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17 Epic Things to do on Orcas Island, Washington
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25 Things to Do in the San Juan Islands (by a kayak guide!)
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15 Beautiful Day Hikes in the San Juan Islands, WA
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Ultimate 7-Day Washington Road Trip Guide
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PNW Adventure Packing List (By an Outdoor Guide!)
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Best of Glacier National Park in Two Days (Weekend Guide!)
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Ultimate San Juan Islands Packing List (2025!)
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Best Places to Kayak near Seattle (by a Kayak Guide!)
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How to See Whales in the San Juan Islands
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11 Best Things to Do on the North Oregon Coast
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hello stranger // about me

Hi there, and welcome to Hello Stranger. My name is Maddy, and I'm the voice behind the blog. I'm a writer, paddler, photographer, traveller, and freelance editor. I'm committed to exploring the beautiful American Midwest to prove that you can find real adventure anywhere! Toss your email below to keep up with the adventure!

note: this website uses affiliate links! this means if you choose to make a purchase based on recommendation I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you.

maddymarq

guide & writer exploring the midwest🏕
📍Wisconsin Northwoods
inquiries: hello@madelinemarquardt.com
↓ FREE exploring the Midwest eBooks ↓

AD | The best gear is the gear that makes you feel

AD | The best gear is the gear that makes you feel good 🥾✨🏕️

Some of my favorite gear & outdoor apparel comes from @stio— I’ve had my Pinion down pullover for over four years now & it’s come… pretty much everywhere with me. Now it lives with a patch on the shoulder from where a campfire ash burned through it, and the edges of the sleeves are dirt-stained from countless nights on trail, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I own three pairs of their fleece pants— one for sitting around the house, one for adventures, and one for fashion (the wide leg, okay jk it’s not fashionable but it is stylish)

And the shorts from the @stio CFS collection are my favorite hiking shorts, perfect for mid-hike swims, paddleboarding and kayaking, or just anyone who sweats a lot (like me)

Code MADDYMARQ for 15% off with @stio

#stioaffiliate #lettheoutsidein

North Shore, Minnesota summer🫶🏻🛶🏕️✨🥾 as pictured:

1- sea kayaking basalt cliffs near Silver Bay (sea kayaks and deep water self rescue skills recommended on Lake Superior, guided trips available with @daytripperofduluth )

2- a waterfall in the boundary waters

3- the view from Carlton Peak on the SHT

4- deep in a mossy canyon

5- one of the few waterfalls on the US side of Lake Superior you can paddle up to

6- the waterfall on the Canadian border

7- looking out over Canada from the Border Route Trail

8- crystal clear & ice cold water on Lake Superior

9- the Baptism River

10- sea arch with a waterfall in the background

11- Day Hill in Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

12- Split Rock Lighthouse with loons

13- morning coffee in the BWCAW

14- a man made sea cave

(Find full & detailed trail guides on my website!)

📍Traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation

Where are you heading first?! 🌞🏕️🌈🥾

Where are you heading first?! 🌞🏕️🌈🥾 Growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave the Midwest…

I daydreamed about life abroad, or living on the west coast and how much *better* things would be if I just left.

I tried living abroad, and I loved it while I was there but was happy to come home. I tried the West Coast and found out that the person I thought I’d become in moving there didn’t exist. I was just left with me, Midwest Maddy.

So I came home and it felt like home, and honestly? Nothing makes me feel more free and more whole than a Midwest adventure 💗

And beauty and good adventure is a feeling, not an objective fact

#midwest #adventure #roadtrip

70 paddling the British Columbia Coast✨🌞🌈🏕️ in summer 2022, some friends and I hopped in kayaks and decided to go find some place with tidal currents & marine life— we landed on the British Columbia coast, and for 2.5 months, life looked like this🫶🏻

📍Traditional homelands of the Coast Salish, Tla’amin, and Klahoose First Nations pictured

#kayak #adventure #britishcolumbia

Does this look like government waste to you? From

Does this look like government waste to you? From a chat with @manders_arts on the effects of the federal hiring freeze on Lake Superior’s forests and waterways.

📍 Traditional and cultural homelands of the Anishinabee Nation

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© 2025 Madeline Marquardt