excelsior. Some highlights from throughout the year include the following:

In the middle of July, the Crazy Days Fair & Festival features street markets and sales, as well as festival events like face painting. Crazy Days makes for a great family event, as there is something for everyone to enjoy!
During the Christmas Season, Excelsior hosts a number of events, from horse-drawn carriages, to caroling, to holiday markets, to the North Pole Trolley, and even the lighted lantern parade.
During the early Fall, Apple Day celebrates Minnesota’s apple harvests. A wide variety of apples are available to taste, try, and buy, and a delicious number of caramel apples.
Each Thursday throughout the summer, Concerts in the Park host a number of musical events right on Excelsior’s Lake Minnetonka shoreline. A number of musical varieties are booked, from jazz to classical to blues, and each evening’s musical entertainment on the park is entirely free.

These are just a few highlights for events throughout the entire year. For more information on these events, or for information on other Shorewood events, visit http://www.ci.excelsior.mn.us/index.aspx?nid=207.

As a residential, lakeside town, Shorewood has a variety of parks to offer its residents, enabling recreational enjoyment of Shorewood’s beautiful natural setting. Residents who do not buy a lake home or house on lakeside property can enjoy Lake Minnetonka through Shorewood’s beaches. Some of Shorewood’s larger parks and beaches include the following:

The Excelsior Commons is home to two public beaches, a baseball pitch, a playground, basketball courts, tennis courts, picnic tables, a baseball pitch, and open greens alongside a bandstand for live music during community events.
Cathcari Park
Freeman Park
Badger Park
Manor Park
Silverwood Park
Crescent Beach

And as a lake town with miles of shoreline, buying a home in Shorewood means access to some of Lake Minnetonka’s most beautiful bays. Lakes and bays within Shorewood’s borders include these:

Lake Minnetonka, including Gideon Bay, Echo Bay, Excelsior Bay, and St. Alban’s Bay
Christmas Lake
Galpin Lake
Silver Lake

In addition to these lakes and bays, there are a number of smaller lakes and ponds that make up Shorewood’s lake property.

Shorewood Homes for Sale

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