Best of the Lake 2016

The votes are tallied and the results are in.

See what Lake Superior Magazine readers chose as their favorites in this year’s 12 categories.

The Bayfield Apple Festival was voted the Best Festival on the Wisconsin shore.

Bayfield Apple Festival 

Photo: Courtesy Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau

The Bayfield Apple Festival was voted Best Festival on the Wisconsin shore by readers in this year's survey.

Best of the Lake 2016
         

SOMETIMES a simple survey brings up the funniest responses. When we asked our magazine readers and website viewers to name their best rock/agate picking places, perhaps the most consistent answer was: You’re kidding, right?

True, we might just as well have asked for your favorite fishing hole, yet many did come through with generous options for those who haven’t yet chosen a favorite place to look for agates or comb the beach.

There were quite a few repeats to this list and also a few delightful surprises in the top picks, reminders of how many great places there are to try even for Lake veterans like the staff here.

The top vote-getters are indicated with a “” and you’ll notice that in the cases where the voting was too close to call, we’ve gone with multiple winners.

Thank you to all of our magazine readers and online friends who voted and helped to choose this year’s Best of the Lake. As you travel around the Lake, you’ll see our Best of the Lake logo in windows of establishments that have earned the designation this year or in the past. We encourage you to check them out and to see if you agree that they provide the best products and service. Please do congratulate them on their win and support them on keeping up the good work. Maybe they’ll earn your vote in our next Best of the Lake choices.

Best Restaurant / Café

Best Resort / Motel / Hotel

Best Breakfast

Best Rock / Agate Picking

Best Place to Watch a Sunrise/set

Best Shopping Experience

Best Romantic Getaway

Best Festival

Best Bird/Wildlife Watching

Best Supper Club

Best Winter Destination

Best Place to View the Northern Lights

Best Restaurant / Café

Salzburger Hof

Salzburger Hof • Batchawana Bay, Ontario 

Photo: Courtesy Salzburger Hof

MICHIGAN
Fitzgerald’s Restaurant, Eagle River
fitzgeralds-mi.com

Harbor Haus, Copper Harbor
harborhaus.com

Elizabeth’s Chop House, Marquette
elizabethschophouse.com

MINNESOTA
 Grandma’s Saloon & Grill, Duluth
grandmasrestaurants.com

Angry Trout Café, Grand Marais
angrytroutcafe.com

New Scenic Café, Duluth
newsceniccafe.com

ONTARIO
Salzburger Hof, Batchawana Bay
salzburgerhofresort.com

Serendipity Gardens Café, Rossport
serendipitygardens.ca

WISCONSIN
Maggie’s, Bayfield
maggies-bayfield.com

Farmhouse Madeline Island, La Pointe
farmhousemadelineisland.weebly.com

Best Resort / Motel / Hotel

MICHIGAN
Landmark Inn, Marquette
thelandmarkinn.com

Hampton Inn Marquette/Waterfront, Marquette
hamptoninn3.hilton.com

MINNESOTA
 Cove Point Lodge, Beaver Bay
covepointlodge.com

Lutsen Resort on Lake Superior, Lutsen
lutsenresort.com

ONTARIO
Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel & Suites, Thunder Bay
princearthurwaterfront.com

Rock Island Lodge, Wawa
rockislandlodge.ca

WISCONSIN
Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield
rittenhouseinn.com

The Inn on Madeline Island, La Pointe
madisland.com

Best Breakfast

The Egg Toss

The Egg Toss • Bayfield, Wisconsin 

Photo: Courtesy Up North Flamingos

MICHIGAN
Suomi Home Bakery & Restaurant, Houghton
906-482-3220

Sweet Water Cafe, Marquette
sweetwatercafe.org

MINNESOTA
 Duluth Grill, Duluth
duluthgrill.com

Amazing Grace, Duluth
amazinggraceduluth.com

Judy’s Café, Two Harbors
218-834-4802

ONTARIO
Breakfast Pig, Sault Ste. Marie
saultstemariebreakfast.ca

Hoito Restaurant, Thunder Bay
finlandiaclub.ca

WISCONSIN
The Egg Toss, Bayfield
eggtoss-bayfield.com

Farmhouse Madeline Island, La Pointe
farmhousemadelineisland.weebly.com

Best Rock / Agate Picking

MICHIGAN
Little Girl’s Point, near Ironwood
gogebic.org

Whitefish Point, near Paradise
paradisemichigan.org

MINNESOTA
 Brighton Beach, Duluth
duluthmn.gov/parks

Beaver Bay
beaverbaymn.com

ONTARIO
Goulais Bay, Goulais River
goulaisriver.ca

Agate Beach, Nipigon
nipigon.net

WISCONSIN
Along Big Bay, Madeline Island
madelineisland.com

Saxon Harbor, near Saxon
ironcountyforest.org

Best Place to Watch a Sunrise/set

F.J. McLain State Park

F.J. McLain State Park • Keweenaw Peninsula 

MICHIGAN
F.J. McLain State Park, Keweenaw Peninsula
michigandnr.com

Presque Isle, Marquette
mqtcty.org

MINNESOTA
Canal Park, Duluth
visitduluth.com

Grand Marais
visitcookcounty.com

ONTARIO
Thunder Bay
thunderbay.ca/visiting

Pancake Bay
ontarioparks.com

WISCONSIN
Madeline Island
madelineisland.com

Bayfield
bayfield.org

Best Shopping Experience

Duluth Pack

Duluth Pack • Duluth, Minnesota 

Photo: Courtesy Duluth Pack

MICHIGAN
Shopping District & Specific Shop
Calumet
michigan.org/city/calumet/

Copper World, Calumet
calumetcopper.com

Shopping District & Specific Shop
Marquette
mqtcty.org

Zero Degrees Gallery, Marquette
zerodegreesgallery.org

MINNESOTA
Shopping District & Specific Shop
Canal Park / Downtown Duluth
canalparkduluth.com, downtownduluth.com

Duluth Pack, Duluth
duluthpack.com

Shopping District & Specific Shops
Grand Marais
visitcookcounty.com

Joynes Ben Franklin, Grand Marais
joynesbenfranklin.com

Lake Superior Trading Post, Grand Marais
lakesuperiortradingpost.com

Sivertson Gallery, Grand Marais
sivertson.com

ONTARIO
Shopping District & Specific Shop
Sault Ste. Marie
saulttourism.com

Station Mall, Sault Ste. Marie
thestationmall.com

Shopping District & Specific Shop
Algoma Country
algomacountry.com

Agawa Indian Crafts & the Canadian Carver, Pancake Bay
pancakebay.com

WISCONSIN
Shopping District & Specific Shop
Madeline Island
madelineisland.com

Madeline Island Candles, La Pointe
madelineislandcandles.com

Shopping District & Specific Shop
Bayfield
bayfield.org

Apostle Islands Booksellers, Bayfield
apostleislandsbooksellers.com

Best Romantic Getaway

Willows Inn B&B

Willows Inn B&B • Rossport, Ontario 

Photo: Courtesy the Willows Inn

MICHIGAN
Landmark Inn, Marquette
thelandmarkinn.com

Dapple-Gray B&B, Copper Harbor
dapple-gray.com

MINNESOTA
Cove Point Lodge, Beaver Bay
covepointlodge.com

Bluefin Bay on Lake Superior, Tofte
bluefinbay.com

ONTARIO
Willows Inn B&B, Rossport
bbcanada.com/willowsinn

Delta Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront Hotel
marriott.com

Serendipity Gardens Café & Guest House, Rossport
serendipitygardens.ca

WISCONSIN
Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield
rittenhouseinn.com

The Inn on Madeline Island, La Pointe
madisland.com

Best Festival

MICHIGAN
Bridgefest, Hancock
bridgefestfun.com

Soo Engineers’ Weekend, Sault Ste. Marie
saultstemarie.com

Wild Blueberry Festival, Paradise
wildblueberryfestival.org

MINNESOTA
Tall Ships, Duluth
tallshipsduluth.com

Bayfront Blues, Duluth
bayfrontblues.com

Fisherman’s Picnic, Grand Marais
visitcookcounty.com

ONTARIO
Bushplane Days, Sault Ste. Marie
bushplane.com

Live from the Rock Folk Festival, Red Rock
livefromtherockfolkfestival.com

WISCONSIN
Bayfield Apple Festival
bayfield.org

Fourth of July on Madeline Island
madelineisland.com

Best Bird/Wildlife Watching

Hawk Ridge

Hawk Ridge • Duluth, Minnesota 

Photo: Courtesy Debbie Petersen

MICHIGAN
Brockway Mountain
copperharbor.org

Whitefish Point
wpbo.org

MINNESOTA
Hawk Ridge, Duluth
hawkridge.org

Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais
visitcookcounty.com

Sax-Zim Bog, near Forbes
dnr.state.mn.us

ONTARIO
St. Marys River waterfront, Sault Ste. Marie
saulttourism.com

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Thunder Bay
ontarioparks.com

WISCONSIN
Madeline Island
madelineisland.com

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
nps.gov/apis

Best Supper Club

Black Woods

Black Woods • Duluth, Minnesota 

Photo: Courtesy Black Woods

MICHIGAN
Harbor Haus, Copper Harbor
harborhaus.com

Pilgrim River Steakhouse, Houghton
pilgrimriversteakhouse.com

MINNESOTA
Black Woods, Duluth
blackwoods.com

Pickwick, Duluth
pickwickduluth.com

Naniboujou Lodge, Grand Marais
naniboujou.com

ONTARIO
Embers Grill & Smokehouse, Sault Ste. Marie
embersgrillsmokehouse.com

Marconi Club, Sault Ste. Marie
themarconiclub.ca

WISCONSIN
The Platter, Ashland
thehistoricplatter.com

The Pub Restaurant & Wine Bar, La Pointe
madisland.com

Best Winter Destination

Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay, Ontario 

Photo: Courtesy Tourism Thunder Bay

MICHIGAN
Marquette
travelmarquettemichigan.com

Mount Bohemia
mtbohemia.com

Copper Harbor
copperharbor.org

MINNESOTA
Lutsen
visitcookcounty.com

Duluth
visitduluth.com

ONTARIO
Thunder Bay
thunderbay.ca/visiting

Sault Ste. Marie
saulttourism.com

WISCONSIN
Bayfield
bayfield.org

Apostle Islands Ice Caves
nps.gov/apis

Best Place to View the Northern Lights

Northern Lights from Brockway Mountain

Brockway Mountain • Copper Harbor, Michigan 

Photo: Steve Brimm

MICHIGAN
Brockway Mountain & Copper Harbor
copperharbor.org

Eagle Harbor
eagleharbortwp.org

MINNESOTA
Grand Marais
visitcookcounty.com

Enger Tower/Skyline Parkway, Duluth
duluthmn.gov/parks

ONTARIO
Thunder Bay
thunderbay.ca/visiting

Neys Provincial Park
ontarioparks.com/park/neys

WISCONSIN
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
nps.gov/apis

Madeline Island
madelineisland.com

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