Apostle Islands Lifelong Learning Course
July 11-16, 2027
John & Ann Mahan, Instructors
Since 2002, John and Ann Mahan have been instructors for lifelong learning courses at Isle Royale and Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. Beginning in 2025, John and Ann are offering a lifelong learning course in Lake Superior’s Apostle Islands — an archipelago of 22 islands at the tip of the Bayfield Peninsula. Twelve miles of mainland shoreline and 21 islands make up Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Eighty per cent of the national lakeshore is designated wilderness.
The Mahans have been exploring Apostle Islands since 1985, camping, hiking, and sea kayaking. This course will introduce you to some of the features that they love about the islands: sea caves, beach dunes and sandspits, lighthouses, bogs and lagoons. We hope to see eagles, loons, and sandhill cranes; bears are good at avoiding people, so sightings are rare but possible. The course will include multi-media presentations and talks on geology, island biogeography, ecology and history of the area. Other talks will include Anishinaabe history and connections to the islands.
Lodging and meals will be provided by Bayfield Inn on Lake Superior.
Double occupancy rooms are all Lakeside. Private rooms (additional cost) are limited, and some private rooms do not have water views.
Course Activities
(Itinerary subject to weather, Lake Superior wave height, & NPS policies.)
Sea kayaking to mainland sea caves (weather permitting), guided by trained instructors at Lost Creek Adventures; the alternate activity for anyone choosing not to kayak will be a guided hike above the sea caves.
Weather permitting — boat cruise to Stockton Island, guided hike to Julian Bay, with its expansive “singing sand” beach, bogs, lagoons, a variety of birds, beach dunes, and rocky Lake Superior shores.
Boat cruise to Raspberry Island (weather permitting), where we can tour a lighthouse or hike to a sand spit.
Ferry ride to Madeline Island. After visiting the museum, a picnic lunch and guided hikes at Big Bay State Park.
Upcoming Apostle Islands Course:
July 11-16, 2027
Total course price = $3747.00,
payable in 3 payments of $1249.00
Price includes all lodging, meals (except alcoholic drinks), bus transportation during the course, entrance fees, lectures and programs, guided day hikes and sea kayaking, tours on Apostle Islands sightseeing boat, and Madeline Island Ferry. These are small groups — maximum 20 participants.
(We give a 40% discount on our book,
Lake Superior: Story and Spirit,
to participants in our courses. )
Travel Insurance and Cancellation Policy
We understand that life happens and that sometimes circumstances may necessitate the need to cancel. Unfortunately, we can not offer refunds unless we are able to fill your spot with someone on the waiting list. We strongly recommend travel insurance to cover your costs if you have to cancel, and recommend looking for "Cancel For Any Reason (COFR)" polices and Pre-Existing Condition waivers.
There are many travel insurance companies available, but one we have had experience with is Travel Guard, They offer different insurance options, so do look into the choices.Allianz Travel Insurance is also a reliable company with reasonable rates.
It’s a good idea to compare a number of different travel insurance companies. You can do that on squaremouth.com — a search on that website allows you to filter for only policies that include Trip Delay coverage. The search results also show the companies’ ratings and a number of other helpful comparisons.
Another option is Travelinsurance.com, where you can get quotes for coverage from several different providers and get all your questions answered about different levels of coverage, such as "Cancel For Any Reason (COFR)" polices and Pre-Existing Condition waivers.
Please check out travel insurance and protect your travel investment.
Reviews from Past Participants
“…the best guides ever! … My mind is still in the islands with all of you — a sure sign of a perfect vacation."
— Mary from MI, 2025
“The Apostle Islands program helped to ‘stretch’ us in ways we could not imagine doing on our own. Our first ever kayak experience was on Lake Superior exploring scenic caves under the watchful and experienced care of guides that prepped us fully for the adventure. There was a great blend of activity and education regarding the natural world, as well as the human experience from the first inhabitants to those who have more recently made their livings and their homes in the islands.…The presenters, including Ann and John were excellent. We were especially grateful to have spent time hearing from representatives of the Anishinaabe community. The meals at the resort were excellent. Being able to enjoy fresh fish from the lake - whitefish and trout, will also be a lasting memory. This program was an exceptional overview of the Apostle Islands that would have been impossible for us to do on our own.”
— Sue & Dennis from MI, 2025
July 11-16, 2027
Total course price = $3,747.00 (payable in 3 non-refundable payments):
$1249.00 non-refundable Deposit due at Enrollment
$1,249.00 due March 11, 2027
$1,249.00 due May 11, 2027
Travel Insurance and Cancellation Policy:
We understand that life happens and that sometimes circumstances may necessitate the need to cancel. Unfortunately, we can not offer refunds unless we are able to fill your spot with someone on the waiting list. We strongly recommend travel insurance to cover your costs if you have to cancel. For more information and suggestions about travel insurance, see Apostle Islands Course.
Note: From 2002 to 2019, John and Ann were leaders/instructors for 40 "Isle Royale, Lake Superior, and the Keweenaw Peninsula" Road Scholar (Elderhostel) courses until the courses were cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. John and Ann are now offering lifelong learning courses (Isle Royale, Apostle Islands, Sleeping Bear Dunes) through Sweetwater Visions. Please contact Sweetwater Visions to be put on a list for updates.