The places that don't make you apologize for the kids. Restaurants with crayons that aren't an afterthought, parks with shade and bathrooms, the ice-cream stop with the line on a hot Tuesday.
Country-style home cooking on S Big Lake Rd — the community's longtime everyday breakfast-and-lunch spot.
The largest of Big Lake's state recreation sites, with more than 60 wooded, first-come-first-served campsites, two boat launches with a dock, and a swim beach on North Shore Dr.