This Wisconsin town is one of Priceline’s “Top 10 Places to Travel in 2027”

As a Wisconsinite, I’ve spent years telling people that the best part of our state is the part at the very top: the thumb of land poking into Lake Superior that’s covered in beaches, rocky shores, forested islands, hiking trails, sea caves, orchards, wildlife-filled estuaries, and more. It turns out a lot of travelers have been listening to me! (Or, you know, getting the same advice on TikTok.)

Priceline just named Bayfield, Wisconsin, one of its Top 10 Places to Travel in 2027. The list isn’t based on editors’ gut feelings or a quid pro quo deal with a tourism board (the usual culprits, if you were unaware). Priceline compared its top trending searches from May 2025 through May 2026 against the same period a year earlier, for any travel dates. In other words, people are actively looking up this place much, much more than they used to.

That’s a big deal for a town of roughly 500 year-round residents, often called the smallest city in Wisconsin. Priceline summed up its pitch neatly: kayak the Apostle Islands sea caves, drink orchard cider, and take the ferry to Madeline Island for Big Bay State Park. Here’s what each of those actually looks like, plus a few things I’d add.

The sea caves are the main event

Bayfield is the gateway to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, a cluster of 21 islands plus a stretch of mainland shoreline. Over thousands of years, Lake Superior’s waves have carved the red sandstone cliffs into arches, tunnels, and caves you can paddle straight into.

The most popular launch point for the mainland caves is Meyers Beach, about a 30-minute drive west of town. One honest word of warning: Lake Superior is enormous, frigid, and moody. It’s more of a sea than a lake, and conditions can turn fast, even on a calm-looking summer day. If you’re not an experienced sea kayaker, book a guided trip — several outfitters in Bayfield run half-day and full-day tours. If you prefer to stay dry, narrated cruises leave from the Bayfield waterfront and loop past the caves and some of the islands’ historic lighthouses.

You may have seen viral photos of the frozen ice caves. Those only open in rare winters when the lake ice is thick enough to walk on safely, so don’t plan a trip around them. Last year, they were open for one day.

Yes, there’s cider

Bayfield calls itself the Berry Capital of Wisconsin, and the hills above town are covered in orchards and berry farms. Lake Superior moderates the local climate, which makes this a surprisingly good place to grow fruit this far north. Many of these farms sit along a scenic drive locals call the Fruit Loop.

Come summer, that means pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. In fall, it means apples, cider, and pie. Bayfield’s annual Apple Festival takes over town the first weekend of October and is one of the biggest events in the region, so book lodging early if you’re aiming for it.

Madeline Island and Big Bay State Park

From the Bayfield dock, the Madeline Island Ferry crosses to the village of La Pointe in about 25 minutes. Madeline is the largest of the Apostle Islands and the only one that isn’t part of the national lakeshore. It also has deep significance as an ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe people. The Madeline Island Museum is a good first stop to learn about that history.

Then head to Big Bay State Park on the island’s eastern side. It’s known for a long, sweeping sand beach, a boardwalk across a quiet lagoon, and trails along sandstone bluffs. On a hot July day, the clear, cold Superior water there could pass for somewhere much farther south, at least until you dip a toe in.

What I’d add to Priceline’s list

• Big Top Chautauqua: An open-air tent venue on a hillside just south of town that hosts dozens of concerts (sometimes national acts!) and shows every summer.

• The town itself: Bayfield’s historic district is full of 19th-century homes, galleries, and lakefront restaurants serving local whitefish. The Bayfield Maritime Museum explains the region’s fishing and shipping past.

• Lighthouses: The Apostle Islands hold one of the largest collections of lighthouses in the national park system, and a cruise is the easiest way to see several in one day.

• Frog Bay Tribal National Park: One of the very first tribal national parks in the country, Frog Bay is small but beautiful, connecting everyone to the area’s Indigenous side.

• The rest of the Apostle Islands: The islands that aren’t Madeline are part of a national lakeshore, administered by the NPS. Take an NPS tour to somewhere like Stockton Island for a national park experience.

• Ashland, Iron River, Port Wing, and more: Bayfield County has several cute towns that make great bases, especially if you’re outdoorsy. One of my absolute favorite spots is the Port Wing Boreal Forest State Natural Area — stop by Lake Wind Coffee on the way. In Ashland, I love Black Cat Coffeehouse paired with a walk on the shore.

When to go

Summer is peak season. That’s when the ferry runs on a full schedule, kayaking conditions are best, and the berry farms are open. Early fall brings apples, cider, and fall color with fewer crowds after Labor Day. Winter is quiet and beautiful, but many businesses close or cut their hours.

Whenever you go, I’d start planning. Search data like Priceline’s has a way of predicting crowds, and Bayfield’s small-town charm is a big part of the appeal.

The full Priceline list

Bayfield is in good company. Here’s every destination on Priceline’s Top 10 Places to Travel in 2027, with Priceline’s own descriptions:

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