We are so fortunate in Bayfield to be situated on the South Shore of the grand Lake Superior – this time of year provides lake effect snow, resulting in frequent snowfall, preserving the clean winter vista while also providing consistent snow for outdoor play. With this in mind, we are happy to provide out top 5 Winter Adventure recommendations:

1.      Bayfield Peninsula provides magnificent terrain for dog sledding! Consider a Wolfsong Dog Sledding trip. Their trips are magnificent! Be sure to check out Pinehurst Dog Sledding Packages.

2.      Mt Ashwaybay Ski Area provides downhill skiing, over 40 km of beautiful XC Ski and snowshoe trails. Just up 2.5 miles up the hill from Pinehurst Inn.

3.      As safety allows, visit the Mainland Sea Caves. Magnificent winter landscapes unique to Lake Superior and rugged shoreline. Typically accessible late February. Always check the National Park Service website for current conditions and safety recommendations.

4.      Make your way to Madeline Island! Whether by ferry, windsled, or ice road, this is a true adventure.

5.      While on Madeline, head out if able to Big Bay State Park for some great snowshoeing along the sandstone cliffs.

All of these activities will get you out to incredibly beautiful areas, view of Lake Superior and the Apostle Island, serene hardwood and pine forests. Some simple ways to embrace winter in your search for adventure.

Watch for our upcoming post on the Pinehurst Inn Top 5 Winter Relaxation Ideas!

September and October bring hearty guests to Pinehurst Inn in Bayfield seeking opportunity to get and out enjoy the beautiful fall weather, changing
leaves and sparkling waters. Enjoy an outdoor biking adventure with the
glorious oranges and reds of the leaves in late September or October.

It will take your breath away as you cruise past orchards just outside of Bayfield on quiet country roads or on biking trails within the plentiful forests of the Chequamegon National Forest. Stop in at any of a number of Bayfield orchards for apple sampling, wine tasting or simply enjoying the views. Be a participant in some non-motorized tourism activity!

Pinehurst Inn is pleased to be partnering with Bayfield Bike Route to provide bike rental, helmets, maps and great advise on the best routes, and more. Owner and all around great guy, Tom Hart can give the inside scoop.

PLUS! Biking Madeline Island just got easier! From September 7th through 19th, Madeline Island Ferry will transport non-motorized bikes free with the purchase of a round trip passenger ticket. Experience the beauty of Lake Superior from a whole new angle – bring your bike over and enjoy an early autumn ride.

Sound good? Consider adding biking to the Pinehurst Inn Bounty of Fall lodging promotion – stay 3 nights (Sun- Thursday) and get the 3rd  night at 25% off. PLUS a Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau Gift Certificate for $25 to be spend during your stay.

Just our way of saying “Welcome! Enjoy your stay!”

This includes a wonderful group of inns that have innovative and creative practices highlighting their green efforts. Happy to be among such a great group.

More information on our sustainability efforts can be found on the Pinehurst Inn Website.

As a child, my family spent part of every summer on Madeline Island. And as our girls grew up, they too experienced this magical time each summer. One of the most exciting parts of our trips was the increased anticipation as we drove onto the Madeline Island Ferry to make our voyage across the bay to Madeline Island.

Now we watch our guests come and go, most making a decision to take this same journey over to Madeline Island. And many come back expressing the same joy at this unique form of transportation.  It seems that the ferry ride is the transport to a bit of another world.

• From the ferry, you are able to get a completely different view of Bayfield and the hills surrounding this small city – amazing in the fall!
• Taking the ferry in the evening for a quick dinner at Lotta’s Lakeside Cafe can be amazing with the sunset over the mainland as you return to Bayfield.
• Rough water? No fear – the captains maneuver these “boats” with amazing skill.

Madeline Island Ferry Line is also Travel Green Wisconsin certified – working on incorporating sustainable business practices that improve their bottom line. Examples include solar panels on the Ferry Terminal, use of biodegradable, vegetable based hydraulic fluids in engines and more.

Yup, taking the Madeline Island Ferry never ceases to give me joy. But then we get to Madeline Island itself….ah, there’s more to the story.

So what is Responsible Tourism? This from planeta.com provides a wonderful explanation:

Responsible tourism has many names including turismo responsable, verantwortlichen Tourismus.

Here’s our thought: responsible tourism is treating others the way they wish to be treated and receiving the same in return. It’s a variation on the Platinum Rule … it’s also common sense, good manners and commits both hosts and visitors to a certain code of conduct.

A growing number of travelers want their journeys to be less invasive and more beneficial to the local community. They want to better understand the culture of the people they meet in the places they visit. Travelers should be mindful that we are entering a place that is someone else’s [or some creature's] home. Interpretation begins long before the trip and ends long afterward. Those who enjoy a trip will look back fondly for the rest of their lives.

We ask a lot of tourism these days … that it be eco, that it be sustainable and that it be responsible. These signs are encouraging. Global tourism is experiencing a massive transformation in ’00s.

Tread lightly when we travel, folks. Those places we know and love can clearly be impacted by our unintentional abuse.

photo credit: Genevieve Russell, Story Portrait Media