Wow, what a find! I really wanted to take a boat tour while I was visiting the Apostle Islands so I could see the fun sites you can't really see from shore in Bayfield or on Madeline. Karen at Adventure Tours was a total rockstar in helping me get a tour booked. I came a bit early in the season and with my dog, so getting a date and a group willing to travel with a dog was a bit challenging. Karen was constantly communicating with me while I was up there trying to find a group for me to go out on the boat with. And she did! We'd been chatting back and forth while she was checking the best date for the weather, and we were able to have a wonderful tour! Captain Lauren was likewise a rockstar and our all-lady tour (except for my male pup) was a total blast. I love that this tour was in a smaller speedboat and there were only four of us plus dog plus Captain Lauren. We got to chat and mention things we might want to know and see, and Lauren was a trove of information and fun facts. We also were able to get closer to some of the cooler islands and rock formations than the huge commerical tour boats we saw further out in the water. We got to naviate inside some of the sea caves and look out at the big boats who couldn't fit or get this close. This was 100% the way to go for a water tour. I cannot recommend this option enough, and extra love for being dog friendly. read more

Adventures Vacations & Boat Charters - Our dog-friendly boat tour - Boat Charters Near Me - La Pointe, Wisconsin

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We had hoped (and scheduled) the five hour boat/kayak tour but, unfortunately, weather had other ideas. We hung on watching the weather for the next day and also hoped more people would sign up for the tour to meet the four person minimum. Sunday morning, it was very foggy so we waited until finally we took off on the four hour boat tour (no kayaking). Pete, our captain, was friendly and knowledgeable about the islands and made every effort to accommodate what his passengers wanted, especially my desire to take LOTS of photos! Although we never felt unsafe, he did give us pause sharing that the boat we were on was new to him and that he thought it didn't have sufficient horsepower. We did enjoy the tour and saw lots of great stuff: shipwrecks, lighthouses, bald eagles, a historic fish camp and, my favorite, sea caves on Devil's Island. Our communication with the office, especially Karen and Monique, was pleasant and we hope to kayak with them in the future. read more

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Big Bay Kayak tour to the State Park Sea Caves We had a party of 11 in our family ranging in age from 70's to age 12. Most had minimal experience with kayaking. We signed up for the 3 hour kayaking tour. Our tour guides, Jonathan and Solomon were excellent. They spent significant time training our group initially in the basics of kayaking. We then took off paddling to nearby sea caves where each of the kayaks had an opportunity to enter the individual caves. We made one stop where members had an opportunity to do some cliff-jumping into the water and take a break. Some of our members were slow paddlers but Jonathan was very patient and no one felt rushed. He provided interesting commentary about the area while we were paddling, given that he was a local and because of his native-American background. All in all, it was a very pleasant trip and I would highly recommend it as a family activity. read more

We've never been to Minnesota/Wisconsin before and thought it'd be a great experience to try kayaking on one of the great lakes. I found Adventure Vacation on the NPS website for Apostle Island. Their website provided the options of places to visit. Adventure Vacation seemed priced slightly high, but I didn't think too much of it. I initially emailed Karen, who helped describe the process of how to register for the tours. She was friendly & informative (2 stars). After inquiring on their website, I got a call from a lady either named Stephanie or Samantha (not 100% sure). I gave her a call back to discuss the itinerary for the trip (meeting place, time, etc.). Unfortunately, I'm the kind of person that tends to skim quickly through websites and not fully read the details so I got confused about the directions that she was providing. When she mentioned Madeline Island, I was completely thrown off as I thought I had reserved the Apostle Island tour (not knowing it was part of the Apostle Island). I inquired further about what tour I was on and why I would be meeting them on Madeline Island. Rather than answer the questions from a confused potential customer new to the area, she seemed agitated and gave a lot of attitude. I kept apologizing that I was still confused and she made me feel more dumb for not understanding. I finally raised my voice and said "look I'm sorry, that's why I'm asking you cause I don't understand." She obviously could hear I was now on the defense and agitated and she still didn't apologize or lose the attitude. Finally, I decided to just tell her that I need to think about this trip and hung up. Making any customer feel dumb for not knowing the geography of the area doesn't bode well for business. Rather than being patient with me and help me get over my confusion, she instead made me feel stupid. If I had spoken to Karen instead, I probably would have gone on the tour instead. Luckily I found another kayak company to go with. read more

My boyfriend and I decided to head up to Lake Superior because we had never been there before and have heard nothing but good things about it. We had friends go to the Apostle Islands so we figured why not check it out. We took the ferry from Bayfield to Madeline Island and spent the next 2 nights, 3 days at Big Bay State Park. It was absolutely beautiful and we really enjoyed ourselves and the much needed relaxation away from the city :) We wanted to explore and make the most out of our weekend so we looked into kayak tours through Adventure Vacations. Located in La Pointe, and only a 10 minute drive from Big Bay, there were different hourly tours you could choose from. Be very cautious about the weather tho and pick a day where there's very little chance of rain/storms. After much consideration and exploring our options.... We decided to do the 7 hour boat tour. SO WORTH IT. hands down. They have other options (3 and 5 hour) for different prices. Ours cost 180 total (with tax). Let me explain why it was worth it.... There were 6 of us, 7 including the guide. Our guides name was Drew and he was very nice and very knowledgeable throughout the whole ride. Pack a change of clothes & even a rain coat. Our morning started off foggy & cool with light rain later on. You are on a boat with little shelter all day remember! We left at 9 am and our first stop was to a shipwreck off the State of Wisconsin, which happened over 100 years ago. Very cool because you can legitimately see it through the clear Superior waters. Next up, Raspberry Island. Luckily, the weather started clearing up with abundant sunshine! We got off the boat and had 45 minutes of free time, so we took a small hike to the beach and back. There is a lighthouse located on the island as well and you're able to take a tour for 10 or so bucks. Even better, the raspberry bushes! Fresh raspberries to pick and eat. Yum! We set off for Devils Island next. Oh man, I cannot begin to explain the beauty of this island. Google it. Or just take the tour and experience it yourself. Drew took us inside one of the caves on the boat, something I have never experienced. We continued around to the top of the island, anchored the boat and got kayak ready. We kayaked through these caves and around part of the island for roughly 45 minutes. Make sure you have a waterproof case for your camera and take tons of pictures! It was so cool to hear the water hitting the cave walls. It was like creating their own kind of music. I can't even imagine what it would be like if a storm came through up there. Drew told us we got very lucky that day with how calm the waters & winds were. From my understanding it can get very choppy up there. Now we're off to Stockton Island. Throughout this boat ride too, let me remind you, you are driving by and through the islands. Located on the edge of Stockton Island is the balancing rock. VERY cool. VERY beautiful. We made a pit stop at another beach before making our way back to Madeline Island. If you're hesitant to spend the money on these tours, like I mentioned earlier, I highly recommend the 7 hour tour. As soon as my boyfriend and I got back to Madeline Island, we both agreed it was worth every penny spent. We both are able to tell people we saw ALL 22 Apostle Islands. Definitely get the most out of it! Ask your guide any and every question. It was awesome getting to know the History of these islands. My boyfriend even managed to get a cliff jump in on Devils Island. I skipped, because the water was too cold for me :) I can't thank Adventure Vacations & Drew enough for this amazing experience. We will be back! read more

My wife and I were basically accidental "walk ups" looking to do some activities on or around the islands. It turns out there were 2 openings for the long, most interactive boat tour of the Apostle Islands. We took the openings. We did the 7 hour tour of the islands captained by Drew. Drew was great, very knowledgeable and accommodating. We toured the lighthouse on Raspberry Island and then proceeded to tour Devil's Island. We then did the kayaking of the Devils Island caves which were beyond incredible. The rest of the tour was almost a race against oncoming weather, but we did get to see the remainder of the islands before the rain came! The tour was wonderful and Drew was great. We are recommending this business and the extensive tour to friends. read more

We did the Devil Express tour (4 hours total) and it was the highlight of our vacation. We were able to bring our dog and they picked us up at a dock in Bayfield since we weren't staying on Madeline island. The staff was friendly and helpful as we were trying to decide which tour was right for us. Our tour guide had interesting facts about each island and stop. You could tell he has a deep appreciation for the Apostle Islands and their history. Thanks for the beautiful scenery and a great experience! read more

do not trust adventures vacations facebook reviews! i tried to post this on facebook and av webmanager blocked me!! that could be why they only have excellent reviews! stay away! old boat and too small for the big waves that the "captain" insisted that were just fine. i was afraid for my life and my 12 y/o son and his friends. none of the jackets fit my son or any of his friends. i felt bullied and shamed for questioning his "seaworthyness"! stay away! read more

Fantastic shop on Madeline island, full of fun beach-and island-related clothing, shoes, sunglasses and water gear. They also offer fun things to do and or rent, such as boat tours to the other islands and paddleboards, which I am determined to master despite the fact that I am a middle aged chubby girl! Friendly, upbeat staff, Consistently open early, well into the evening. These folks run a good business! read more