I say maybe to this because it may not be for everyone. The tour to me was a bit long, but the views made me question if I was really in WI. The water was crystal clear and reminded me of the ocean. The captain was great at pointing out landmarks and wildlife. He also knew a lot about the history of the islands dating back to the 1800's! If you've never been to the islands and cannot make it out yourself I would suggest going on the cruise, but maybe a shorter one. read more

See all

Good: views and knowledgeable captains cold sitting when your up on top in the wind bring a jacket. Bad: too expensive for my not so deep pockets. I understand gas is up. But meh almost not worth it. read more

We took the 3 hour Grand Tour and had a great day viewing and learning about the Apostle Islands. Book your reservations 1-2 days early if possible so weather forecasts are accurate enough, but seats are still available. We tried to book at 10am same day and only a few seats were remaining on the last cruise of the day (4:30pm departure). Seats are first come first served so we came 45 minutes early to line up and were able to get 4 seats together "upstairs" on the boat which had the best views and minimal engine noise. However, bring a jacket or sweatshirt since it gets so windy and cold once you're in the middle of Lake Superior (Yes, I was cold in the middle of July). There is a small concession stand inside the boat, but I chose to just bring some drinks and snacks. read more

See all

We love taking lake cruises, and this one offered some great views. Even with a little chop on the lake the boat ride was smooth. The crew was courteous and the Captain had his lecture down pat. read more

Our captain was very knowledgeable of the Apostle Islands and entertaining. The Grand Tour was 55 miles, 2 1/2 hours and the best way to see the islands. It's best to remember a jacket, even if you think you don't need one. read more

See all

2+ hours of cruise is fun. The islands are really beautiful. There is a lot of history behind these places starting from French Missionaries. Devils island is probably the most beautiful island. There were a lot of folks kayaking with guides. That would have been fun as well. read more

See all

We took the Grand Tour. We were able to change our tour time the day before by calling - they were very flexible. Tour was very informative. Great narration. The highlight was the devils island and seeing bald eagles! The staff was very good about pointing things out. I felt appreciated and safe on this cruise. read more

Apostle Islands Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bayfield, Wisconsin

See all

It was a great trip. I would highly recommend this charter service. Staff were so kind and informative. Our captain is was the owner. She was great!!!!!! We would go out with them again anytime. read more

See all

A very nice cruise with an excellent narration by the captain. We saw some excellent scenery and learned a lot about the history and geology of the area. We even saw some young eagles in their nest. As others have mentioned if you want to get on the upper deck it appears you need to show up an hour early. We got stuck inside since we were only 20 mins early. It was not too bad since it was cloudy and overcast. We did venture up top at times to take pictures that were not through the windows of the cabin. If it were a sunny and hot day (we went of the 10am cruise) it would be miserable inside - a real oven. We tried sitting on the back of the boat on the first level but the roar of the engines drowned out the narration. Despite the seating issue I would still recommend if you want to see the islands. read more

Apostle Islands Cruises - Map - Boating Near Me - Bayfield, Wisconsin

We cruised on a slightly chilly day in the morning. Luckily we had prepared with layers of clothing. If you're going in spring or early summer, bring a blanket or hoodie. The captain was thoroughly knowledgeable about the sights, even telling some great stories of the area lore. He was great about turning the boat so both sides can see well. Our ship, the Archipelago, was swift and the crew was attentive to detail. What a wonderful experience to see these beautiful islands from a boat! Devil's Island is definitely the highlight, with amazing caves and archways in the sandstone near the waterline. Many of the islands do not have quite the same wow factor so there are long stretches of cruising with more or less the same view. Kids may get a little antsy or tired of it. But on this Grand Tour you get to see, either close up or far away, 21 of the 22 apostle islands. read more

We took this cruise in late July on our weekend visit to Bayfield and the islands. If you want to learn a lot about the islands themselves, this is the tour to take. You'll see almost all of them and the captain gives very detailed info about each of them as you boat past. We got to see several bald eagles on our tour and the devils island sea caves were incredible. Pro tip is to sit on the left side of the boat, however, the captain does turn the boat so the other side can see notable spots. The line to board also starts early, so get there early if you want a good seat. If you are visiting the islands/bayfield, this is the best way to get a wealth of info and fun experience. read more

We booked it online weeks before we were going to be in Bayfield for the weekend. Everything about the online reservation process, office staff, supporting staff on the boat, and the Captain was great. The tour itself was fun, Mike the Captain, is very knowledgeable and passionate about the tour. He did great at giving historical stories and information about the islands and truly make the 3 hour tour a memorable time. The only part I would have changed is nothing the Cruise can control - The weather. The day we when was 38 degrees, overcast with drizzle/snow flurries. Once you are out on Superior, that 38 degrees drops 10-15 degrees and the wind really picks up. Mike said the waves were 3-4 foot so being on the upper deck for sight seeing became a different world with the weather. I will come back in July and do it again! read more

Apostle Islands Cruises - cold October day - Boating Near Me - Bayfield, Wisconsin

See all

Very relaxing day Wonderful three hours on the water so beautiful. It was a great way to see the fall leaves. I didn't even know there were islands like that. It was very cold tho. We drove up from the twin cities. If I did it again I would try staying there instead of driving right home. It was a dark wet ride home. read more

See all

We took the sunset cruise and it was fabulous. The boat captains were very knowledgeable and proficient with steering the boat. The information was vast and gave a great overview of the area and the islands. This is worth the time if you want an overview of the Apostle Islands. read more

We came opening weekend in 2021 for the first tour of the season. The captain was very knowledgeable, courteous and funny. On the 3-hour ride, the captain gave interesting information about every island, wildlife, and rock formations. There was an intern on board as well, and she did a great job welcoming the guests and driving the boat (for the first time). There's an upper deck with no covering, so dress warm, and also a lower level where you can be inside, if it gets too cold. All in all, it was a great time and I definitely recommend the cruise. Enjoy! read more

I had a perfect time on the Cruise and went on the Grand Tour. You get your value's worth because this tour isn't cheap, and the GT is 3 hours long. I would advise you to show up at least 30 minutes early. If you don't, you will not get seating on the top deck. You don't want to be inside when you can have a clear view on top with good weather. Fortunately for me it was a mild day, but with the boat at speed, the topside of the boat was chilly and eventually seats opened up for the ones that were too weak for the wind chill. The tour guide is excellent, he goes over all the facts and history of each island and the area. He does stop and let the return trip be quiet. I prefer this order. I brought a real camera and my high end camera phone and took as many photos as possible. Coming here during peak autumn colors is the best. In October it does get cold in the mornings and evenings. I would only give feedback that Devil's Island is toured slower or again because that was the peak of the trip and I didn't feel like it was slow enough. The sea caves are surreal. read more

A three hour tour and the man driving the boat never stopped talking. It was pointless story after pointless fact. It was as if he just liked to hear himself talk. Never again. read more

We did the 10am grand tour. We booked a few months in advance. When booking, we were advised to get there by 9am for a good seat. We were running early and ended up getting there before 8:30 so we were the first in line. They start boarding right at 9:40 as advertised. We got seats right at the front of the boat up top. I think the left side would have been slightly better because that's where all of the views were, but they did always turn around so that the other side could see too. The views at Hermit Island on the way out were pretty good. The cliffs were pretty and there were some bald eagles that they pointed out. After that, there wasn't much to see until Devil's Island. They tried to make it more entertaining with commentary, but I think they need louder speakers because it was hard to hear with the wind up top. The views of the sea caves at Devil's Island were gorgeous and definitely made the trip. The whole trip was about 2.5 hours. The ride was incredibly smooth. I'd definitely recommend this tour! read more

See all

Lovely experience seeing the beautiful Apostle Islands in one afternoon! The tour guide was very personable and shared interesting facts without being overly talkative or cheesy. A few tips: they sell water, soda, and coffee onboard, but you're allowed to bring your own food and beverage. Several folks brought coolers with beer which we didn't realize was an option. Get there early!! We arrived an hour early and still were behind 10 or so people in line. Sit up top- and sit on the left side of the boat. Bring a sweater, because we were there on a very choppy day and got pretty sprayed with cold water from Lake Superior. Overall, highly recommend - this tour exceeded my expectations! read more

Apostle Islands Cruises - Sea caves - Boating Near Me - Bayfield, Wisconsin

This was a fun and very pleasant boat ride along Lake Superior to view the Apostle Islands. The guide was quite informative about the lake, geology, and the history of the area. They informed the passengers that the waters were rough as a courtesy. It wasn't bad at all. The boat wasn't overly full either. This is a great way to see Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The boat ride was even better than the one for Pictured Rocks NL. read more

See all

For our first time in the area we decided to do the cruise to get an overall sense of the place. Although it was overcast and a bit hazy, our captain and his crew were exceptionally friend,y and helpful. The captain narrated throughout with great stories about each island and the lake itself, taking us through history and geology of this unique area. Although I'm sure he's done it many times, he sounded spontaneous and enthusiastic as if it were his first cruise, which made it more fun. I was surprised to learn there are bears and deer on some of the islands--I didn't know they could swim and I'm still skeptical, but there you go. Seating is on an upper open deck or a lower inside deck, which has more comfortable seats but more limited view. It's a hefty trip at about 2.5 hours, but worth it for an overview of the islands. There are bathrooms and a small concession stand as well. There were lots of small children on board but I wouldn't recommend it for them as most seemed restless and bored, wandering around, wriggling, etc. I don't blame them; it's just not an activity for small kids. We adults enjoyed it though! read more

Apostle Islands Cruises - Boating Near Me - Bayfield, Wisconsin

See all

I'm so happy we got to do the grand tour. It was 3 hrs. A bit long for my 2 kiddos but sooo worth it. The captain was incredibly knowledgeable and funny. He grew up and volunteered on the islands most of his youth, so he had quite the insights. Thanks to him we got to see Bald Eagles at their nest and flying around which was really exciting for the 6yr old. Overall a great and quality experience. Boat crew were sanitizing the rails every hr. Everyone wore a mask. read more

See all

We took a weekday vacation to Bayfield (October 15th is winter season, so it is low tourist time). A long-but-short 4 hour drive to see the Fall colors and the Apostle Islands. I've never been but have many friends that come for the Apple Fest Getting cruise tickets online was easy. Many different options available during summer season, but I'm glad kayaking isn't the only option in October. We chose the Grand Tour (3 hours). You show up 20 mins before the tour starts, head down to the yellow line on the dock and wait. You can also purchase tickets beforehand in the Ticket Office off of Front Street. **There is no parking lot so you have to park on 1st Street or find a parking lot and walk a couple of blocks. Hint: if you stay at the Bayfield or Bay Front Inns, keep your car in the Inn lot and just walk over. We stayed at the Winfiel Inn & Gardens about 1 mile out of town. Too far to walk on a cold, October morning.** There were 3 boat staff, the captain and two ( I don't know what to call then) 1st mates. One helped with launching and docking, and the safety demonstration. They both helped with keeping the glass fog free (You know the breathing, cold air and glass don't work.) and they worked the popcorn and beverage stand. The captain did all of the speaking during the tour. He was very knowledgable about the islands and he controlled the boat in windy conditions. **We didn't get to see Devil's Island or the sea caves due to the poor weather conditions. But the captain made that transparent before we launched so we could get a refund, but no one got off.** The Archipelago was built in 2018, and in service since Aug 2019. It was a beautiful boat. It has two (Men/ Women) bathrooms on board. The below deck seats are black leather, cushioned. But the seats are precurved. So anyone with a big butt or wide hips, it doesn't feel too good. I'd also sit more on the aisle because sitting near the window, the ledge is in your shoulder. Also, if you want to move around when you get out on the Lake, you don't have to crawl over people to get out. Plenty of leg room though. There are windows on the sides that can open for clearer photos. The upper deck seating is much better. Even though they are plastic seats, they don't dig into your hips. Much more shoulder room too. And a much better, open-air view. **Please advise that our boat was at half capacity, so I could go from below deck to top deck. Not sure how that'd work with a full boat. Also most views are on the port (left) side. I didn't feel too bad for the people of the starboard (right) side because they got up and moved to a better viewing spot. I would love to come back in nicer summer weather and see Devil's Island and the sea caves. I'd say the highlight of the tour was the Raspberry Island Lighthouse. Also, if you stop by the gift shop next to the ticket office after you disembark, they choose a random ticket holder for a gift shop prize. It was not me so I don't know what you get. read more

See all

We did the "Grand Tour" on a Wednesday night, 6-30-2021. Absolutely beautiful weather! Our Captain MIKE and deckhands RANDY and SIERRA were excellent & attentive. We could not have asked for a better crew. We got there 10 minutes early (our ship departed at 5:30pm) but I wish we would've gotten there a little sooner, as all of the top seats had been taken as well as the bottom window seats. However, this did not matter about halfway into the cruise, as people get up to move around and see the sights from different areas of the ship. When you arrive for your cruise, you head down to the dock right away. You do not need to check in at the ticket shop if you purchased your tickets online. They do a mobile check in on the dock, 10 yards from the boat. Once onboard the boat, it was a quick untying of the ropes and we were off! We had a quick safety briefing and I am thankful we did not have to use lifejackets! The tour itself was unique, informative & a smooth ride! Captain MIKE is the best! He was so knowledgeable because he actually lived on Devil's Island after high school. He knew all of the local stories as well as hundreds of years of history about Lake Superior and the Apostle Islands. The deckhands were busy during the entire cruise, whether it was tending to their mini concession stand downstairs or sanitizing the railings and bathroom (I appreciated that they were still trying to respect some Covid cleaning guidelines because nobody on the ship was wearing a mask, despite the policy posted stating the only unmasked people should be the vaccinated ones). The grand tour lasted about 2 1/2 hours and Captain Mike told stories about each island we were approaching them. The nice thing he also did was turn the ship around so each side could see the island and get pictures (smart thinking on his part - we all didn't run to one side of the boat to get a picture of the bald eagle at the same time!). We saw three bald eagles which was a real treat as well. Overall, great activity to do if you're in the Bayfield area - highly recommend. At the end of the cruise, they list 4 names in the gift shop as winners from tonight's cruise (they won a cool sketching). Tips: - Buy your tickets ahead via online or over the phone - Get there 30 mins early to get a good seat selection - Bring a blanket and/or a hoodie/sweater (even in June) - Take Dramamine if you're easily seasick - Bring your nice camera for some epic photos - Tip your captain & deckhands-they deserve it! read more

See all

The cruise service doesn't seem to care about the wakes it creates. While making their vectors from one point of attraction to another or passing by marinas, they don't adjust their speed or adjust course to separate themselves from other boats. Time must be money to the service and entertainment for the captains as they look back at the boats rock on their wake. If you're not on board one of the boats, get ready. read more

I visited Apostle Islands right towards the end of the season... I think it was their final week of operation before closing up shop for the winter. Due to that, there weren't too many people on the boat, so there was plenty of room to move around. If you visit in the fall, definitely bring some cold weather gear- the hat and gloves I brought came in handy when I went up to the upper deck to take some photos. I went on the "Grand Tour" which lasts for about 3 hours... you pass by many of the islands - however, due to high winds, we weren't able to visit some of the outer islands due to safety concerns. It was a bit of a hike to get here from where I stayed in Duluth, but in retrospect was well worth the trip. The scenery was gorgeous, boat staff helpful, and lots of friendly travellers on the boat. Only thing I wish was a little different was how the captain provided all the narrations. It seems like he was talking all the time, but we never got to see him. Would have been awesome to have someone on the main deck where everyone was sitting to ask questions to. Maybe during the busier months they have a tour guide? read more

See all

We did two separate tours during our four day stay in Bayfield - the morning Grand tour and the Sea Caves & Lighthouses Tour. By far, we enjoyed the sea caves and Lighthouses tour the most - why? Cause we were going kayaking the next day and it allowed us to see what we were going to see kayaking AND we love the lighthouses and sea caves. The Grand Tour is fine for older adults to get an overview of the Apostle Islands and you do get to see two lighthouses, but we felt the lighthouse tour was more informative and better for those interested in kayaking and/or the sea caves. We did find out much of the narration is similar on both tours. The morning grand tour has more people and seniors than the other tours. read more

See all

Get there early. Like an hour early. Parking is scarce and the good seats on top get taken. Good stories about what we where looking at. Everyone was kind and I enjoyed the cruise. read more

My family of 5 went on the grand tour yesterday afternoon. This would probably be a lovely sightseeing cruise from the top deck of the boat as shown in all the pictures on their website. However, we arrived 30 minutes early and found ourselves near the back of a very long line. So, I'd definitely advise arriving much earlier to wait in line. We were unfortunately left to sit in the main cabin trying to see all the sights through windows. Couldn't see or hear the narrator very well and were unable to capture any nice pictures without the window frame in it. I wish the website was more clear about the seating options. We found ourselves bored and would never have spent the money on that experience. read more

So I have very mixed feelings about this Cruise - as it was not what I expected and I was far from happy when it ended. However, now that it has been several weeks and I have given it some thought, I can see the bad with the good. Here's our story. . . so we arrived on Saturday afternoon in Bayfield. Had seen info online about the "Evening Grand Tour" that left at 4:30. We had just enough time to rush to the docks and get our tickets and get on the boat. This is when we got pretty upset. We found the boat very crowded and most of the seating was inside on these narrow benches. It was a pretty hot day and inside that boat was like an oven. We of course thought "we'll just go on top" planning on sitting outside the whole time. We then came across this sign - "Upper Deck Limit 37". Which should have said - "If you want to sit outside and get good views while on this boat tour - you should have been one of the first 37 on the boat!!" Of course, the upper deck was full and no one was moving. The tour guides made sure no one else went up unless some came down and that just wasn't happening. This wouldn't have been so bad if the lower deck had better viewing, more windows that opened or wasn't over crowded. We spent most of the 3.25 hour cruise looking at other people and the inside of a hot boat. NOT what we had planned, at all. Now I will say the people were nice - or trying their best despite the fact that a majority of the people were trapped in a hot boat. The tour itself was really quite boring - someone narrated what we were passing the first few hours, but it really wasn't that enjoyable. Once we finally got to the northern most island - Devils Island - things were much nicer. The ice caves and rock formations were beautiful and IF you could fight your way up to a window - you could lean out and hopefully get a few photos. We also did get to see some nice sunsets. Devil's island and sunsets were the highlights of the whole trip. Raspberry Island lighthouse was nice - and there were a few times between other islands that you would catch a breeze and it was a bit enjoyable. We didn't see any wildlife, except an eagle which the guide pointed out and could only be seen with my telephoto lens. Ultimately - I think they should do a much shorter cruise and tell people to get on early or be prepared to sit below and look at the inside of a metal boat most of the time. If they did a cruise just up to Devils Island and back - they probably would have a lot less people feeling a bit ripped off. read more

See all

Not really worth the money, hire local. Took the grand tour, sat on the wrong side of the boat and couldn't see anything... The seacaves were cool, but we were pretty far away to see anything up close. Same with the fish camp. The speakers were not working and we couldn't hear anything the commentator was saying. Boat drives really fast so you get soaked with all the water splashing up. read more

I enjoyed my cruise a great deal. The captain (Dave) shared interesting and historical information which I enjoyed. The scenery was beautiful-we had a gorgeous sunny day. The trip gave me a much better idea of how big Lake Superior is-much different than reading about it. I enjoyed seeing the lighthouses-truthfully I liked everything about it. One noteworthy point, the captain suggested we try the chicken ? livers when we were at in-town restaurants. I passed, thinking I'm not really a liver fan and it was just a pitch to pad restaurant bills. I was in a restaurant waiting for my takeout and overhead a guy who was on the same boat on a different day talking about the livers too which pretty much re-inforced my belief about the restaurant bills. read more

We booked three tickets on the 10am Grand Tour. The forecast called for rain but the grey skies and rain did not take away from the experience. Captain Dan spoke almost the entire time sharing loads of local history, industry, geology, and beyond. It was packed full of excellent, interesting information. Recommend without reservation. read more

Wife and I had a great time this evening on the the grand tour cruise. What's keeping us from giving it 5 stars is that almost every picture we took had Dirty Britches (in the red hoodie and thankfully the pic doesn't show his nasty ass britches) and Unabomber (blue hoodie) running all around the upper deck getting in people's way. Neither had a clue of personal space and Unabomberi thought he was some kind of professional photog with his giant telephoto lens (hint: use the freaking lens...u don't have to be in the front of everyone). It would be nice if they would make an announcement to tell idiots not to do what they did. Don't be that guy. read more

See all

Great cruise! Reasonable pricing, nice staff and Beautiful! Take a blanket and jacket. It was very warm the day we went, but it can get very cool on the water. Definitely recommend if your in the area. read more

They allowed outside food and the kids on the boat dropped some. Parents didn't clean it up. Devils island was filled with bitting flies that invaded the boat for food and made the return trip miserable. My 91 year old father was bit so much his ankles were bleeding. I have numerous pictures. read more

See all

On a recent trip to Madeline Island and Bayfield, my hubby and I decided we couldn't pass up a cruise to see some of the Apostle Islands. The cruise itself was great, and the captain gave very informative narration. The trip is long, about 3 1/4 hours and you go past a handful of the islands (not all of the islands). The highlight of the cruise was seeing two lighthouses. My main complaint is that they don't tell you if you buy a lower cabin ticket you will not be able to go up to the upper level. This wouldn't be a big deal, except the lower level is completely enclosed so you have to see everything through windows and not all of them open. If you get an upper level ticket you are free to also come down to the lower level. We were not aware of this when we purchased our tickets and neither were a lot of other passengers. Also, make sure to make a reservation because the boat cruises fill up quickly. We made our reservation the day before and it's a good thing because our tour filled up on a Sunday in the off season. The cost is $40 per person. read more

We enjoyed our tour of the islands. We made our reservations weeks in advance, but were told when we arrived that the cruise might not go, as they didn't have the necessary 16 people to sail. Huge downer! However, we spent a few minutes walking around downtown, and by the time we returned, they were up to 15 and decided to go ahead. It was REALLY cold. We started out on the upper deck, but quickly wimped out and went below. You could still see well with the large windows (they open so you can get good pictures), and it was a smooth ride until we got to the most northerly island. It was extremely choppy on our way out (for maybe 15 minutes), but other than that, an easy trip. They get you close enough to the islands that you can see the sea caves, fishing camps, etc., and give a good narration of the history of the islands. Well worth the trip - it's about 3.5 hours - and a good introduction to the islands. read more

We did the evening cruise. We purposely got in line early as I wanted to guarantee a spot up top for pictures. The line gets long quick so if you want to be up there plan on showing up early. It does get chilly when you get out in the middle of the lake too so come prepared (no matter how hot it is on land). This cruise was wonderful. Our tour guide was very informative and very funny. I also LOVE how they will spin the boat so both sides of the boat are guaranteed unobstructed pictures of whatever they want. Also, it was so cool how close they were able to get us to the caves. I am not exaggerating when I say we were within about 15 feet of one of the cave walls. The evening cruise only costs $42 a person which is well worth it for a 3.5 hour tour (plus 20% of that goes to the NPS). Do not pass on this! read more

Apostle Islands Cruises - Yeah...no complaints here. The evening cruise was fantastic!!! - Boating Near Me - Bayfield, Wisconsin

Our trip was shortened and we couldn't see very much of the sunken ships (not their fault). The lighthouses were underwhelming, to say the least. Boat is very nice and comfortable and staff is friendly. read more