Wisconsin
Gateway to the Apostle Islands
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Photo: ThoreauDowns / Flickr
Perched on a hillside overlooking Lake Superior, Bayfield is Wisconsin's smallest incorporated city—and arguably its most beautiful. With a year-round population of just 584, this former fishing and quarrying town has reinvented itself as the gateway to the spectacular Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, drawing kayakers, sailors, and nature lovers from around the world.
The town's hillside location creates a dramatic setting, with Victorian-era buildings cascading down to the waterfront where ferries depart for Madeline Island and the Apostle Islands archipelago. The surrounding peninsula is blanketed with apple and berry orchards—a legacy of the lake-moderated climate that makes this unlikely fruit-growing region possible.
In October, the Bayfield Apple Festival draws 60,000 visitors to a town of 584, celebrating the harvest with parades, pie-eating contests, and fresh-pressed cider. In winter, the famous ice caves of the Apostle Islands lure adventurers across the frozen lake to explore otherworldly frozen formations.
Gateway to 21 islands with sea caves, lighthouses, and pristine wilderness
Famous October festival drawing 60,000 visitors for orchards, pies, and cider
Spectacular frozen formations accessible by foot across Lake Superior in winter
Historic fishing village with Victorian architecture and working waterfront
Bayfield is located at the northern tip of Wisconsin, about 90 miles east of Duluth. Summer and fall are peak seasons—book well ahead for Apple Festival weekend. The Madeline Island Ferry runs regularly in summer, while kayak outfitters offer tours of the sea caves. In winter, check conditions before attempting the ice cave walk. Stay at one of the charming Victorian B&Bs for the full experience.