Karen Melvin and her family don't worry about being too tired to drive to the lake when the workweek ends. Her family's cottage on Lake Minnetonka in Mound is only a 25-minute drive from their home in Plymouth. Melvin and her husband, Philip Prowse, both self-employed architectural photographers, decided that being at a lake home three hours away could hamper accessibility to jobs that pop up at a moment's notice.

Recently, the couple became less comfortable with the financial strain of two mortgages, so they plan to start renting it out part time next month for $1,500 a week. They considered renting it out a year at a time, but Melvin knew they would miss it too much. They spend almost every summer weekend there.

Likes: What's not to like? Melvin asks. "It's canoeing to Caribou for morning coffee, taking our son and his friends tubing and skiing from the boat, swimming in the lake, watching sunsets over the dock and exploring smaller towns in the area."

Dislikes: Paying for it. And doing what little maintenance the house requires.

Size: 1,500 square feet, three bedrooms and 1 1/2 baths.

Summer fun: Try riding the new Dakota Rail Regional Trail bike path from Wayzata, through Minnetonka Beach and on to St. Bonifacius. Along the way, there are some fun stops, including a funky art-inspired Big Stone miniature golf course in Minnetrista and the St. Boni Bistro (www.stbonibistro.com) at the end of the path, which serves mostly organic food.

Area must-see: John's Variety and Pets in Mound. There are pets in the back, including birds, snakes and reptiles, plus three aisles of toys, notions and fabrics. It's like an old-fashioned dime store.

JOHN EWOLDT