Explore Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

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: 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: 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.

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: 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. Afterwards, we will walk back to the inn for the remainder of the evening at leisure.

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!