Within the hundreds of responses to our survey this year, we found many repeat winners along with several newcomers and even a few pleasant new surprises. Thanks to all of those readers, social media friends and online voters who took the time to take the survey. Thank you, too, for your insights into the places that you’ve visited and that you know well because of where you live. We encourage you to use the locations listed here to make your own “must-see” list as you travel around the Big Lake neighborhood. Make note, too, of other places that should be on our Best of the Lake list next year. As you travel, watch for the Best of the Lake logo in windows and on walls to see winners from the past. Congratulate them all.
AARON C. JORS
BROCKWAY MOUNTAIN
BAYFIELD CHAMBER & CVB
WISCONSIN HIGHWAY 13
BEST PLACE TO TAKE IN FALL COLORS (OR COLOURS)
MICHIGAN
- Brockway Mountain, Copper Harbor/Eagle Harbor, keweenaw.info
- Porcupine Mountains, near Ontonagon, porcupineup.com
MINNESOTA
- Lutsen Mountains Area, visitcookcounty.com
- Oberg Mountain, near Tofte, Superior National Forest, fs.usda.gov/superior
ONTARIO
- Agawa Canyon, from Sault Ste. Marie, saulttourism.com
- Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Thunder Bay, ontarioparks.com/park/sleepinggiant
- Pancake Bay Provincial Park, Batchawana Bay, ontarioparks.com/park/pancakebay
WISCONSIN
- Bayfield Trails & Waterfront, Bayfield, landmarkwi.org
- Wisconsin Highway 13, along the south shore, lakesuperiorbyway.org
- Star Route Road, Cornucopia inland to Bayfield, bayfieldcounty.org
SOMMER RAE PHOTOGRAPHY / DULUTH GRILL
DULUTH GRILL
BEST LOCAL FOOD TAKEOUT
MICHIGAN
- Fitzgerald’s, Eagle River, fitzgeralds-mi.com
- Ambassador, Houghton, theambassadorhoughton.com
MINNESOTA
- Betty’s Pies, Two Harbors, bettyspies.com
- Duluth Grill, Duluth, duluthgrill.com
ONTARIO
- Fratelli’s Kitchen & Pizzeria, Sault Ste. Marie, fratellisrestaurant.ca
- Drifter’s, Terrace Bay, driftersofterracebay.ca
WISCONSIN
- Café Coco, Washburn, coconorth.com
- Anchor Bar & Grill, Superior, anchorbarandgrill.com
DOWNTOWN MARQUETTE FARMERS MARKET
DOWNTOWN MARQUETTE FARMERS MARKET
BEST PLACE TO PICK YOUR OWN PRODUCE
MICHIGAN
- Downtown Marquette Farmers Market, mqtfarmersmarket.com
- Pancho’s Wild Blueberries, Lake Linden, 906-296-4561 or Facebook
MINNESOTA
- Duluth Farmers Market, duluthfarmersmarket.com
- Carlton County Fruit & Berry Growers, carltoncountyfruit.org
ONTARIO
- Belluz Farms, Slate River Valley, near Thunder Bay, belluzfarms.on.ca
- Thunder Bay Country Market, thunderbaycountrymarket.com
WISCONSIN
- Bayfield’s Fruit Loop, Bayfield, bayfield.org
- Barker’s Island Farm Market, Superior, 715-372-8441 or Facebook
- Washburn Farmer’s Market, washburnchamber.com
POORROCK ABBEY
JAMPOT
BEST SWEET TREAT SHOP
MICHIGAN
- Jampot, Eagle Harbor, poorrockabbey.com
- Donckers, Marquette, donckersonline.com
MINNESOTA
- World’s Best Donuts, Grand Marais, worldsbestdonutsmn.com
- Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen, Knife River, greatlakescandy.com
- PortLand Malt Shoppe, Duluth, portlandmaltshoppe.com
ONTARIO
- The Persian Man, Thunder Bay, 807-344-2931 or Facebook
- Moe & Jo’s Lighthouse Variety, Terrace Bay, 807-825-1313 or Facebook (homemade pastries)
WISCONSIN
- Café Coco, Washburn, coconorth.com
- Harbor House Sweets, Washburn, harborhousesweets.com
ONTARIO PARKS
LAKE SUPERIOR PROVINCIAL PARK
BEST PLACE FOR A PICNIC
MICHIGAN
- Porcupine Mountains, Ontonagon, porcupineup.com
- Esrey Park, between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor, keweenaw.info
MINNESOTA
- Brighton Beach, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks
- Gooseberry Fall State Park, Two Harbors, dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks
ONTARIO
- Lake Superior Provincial Park, Wawa, ontarioparks.com/park/lakesuperior
- Thunder Bay waterfront, www.visitthunderbay.com
WISCONSIN
- Bayfield waterfront, bayfield.org
- Ashland waterfront, visitashland.com
- Madeline Island, La Pointe, madelineisland.com
MADELINE ISLAND MUSEUM
MADELINE ISLAND MUSEUM
BEST HISTORIC SITE OR MUSEUM
MICHIGAN
- Quincy Mine, Hancock, quincymine.com
- Keweenaw National Historic Sites, Visitor Center in Calumet, nps.gov/kewe
- Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, Whitefish Point, shipwreckmuseum.com
MINNESOTA
- Split Rock Lighthouse, near Castle Danger, mnhs.org/splitrock
- Glensheen, Duluth, Glensheen.org
ONTARIO
- Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, bushplane.com
- Fort William Historical Park, Thunder Bay, fwhp.ca
WISCONSIN
- Madeline Island Museum, La Pointe, madelineislandmuseum.wisconsinhistory.org
- David R. Obey Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, Ashland, nglvc.org
COPPER WORLD
COPPER WORLD
BEST LOCAL SHOP STOP
MICHIGAN
- Copper World, Calumet, calumetcopper.com
- Laughing Loon, Copper Harbor, thelaughingloononline.com
MINNESOTA
- Lake Superior Trading Post, Grand Marais, lakesuperiortradingpost.com
- Duluth Pack, Duluth, duluthpack.com
ONTARIO
- Young’s General Store, Wawa, youngsgeneralstore.ca
- Agawa Crafts & The Canadian Carver, Batchawana Bay, 705-882-2311 or Facebook
- Authentique, Thunder Bay, authentiquegifts.ca
- Finnport, Thunder Bay, finnport.com
WISCONSIN
- Joanne’s Scandinavian, Bayfield, 715-779-5772
- Keeper of the Light, Bayfield, keeperofthelight.net
- Apostle Islands Booksellers, Bayfield, apostleislandsbooksellers.com
SUPERIOR-DOUGLAS COUNTY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
WISCONSIN POINT
BEST PLACE TO PLAY IN THE WATER
MICHIGAN
- Bete Grise Bay, Lac La Belle/Bete Grise, keweenaw.info
- Great Sand Bay, Eagle River/Eagle Harbor, keweenaw.info
- McLain State Park, Hancock, michigan.gov/dnr
MINNESOTA
- Park Point, Duluth, duluthmn.gov/parks
- Grand Marais Downtown Beach, visitcookcounty.com
ONTARIO
- Pancake Bay Provincial Park, Batchawana Bay, ontarioparks.com/park/pancakebay
- Terrace Bay Beach, terracebay.ca
WISCONSIN
- Big Bay State & Town Parks, La Pointe, madelineisland.com
- Wisconsin Point, Superior, ci.superior.wi.us/226/Wisconsin-Point
- Cornucopia Beach, Cornucopia, brcland.org/cornucopia-beach.html
CHRIS GUIBERT / KEWEENAW MOUNTAIN LODGE
KEWEENAW MOUNTAIN LODGE
BEST PLACE OR FRIENDLY LODGING
MICHIGAN
- Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, Copper Harbor, keweenawmountainlodge.com
- Fitzgerald’s Hotel & Restaurant, Eagle River, fitzgeralds-mi.com
MINNESOTA
- Naniboujou Lodge & Restaurant, near Grand Marais, naniboujou.com
- The Inn on Lake Superior, Duluth, theinnonlakesuperior.com
ONTARIO
- Sault Ste. Marie Holiday KOA, koa.com/campgrounds/sault-ste-marie
- Rossport Inn & Cabins, Rossport, 807-355-8253
WISCONSIN
- Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield, rittenhouseinn.com
- Best Western The Hotel Chequamegon, Ashland, 715-682-9095 or Facebook
BEST READER'S CHOICES
Readers plug their favorites that may not fall into other categories.
MICHIGAN
West coast in the U.P. has everything. Ruggedness, beaches, fishing, agates, glorious sunsets. White City Beach near Jacobsville. Beautiful sandy beach and lighthouse, perfect for beach time or boating time! Love the Ben Franklin five-and-dime in Ironwood. So much fun to browse. Marquette's downtown harbor area and St. Peter Cathedral.
+ Pictured Rocks Trading Co., Munising; pasties at Suomi Restaurant, Houghton, and Mohawk Superette; Boot Lake Bar & Grill, Manistique.
MINNESOTA
Best place to social distance: Lake Superior Hiking Trail. Fitger's! Great restaurants, historic hotel, independently owned shops, a spa … you can't get much better. Clear water, beautiful views of ships – Burlington Bay, Two Harbors. Any of the state parks located along Highway 61 north of Two Harbors … they all have something for everyone.
+ Beth's Fudge and Gifts, Grand Marais; Zenith Bookstore, Duluth; Cove Point Lodge's Scandinavian breakfast; Best Adventure Park, Silver Bay.
ONTARIO
From Thunder Bay to the USA border, then from Thunder Bay to Marathon. All the islands from Marathon to the tip of the Sleeping Giant. Love Terrace Bay! Love all the attractions, our home in Terrace Bay and watching ships when there is a strong north wind out on the Big Lake. K9 Bark Avenue at Sault Ste Marie KOA Holiday. Love the dog agility field! Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park and Lake Superior Provinicial Park.
+ Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Sault Ste. Marie; Breeze Bakery, Schreiber; Canadian Sault Locks; Amethyst mines near Thunder Bay.
WISCONSIN
Northwind Organic Farm near Bayfield – the best berries and longest running organic solar powered farm in the region. The little town on the Big Lake – Washburn is my choice for best destination to enjoy the lake from. Big Bay State Park on Madeline Island. Bayfield for shopping, restaurants and views of the Great Lake.
+ Honest Dog Bookstore, Bayfield; Lake Superior Estuarium, Superior; Siskiwit Bay Lodge, Cornucopia; Tetzner's Dairy, Washburn.
Do you have suggestions for new Best of the Lake categories? Send them to edit@lakesuperior.com and keep watching on our website for the next survey: LakeSuperior.com.