Wisconsin's 5 Best Destinations For A Secluded Getaway, According To Reddit

When your ideal vacation looks like a cozy cabin on a lake nestled deep in the pine forest, Wisconsin may be calling your name. While it has plenty of cheese and beer, along with bustling cities like Madison and Milwaukee, the state is also home to more than 15,000 lakes (move over, Minnesota!) and 16 million acres of lush forests.

If you're looking to get away from it all, Wisconsin's definitely got you covered. With so many beautiful regions and charming small towns scattered across the state, how does one decide in what direction to point their compass? To make narrowing down your choices a little easier, Islands did some Reddit research to identify five of the top destinations in Wisconsin for a secluded getaway. 

In the end, the top five — ranked from best to fifth best — are the Apostle Islands, followed by the towns of Bayfield, Cable, Eagle River, and Hayward. Unsurprisingly, these destinations are all clustered in the northern part of the state, where forests and wild nature are abundant, major cities and suburbs are hundreds of miles away, and even small towns are few and far between. These areas also offer opportunities for both cabin stays and camping, along with plenty of nature-oriented activities like hiking, boating, fishing, and more.

First on our list of destinations is the Midwest's most majestic collection of islands in Lake Superior, surrounding Wisconsin's northernmost tip. In response to the question "Anything super remote Wisconsin?" on the Reddit page r/WildernessBackpacking, the first suggestion from a Redditor was to head to the Apostle Islands, a chain of 21 islands that offers everything you need for the most secluded getaway possible in the Badger State. Only Madeline Island in the archipelago has a year-round population, estimated at under 500 in the colder months. However, the stunning scenery and wilderness are present in spades. There are rust-red cliffs and arches set against the clear, expansive Great Lakes waters, lush pine and hardwood forests, and occasional lonely lighthouses. You can also encounter wildlife such as black bears, bobcats, foxes, and beavers, as well as birds including bald eagles, hawks, owls, gulls, and many songbirds.

If, for you, getting away means being totally enveloped in nature, you'll be happy to know that opportunities for "beautiful lakeshore backcountry camping" exist throughout the islands, according to Redditor u/doryphorus99. "We went in summer when we could kayak out and camp on an island but I'm sure there are other ways to experience it," this Redditor added. The National Park Service notes that camping is possible on 18 of the islands, but here's the hitch: you can only reach these campsites and primitive camping areas by kayak, boat, or the hiking and camping shuttle service. If it's remote you want, it's remote you get!

Remote also means you won't find movie theaters or shopping malls in these parts. What you will find, however, is adventure. You can hike over 50 miles of trails on 14 of the islands, scuba dive to check out shipwrecks and submerged sea caves, and explore island coastlines via kayak. You can also fish for various kinds of trout on the islands.

Next on the list is the town that came up most frequently across the Reddit threads we examined: Bayfield, a small northern Wisconsin town with fewer than 600 people that serves as the gateway to the Apostle Islands. It's a little less secluded than the islands but was repeatedly mentioned across threads as a favorite Wisconsin small town for its scenery, proximity to stunning wilderness, and overall vibe. "The town has access to the Apostle Islands, and is such an aesthetically pleasing place," noted Redditor u/ScottGeyser, who joked, "Even the cemetery has a vibe."

Bayfield visitors can choose from a range of accommodations, from quiet campgrounds and posh glamping resorts to cozy cabins, comfortable vacation homes, and elegant boutique hotels. A Bayfield resort that comes highly rated on Tripadvisor is the Wild Rice Retreat, which also ranked No. 3 on Condé Nast's Reader's Choice list of the Top 5 Resorts in the Midwest for 2025. Here, you can partake in a guided or self-designed retreat while staying in a chic tiny cabin, enjoying access to Ayurvedic-themed whole-foods meals and a wellness area with a cedar sauna, a rain shower, a communal fire pit, and yoga and meditation sessions. 

When you've had your fill of transformation, get out and experience Bayfield's cheerful aura. Redditor u/charro510 observed that "everyone is always happy" in Bayfield, with things to do like "orchards, sailing, hiking, [and] good food." There's also Bayfield's annual Apple Festival, which brings together local apple orchards, food vendors, artisans, and musicians on the first weekend in October to commemorate the current year's harvest of sweet, crisp apples. If more nature is what you're after, try the 4-mile hike to the spectacular Meyers Beach Sea Caves or take a relaxing day cruise through the Apostle Islands, which departs right from Bayfield.

Cable is a town with a population of around 190 people that's located 56 miles south of Bayfield but still in northern Wisconsin. This is another place that was repeatedly mentioned in Reddit threads as a favorite Wisconsin small town. While Bayfield serves as the gateway to the Apostle Islands, Cable serves as the gateway to Wisconsin's Northwoods.

Indeed, Cable is close to a 60-mile section of the wild and rugged North Country National Scenic Trail, which passes through the Chequamegon National Forest. Hiking this trail offers a classic nature immersion experience, with opportunities for backcountry camping along the way. Shorter, family-friendly hikes like the 1.4-mile loop of the Forest Lodge Nature Trail are also near Cable, and Redditor u/OlemissConsin pointed out that there's "direct access to the mountain bike trails from the center of town." The existence of so many local trails is why Cable was named a charter "Trail Town USA" by the American Hiking Society.

The town of Cable itself, while tiny, is also quite appealing. Redditor u/zindiel noted that "there is a neat little natural history museum as well as a historical museum" in the town, and u/OlemissConsin added, "I'll throw a shout out for Cable as well. Sleepy little town with an awesome little nature museum [and] an incredible outdoor kids play place." Fortunately, accommodation options are plentiful and varied in these parts. One popular choice based on Tripadvisor reviews is Staudemeyer's Four Seasons Resort, which offers cozy cabins, vacation homes, and lodge rooms on Lake Namakagon that are available throughout the year.

The town of Eagle River was also mentioned by Redditors, and with fewer than 2,000 residents, it also qualifies as secluded. It also happens to be situated next to the longest inland chain of lakes in the world, with 28 lakes in total. These beautiful waters constitute an extensive oasis for canoeing, kayaking, boating, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and angling, with 16 fish species identified in the lakes.  If you like the idea of paddling calm waters by day and cuddling up in a lakeside cabin by night, this town may represent your ideal getaway spot, particularly if you're looking to explore Northeastern Wisconsin. This town happens to be the farthest east of any on our list. 

For landlubbers, the surrounding forests — which are gorgeous in any season — also harbor opportunities for outdoor recreation. One popular recreation area is the Three Eagle Trail, a 12.7-mile path connecting Eagle River with the nearby town of Three Lakes. The beautiful trail draws hikers, runners, bikers, and cross-country skiers. But Redditor u/Designer-Drive-2903 offered one caveat: "The Three Eagle Trail is also great – it's mostly gravel though ... which I personally don't do well on ... But the scenery is beautiful!"

Visitors will find plenty of rustic accommodation options in the area. The highly rated Chain O' Lakes Campground is nestled right among the lakes and offers both tent and RV camping in addition to rustic cabins. If you prefer a resort, the 3-star Wild Eagle Lodge comprises comfortable condos also on a lake, with everything you need for a family-friendly vacation right at your fingertips: an onsite restaurant, swimming pools, a beach, a tennis court, a sand volleyball court, plus complimentary rowboats, canoes, and kayaks.

With around 2,600 residents, Hayward is the most populous of the destinations. However, its frequency of mentions on Reddit threads and my own personal experience there ensured it a place on the list. Some moons ago, I went to a kids' summer camp in Hayward on Lac Courte Oreilles. I still remember the presence of the enormous hardwood trees, watching over me like kind sentinels, and the sound of wind whishing through the pines. I can still see the mist over the cranberry marshes, glowing eerily in the moonlight — the counselors said those marshes were where the ghosts and monsters lived, and we believed them. The lake was so cold in June that jumping in sent bolts of lightning through my apathetic pre-teen body, all the way to the tips of my fingers and toes. This is the place that showed me the power of raw nature to revive us — if we allow it to do so. 

In some circles, Hayward is known as a Wisconsin fishing and ATV haven. But its appeal is much broader than that, with a bit of everything one could want when escaping to the Northwoods. The way that Redditor u/NotCreative2015 described Hayward is similar to my experience: "Many wonderful lakes to fish, kayak, boat, etc., nearby. Cute little shops. Bike trails ... a local brewery, fairs, festivals, local lumberjack competitions, [a] fishing museum, and Ojibwe pow wows. The nature is next level."

Besides offering all kinds of nature-based outdoor adventures, Hayward hosts vibrant events throughout the year, including the Honor the Earth Homecoming Celebration and Pow Wow in honor of Native Americans; sporting events like the Lumberjack World Championships and the Slumberland American Birkebeiner Cross-Country Ski Event; and seasonal gatherings like the Hayward Fall Festival. While clearly a lot happens in and around town, you can still find plenty of peaceful accommodation options for your secluded getaway: cabins and private vacation home rentals on lakes, as well as various tucked-away lodges and hotels.

First, we examined Reddit threads like r/Wisconsin "Favorite small town in Wisconsin," r/Wisconsin "Best small towns in Wisconsin," and r/WildernessBackpacking "Anything super remote Wisconsin" to see what people are saying about remote Wisconsin areas that make for a good getaway destination. We noticed that several places kept popping up across relevant threads, allowing us to narrow our focus to a handful of locations. 

We then cross-checked this list against other sources (e.g, World Population Review, Google Maps, and various destination websites) to keep only those destinations that were small (population less than 3,000 full-time residents) and secluded (in a rural area away from any major population centers) but with enough amenities to provide visitors with options for accommmodations, places to eat and drink, and outdoor leisure activities. We ranked them based on a few factors, including their frequency of mentions across Reddit threads and the extent to which they could be considered secluded.