I love state parks, and this one was everything I hoped for and more…read more Visited on a Saturday in August so it was quite crowded, but we still managed to find a parking spot and once we left the parking lot it wasn't too bad. The visitors center is large and clean with lots of information, bathrooms, a gift shop, and places to sit around a fireplace. They were doing a lesson on primitive fire building when we arrived. We unfortunately had a limited amount of time, so we only did the brief hike down the beach and out to Shovel Point, but both were absolutely stunning and I wish we had more time. I'd love to come back someday and hike more and possibly camp as well.

Minnesota really does their state parks correctly - they sometimes double as rest stops for weary…read moretravelers. It's totally a win-win. The rest stop area of the state park visitor center was very nice. Picture windows let the outside sunlight in. Vending machines were well stocked, and the washrooms were spacious and clean. The visitor center was large, with an area with exhibits and displays about the history and the natural features of the park. The information desk abuts this area. There's a gift shop that sells souvenirs and last minute hiking/camping items. There's also ice cream and small snacks. If you want to spend significant time outside here during the summer and forgot mosquito repellent, I highly recommend picking up a canister of 40% DEET. You'll definitely need it! Palisade Head was absolutely gorgeous.

We had such a fun North Shore getaway at North Shore Camping Co. The outdoor sauna by the main…read morelodge were an absolute highlight, so nice after exploring the sights and checking out Lake Superior. They've really thought of the little touches too, like board games and a lending library of books and games at the base lodge, perfect for hanging out after dark. Be ready to walk if you don't get there right at check-in, you'll be hauling your gear up to your cabin, which can be a trek, and even after that there's a short walk down to the bathrooms or back to the parking since cars aren't allowed by the tents. Our room had two big beds and felt surprisingly spacious for "glamping." There are little flush porta-potties near the cabins, but the nicer restrooms and showers are in the main lodge. The staff are super friendly it really makes it feel like a comfy, elevated camping experience worth coming back to.

North Shore Camping Co has so much to offer. Being right across from their partner Cove Point,…read morevisitors are able to access the pool, spa and waterfront of Cove Point. North Shore offers secluded tents - glamping style - that are roomy and have their own fire pit. The tents also offer bear proof cabinets where you will keep all of your food. The base lodge has one stall bathrooms that also include a shower. Only downfall of the base lodge is that it can be farther away from your tent and it might be a hike to get there and back. North Shore also has saunas for guests to use. It doesn't stop there, north shore camping is placed in the best spot for anyone looking for adventure such as hiking, biking, and exploring the north shore. Let's also not forget about how amazing the staff is, not only to humans but how wonderful they treat the pups. If you're looking for somewhere new and fun to stay, check out North Shore Camping Co!

This will be my third time camping here and I will never get sick of this place. I have noticed…read morethey have been getting busier. They have a ton of tent sites with some electric sites for campers. The tent sites are fairly spaced out with tons of woods around you. Each site you can drive up to and it has a fire ring and picnic table. There are some outhouses close by. I also really like the small bar at the campground.

We stopped here last minute for a rest from the SHT (Super Hiking Trail) and wow I 100% recommend…read moreit! We rented one of the little cabins which was just perfect to charge our phones and sleep in a bunk and not the ground. The restaurant on the campground was so good and so fun!! I learned so much and the new owners are the kindest, most genuine business owners I've met in so long. They are doing so much to make this campground a great place for the community. I learned a lot, had a great beer and the wings that tasted heavenly after a week of backpacking food. (and ice cream too!) There's a place to refill in town. The campground is too far to hike to in my opinion, but it's easy to get rides. The owners even drove us to the trailhead. There's a place to refill in town. Finland was wonderful. I hope to come back.

I highly recommend getting on the water and experiencing the Sea Caves. I didn't have any…read moreexperience with kayaking and so I went on a guided tour. Definitely worth the money! Sea kayaks are recommended for venturing out into the lake as well as wet or dry suits. Do not underestimate Lake Superior as the water temperature is much, much colder than other lakes due to its depth, and the swells can get up to 6 feet tall, knocking you off your boat. People have gotten hypothermia even in the summer. I also visited the Visitor Center and Headquarters in Bayfield, as well as the visitor center in Little Sand Bay. The headquarters had exhibits, a movie, small gift shop area, and of course friendly rangers! The Little Sand Bay visitor center had exhibits outside. While it wasn't staffed, the vestibule was open for brochures. It's on my bucket list to visit again during the winter for the ice caves.

Visit for the Sea Caves! We spent 4 days in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore - 3 days of…read morecamping on Sand Island and a full day touring the surrounding area. Skip Madeline Island if your schedule is tight. Highlights: Sea Caves - my favorites were the northeastern edge of Sand Island (next to Justice Bay). They are so breathtakingly beautiful, especially in sunrise or sunset lighting. Since we took our boat, we were able to get up close to see all the spectacular details. If you don't have a boat, rent kayaks and a tour guide to get up close views. Grand Tour - we drove to Bayfield to ride a large catamaran boat for a 3 hour tour of the Apostle Islands. Visitor Centers - they were full of interesting info and has some fun merch for souvenirs. Many people rave about their experience visiting Madeline Island (the largest island) which isn't actually a part of the National Lakeshore, but we found it rather outdated and boring and left on the very next ferry.

Get there early to secure a spot or wait until about after lunch time. This is usually when campers…read moreare heading out for the day/leaving from their stay! Super easy to set up, however to get spots along the lake, you need a reservation scheduled at least 1 week in advance. 2-3 vault toilets for both male and female and no shower. They have a fire pit and most have picnic tables at each spot. Definitely recommend bringing your own wood, toilet paper, wipes, and hand sanitizer in case the site manager isn't around.

This was the one-time when it paid-off not to plan ahead. It was a rare July weekend when my…read morepartner & I both didn't have plans so we decided to go "up north" camping. In MN, reservable campingsites fill up fast, sometimes a year in advance so when we looked, everything was booked. Luckily, there are many campgrounds in the state that are walk-in or first-come-first-serve only. We chanced it and drove up north 4 hrs from the Twin Cities on a late Friday morning. When we arrived, all the lake-view campsites were taken but there were plenty of other drive-up sites available. We picked campsite #8 since it was one of the more spacious ones. It also felt far enough away from others and was a decent ways from the toilets (which I learned the hard way you shouldn't be too close to). The toilets are just like an outhouse but they were clean and included TP & hand sanitizer which was nice. The campgrounds have a boat access area to the lake with a dock that made for a good star-gazing spot. We walked over here at about 11pm and saw a brilliant night sky with layers of stars and the Milky Way was visible. I'm just sorry that I can't share any photos of the night sky to prove it. Believe me, I tried but my iPhone looks like I took a picture of a black rectangle -__- OVERALL TIPS: - This campground is located in Superior National Forest and has a small hiking trail near the campsites to check out. It's ok, but I recommend spending most of your time exploring the nearby George H Crosby Manitou State Park for more exciting and varied hiking paths. - Bring cash & small bills! You'll need the cash to pay for your campsite using small envelopes available when you enter. There's no onsite staff & unless you're ok writing down your credit card info or paying over the amount, bring plenty of $5 dollar bills and $1s. You'll want cash for the state park fees as well. - Get here as early as you can to get the best campsites. Look at all the empty ones before settling. I wanted to jump on the first open one I saw, and when I kept looking, they got better and better. There were still open sites at 11pm on the weekend after Fourth of July so shouldn't be too hard to find one. - Don't count on wood to be available. They were all our of wood bundles to purchase on-site. We had to drive back in town a ways to purchase wood for $7 at a gas station. - Drive a car you don't mind getting dirty. There are only dirt roads near here. It kicks up a lot of dust & makes for one bumpy ride. - Try to time your visit when there isn't a moon & you'll be able to see amazing layers of stars. - Remember to be a good camper & leave the campsite as-good if not better than you found it! Each campsite has a picnic table & firepit. We lucked out with the previous folks leaving a bunch of kindling for us & the firepit was nice and clean with no garbage in it like I've seen at other campgrounds. I was pleasantly surprised by Ninemile Lake campgrounds! It made me a believer in the goodness of impromptu trips. Overall, I loved the huge pine trees, how quiet & dark it got at night, & folks were pretty friendly. We were the only POC campers though. I'd definitely recommend staying here, as long as you're ok not having showers and flush-toilets. It's pretty rustic but doesn't "roughing it" make it more exciting?! -Says the person with a queen-size air mattress in her tent, wuhaha :)

This is a super pretty waterfall which also happens to be a short walk away! Highly worth stopping…read moreby if you're traveling on the road and want to stretch out your legs, or to visit as an attraction in of itself. It's great since you don't need to purchase a permit to park in the wayside/visitor center lot. There's a pretty large visitor center with washrooms, a nature store, and exhibits. The exhibits were informative, ranging from the rocks of Lake Superior, to the animals of the forest park. I spent about 15 minutes here reading all the signs. The park store has ice cream, clothing, cards, and other sundries. It was pretty busy with people purchasing Gooseberry Falls State Park swag. I guess this park is pretty beloved! Finally, the walk to the falls was beautiful. It's paved all the way and very clearly laid out so there's no chance of getting lost. Some people were wading in the river and taking some amazing photos of this beautiful place.

This place is always on our stopping list when we're up north…read more The falls being easily accessible are also a great place to put your feet in the water and throw rocks. The visitor center is also very nice and well equipped with the extra bonus of ice cream treats!

I had a great time here. The sites were private, good views of the water, had standard amenities…read moresuch as vault toilets and drinking water, fireplace rings, grill inserts, and a large picnic table per site. I liked that the host didn't come bother us once. We stayed up till midnight or later each night listening to music by the fire, no one complained. No luck fishing birch lake but that doesn't mean they're not in there. Don't forget bug spray and tiki torches if you decide to camp here.

On our recent road trip around Lake Superior, we wanted to experience the Apostle Islands and found…read morea vacancy at the Legendary Waters Resort. When we arrived, I had forgotten it was also a casino - which we honestly care about (and generally avoid due to the noise, etc.). It was a beautiful room, spacious, with plenty of power outlets and comfortable furniture. It was very clean, and the bathroom was also large and looked new. Our room was on the top floor and overlooked the marina - a nice view to wake up to! We walked through the casino just to get a feel, and it was not noisy or smoky - definitely busier in the evening. They also have an on-site restaurant where we enjoyed breakfast one morning. All staff we met were friendly and helpful - and parking is plentiful and free. The town of Bayfield is just a 10-minute drive away with lots of restaurants, shopping, and recreation (kayak tours, boat tours, etc.). Also - don't miss the lovely hiking trail a 10-15 minute drive the other direction in the Frog Bay Tribal National Park.

I enjoyed my stay at the Legendary Waters Resort & Casino. Who doesn't like staying at a casino?…read more There were events and a restaurant on site. I ate at the restaurant multiples and recommended the chicken wrap and the chicken wild rice soup! There are also kayaking spots/tours that you can book right next to the resort and a distillery within walking distance. It is a little outside of Bayfield so be prepared to drive into town.

We found Apostle Islands Area Campground to be exactly what we were looking for--and maybe even a…read morelittle better than expected. It's conveniently located just outside Bayfield, making it a great home base for exploring Bayfield and the Apostle Islands. When we arrived, Jennifer, one of the owners, gave us a warm welcome and got us checked in quickly. The campsites are terraced along a hillside, so most have nice views. They aren't perfectly level, but a couple of leveling blocks took care of that without any trouble. The bathhouse has five large private bathrooms, all spotless, along with a convenient laundry room. The campground also has a swimming pond, mini-golf, and some of the most creative themed cabins we've seen in our travels. It's obvious Jennifer and Zach have put a lot of hard work into making this a special place. We really enjoyed our stay, and if we're back in the Bayfield area, we'd definitely stay here again. One nice bonus is that Adventure Club Brewing is just a short walk from the campground. Tucked into the back of an outdoor recreation store, it's a small brewery with a fun, welcoming atmosphere and a large outdoor patio that's perfect for relaxing with friends.

Nice folks! Nice restrooms/showers. Very nice campsites! Kids loved the play area and met some new…read morefriends. Wish we could have stayed longer!