Hungry for Adventurez

 The Apostle Islands National Lake Shore is a fantastic travel destination for almost anyone, from families with children to the most adventurous explorers, foodies, and beach bums. Here is a breakdown of some of the most popular activities in the Bayfield Penisula in northern Wisconsin. I will break down these activities into summer and winter seasons, so you can navigate to the more appropriate list based on when you will be traveling.  This article is a follow-up to my last post about where to stay while visiting Apostle Islands National Lake Shore. While that article is not exclusively for campers, I made sure to summaries all the amenities that would be most important for car camping folks to figure out where to stay.  NOTE: Due to changes in staffing and funding in 2025, please check with any NPS or National Forest sites you plan on visiting to confirm that campgrounds and amenities are still open. Summer in and around Apostle Islands Hiking The Bayfield Peninsula ...

Last year I had the privilege of spending a week near the beautiful Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Let's break down the best places to camp, and what to do while you are there! This region is densely packed with fantastic campgrounds, incredible Midwest vistas, great history, and so much more!  Apostle Islands Overview The Apostle's Islands is an island group in Lake Superior, around the Bayfield Penisula of northern Wisconsin. The National Lakeshore includes most of these islands and the shoreline at the northern point of the peninsula. The primary exception is Madeline Island, the largest island, which is the only commercially developed island. The peninsula's interior is largely National Forest land, and most of the area's towns are on the coast. Most human activity in the Apostle Islands area centers around Bayfield, Wisconsin's smallest official city. I have included a simplified map below to better explain the important locations I will be mentioning. Cam...

Devil's Lake in Wisconsin has great winter hiking  Do you miss camping and getting outside during the winter? This may be the year you need to try winter camping! There are a few extra things you will have to prepare for, like how to stay warm and deal with early darkness. However, winter camping can come with many rewards, such as reducing cabin fever and cheaper camping sites. Plus, you wouldn't want to miss out on great winter vistas like the one above, taken at Devils Lake in Wisconsin.  Finding Campgrounds for Winter Camping If you don't want to camp at a dispersed camping site, you will need to research which campgrounds you can stay at in the winter. In my state of Iowa, state-run campgrounds are ideal for winter camping, because they stay open all year and have a reduced winter cost. (Some Iowa state parks have winter prices as low as $6!)  Also, research what amenities are available in the winter. If you live in an area that freezes in the winter, your campgroun...

Do you need a new travel podcast to keep you occupied in the car or at work? Need new travel inspo? Do you want to travel, but don't have enough information on how to make it happen for you? I have recommendations! Here are some of my favorite travel-themed YouTube channels and Podcasts.  Best Podcast for Travel Motivation and Inspiration Zero to Travel This podcast set the stage for for me to start saving money for travel and taking travel seriously as a goal. People tend to prioritize career goals and health goals. We take professional development classes and head to the gym with the mantra, "No pain, go gain!" But, for some people, travel might be important enough as a goal that it deserves the same attention, sacrifice, and training. Zero to Travel is a great podcast for learning different ways that people prioritize traveling, sometimes in extreme ways, but also in easy and casual ways.  Best Podcasts for Exploring Van Set-ups and Equipment Van Life Lab Have you ever...

The Thirsty Voyager in Awa at Lost Island, home of cocktails and noodles bowls I love Lost Island, and I also love food. Every time I have visited Lost Island this season (2023) , I have made sure to try new unique food item. We have found the food to be better than at other small themeparks. I made sure to focus on menu items that were invented for the park, or are made scratch in the park. Thus, anything pre-packaged, like pickle bites, Thelma's ice cream sandwiches, and Uncrustables won’t be discussed here. (You can get these, and many other kid favorites, at most dining locations in Lost Island.) It is important to note that I haven’t eaten everything yet. If I try something new before the end of the season that is so good (or bad) that it warrants adding to this post, I will be sure to add a note.  Lost Island Dining Locations and Menus  Eating in Mura Kotaki Treats Let's do dessert first! Mura has only one dining location, in a very convenient location on the way towards...

IOverlander is a free, crowd-sourced app designed for roadtrippers, RVers and Car campers. I have recently started to use it to plan out my weekend adventures in Iowa, and find free places to stay overnight. Lately I have been camping solo almost every weekend. While campgrounds are much cheaper than hotels, I have been starting to wonder if I can illuminate the cost and hassle of staying at the more popular campgrounds. (If you want to learn more about ultra low budget travel, read this !) Plus, in the busy summer season, sometimes the popular campgrounds, like Makokita cave and Backbone State Parks are completely booked. iOverlander helps provide some great options to explore a little differently.  How the iOverlander app works  iOverlander is a crowd-sourced app. That means that anybody can log a pin in the app and leave notes on the quality and type of location. People who visit a place later can also add check-ins with pictures and notes to help future travelers. If you a...