We have embarked on the Lake Superior Circle Tour, a magnificent 1,300-mile scenic drive looping around the largest freshwater lake in the world.

It spans three U.S. states (Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota) and one Canadian province (Ontario). We will not be completing the entire loop, missing out on crossing the border, but we will capture as much of the lake's history and views as we can.
Our first stop was at the village of Port Wing for its Saturday market.

It was full of interesting people and items to purchase.

Lunch, shopping, and exploring happened in one of the "The 23 Best Places to Go in the U.S. in 2023" named so by Conde Nast Traveler.
I love this description, "Bayfield is the perfect getaway for those looking to experience the magic of Lake Superior. Known as the Gateway to the Apostle Islands, there is no shortage of adventures. In 2023, Bayfield was voted among the 10 Best Coastal Small Towns and Best Midwestern Small Towns in 2023 by USA Today Top 10Best Readers' Choice. Bayfield is also Wisconsin’s Smallest City and the Berry Capital of Wisconsin. Underneath all the titles and accolades, Bayfield is a strikingly beautiful small city on the shores of Lake Superior. Plan your adventure and see what Bayfield and the Apostle Islands have in store for you."

Timing and weather prevented us from ferrying to the Islands. Instead we meadered, shopped, and dined, lakeside, at Hoop's a deservedly high rated fish place.
Grilled whitefish... drool-worthy.
How about some history? We're in the Chequamegon Bay area which had a long and colorful history well before the settlement of Bayfield. It is known that several different Native American peoples were here prior to European discovery.Early Bayfield was dependent on lake transportation to provide goods and passage to the outside. Boats stopped running in December or January when the Bay froze over ending service for months. When the railroad finally steamed into Bayfield in 1883, lumbering and fishing were already established. Brownstone quarrying and tourism were just beginning to gather strength. The population reached 500. Bayfield was becoming civilized, boasting schools, churches, lodges, hotels, and boarding houses. An impressive sandstone courthouse was constructed the same year to herald the booming quarry industry and the village’s passage into maturity. The beautiful buildings still stand, visual proof of this town's rich history.

Besides an incredible thrift store, there were THREE different places at which to purchase books. Wow.

A respite in nature was found on the Houghton Falls Trail. This 1.3 mile out and back trail allowed us to explore the 76 acre Houghton Falls Natural Area. The trail took us into the woods to the (now dry) falls and continued to the Lake Superior shoreline. Here we were offered views of the Apostle Islands and where we vowed to return one day.





We were mesmerized by Echo Dells, a series of water-carved rock cliffs and caves interspersed with small waterfalls (in Spring) and a forested footpath. The Dells supports dense stands of hemlock, yellow birch, and mountain maple common. The understory includes intermediate wood fern, common polypody fern, long beech fern, thimbleberry, wood sorrel, and small enchanter's nightshade... In case you were wondering!


This Reserve protects a picturesque pre-Cambrian sandstone gorge along the Lake Superior shore. The dramatic sandstone cliffs extend into the clear waters, affording views of the Apostle Islands. A stream meanders through the site cascading over the exposed sandstone before descending over 60 feet into a rippled sandy cove.
The site is also important in maintaining the unfragmented, undeveloped shoreline that supports many residents and migratory birds including the merlin, least flycatcher, veery, wood thrush, Canada warbler, and lucky for us, the bald eagle.

Our home for our last night in Minnesota was the wonderful Memorial Park Campground right on the lake outside of Washburn.
Camping on any lake is the perfect campsite. So far, so awesome!

When we came to Minnesota, I had no idea I'd be sharing the origin of the rollerblade but like most of this trip, our timing was perfect for a history lesson. We just happened to be in town for the 30th Annual NorthShore Inline Marathon. It's not just any inline marathon, it's the world's largest. Who knew!?

I really had no clue as to the beginnings of the roller blade (inline skate). When I learned it was one of the amazing inventions (Post-its, Spam, etc.)  to come from Minnesota, I was intrigued. The idea for roller blades actually came before roller skates. Inline skates were created in the early 1700s when a Dutch person attached wooden spools to strips of wood and nailed them to his shoes. In 1863, an American developed the conventional roller skate model, with the wheels positioned side by side, and it became the skate of choice.
In 1980, Scott and Brennan Olsen, two Minnesota brothers, discovered an older inline skate in a sporting goods store and thought the design would be perfect for off-season hockey training. They improved the skate and soon were manufacturing the first Rollerblade inline skates in their parents’ basement. Hockey players and alpine and Nordic skiers quickly caught on and were seen cruising the streets of Minnesota during the summer on their Rollerblade skates.
Over time, strategic marketing efforts thrust the brand name into public awareness. Skating enthusiasts began using Rollerblade as a generic term for all inline skates, putting the trademark in jeopardy. However, as of February 2021, it is still a trademark owned by the company.
Today 60 inline skate manufacturers exist, but Rollerblade is credited with introducing the first polyurethane boot and wheels, the first heel brakes, and the development of active brake technology, which makes stopping easier to learn and to control. Rollerblade has approximately 200 patents and 116 registered trademarks and it turns out, is the major sponsor of the world's largest inline skating race. Wow.

And about the event. "The NorthShore Inline Marathon is one of the longest running and most respected inline skating events in the world, held each September along the scenic Highway 61 corridor from Two Harbors to Duluth, Minnesota. Founded in 1996, the point to point race quickly became a bucket list experience for skaters drawn to the rolling shoreline views of Lake Superior and the welcoming spirit of the Duluth community."



Over the decades, NSIM has grown from a regional race into an internationally recognized event that has hosted record setting performances, welcomed elite athletes from around the globe. The NorthShore Inline Marathon stands as a celebration of competition, camaraderie, and the unique beauty of Minnesota’s North Shore. What fun that our timing allowed us to ba a part of it all. We🧡 Duluth.

Part of our reason for staying three nights in town was to dust off our leiderhosen and dirndl and party German style.

While Oktoberfestivals date back to the early 1800s, Duluth's celebration of King Ludwig's wedding is much younger (this is the 7th annual). That hasn't stopped the annual festival from becoming one of the largest in the Midwest.

We arrived early for the opening festivities.
At the Duluth Oktoberfestival we found: cold German bier, delicious Bavarian food, authentic live music, games, fun photo opportunities, and so much more.

Nagelbalken: Nail, Hammer, Wood Plank…what else is there to say?

And the beer? Paulaner is the "Official German Bier imported directly from Germany". The process of how it got here was explained with great pride. This is a big deal.

The Chicken Schnitzel plate was our choice for dinner. It was the right choice. Yum.


There was even a costume contest. While we didn't win, we certainly had fun trying.

This sweet guy, pictured with us, actually won the contest, deservedly. This was his 80th Oktoberfest. He is turning 90 soon. He was a riot.
Duluth Oktoberfestival was recently ranked as the top authentic Oktoberfestival Celebration in Minnesota and we were there.