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.
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.
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
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 • 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 • 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, 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 • 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 • 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 • 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, 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
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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