Bayfield, Wisconsin

Family vacation, Fall 2017

My family's yearly trip to Bayfield on Lake Superior always feels like coming home. We know the shoreline, the main street, the walking paths, the eateries — they're comforting, familiar, and constant. We've been lucky that what changes are made to the town feel small and not earth-shattering. I mean, there's still no stoplight in Bayfield, and I pray it stays that way forever. 

Of all things, the Bayfield restaurant scene (that's a generous term!) is the one that's been growing and evolving in recent years — and that's something I can't complain about. We finally tried the relatively-new Fat Radish for dinner, and the place charmed us so, we also came back for breakfast. At dinner, we enjoyed a mix of trout tacos, pork skewers, macaroni & cheese, and fish chowder — all scrumptious. Note to self for next year: Go for a fish dinner instead of the tacos, just to switch it up. 

For breakfast, it was buttermilk pancakes (a crowd favorite), a breakfast grilled cheese oozing with greasy goodness, and simple eggs, toast, and winning house-made sausage. We joked that maybe next year we should only eat at The Fat Radish — but it wasn't really a joke. I think we found our new favorite spot.

We also stopped at our old stand-by, Maggie's, for Sunday night dinner. On Sundays, lots of places are closed in Bayfield, so you have to plan accordingly. Maggie's has a funky-kitchsy atmosphere that we love, but you gotta trust me when I say: Stick to the pizza and the burgers. And know that even those might clock in just a notch above pretty good. "Why do we keep coming here?" we asked ourselves. Because: flamingos & tradition. 

Another new tradition may be pizza from the Manypenny Bistro, formerly the Broad Street Eatery. This year we sat in the drafty diner-inspired space; next year I vote we get pizza to-go and chow down over a board game. I'm also hopeful that Big Water Coffee Roasters will be back up and running by next fall, as we greatly missed their hot chocolate this time around. 

Okay, so foodstuffs change, but walking paths and apple orchards stay the same! We love driving over to Erickson Orchard to pick up fresh cider, warm apple donuts, and bags upon bags of cinnamon apple chips. Then, to walk off all the eats, we head to the Brownstone Trail, Iron Bridge path, and even just wander the hilly streets in town. Bayfield has more of a New England vibe than a northwoods vibe, with lots of cute houses to peep and scenic views to snap. 

When in town, we always have to bop into our favorite haunts — shops that have been there for as long as I can remember. There's Roxanne's, a gift shop with a bunch of nothing, but my mom has to go in as a matter of principle. Sweet Sailing is where we stock up on saltwater taffy, sea salt caramel fudge, raspberry honey mustard, and mulling spices. There are also art galleries like Stone's Throw. But my favorite gift shop is the Scandinavian Joanne's, where I splurged on a red tea pot this year — eep! 

I could ramble on and on about Bayfield and why I love it so. But the reality is, I'm sure I love it mostly because, as I said, it feels like home. Is the average Wisconsinite going to geek out over apple chips, a short woodsy walk under a big iron bridge, or pretty-good burgers at place festooned with pink flamingos? Probably not. But we all have our thing — our home-away — that makes us feel all warm and fuzzy. Bayfield is my warm & fuzzy.