From Those In The Know

Top 5 Resorts in Midwest: Readers’ Choice Awards 2025

CONDE NAST TRAVELER, ( October 7, 2025)

Condé Nast Traveler readers rate their top resorts in the Midwest.

This U.S. Island Chain Was Named One of the Best Places to Travel in 2025—How to Plan the Perfect Trip

TRAVEL & LEISURE, (August 2, 2025)

"Just outside Bayfield, Wild Rice Retreat sits on 100 acres of forest along the shores of Lake Superior and is open year-round. Architect David Salmela designed the Scandinavian-style lodging, where wide windows frame views of the Northwoods."

The best all-inclusive wellness resorts and packages for a postholiday reset

The Points Guy, (January 6, 2025)

"Nineteen Scandinavian-inspired units create an inviting and soothing atmosphere, an important hygge tenet, through warm woods, fuzzy blankets and rugs, kitchenettes where a cup of something warm can be made, big picture windows that bring the outside stillness in and reading/napping nooks".

Top 5 romantic winter getaways in Wisconsin

Racine County Eye, (February 2, 2025)

"Wild Rice Retreat welcomes guests to stay the night in modern Scandinavian-inspired lodging. Overnight guests enjoy healthy meals prepared on-site and access to amenities like complimentary daily movement and wellness classes, as well as a 24-hour sauna and rain show experience".

In Search of Sauna Nirvana Around Lake Superior

The New York Times (December 18, 2024)

"With wide, long benches, the sauna is large enough to host an intimate hot yoga class (...). The warmth feels calming, but it’s not nearly hot enough to make a run for the lake."

Celebrate National Wellness Month With These Travel Experiences

Forbes (August 2, 2024)

"This recently opened all-inclusive wellness retreat in Bayfield (Wisconsin’s smallest town) is hosting several guided retreats during National Wellness Month."

The United States’ most luxurious wellness resorts

The New Zealand Herald (June 2024)

"A true four-season escape, the Wild Rice Retreat features Scandi-chic accommodations ranging from single, cosy cabins to expansive treehouses overlooking the property’s gorgeous pine and birch forests."

Feel worlds away from Wisconsin — less than 6 hours from Madison

Madison Magazine (May 2024)

"I felt a world away from Wisconsin as I pulled into the gravel driveway lined with tall pines. (...) I immediately made myself at home on the sectional that overlooked the woods through glassy oversized windows."

Wild Rice Retreat Offers Peace and Wellness Among Nature

WDIO (February 2024)

"The Wild Rice Retreat Center in Bayfield, Wis., is winning awards for providing peace and welcoming people to be well and connect with nature."

The 20 Best Romantic Getaways in Wisconsin

Midwest Living (January 2024)

"Set in the woods overlooking Lake Superior, this lodging—one of Bayfield’s newest—focuses on arts and well-being."

5 wellness activities that are worth the drive from St. Louis

St. Louis Magazine (January 2024)

“Discover the art of bliss” at Wild Rice Retreat. The activities and retreats offered fall under their three pillars: expression, movement, and nourishment."

Bayfield, WI Is The Coolest Small Town For Midwest Winter Adventures — Here’s Our Guide

UPROXX (January 2024)

"The grounds are spectacular, with views of Lake Superior and wooded surrounds that took my breath away."

Wild About Nature

JWC Media Group (Oct. 2023)

"Perched on the rocky shores of Lake Superior and overlooking the Apostle Islands, the retreat wears a crown of pines and is purposefully curated for a tranquil experience."

Top 5 Resorts in The Midwest: Readers' Choice Awards 2023

Condé Nast Traveler (October 2023)

Condé Nast Traveler readers rate their top resorts in the Midwest.

Fun Fall Weekend Getaways to Book Now

The Today Show (September 2023)

From apple picking to leaf peeping and football games, travel expert Mark Ellwood joins Hoda & Jenna to share fall getaway ideas that'll have you packing your bags!

Need a zen retreat? Maybe your employer will pay for it.

Crain's Chicago Business (May 2023)

"Up on the glistening shores of Lake Superior, near the picturesque town that serves as a launching point for the Apostle Islands, Wild Rice Retreat is inviting travelers to come relax – specifically, Chicago workers."

The Perfect Weekend Itinerary for Bayfield, Wisconsin

Chicago Magazine (April 2023)

"Make the wellness-focused Wild Rice Retreat your home base...Segue into vacation with a yoga class or hike before making your way to the dining hall."

Wild Rice Retreat is Wisconsin's Hottest New Wellness Oasis

Chicago Social (March 2023)

"In the picturesque town of Bayfield, Wis., by the red rock shores of Lake Superior, an inviting new haven beckons travelers looking to slow down and indulge: Wild Rice Retreat. A scenic drive from Chicago, the wellness and arts resort invites guests to customize their escape."

11 Extraordinary Outdoor Travel Experiences to Try This Year

Midwest Living (March 2023)

"Tree pose is even better when you're surrounded by, well, trees. Take a yoga class outdoors or sign up for a retreat at places like Wild Rice Retreat."

The Top 23 Wellness Retreats In North America To Reset, Rest & Recharge

Just Luxe (February 2023)

"Wild Rice Retreat is the Midwest's first-ever, all-inclusive wellness retreat. The retreat was founded on the pillars of nourishment, expression and movement and has created an environment for grounding the mind, body and spirit."

In times of grief and mourning, Midwest wellness retreats offer guided healing

Chicago Tribune (January 2023)

"It is really designed for adults who are looking for rest, who are looking to tap into creativity and looking to have some lifelong learning opportunities," says Heidi Zimmer, who runs Wild Rice after a career creating community art spaces through the nonprofit Artspace. 

The 23 Best Places to Go in the U.S. in 2023

Condé Nast Traveler (November 2022)

The impressive $10 million renovation includes sleek modern Scandinavian lodging designed by award-winning architect David Salmela, plus a spacious yoga studio, “nourishment center,” and a new sauna with a rain room and cold plunge pool. Guests can join in on slow flow yoga, guided meditation, or classes on mandala painting and intentional vision boarding.

Heidi sits down with CBS Minnesota

13 Best U.S. Resorts for Reconnecting With Nature

Travel + Leisure (June 2022)

"Part artist's escape, part wellness resort, Wisconsin's new Wild Rice Retreat gives guests the perfect opportunity to unwind and recenter in the calming forests of northern Wisconsin. The retreat sits on the rocky shore of Lake Superior, where steady waves provide a soothing soundtrack for on-site activities like yoga and meditation in the Peace Pod or detoxification in the sauna. Property trails offer travelers the chance to get their blood pumping in between meditation sessions, while farm-to-table outdoor dining leaves guests nourished and ready for more."

A Sublime Road Trip Through the Heart of the Midwest

Harper's Bazaar (April 2022)

"In Bayfield, the Wild Rice Retreat welcomes travelers into their mod, Scandi-inspired cuboid cottages perched among the birches—some with fleeting views of the lake, others tucked deeply within the conifers. Guests can engage with the resort’s breadth of wellness activities from yoga to crafting, or simply use the site as a gateway to the hushed Apostle Islands, an archipelago that stretches out into the deep."

New Salmela-designed accommodations and amenities engage all of the senses

Midwest Home (June 2021)

"The real draw, at least for design enthusiasts needing time away in nature, is the Salmela-designed cabins with their bright, blonde-wood, Scandinavian-inspired architecture and large windows with stunning views of the woods. “The perfect siting in nature, with a very modern feel and a tiny house kind of experience, works so well,” Gilhoi says. “We had a ton of privacy. And the beautiful wood grain of the walls and ceilings, and the windows framing the views into the woods, was so relaxing.”

The new Wild Rice Retreat offers a more soothing travel experience in Bayfield, WIS.

The Star Tribune (June 2021)

"It begins with the sign on the road, on the way in: 'Please slow down,' " yoga instructor Darcy Schwerin told me later, when I went to dinner. "That's what we want you to do here."

The coolest Avant-Garde hotels in North America

Hotels Above Par (May 2021)

Near the Apostle Islands, National Lakeshore’s ferry, this mind-body retreat’s RicePods - by Salmela Architects in Duluth, MC - riff on tiny houses. Despite the name, there’s no cramping: a kitchenette, seating area, bath and lots of windows are a posh alternative to camping.

Wild Rice Retreat completed in Bayfield, Wisconsin

Kraus-Anderson (May 2021)

“Nourishment, expression and movement are pillars of their programming and rest, rejuvenation and reconnecting to nature are just some of the byproducts of a stay at Wild Rice Retreat, a year-round wellness retreat center set along the shores of Lake Superior just outside Bayfield, Wisconsin. A thoughtful alignment of goals, collaboration and connection has gone into the construction of this unusual blend of the built and natural environment.”

Spring welcomes 69 Notable Hotel openings around the globe

Forbes (March 2021)

“With more travelers looking to immerse themselves in nature and a wellness mindset, some new hotels seem tailor-made for today’s travel environment. Just outside of Bayfield, Wisconsin (known as the “gateway to Apostle Islands National Lakeshore”), the midwest’s first, all-inclusive wellness retreat will open at the end of May.”

Why your spa trip will never be the same

Travel + Leisure Magazine (January 2021)

"The past year has upturned the idea of wellness travel, prompting hotels and resorts to rethink just about everything to keep the good vibes flowing."

7 hotels that will Restore you after a long year

Food & Wine Magazine (January 2021)

Make the drive to one of these Covid-conscious hotels around the U.S. for all the self-care you need.

The 20 best places to travel in 2021

By Brandon Presser | Harpers Bazaar (January 2021)

The Great Lakes Ranks #4 on the List for 2021

Wellness in the woods

The founder of Wild Rice Retreat caters to getaways for body and soul. By Dave Boe | Lake Superior Magazine (Aug-Sept 2020)

Wild Rice Retreat expanding, begins construction

May 05, 2020 | KBJR 6 News, Duluth

BAYFIELD, WI-- The first all-inclusive wellness retreat center in the Midwest is expanding its grounds.

Wild Rice Retreat offers a sanctuary for those looking for an escape from the hustle of everyday life.

Future of hospitality? Pod lodging provides natural social distancing

May 01, 2020 | Twin Cities Business Magazine
Allison Kaplan And Tess Allen

We could probably all use a vacation right now. But what might getaways actually look like for the foreseeable future? Cast a gaze on the shores of Lake Superior where Wild Rice Retreat will break ground next week on a $10.4 million expansion. The centerpiece of the project designed by award-winning architect David Salmela, is lodging “pods” and “nests” that offer social distancing by design.

Wild Rice Retreat offers new nature-inspired accommodations

April 17, 2020 | Midwest Home

By Camille LeFevre

When Wild Rice Restaurant, a culinary and architectural jewel of Lake Superior’s South Shore, closed after 16 years, local residents were dismayed. What would happen to the David Salmela-designed structure, with its Scandinavian-inspired buildings and the architect’s signature un-chimney fireplaces?