Best 3-Day Getaway Ideas in Bayfield WI

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Where is Bayfield Wisconsin located?

Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 487 at the 2010 census. This makes it the city with the smallest population in the state of Wisconsin. Wikipedia

Bayfield is considered the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, located on Highway 13 and centrally located in the Chequamegon Bay. The Chicago Tribune awarded Bayfield Wisconsin the 'Best Little Town in the Midwest', and the Smithsonian Magazine named Bayfield Wisconsin one of 'Americas Best Small Towns.' Home to the Bayfield Apple Festival which brings in 50,000+ visitors over the course of three days in celebration of the apple. USA Today touted the Bayfield Apple Festival as one of the 'Top 10 Best Fall Harvest Festival' in the United States.

Located just 464 miles away from Chicago Illinois, 370 miles away from Milwaukee Wisconsin, 324 miles from Madison Wisconsin, 210 miles from Minneapolis Minnesota, and 185 miles from Wausau Wisconsin. All locations are no more than 6-7 hours away.

Day 1: Getting Settled In

Your first few minutes in Bayfield Wisconsin may very well be your arrival. Let's find you a couple of places to stay for the night so you can rest up, and get prepared for your very first full day in Bayfield Wisconsin.

LODGING

You can choose from a variety of accommodations. If historic lodgings are your fancy, you are in for a treat. There are two historic properties located in Bayfield Wisconsin.

Old Rittenhouse Inn: The Old Rittenhouse Inn is Bayfield County's first every Country Inn built in 1890 offering a Bed & Breakfast option, as well as a cottage, suites, and standard rooms. The Landmark Restaurant is an additional amenity right on the Old Rittenhouse Inn property which includes a casual elegance dining environment.
First Street Inn: The First Street Inn comes complete with two historic properties. LaBonte House which was built in 1863 provides vintage decor, historic memorabilia and Wachsmuth House, built in 1880, provides comparable accommodations within the same property. Below, a full service restaurant; Greunke’s Restaurant.

Now, if you're seeking more modern accommodations, you may be enticed to check out some of the affordable Lake Superior Condominium properties and Lake Superior Vacation Rentals. We would recommend some of our more modern properties.

Bayfield On the Lake: Bayfield On the Lake provides a Lake Harbor View located centrally in downtown Bayfield Wisconsin. This is a beautiful and convenient location within walking distance from the Madeline Island Ferry, and steps away from the Bayfield lakefront walking path.
Reiten Boatyard: Reiten Boatyard is fully equipped with beachfront properties to make any vacation or staycation a memorable one. Reiten Boatyard comes complete with 15 unique accommodations from studio units to second story units with a beautiful patio view not found elsewhere in Bayfield Wisconsin.
Brookside Hide-Away: Just 2 miles south of Bayfield and the Gateway to the Apostle Islands The nightly rate includes all taxes. Brookside #2 is a 1 bedroom furnished ground floor condominium, with heated pool in the summer, grill area, and fire pit. Near trails, orchards, activities. Near the Big Top Chautauqua event area. Unit #2 has a private deck, and air conditioning. There is a bedroom with a queen bed and queen sofa sleeper in the common area. Linen and towels are provided. Kitchen is fully furnished

DINING

Your travel to Bayfield likely had you working up somewhat of an appetite. Don't worry, we have some recommendations for you to take advantage of for dining. We'll walk you through the highest rated Bayfield Wisconsin Restaurants.

Manypenny Bistro (4.6 stars): Manypenny Bistro is a full service restaurant with a wide range of food options. Slated as the best breakfast in Bayfield Wisconsin, Manypenny serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lunch menu options include a wide range of sandwiches, burgers, and Lake Superior whitefish. When it comes to dinner options, you cannot go wrong with one of the delicious wood stone pizzas. This is a must when looking for Best Bayfield Wisconsin Restaurants.
The Copper Trout (4.6 stars): At The Copper Trout you will enjoy a true taste what Lake Superior has to offer. The freshest fish, the best berries and apples, wild foraged mushrooms, all cooked up with classic Italian and American techniques. If you take a look at the Google reviews, you'll see the most popular dishes include the Italian inspired pasta dishes.
Landmark Restaurant (4.5 stars): The Landmark Restaurant is as close as you'll get to fine dining in Bayfield Wisconsin. The Mussels and Lake Superior Trout Wellington are some extremely popular dishes offered at the Landmark Restaurant. Complete with an elegant ambiance and casual dining environment located inside the historic Old Rittenhouse Inn, this is a great option for any dining outing.
Pier Plaza Restaurant (4.4 stars): Longtime, family-owned joint at Bay Front Inn with seafood dishes, regional beers & an outdoor deck. Enjoy one of their daily specials, a Friday night fish fry, something locally harvested, or settle in for a nice burger. Don't forget the appetizers.
Morty's Pub (4.4 stars): Some reviews indicate Morty's has the "Best Burgers in Town." In addition to their burger lineup, they also offer a nice selection "Fresh from Lake Superior" which includes fish and chips, and whitefish tacos to name a few.

After a long day of driving, and getting settled in you were able to fuel up with a nice meal from the Top 5 Restaurants in Bayfield Wisconsin.

Day 2: Explore the Shore

Breakfast

Manypenny Bistro
Manypenny Bistro has the most reviewed and most requested breakfast in Bayfield Wisconsin. Try the eggs benedict, it comes highly recommended.

Apostle Islands Cruises

Schedule a tour with Apostle Islands Cruises. The pricing is affordable and offers a great 55 mile scenic cruise and you'll pass extraordinary natural scenery, beautiful historic Raspberry and Devils Island Lighthouses, standing rocks, extensive sea caves and marine wildlife. Learn the rich history of centuries of human interaction with Wisconsin's "Crown Jewels" on majestic Lake Superior. All cruises range from 2.5 to 3 hours in length. The starting times are 10:00am CST, and last until 12:30pm - 01:00pm.

Age Groups	Prices
Adults	$47.95
Children (6-12)	$28.95
Children (Under 6)	$1.00

Lunch

We are recommending trying The Copper Trout, as the second highest rated restaurant in Bayfield Wisconsin. The Prosciutto is absolutely delicious and something to consider for lunch.

Tour Top Bayfield Wisconsin Orchards

We definitely are going to recommend Erickson Orchard. Erickson Orchard, in fact, started the Bayfield Apple Festival as a means of bringing people to the apples, versus delivering apples throughout the Midwest. Erickson Orchard has various picking seasons which include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and of course, apples. Other items to pick and harvest include squash, corn, cucumber, tomatoes, beans, gourds, and pumpkins. Don't forget to grab some pasteurized apple cider and Muriel's world famous apple cider donuts.

Now that you have had a solid breakfast, a great 55-mile cruise, and tried the Italian inspired menu at the Copper Trout. You had some time to visit the most popular apple orchard, pick some fresh fruits and vegetables. Now, let's explore downtown Bayfield's retail shops.

Shopping and Specialty Retail in Bayfield Wisconsin

Sweet Sailing

Sweet Sailing is overflowing with goodies to sooth your appetite, tempt your sweet tooth, and please the eye. Homestyle fudge, salt water taffy, domestic and import candy, gourmet foods, kitchen and home decor, and much more.

Howl Adventure Center

The Howl Adventure Center is a unique retail location with cross country ski equipment, snowshoes, winter accessories, men's clothing, women's clothing, fat bikes and a plethora of outdoor gear. If you're just here for the day, find some rental equipment for Day 3, which includes outdoor and recreational activities to explore the shore Adventure Club Brewing, the in-house brewery, has outdoor seating, campfires, crowlers, and growlers to go so that you can continue to enjoy our tasty beverages safely.

Dinner

We do recommend to visit the third highest rated restaurant in Bayfield Wisconsin. The Landmark Restaurant. The Landmark Restaurant has a more upscale menu and dining experience. There is no dress code, but dine in elegance at The Landmark Restaurant. We do recommend trying the Lake Superior Trout Wellington.

Day 3: Get Active

Let's get started with a great cup of coffee, latte, or your favorite cup of tea by visiting Wonderstate Coffee for a light breakfast and some caffeine. If that's not your style, check out Gale Force Coffee, just a block away. Either one provide great coffee and tea selections with baked goods, and light breakfast items.

Shoreline, Shipwreck and Cliffs Adventures

Stop by Trek & Trail to enjoy a beautiful half day tour of he beautiful Bayfield shoreline combined with visits to towering sandstone cliffs and the sunken Finn McCool. This paddle highlights notable features of Bayfield’s present and includes stories of the beloved town’s past. Perfect for beginners or those looking to view the City of Bayfield from a unique water perspective. The half day tour is just $60 per person, and a great affordable option to explore the shore.

Hiking Trails

We recommend visiting Frog Bay Tribal National Park, as it is a easier trail that is 2 miles in length that covers boreal forest and beach front. This trail is sustainably protected by Frog Bay Conversation Manageent and federally protected from developments. It is truly one of the most pristine trails Bayfield has to offer. To see our full list of Lake Superior Hiking Trails, click here. The list comes complete with 15 hiking trails located in and around Bayfield Wisconsin.

By now, you're probably tired and ready for a meal before you hit the road home.

Lunch

We recommend stopping by Legendary Waters Resort and Casino to grab a bite at Legends Sports Grill. They have a great selection of Lake Superior whitefish, among other breakfast, lunch and dinner items.

Fueling Up and Road Snacks

While in Red Cliff enjoying a meal before you hit the road, we recommend visiting the Buffalo Bay Store. A very unique wigwam structure transformed into a convenience store. The Buffalo Bay Store is part of the Tribal Business League, and by association has the lowest prices on fuel, tobacco, soda, snacks, and light grocery in all of Bayfield County. Fuel up, grab some snack items, and throw in a Tribal First Pizza to try when you get home.

Explore the Shore

While planning out your Bayfield Vacation Getaway, we hope this was a useful guide to help you navigate all that Bayfield Wisconsin has to offer. We are recommending some of the most popular places to explore while in Bayfield, but also recommending hidden gems Yelp, TripAdvisor, and other sources tend to gloss over.

If you're planning a trip to Bayfield Wisconsin anytime during 2021, we are happy to provide you with resources to Explore the Shore.

See you soon!
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Bayfield Wisconsin Rentals
240 Wilson Ave
Bayfield WI 54814
(715) 209-5753
www.BayfieldWisconsinRentals.com

Things To Do in Bayfield

Hiking