3-Day Apostle Islands and Bayfield Itinerary

Arrival day

Before Day 1. Bayfield is a small town at the top of Wisconsin, so plan the travel and the weather first.Details

Getting here: Most visitors fly into Duluth, about an hour and a half away, or Minneapolis, a long day by road. A car is the easiest way around, because the towns, the beach and the sea caves are spread along the shore and the island needs a ferry.
Book first: Boat trips and the ferry run by season and by the weather, and rooms in Bayfield fill early in summer and in the first weekend of October. Fix the boat day first, then plan the others around it.
The lake: Lake Superior is cold even in August, and the waves and the fog can change within an hour. Bring layers and a rain jacket, wear a life jacket on any boat and in any kayak, and check ahead on the marine forecast and on any park notices.
First evening: Day 1 starts with the ferry, so walk the harbor at dusk, eat early and sleep early. The park visitor center in town is the best place to ask about boat trips, caves and conditions.

Day 1. Bayfield and Madeline Island

4 stops · 13.8 mi

A slow first day. Walk the harbor town, take the ferry to the one island with a village, learn the story of its people, walk a long beach in the afternoon and be back at the ferry dock before dark. Check the last boat before you go.

Breakfast
A fruit pastry from a Bayfield bakery
A warm pastry or a muffin made with local berries or apples, and a coffee on the way to the ferry.
Local tip The fruit changes with the season, so ask what is local that week.
1
MorningWorth the time
Bayfield
A small harbor town on a hill above Lake Superior and the main gateway to the islands. Walk its streets down to the dock, with galleries and fruit farms around the town. Check ahead on the ferry times before you plan the day.
Go when Morning, before the day boats leave and the street fills.
Local tip Walk down to the dock and look out at the islands. The town is small, so give it a slow hour and no more.
Photo by Jason Torgerson on Unsplash
About 13 min by car or transit2.6 mi
2
MiddayWorth the time
Madeline Island Museum
A state history museum in the island village of La Pointe, on the site of an old fur trade post. It tells the story of the fur trade and of the people who lived and traded on the island, the Ojibwe among them. Check ahead on the season and opening.
Go when Midday, soon after the ferry lands.
Local tip This is the place to learn whose homeland this is before you walk the beach. Check ahead on the season and on opening.
Photo: Billertl, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Lunch
A sandwich in La Pointe
A casual lunch near the ferry dock, with a view of the water and the mainland across the strait.
Local tip Many island places keep the season, so check ahead before the crossing.
About 22 min by car or transit5.6 mi
3
AfternoonWorth the time
Big Bay State Park
A state park on the far side of Madeline Island with a long sand beach, sandstone bluffs and a boardwalk through the dunes. A quiet place to walk. The water is cold all summer, and the last ferry back does not wait.
Go when Afternoon, when the light is warm on the sand.
Local tip Plan the return around the last ferry, not around the beach. Swim only if you are ready for very cold water, and stay out of the surf if the lake is rough.
Photo: Ramblingnome, CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
About 22 min by car or transit5.6 mi
4
EveningAn evening stop
La Pointe
The only village on the islands, a short walk from the ferry dock, with a few shops and cafes. It has been a gathering place for the Ojibwe for centuries and is still home to a small year-round community. Be back at the dock for the last boat.
Go when Early evening, before the last ferry (about 8:54 PM).
Local tip Walk the few streets by the water and pick up what you need for the crossing. Check the ferry time before you wander off.
Photo: Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Dinner
Lake Superior whitefish
Whitefish or lake trout, grilled or smoked, from the cold lake, in a quiet room near the harbor.
Local tip Tables fill early in summer and on weekends, so book ahead.

If it rains. Rain suits the museum, and the ferry still runs in most weather. Skip the beach if the lake is wild, and spend the afternoon in the village.

Day 2. Out on the water

3 stops · 36.2 mi

The big day. A boat trip among the islands, with the lighthouses and the wilder shores. Which islands your boat lands on or passes changes with the season and the wind, so book a trip first and read the stops below as the places to ask about.

Travel from La PointeAbout 35 min by car or transit13.2 mi
Where Day 1 ended.
Breakfast
Eggs and a big coffee before the boat
A hearty start for a day on the water, then a thermos for the deck.
Local tip Take a warm drink and a layer even on a warm morning, because the lake is cold.
1
MorningWorth the time
Raspberry Island Light
A historic lighthouse on a small island close to Bayfield, with the keeper’s house and a small garden beside it. One of the easiest of the islands to visit, so it is often the first stop on a boat trip. Check ahead on landings and tours.
Go when Morning, when the boats are fresh and the lake is calm.
Local tip Stay on the marked paths near the light and the garden. Check ahead on landings, because a trip may only pass it.
Photo: NPS Photo on Wikimedia Commons
About 32 min by car or transit10.9 mi
2
MiddayGo with a boat plan
Stockton Island
The largest island in the national lakeshore, with a sheltered bay, sandy shores, pine woods and wet bog lagoons with unusual plants. It is also bear country, so keep food and bags close and do not leave them out. Check ahead on landings.
Go when Midday, when the bay is warmest.
Local tip The island has many black bears, so keep food and bags with you and never leave them out. Ask the park staff about the sand and the lagoon trails.
Lunch
A picnic on the boat
Sandwiches, fruit and nuts from a bakery or a farm stand, eaten on the deck or at the landing.
Local tip Pack out all rubbish, and keep food closed on any island because of the bears.
About 34 min by car or transit12.0 mi
3
AfternoonGo with a guide or a boat
Devils Island Light
A lighthouse on the northern tip of the islands, where wave-cut sandstone caves wrap around the shore. Kayakers explore them on calm days. In heavy surf the waves boom inside them, so this is a place for a boat trip or a guide, never a solo paddle.
Go when Afternoon, if the wind has dropped.
Local tip The caves are for calm days and good paddlers only. Heavy waves can fill them and trap a boat, and the lake can turn in an hour. Check ahead on the forecast.
Photo: JustinGlen, CC BY-SA 4.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Dinner
A fish dinner by the lake
Whitefish, potatoes and a slice of fruit pie, a simple lake-country way to end a day on the water.
Local tip Ask locally where a fish dinner is served that evening, since places and seasons change.

If it rains. Fog and wind can cancel boat trips, so keep the day loose. If your trip does not run, walk the harbor and ask the park staff about the lighthouses on land.

Day 3. The mainland sea caves

4 stops · 47.7 mi

A day on the mainland shore west of Bayfield. Red sandstone sea caves in the morning, a tiny fishing village for lunch, a wooded ravine on the way back and the harbor at dusk. The caves can only be visited when the lake allows it.

Drive from Devils Island LightAbout 44 min by car20.3 mi
Where Day 2 ended.
Breakfast
A packed breakfast for the caves
Fruit, a muffin and a hot drink, eaten at the beach before the lake wakes up.
Local tip The calmest water is early, so eat quickly and go.
1
MorningGo by the weather
Meyers Beach and the sea caves
A sandy beach at the start of a stretch of sandstone cliffs cut into arches and caves by the waves. Paddlers reach them on calm days, and in some cold winters the frozen lake lets people walk to ice-covered caves. Never go on unsure ice or in rough water, and check ahead on conditions and park notices.
Go when Early morning, when the lake is flattest.
Local tip Go only on a calm day, and with a guide if you are not an experienced paddler. The cliffs can drop rock, and the shore has no easy place to land. Check ahead on conditions.
About 15 min by car or transit3.2 mi
2
MiddayWorth a short stop
Cornucopia
A tiny village on the lake at the northern end of the peninsula, beside a sheltered bay and a beach. It is the last stop before the shore road ends, and a good place for a quiet walk by the water.
Go when Midday, as a pause between the caves and the drive back.
Local tip A quiet spot for a walk on the beach or a look at the bay. Most small shops here keep the season, so check ahead.
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0 on Wikimedia Commons
Lunch
Smoked fish and bread
Smoked whitefish or trout from a fish shop with a loaf and fruit, eaten on a bench by the water.
Local tip Ask a shop for what was smoked that day, and take it with you for a picnic.
About 38 min by car15.9 mi
3
AfternoonWorth a short walk
Houghton Falls Nature Preserve
A small nature preserve just south of Bayfield, with short wooded trails near the lake. A shady stop on the way back to town. Check ahead on the trails after heavy rain.
Go when Afternoon, on the way back to Bayfield.
Local tip Keep to the marked trails and watch your footing on wet ground near the ravine edges.
About 29 min by car or transit8.3 mi
4
EveningAn evening stop
Bayfield City Dock
The town dock, where the ferries and the boats come in. Watch the light go over the harbor and the islands to the east. A quiet end to the trip.
Go when Early evening, with the light low on the water (about 8:54 PM).
Local tip Bring a layer, because the breeze off the lake turns cool as soon as the sun drops.
Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash
Dinner
Pie and a last supper by the harbor
A bowl of fish chowder or a plate of grilled fish, then a slice of berry or apple pie as the light fades.
Local tip A pie shop in town may close early, so go before the evening light.

If it rains. Heavy surf and rain close the caves to paddlers, and the cliffs are slick. Spend the morning in Cornucopia and the afternoon in the ravine preserve, or leave the caves for a calmer morning.

Departure day

After the last day. The roads out are quiet, but Duluth is a long way from the shore.Details

The drive out: Duluth is about an hour and a half away and Minneapolis a long day. Fill the tank in town, and leave early for a morning flight.
Your flight: Do not plan a boat trip or a paddle on the day you fly, because the wind can cancel it and nothing here is quick to get to.
If you have a few hours: Walk the dock once more, or take a slow breakfast with a view of the islands before the drive.

Questions people ask

When is the best time to visit Bayfield?

By average weather from 2021 to 2025, May to September are the most comfortable months for walking around Bayfield. This plan is built for mid July, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.

How many days does this plan cover?

It covers 3 days in Bayfield, planned for mid July. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.

Who is this plan for?

It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.

Is anything on this plan booked?

No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.

Can I plan my own days like this?

Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.

Can I change this plan?

Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.

How much walking is there?

Each day has about 13.8 to 27.4 miles between its stops, and 64.2 miles in all across 3 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.