Kayaking the Lake Superior Sea Caves

I grew up in Wisconsin, yet I seem to find it more intriguing now that I have moved away. Isn’t that always the case? Kayaking through the Lake Superior Sea Caves was no exception to its beauty.

Whenever we go back to Wisconsin to visit family, we try to explore (at least) one new place.

This time, we decided to spend one night playing tourist in Bayfield, WI

Bayfield is the cutest little town with less than 500 people, but the home to some beautiful landscapes and activities.

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Lake Superior Details:

Lake Superior is the largest of the 5 Great Lakes. It touches Ontario, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

It is actually the largest freshwater lake in the world (by surface area) and has an average temperature of 36 degrees Fahrenheit. Refreshing??

A definite must-see!

Where to Stay?

We stayed at the Siskiwit Bay Lodge B & B. It definitely was a splurge (I never spend a lot of accommodation), but since we were just staying for one night I tried to justify it.

It was such a peaceful place to stay with all the “Hallmark movie” B&B feels (I’m a sucker for cheesy Hallmark movies).

It’s located in Cornucopia, WI (27 minutes from Bayfield) right on Lake Superior. You are able to take walks along the water’s edge, soak in the Jacuzzi, and enjoy a home-cooked breakfast.

Tip:: There are a lot of more affordable options on Airbnb.

48 hours in Bayfield, WI

Day 1:

Our main intention was to kayak the Lake Superior Sea Caves, but we also took time to explore other areas.

After getting settled into our B&B, we drove to Bayfield, WI. Here, we ate dinner at Pier Plaza Restaurant & Pickled Herring Lounge and stopped at a local ice cream shop for dessert.

We ended our night by walking along the trail at the marina (right by the restaurant) and headed back to our cozy B&B

Day 2:

We woke up, ate our homecooked breakfast, and headed out towards our kayaking meeting place.

We scheduled the “Meyer’s Beach Full Sea Caves Kayak Tour” through Bayfield Kayak.

Hiking

We arrived early, because we wanted to explore the area a bit and maybe have a picnic on the beach.

When we arrived, we found the perfect hiking trail, “Meyer’s Beach Sea Cave Trail”

This was a 4.6-mile trail at Meyer’s Beach that takes you above the Lake Superior Sea Caves.

We had our picnic at the top of the trail, then headed back to get ready to kayak.

It was a pretty easy trail, with a boardwalk throughout some of it. There were some parts that you had to climb a bit, but nothing too hard.

Kayaking

Once our guide showed up, he handed out wet suits and life jackets.There was a bathroom on-site, that we were able to change.

If you have never worn a wet suit, be prepared for a workout.

Anyways, Lake Superior, is FREEZING. It averages 41 degrees Fahrenheit in June. So, yes make sure your tour comes with a wet suit.

After the fight with the wetsuits, the guide gave us a quick lesson and off we went.

The four miles on the way to the sea caves flew by. I was excited and could see them in the distance! Motivation!

Once we arrived, we spent time exploring some of the caves and admiring the beautiful blue water. It was so clear in some spots you could see all the way to the bottom!

The way back…definitely seemed longer. I think we were fighting the wind too? But, we made it and it was 100 percent worth it!

Tip:: I do suggest going through a tour company as they will check the weather and safety conditions. Lake Superior can be very unforgiving and lead to some VERY dangerous weather.

Bonus!

You can also explore these caves in the winter. It doesn’t happen every year, but when it is safe to do so you can hike on the ice to the BEAUTIFUL caves!

Love Wisconsin? Keep exploring with this guide to the ULTIMATE Weekend in Wisconsin Dells!