Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Kayak or cruise past sandstone sea caves and historic lighthouses on 21 Lake Superior islands and 12 miles of mainland shore.

415 Washington Ave · Bayfield, WI

About Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore covers 21 islands and a 12-mile strip of mainland on Wisconsin's Bayfield Peninsula, with sandstone sea caves and eight historic lighthouse towers on six islands. You need a boat to reach the islands, so you can join a tour boat, take a water taxi, paddle a sea kayak or bring your own boat. Camping is available on 18 of the 21 islands, and the visitor center is in Bayfield. In some winters the Mainland Ice Caves open along the Mainland Trail.

#national lakeshore
#sea caves
#kayaking
#lighthouses
#lake superior

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What's around here?

The closest stops to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

Museums
Bayfield Maritime Museum
No admission fee
Volunteer-run museum showing the nautical history of Bayfield and the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior.
0.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Museums
Madeline Island Museum
Under $25
A Wisconsin Historical Society museum on Madeline Island showing Ojibwe, French, British, and American stories across four historic buildings.
2.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Sports & Outdoors
Big Bay State Park
Check prices
Wisconsin state park on the eastern side of Madeline Island, with sandstone bluffs, Lake Superior shoreline, and a sandy beach.
7.0 mi awayMore like this
Tours
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Apostle Islands Cruises
$50+
Narrated boat tours through the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore on Lake Superior, departing Bayfield, Wisconsin.
30 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours
Sports & Outdoors
Copper Falls State Park
Check prices
A Wisconsin state park known for gorges, waterfalls, and lava-flow rock, with camping, hiking, and fishing.
31 mi awayMore like this
Sports & Outdoors
Outdoor Adventure
Gooseberry Falls State Park
Under $25
Walk to the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls of the Gooseberry River where it meets Lake Superior on the North Shore.
38 mi awayMore like this