Madeline Island<\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Madeline-Island.jpg\")
Madeline Island<\/p><\/div>\n
The largest island of the bunch\u2014more than 13 miles long and six miles wide\u2014is larger than Manhattan. Serviced several times hourly by a car and passenger ferry from the mainland town Bayfield, Madeline Island in only a 15-minute trip each way.<\/p>\n
Madeline is the only one of the Apostle Islands not part of the NPS (because there were too many homeowners to buy out) and offers an ideal introduction to the area\u2019s rich history and leisure opportunities,<\/p>\n
The Madeline Museum<\/strong> features both intricately beaded clothing and woodland dolls played with by children of the island\u2019s original Native people, known as Anishinaabe, plus modern artwork by their descendants. The attached 1800s log cabin is full of tools, clothing, and other artifacts from the Europeans who settled in the region, and the original Fresnel crystal lens of the important 1852 lighthouse on nearby Raspberry Island is also displayed here.<\/p>\nBig Bay State Park<\/strong> offers a popular beachfront destination, with a picturesque lagoon. The long sandy beach is dotted with old-growth pine trees and easy hiking trails suitable for young children that include wooden walkways, kayak rentals, and campsites.<\/p>\nAnother Madeline Island feature is that most signs include the original Native language. You\u2019ll see \u201cIkewag\u201d and \u201cIniniwag\u201d included in the signs for women and men at bathroom facilities, and the Native names alongside English on hiking trails, including to identify trees and plants.<\/p>\n
Other Apostle Islands<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Devils-Island-.jpg\")
Devil’s Island sea caves | Photo: Evelyn Kanter<\/p><\/div>\n
Devil\u2019s Island<\/strong> is the most dramatic of the group, with a network of shoreline sea caves created by millions of years of erosion to the sandstone. Legend is that the original settlers, the Ojibwe (Chippewa), thought the wind whistling through the caves sounded like devilish human howling, hence the name. It\u2019s a dream destination for kayakers, hikers, birders, lighthouse fans and, of course, photographers.<\/p>\nThe most historic is Manitou Island<\/strong>, the only one still with its original Native name. The restored 1800s \u201cfish camp\u201d, with log cabins where fishermen stayed for weeks at a time to process their catches, including smoking them, can be toured in season. Ditto the 1852 lighthouse on Raspberry Island<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe easiest way to sample the islands is via the popular three-hour sightseeing cruise from Bayfield, the area\u2019s largest town and base for exploration, including kayak and bike rentals. Or, charter a sailboat which will allow you to dock and explore.<\/p>\n
Bayfield<\/h2>\n
The small Maritime Museum<\/strong> explores the area\u2019s history, including some of the 350 shipwrecks in the area. Downtown is a typical small resort town, with boutiques and art galleries in between restaurants, ice cream shops, and a waterside park and cupola. Be sure to stop by Bodin Fisheries <\/strong><\/a>for fresh smoked local fish or fish pate, perhaps for a picnic at Myer\u2019s Beach<\/strong>, the miles-long mainland beach that\u2019s also part of the National Lakeshore designation.<\/p>\nThe Fruit Loop<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/cherry-orchard.jpg\")
A cherry orchard<\/p><\/div>\n
No, we\u2019re not talking about breakfast cereal, but rather Bayfield\u2019s bountiful orchards and fruit farms, which grow apples, pears, cranberries, cherries, blackberries, and strawberries. One of the oldest farms is Erickson Orchards<\/strong><\/a>, now in its third generation and training the fourth. In season, Erickson presses as much as 250 gallons of cider a day, selling most of it to nearby boutique wineries and distilleries, including the only one in the US owned by Native Americans, on tribal land.<\/p>\nCopper Crow Distillery<\/strong><\/h2>\nFounders Curt and wife Linda Basina are members of the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Ojibwe\/Chippewa. They use Erickson cider to produce a potent apple brandy, a main ingredient in what many consider Wisconsin\u2019s official cocktail\u2014a brandy old-fashioned. Copper Crow Distillery<\/a> also uses the whey from local cheese production to produce vodka. It\u2019s light with a touch of sweetness and very unique.<\/p>\nFrog Bay Tribal National Park<\/strong><\/h2>\nLocated on tribal land is the 300-acre Frog Bay Tribal National Park<\/a>, the first tribal national park in the USA. Trails here are in a more natural state than in NPS national parks, which means they are more rugged and less trafficked, which only adds to their appeal.<\/p>\nWhere to eat<\/h2>\n
In Bayfield, Pier Plaza<\/strong> is steps from the piers it is named for, and features wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and local fish. The Fat Radish<\/strong><\/a> is one of the few year-round choices, offering an inventive menu focusing on seafood. It\u2019s in Cornucopia, about 15 minutes from Bayfield down a country road.<\/p>\nFriday Fish Fry dinners are a tradition in much of Wisconsin. Depending on the season, it\u2019s trout, whitefish or herring caught from either Lake Michigan or Lake Superior,\u00a0 then lightly battered and pan-fried or grilled. Of course, Wisconsin is famous for its cheese, and cheese curds offer a popular appetizer or snack. They are cubed and fried, and absolutely addictive; it\u2019s hard to have a meal without them, washed down by a Wisconsin microbrew such as Spotted Cow, which is not shipped beyond state lines.<\/p>\n
Where to stay<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Madeline Island<\/p><\/div>\n
The largest island of the bunch\u2014more than 13 miles long and six miles wide\u2014is larger than Manhattan. Serviced several times hourly by a car and passenger ferry from the mainland town Bayfield, Madeline Island in only a 15-minute trip each way.<\/p>\n
Madeline is the only one of the Apostle Islands not part of the NPS (because there were too many homeowners to buy out) and offers an ideal introduction to the area\u2019s rich history and leisure opportunities,<\/p>\n
The Madeline Museum<\/strong> features both intricately beaded clothing and woodland dolls played with by children of the island\u2019s original Native people, known as Anishinaabe, plus modern artwork by their descendants. The attached 1800s log cabin is full of tools, clothing, and other artifacts from the Europeans who settled in the region, and the original Fresnel crystal lens of the important 1852 lighthouse on nearby Raspberry Island is also displayed here.<\/p>\n Big Bay State Park<\/strong> offers a popular beachfront destination, with a picturesque lagoon. The long sandy beach is dotted with old-growth pine trees and easy hiking trails suitable for young children that include wooden walkways, kayak rentals, and campsites.<\/p>\n Another Madeline Island feature is that most signs include the original Native language. You\u2019ll see \u201cIkewag\u201d and \u201cIniniwag\u201d included in the signs for women and men at bathroom facilities, and the Native names alongside English on hiking trails, including to identify trees and plants.<\/p>\n Devil’s Island sea caves | Photo: Evelyn Kanter<\/p><\/div>\n Devil\u2019s Island<\/strong> is the most dramatic of the group, with a network of shoreline sea caves created by millions of years of erosion to the sandstone. Legend is that the original settlers, the Ojibwe (Chippewa), thought the wind whistling through the caves sounded like devilish human howling, hence the name. It\u2019s a dream destination for kayakers, hikers, birders, lighthouse fans and, of course, photographers.<\/p>\n The most historic is Manitou Island<\/strong>, the only one still with its original Native name. The restored 1800s \u201cfish camp\u201d, with log cabins where fishermen stayed for weeks at a time to process their catches, including smoking them, can be toured in season. Ditto the 1852 lighthouse on Raspberry Island<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The easiest way to sample the islands is via the popular three-hour sightseeing cruise from Bayfield, the area\u2019s largest town and base for exploration, including kayak and bike rentals. Or, charter a sailboat which will allow you to dock and explore.<\/p>\n The small Maritime Museum<\/strong> explores the area\u2019s history, including some of the 350 shipwrecks in the area. Downtown is a typical small resort town, with boutiques and art galleries in between restaurants, ice cream shops, and a waterside park and cupola. Be sure to stop by Bodin Fisheries <\/strong><\/a>for fresh smoked local fish or fish pate, perhaps for a picnic at Myer\u2019s Beach<\/strong>, the miles-long mainland beach that\u2019s also part of the National Lakeshore designation.<\/p>\n A cherry orchard<\/p><\/div>\n No, we\u2019re not talking about breakfast cereal, but rather Bayfield\u2019s bountiful orchards and fruit farms, which grow apples, pears, cranberries, cherries, blackberries, and strawberries. One of the oldest farms is Erickson Orchards<\/strong><\/a>, now in its third generation and training the fourth. In season, Erickson presses as much as 250 gallons of cider a day, selling most of it to nearby boutique wineries and distilleries, including the only one in the US owned by Native Americans, on tribal land.<\/p>\n Founders Curt and wife Linda Basina are members of the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Ojibwe\/Chippewa. They use Erickson cider to produce a potent apple brandy, a main ingredient in what many consider Wisconsin\u2019s official cocktail\u2014a brandy old-fashioned. Copper Crow Distillery<\/a> also uses the whey from local cheese production to produce vodka. It\u2019s light with a touch of sweetness and very unique.<\/p>\n Located on tribal land is the 300-acre Frog Bay Tribal National Park<\/a>, the first tribal national park in the USA. Trails here are in a more natural state than in NPS national parks, which means they are more rugged and less trafficked, which only adds to their appeal.<\/p>\n In Bayfield, Pier Plaza<\/strong> is steps from the piers it is named for, and features wood-fired pizzas, burgers, and local fish. The Fat Radish<\/strong><\/a> is one of the few year-round choices, offering an inventive menu focusing on seafood. It\u2019s in Cornucopia, about 15 minutes from Bayfield down a country road.<\/p>\n Friday Fish Fry dinners are a tradition in much of Wisconsin. Depending on the season, it\u2019s trout, whitefish or herring caught from either Lake Michigan or Lake Superior,\u00a0 then lightly battered and pan-fried or grilled. Of course, Wisconsin is famous for its cheese, and cheese curds offer a popular appetizer or snack. They are cubed and fried, and absolutely addictive; it\u2019s hard to have a meal without them, washed down by a Wisconsin microbrew such as Spotted Cow, which is not shipped beyond state lines.<\/p>\nOther Apostle Islands<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Bayfield<\/h2>\n
The Fruit Loop<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Copper Crow Distillery<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Frog Bay Tribal National Park<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Where to eat<\/h2>\n
Where to stay<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Legendary-Waters.jpg\")