A Blog focusing on Midwest Outdoors & Adventure✨
Welcome to Hello Stranger, a blog about midwest adventure and outdoor travel! Here you can find trail guides, packing guides, and resources for beginners in the outdoors. I’ve got a background as a Lake Superior sea kayaking guide, so a lot of my focus is helping you find the best adventures around Lake Superior!
Beyond that, my travel and outdoor resources outside the Midwest are still written and created with Midwest outdoor adventurers in mind! I’ll help you pick out practical spring break destinations, plan summer road trip routes, and travel abroad! Come explore with me:
Free resources like the guides linked below are entirely made possible by subscribers of Hello Stranger Newsletter. To receive free detailed trail guides on Midwest Adventures, essays from exploring the Midwest, and so much more, join the thousands of Midwest Explorers in the Hello Stranger Newsletter community:
Midwest Trail Guides:
Start here: 13 summer vacation ideas in the Midwest
North Shore Trails
- A guide to Leave No Trace on the North Shore
- North Shore Weekend Trip (FRIDAY-SUNDAY GUIDE)
- Exploring the North Shore eBook & Interactive Map (140+ page PDF download; available for one-time fee OR with a paying Hello Stranger subscription)
- 30 Best Things to do on the North Shore
- How to canoe the BWCA
- 13 Stunning Hiking Trails on the North Shore of Minnesota
- The Ultimate North Shore Winter Bucket List
- A Hiker’s Guide to the Gunflint Trail (subscribers only – PDF download)
- 16 Best Places to see Fall Color on the North Shore
- Eight Hidden North Shore Waterfalls
- Best Easy Hikes on the Gunflint Trail
- Day Hikes in Grand Marais
- Best Kayaking Spots on the North Shore
- Rose Lake Cliffs on the Gunflint Trail (full trip report)
- The Ultimate Outdoorsy Guide to Grand Marais
- Best Hiking near Duluth
- Best Things to do Grand Marais, MN
- Best Things to do Tettegouche State Park
- Best Things to do Two Harbors, MN
Isle Royale National Park
- How to Visit Isle Royale National Park
- Deep Trouble on Isle Royale (narrative essay series)
- Route guides for paddling and backpacking available in Hidden Gems or Midwest Adventure eBook bundle
Northern Wisconsin
- Best Waterfalls in Northern Wisconsin (Road Trip Guide!)
- Visit Bayfield, WI in the Winter
- 30 Things to Do in the Apostle Islands & Bayfield
- Easy Day Hikes Near Ashland, WI
- Day Hikes in Bayfield, WI
- How to Visit the Apostle Islands Sea Caves
- Apostle Islands Overnight Paddling Routes in Hidden Gems or Midwest Adventure eBook bundle
Northern Michigan
- 25+ Bucket List Michigan Hiking Trails
- 9 Best Michigan Road Trips
- 16 Winter Adventures in Michigan
- Best things to do Keweenaw Peninsula (WINTER)
- 25 Things to do in the Sleeping Bear Dunes
- Best Hiking Sleeping Bear Dunes
- Exploring Michigan: A Hiking & Adventure Guide to the Northwestern Lower Peninsula and Pictured Rocks (eBook download!)
- 30 Best Things to Do Pictured Rocks
- Best Hiking Pictured Rocks
- What to do in Bellaire, Michigan
- Best Kayaking near Traverse City
- Seven Best Fall Color Spots in Northern Michigan
- Day Hikes near Traverse City
- Route guides for paddling and backpacking available in Hidden Gems
Great Lakes Guides
- Best Midwest Backpacking Trails
- 7 Hardcore Adventure Trips from Minneapolis (That AREN’T the Boundary Waters!)
- 18 Breathtaking Lake Superior Day Hikes
- The Ultimate Great Lakes Fall Road Trip
- 15 Great Lakes Destinations
- Best Kayaking Spots on Lake Superior
- 30 Midwest Hiking Trails Ranked Best to Worst
Western US Trail Guides:
British Columbia
- Sea Kayak the Gulf Islands, BC
- Ultimate Guide to Kayaking Desolation Sound
- We spent 70 days kayaking the Washington and BC Coast summer 2022. Read about it here.
Washington & Oregon
- One Week Washington State Road Trip Itinerary
- Best Kayaking Spots near Seattle
- San Juan Islands Packing List
- Best Day Hikes in the San Juan Islands
- How to see Whales in the San Juan Islands
- Best Things to do on the North Oregon Coast
- Best Hiking Trails on the Mt. Baker Highway
- 16 Best Things to Do on Orcas Island
- Weekend Guide to Olympic National Park
- 25 Best Things to Do in the San Juan Islands
- Hiking the Lake Ann Trail
- Eight Best Kayaking Spots in the San Juan Islands
Montana
Southwest US
- How to Backpack Havasu Falls Trail
- Havasupai Packling List
- Hiking and Road Trip ideas near Vegas (Outdoorsy Spring Break Ideas!)
Beginner-Friendly Outdoor Resources:
- Big Agnes Fly Creek UL2 Review (Backpacking Tent)
- Kayaking Packing List (Day Trip & Overnight Guide)
- Backpacking Packing List 2-5 Days (Ultralightish)
- Solo Female Road Trip Planning Guide
- How to get a job as an Outdoor Adventure Guide
- 15 Hacks for Finding Used Outdoor Gear
- Best Women’s Hiking Pants (that AREN’T leggings!)
- What to wear Winter Kayaking
- 15 Helpful Hacks for Kayak Camping
- Best Camping Tents for Beginners
- Best Sea Kayak for Beginners
- How to Layer for Fall Kayaking
Creator Tips:
- Ultimate Guide to Affiliate Marketing
- 29 Tips to Start a Travel Blog in 2024
- How to Edit iPhone Photos for Instagram
- How to Sell, Create, and Market eBooks
- How to Take Great Kayaking Photos
- Budget Cameras for Adventure Photography
All of these free resources are made possible with the support of paying subscribers of Hello Stranger. For a detailed and comprehensive guide to exploring the Midwest, download the Midwest Adventure eBooks, join the newsletter as a paying subscriber!