Better than we even expected! We found the Delta Lodge on a whim while doing a random internet…read moresearch for northern Wisconsin vacation spots. The photos were nice, the reviews were good. We called, left a message, and our call was returned within 15 minutes. Andy answered all of our questions and helped us pick out the right cabin for us.
We can't stress this enough. We absolutely loved our cabin (Cabin 1). Two bedrooms, a bath with a shower, and a perfectly working kitchen. On top of a very comfortable living room, the screened in deck that faced the lake was utterly amazing. Big enough for easy chairs, a couch, and a table, the screened in porch brought the cool breeze into the cabin and made for the finest view of Everett Lake that there is.
Every single thing was in working order. The fridge kept our drinks cold, the water pressure was solid, there was hot and cold water. (And the water tasted great, by the way.) The charcoal grill was clean. We had all the utensils and plates we needed. The row boat -- provided to our cabin for free -- was in great shape. The fact that we had oars and lifejackets a-plenty hanging right on the side of the cabin meant we didn't have to walk far when we decided to go out on the lake. A small, but wonderful consideration.
We stayed over the fourth of July week, and the place was sold out. But you really wouldn't know it. Nothing ever seemed crowed. There were always kayaks to use. Some folks were a bit loud at night, but the "happy / healthy noises of families having fun" isn't a terrible thing. People just naturally quieted down as the night went on.
Swimming is awesome. The water is clear and cool. While there are flies, we had no issue with mosquitos.
The frogs are amazing. We sat on the deck for hours listening to the chorus of green frogs, loud and funny and magical. Mix that in with the call of the loons, who had a baby this year, and there was no place else we'd rather be. We saw turtles, we saw deer, we saw birds of all kinds.
And of course, we saw dogs, because this is one of the rare places that allow folks to bring their dogs with them. The owners have the nicest, calmest dogs around. Large, but not imposing at all. Others brought dogs of all kinds. Some ran around, some stayed on leashes. But people took care of their dogs. We saw no dog waste anywhere, dogs played with each other and our kids. We laughed a lot when two minutes after lighting our charcoal the dogs would come running up for a hot dog of their own.
The Monday night picnic, put on by the owners and attended by most of the cabins, was a fun time. We met interesting folks from all around, had a great conversation, and really good brats. Everyone brought some dishes to pass around.
While we could have stayed at the cabin all day, we ventured around the area: a beach on Lake Superior just south of Bayfield, Big Bay State Park on Madeline Island, Fred Sheers Lumberjack Show in Hayward.
We fished every day, and caught lots of bluegill and crappie. My ten-year-old daughter, who always wanted to catch a fish, did so without much effort and was so happy. My son caught two huge bass. I caught the littlest fish ever. Whether you're fishing from the dock, from the rowboat, or even from the kayak, you're sure to catch something. Lake Everett is small, so bring your big Evindrudes and Mercurys elsewhere. A trolling motor is more than sufficient.
A few things to note: Cabin 1 is close to Scenic Road, and while cars are rare, you do hear a bunch of four-wheelers on their way in and out of the trails. They're loud, but not constant. And we didn't hear them after the sun went down. There's no air conditioning in the cabin, but we never once wished there was. The natural breeze off the lake was cool and even on the warmest day, we were comfortable. There's no wireless access or TV in the cabin, but we had no issue with our AT&T phone signal.
This really was a great vacation, and though we usually try doing different things, we were so relaxed and had so much fun that we are certain to come back.
