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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon: Program Registration: 4:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. Remember to bring your name-tag (sent previously).
Dinner: At the inn, we’ll have a plated and served meal with coffee, tea and water.
Evening: Orientation: 7:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day; periods of standing up to 1 hour at the Coast Guard Station.
Breakfast: In the inn’s meeting room with a gorgeous view of the public pier on Lake Superior, Madeline Island, and the sunrise, we’ll have a breakfast buffet with choices including hot items that will change daily, muffins/pastries, oatmeal, yogurt, and fresh fruit with coffee, tea, water.
Morning: A retired National Park Service historian will join us at the hotel to present the history of the Apostle Islands and the Bayfield area including the early encounters between Native Americans, explorers, missionaries, and fur trappers. After a short break, we’ll gather for a second lecture, this time on the construction of the famed Apostle Islands lighthouses.
Lunch: At the inn, we’ll have a light lunch with a sandwich, side, and dessert, plus coffee, tea, water.
Afternoon: Next, we will go on a walking field trip through town and visit the historic National Park Service Building to learn from an NPS ranger about this small town and its role as the gateway to the Apostle Islands. The rest of the afternoon will be free for independent exploration of this quaint lakeside town.
Dinner: Inn plated meal.
Evening: We will then walk over to the Coast Guard Station where we will join some of the staff for a special presentation on what steps are taken to protect these shores on one of the world’s largest lakes, Lake Superior. Afterwards, we will walk back to the inn for the remainder of the evening at leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day; sidewalks and flat terrain. Getting on/off a boat; ride is about 2.5 hours.
Breakfast: Inn buffet.
Morning: We will begin with a short walk to the nearby dock where we will set out on a study cruise narrated by the captain of the boat. As we see historic lighthouses and get close-up views of the sea caves, we will learn about their history, legendary shipwrecks that happened in the area, and that native marine wildlife. Twenty-two islands make up the Apostle Islands, and it is host to one of the four National Lakeshores in the United States.
Lunch: At the inn, we’ll have a light lunch of a sandwich and sides.
Afternoon: At the hotel, a retired director of the Lake Superior Maritime Visitors Center/Army Corps of Engineers in Duluth, Minnesota will give a presentation about shipwrecks among the Apostle Islands. We will see images and hear stories about some of the many ships that went down in and around the Apostle Islands, further emphasizing the importance of the Coast Guard.
Dinner: Inn plated meal.
Evening: Tonight we will gather for an expert-led lecture focused on the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the Apostle Islands area.
Activity note: Walking up to 1 mile throughout the day; periods of standing up to 1 hour each. Getting on/off the ferry; ride is about 1/2 hour. Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 30 miles roundtrip; approximately 2 hours.
Breakfast: Inn buffet.
Morning: We will transfer via school bus to take the ferry to Madeline Island and, once on the island, we will visit the Madeline Island Museum for a presentation on the fur trade given by a local expert. The rustic museum, an amalgamation of several different structures, includes the only remaining building from the American Fur Company. It tells the story of the Ojibwe people who lived in this area for centuries, and exhibits explorer and fur trade artifacts. From there, we will head out on foot to Big Bay City Park where we will walk along the pristine sandy barrier beach.
Lunch: At Big Bay City Park, we will have a boxed lunch of sandwiches and sides.
Afternoon: On a narrated field trip by bus around the island, we will learn from a local expert about the renowned extreme winter weather in this area of Wisconsin on Lake Superior. We’ll talk about how the folks who live here get along when it’s so cold, and how they enjoy the mild summers. As we go, we’ll make various stops including visits to an artisan shop and a church. We’ll then catch the ferry and return to the inn.
Dinner: At the inn, we’ll gather for a tasty plated farewell dinner with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening: We’ll then have a special presentation at the inn given by a local expert about “The House That Sank.” A comical story stemming from a can-do attitude in the very cold winter of 1977, The House That Sank received attention from everyone, including the LA Times and folk singers alike, after it (and the truck hauling it) broke through the ice on the way across Lake Superior. Prepare for check-out and departures in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast: Inn buffet.
Morning: Our final session of the program will wrap up with two short lectures on the ways in which the people of the Apostle Islands and surrounding region made their living in the challenging Lake Superior environment – fishing, logging, farming, and more – followed by a closer examination of women's lives on the islands.
Lunch: Before departure take a boxed lunch to go. This concludes our program.
Afternoon: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
The La Pointe- Chequamegon area is a little known treasure of Wisconsin to explore and learn of it's history.
The Apostle Islands are a fascinating and beautiful place with an interesting history. This program was a good introduction, our accommodations were good and located in an excellent place by the water. The group leader was very good.
The group leader, Geoff Wendorf, is warm, personable, and knowledgeable. The speakers also really knew their subjects and I learned a lot. The weather wasn't perfect, but the place and the people were, so who cares about the weather!
A great course in a beautiful setting. I learned a lot about the history of this area as well as the many shipwrecks on Lake Superior.
This was one of my favorite Road Scholar Trips. Bayfield Inn setting was beautiful with lovely rooms. We were lucky to have the water view. Staff were very accommodating and food was delicious (even with my special diet). This is rated easy and it was that. The leader Geof was funny and very knowledgeable. The historic little town was fun to walk around, boat ride around the Apostle Islands where we saw lighthouses and beautiful scenery, and the ferry out to Madeline Island was lots of fun! If you want a easy but fun, interesting and to learn history of the Ojibwee Indians and all the shipwrecks of Lake Superior, this is an excellent program!
Absolutely go! Beautiful setting, fantastic program. You won't be disappointed. Geoff loves doing the program, knows people who are knowledgeable and yet is open to new presenters. Not to be missed!
Easy going but still involving outdoor activities on land and water.
Great program! I had visited Bayfield two times before but never realized everything that was there. Road Scholar does a wonderful job of finding instructors and places that regular tourists don't learn about when they are there. Thanks Road Scholar.
Very good and worthy week. Leader Geof W is friendly and inclusive, welcoming everyone equally and warmly, being a wealth of support and coordinator extraordinaire. The speakers are great, National Park staff and local historians and the mayor! They bring the nature and history of the locale to life with good storytelling. The shipwreck speaker developed a good story to the Edmund Fitzgerald that he could develop as well for the earlier shipwrecks. The sunny day cruise around the sandstone caves was exceptional. As a first tour success, we are much in favor of shopping for our second trip! Thank you, Geof and RS!
Interesting program!Besides learning about the history of the area it was a great opportunity to see the natural beauty that makes this a recreational destination. The hotel,dining, and staff were wonderful. The Road Scholar staff was exceptional.
The town of Bayfield is so interesting and life on the islands. The hotel is very nice and comfortable. So much was within walking distance which was very nice. This is an artsy community as is Madeline Island. We stopped on Madeline Island after an all day tour for the best ice cream. The tour on the water of the island was amazing showing us the unusual rock formations was very interesting. Highly recommend this program
Very good trip. We went in October and the fall color was fabulous. However the winds were blowing and it was also a little cool and the lake was to rough for one of the main excursions. The speakers were really good and brought the area into a new light.
This program was wonderful - the location, accommodations, food, boat trip, visit to the Coast Guard station and Madeline Island, and the stories about the lake were excellent. Well worth it!
We had never heard of the Apostle Islands before signing up for this program. We learned a lot in a wonderful location and enjoyed every part of the trip. History, a beautiful setting, a very nice inn and Geoff - a terrific group leader - all made this a great experience! *****
This is an interesting, well-organized program about a beautiful & unique area of the country. The speakers were knowledgeable & enthusiastic. The group leader was helpful & attentive. The hotel was extremely nice. There is no elevator, so if you have trouble with stairs be sure to request a ground-floor room. Overall, a great program!
The Apostle Island is an absolutely lovely low activity program.
The Apostle Islands program was a first experience for my wife and me with Road Scholar. As seasoned knowledgeable international and domestic travelers, we were pleased with the content, tour director, engaging speakers, and informative visits to interesting sites and sights.
This is a fantastic program. Even though we had a few blustery days, we were able to do everything on the program that was weather-dependent. I certainly gained a greater appreciation for this particular spot in Lake Superior, and will probably return to the area.
Great trip!!! The hotel is beautiful and is truly steps away from Lake Superior, the lectures are very informative, and the group leader ensures you experience the very best of the area.
This was a wonderful program. Bayfield and the Apostle Islands are true Wisconsin gems. The location was beautiful and the program leader and speakers were all outstanding. I highly recommend this program.
This was our first Road Scholar experience. We had wanted to visit the Apostle Islands area for a number of years. This program was a great introduction to the area and encouraged us to try to get back to the area at some time in the future.
This program about the Apostle Islands and surrounding communities was very educational, and the beautiful Lake Superior scenery and weather made for a wonderful experience. The accommodations and meals at the Bayfield Inn were outstanding!
Highly recommend, good length and interesting things to learn and do. These islands are so unknown that the more people who learn about them the more respect for the Great Lakes in general may occur.
The trip to the Apostle Islands was my first Road Scholar trip. It was a perfect introduction because of its length and activity level. Besides the wonderful program itself, getting to talk with people who travel with Road Scholar regularly helped me decide to use Road Scholar again! This trip was a good blend of lecture, activity such as walking and boating, and camaraderie.
Great program to see the 22 Apostle Islands and Bayfield WI! Forget small quiet inland lakes - Lake Superior will remind you more of a small ocean with rocky bluffs. Ice caves on shore and Devil's Island not to be missed. Bayfield Inn staff set the bar for hospitality and the Inn is right there next to the ferry & tour boat piers. Easy to walk downtown. We enjoyed fresh whitefish and lake trout at two of our evening meals.
If you love the North woods, this trip is for you. Not as active as some, but you get to see some wonderful spots. The lodge on the lake is wonderful with great food and service. The town of Bayfield is quite enchanting and lovely with the gardens. You will enjoy 2 great boat rides and see lighthouses, eagles and sea caves. The talks were pretty entertaining, I especially liked the talk by the ranger at the National Park Visitor Center. Our guide, Geof, was always on track and kept us moving.
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