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hello stranger midwest adventure

12 Incredible Things to do Frankfort, Michigan

Looking for the best things to do in Frankfort, Michigan? Just south of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Frankfort is an adorable small town on Lake Michigan with great…

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29 Tips to Start a Travel Blog in 2026 (for Content Creators!)

If you're here, you're probably thinking about starting a blog in 2026 . Whether you're thinking of starting a blog to make money, share your travels, or augment your content…

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15 Best Things to do Traverse City, Michigan

Looking for the best things to do in Traverse City, Michigan? Traverse City is a great place to visit for Michiganders looking for beach time, hiking trails, cozy coffee shops…

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  • Fall Color on a backroad near Traverse City, in Northern Michigan

    15 Breathtaking Midwest Fall Destinations (2025!)

    September 1, 2025
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  • Image of a van on backgrounds on a road trip near Lake Michigan in full fall foliage

    13 Mind-Blowing Great Lakes Fall Color Getaways

    August 30, 2025
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  • image of a path through peak fall color in the wisconsin woods

    15 Best Places To See Wisconsin Fall Color (2025!)

    August 29, 2025
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  • Sleeping Bear Dunes in the Fall

    13 Mind-Blowing Fall Color Destinations in Michigan

    August 16, 2025
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  • View from landslide overlook on the Jordan River Pathway

    Ultimate Guide to Torch Lake, Michigan (Hike, Swim & More!)

    July 26, 2025
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  • Ultimate Guide To The Keweenaw Peninsula (Hikes, Waterfalls, & Pasties!)

    July 25, 2025
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  • image of a tent on isle royale when kayak camping isle royale in the fall

    Camping Packing List (For Beginners, by an Outdoor Guide!)

    July 10, 2025
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  • Camping meal ideas - a quinoa bowl in front of british columbia mountains

    13 Camping Meal Ideas (That AREN’T Dehydrated)

    July 6, 2025
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  • sunset on Ruby beach in Olympic National Park

    Olympic National Park Road Trip (Weekend Guide!!)

    June 20, 2025
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  • Best Hiking Sandals (For women, by an outdoor guide!)

    June 10, 2025
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Newer Posts 1 2 3 4 … 14 Older Posts

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!

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maddymarq

guide & writer exploring the midwest🏕
📍Wisconsin Northwoods & Lake Superior
inquiries: hello@madelinemarquardt.com
↓ FREE trail guides ↓

Winter pinks on Lake Superior🌅❄️ Really really ex Winter pinks on Lake Superior🌅❄️Really really excited for my camera roll to look like this again :)📍Traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
One month, one carry on⤵️🗺️ *unpack with me would One month, one carry on⤵️🗺️*unpack with me would be more accurate 🙃🫠@patagonia Black Hole Duffle (45L, 2017. This was my primary travel bag when I served in the Peace Corps in 2019! It’s kinda cool that it’s still my primary travel bag)@shopwildbrush custom sling (Julianne made this for me in exchange for hand knit mittens! Go check out her page for some awesome custom backpacking bags!)@marmot raincoat@rei Campwell Fleece pullover (gifted)@astraldesigns Kinisi Hemp Pants (gifted)@athleta leggings@stio CFS shorts (gifted)Thifted jeans@rei mid-weight base layer@karitraa mid-weight base layerFavorite T-shirtHandknit wool sweaterSweatshirt@astraldesigns High Noon hemp hoodie (gifted)@superior_fleece pullover@shortsbrewing top@bedrocksandals clogs@altrarunning trail runners+ four pairs of socks+ underwear#travel #packing #carryon
Winter kayaking on Lake Superior❄️🌅✨(safety note b Winter kayaking on Lake Superior❄️🌅✨(safety note below⬇️)After literally hundreds of summer trips to this spot, it was super cool to make it out in the winter. These shots are from a little trip this time last year! Hoping to make out out there again this year before the ice sets in :)Note that paddling on Lake Superior in the winter is not beginner-friendly and I don’t recommend it!Everyone pictured here is wearing a drysuit, has an ACA L3 Coastal Kayaking Skills Assessment at minimum, local knowledge of the shore and ice patterns, and is proficient in deep water self rescue. 📍Traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
Winter up on Lake Superior✨❄️🌅 Come say hi at @ma Winter up on Lake Superior✨❄️🌅Come say hi at @maddymarq for more Lake Superior winter vibes :)📍Lake Superior is the traditional and cultural homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
Reasons to love winter up north✨❄️🌅 1- sunrise in Reasons to love winter up north✨❄️🌅1- sunrise in grand Marais2- @sisuandloylysauna 3- cascade falls4- a canyon hike, shot by @rachel_moon__ 5 & 6 - a sunset, a sunrise 7- winter kayaking (everyone pictured in my winter kayaking photos is wearing a drysuit and has deep water self rescue practice including ACA L3 skills assessments at minimum + local knowledge. I do not recommend people kayak on lake superior in the winter.)8- ice 9- knitting— this is one of my patterns! I’m hoping to write it up some info on it this winter for a size s, m, & l! When I do it will be literally just some instructions and color charts in an Instagram post, fully free but not fully fleshed out. You can also find a lot of similar Selbu rose patterns like this that are more detailed online!10- sea smoke 11- snowy picnic12- full moon13- pancake ice14- cross country skiing up in Keweenawland @visit_keweenaw 15- cozy diner 17- icy caves📍Traditional homelands of the Anishinaabe Nation
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