Good places to stay in or near Bayfield, WI
April 11, 2014 8:08 AM Subscribe
Starting to think about actually getting outside and enjoying the world now that the polar vortices have left the upper Midwest for a while. Thinking of heading to Bayfield, WI in August; I'd love to get recommendations from people who know of good places to stay in or near Bayfield. Hotels, cabins, resorts, whatever, as long as it's rad.
Oh, and- we've stayed on Madeline Island before and, while it was rad, we're thinking we'd like to stay on the mainland this time.
Oh, and- we've stayed on Madeline Island before and, while it was rad, we're thinking we'd like to stay on the mainland this time.
What's your budget?
Basically if you are thinking Bayfield you have a handful of other smalltowns to also choose from and be int he same easily drivable area. Bayfield/Washburn/Cornucopia a little further out but still very viable and on the lake is Ashland(biggest small town int he area) in one direction, and Herbster and Port Wing in the other direction(Cornucopia/Herbster/Port Wing are very small). Then about 60 miles east is Duluth which is a good place to visit/stay as well.
The Rittenhouse is very nice, but can be spendy
Up in Cornucopia which isn't that far away you could try The Village Inn
Herbster has a pretty nice public camp ground right on the lake
Because I live close enough I haven't actually stayed in many places over there, but know the area pretty good.
This place seems to have a decent run down of places to stay.
It's good youa re thinking about this now as August is serious prime tourist time in the area, plus allt he attention the ice caves got this winter actually had the affect of people starting to book hotels in the area for summertime as of a few months ago.
If you also let me know what kind of things you enjoy doing I may be able to recommend some stuff, as well if I'm around when the time gets close and you want to have a mini meetup I'm always down for a trip over to to the peninsula
posted by edgeways at 8:51 AM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
Basically if you are thinking Bayfield you have a handful of other smalltowns to also choose from and be int he same easily drivable area. Bayfield/Washburn/Cornucopia a little further out but still very viable and on the lake is Ashland(biggest small town int he area) in one direction, and Herbster and Port Wing in the other direction(Cornucopia/Herbster/Port Wing are very small). Then about 60 miles east is Duluth which is a good place to visit/stay as well.
The Rittenhouse is very nice, but can be spendy
Up in Cornucopia which isn't that far away you could try The Village Inn
Herbster has a pretty nice public camp ground right on the lake
Because I live close enough I haven't actually stayed in many places over there, but know the area pretty good.
This place seems to have a decent run down of places to stay.
It's good youa re thinking about this now as August is serious prime tourist time in the area, plus allt he attention the ice caves got this winter actually had the affect of people starting to book hotels in the area for summertime as of a few months ago.
If you also let me know what kind of things you enjoy doing I may be able to recommend some stuff, as well if I'm around when the time gets close and you want to have a mini meetup I'm always down for a trip over to to the peninsula
posted by edgeways at 8:51 AM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
Not a lodging rec but a dining one: We stopped at Coco's Cafe in Washburn this winter and it was AMAZING. I had the Apple Turkey Cheddar Melt and nearly went back for a second one. I bought two loaves of bread instead and cherished every bite over the next few weeks. Good, good stuff.
posted by Elly Vortex at 9:36 AM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Elly Vortex at 9:36 AM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]
My only experience in Bayfield was in the winter, and like most places on the MN side of the lake, this offers a good off-season price break. Obviously, this past winter was more brutal than normal, but it's worth keeping in mind for a future trip. There is skiing in the area ("downhill" and cross-country) and some nice little snowshoe trails leading out of town. I really liked the more locals-only feeling, with everyone nestled down and relaxed. Of course, this does limit dining and activities options somewhat, but I'd rather not fight crowds (I grew up in two different towns dependent entirely on tourism, and find tourists irritating even when I am one). If you are planning to go soon, you might still get some of those advantages...
I wish I could recall the name of the place we stayed, but I do remember that it was affiliated with a golf course. The "cabins" were more like condos, with multiple bedrooms and lots of space. Pretty clean, if oddly decorated (sort of a golf-humor/nautical mashup). Big kitchen with lots of included gear, too. Perhaps most importantly, very hands-off management. (I get annoyed by vacation spot operators who want to be your buddy, or are uptight/invasive.) If being intimate with your hosts is closer to your definition of "rad," then there are only about a billion B&Bs in the area. There's a restaurant/bar right down the road from this place that does "Friday Fish Dinner" up right, with regionally-caught walleye, etc, and all the extras.
One really cool, and totally random, activity that I'd recommend is visiting the local fish hatchery. For avid fisherpeople, or just total dorks, it's pretty fascinating and informative.
posted by credible hulk at 10:05 AM on April 11, 2014
I wish I could recall the name of the place we stayed, but I do remember that it was affiliated with a golf course. The "cabins" were more like condos, with multiple bedrooms and lots of space. Pretty clean, if oddly decorated (sort of a golf-humor/nautical mashup). Big kitchen with lots of included gear, too. Perhaps most importantly, very hands-off management. (I get annoyed by vacation spot operators who want to be your buddy, or are uptight/invasive.) If being intimate with your hosts is closer to your definition of "rad," then there are only about a billion B&Bs in the area. There's a restaurant/bar right down the road from this place that does "Friday Fish Dinner" up right, with regionally-caught walleye, etc, and all the extras.
One really cool, and totally random, activity that I'd recommend is visiting the local fish hatchery. For avid fisherpeople, or just total dorks, it's pretty fascinating and informative.
posted by credible hulk at 10:05 AM on April 11, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks, all!
What's your budget?
Not sure yet, I guess I need to survey the land first. $200ish a night or a little more is probably OK.
If you also let me know what kind of things you enjoy doing I may be able to recommend some stuff, as well if I'm around when the time gets close and you want to have a mini meetup I'm always down for a trip over to to the peninsula
Right on... we're into the usual Outdoor MN/WI panoply: hiking, biking, paddling, etc. Probably in that order.
posted by COBRA! at 1:07 PM on April 11, 2014
What's your budget?
Not sure yet, I guess I need to survey the land first. $200ish a night or a little more is probably OK.
If you also let me know what kind of things you enjoy doing I may be able to recommend some stuff, as well if I'm around when the time gets close and you want to have a mini meetup I'm always down for a trip over to to the peninsula
Right on... we're into the usual Outdoor MN/WI panoply: hiking, biking, paddling, etc. Probably in that order.
posted by COBRA! at 1:07 PM on April 11, 2014
Hiking.. you can actually hike along trails above the sea-caves and there is a nice small set of falls (Siskiwit Falls) near Cornucopia as well. You've been to Madeline so I'll assume you know of Big Bay State Park.
Houghton Falls is a pretty easy hike and just outside of Washburn
Big Top Chautauqua can be pretty cool. I've issues with them, but they are purely personal so not applicable (Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett are both playing in August).
You can drive up to Tetzner's Dairy and get fresh ice cream (or cheese), then take it to the beach (the dairy isn't a tourist thing so you'll feel like you're in the know doing this)
Lot of berry farm, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries may be available to hand pick that time of year. Plenty of places to chose from but one we like is Blue Vista
I remembered my wife had family that stayed at Woodside Cottages, and those seemed pretty good.
Lotsa outfitters in the area so (I'm sure you know) pretty easy to get kayaks.
A Nice day trip could be down to Copper Falls State Park. A little bit of a drive but a very pretty area.
Also east of Ashland in on the Bad River Reservation there will be the annual Manomin Pow Wow, August 22nd-24th. If you've never been to one and are in the area it may be worth your time.
posted by edgeways at 1:55 PM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
Houghton Falls is a pretty easy hike and just outside of Washburn
Big Top Chautauqua can be pretty cool. I've issues with them, but they are purely personal so not applicable (Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett are both playing in August).
You can drive up to Tetzner's Dairy and get fresh ice cream (or cheese), then take it to the beach (the dairy isn't a tourist thing so you'll feel like you're in the know doing this)
Lot of berry farm, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries may be available to hand pick that time of year. Plenty of places to chose from but one we like is Blue Vista
I remembered my wife had family that stayed at Woodside Cottages, and those seemed pretty good.
Lotsa outfitters in the area so (I'm sure you know) pretty easy to get kayaks.
A Nice day trip could be down to Copper Falls State Park. A little bit of a drive but a very pretty area.
Also east of Ashland in on the Bad River Reservation there will be the annual Manomin Pow Wow, August 22nd-24th. If you've never been to one and are in the area it may be worth your time.
posted by edgeways at 1:55 PM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
And: August is probably going to be busy up there, I'd start making arrangements right now-ish.
posted by doctornecessiter at 8:45 AM on April 11, 2014 [1 favorite]