Adventure Vacations Beach Shop and Boat/Kayak Tours is a family-owned and friend operated business which provides high quality Apostle Island sea cave boat and kayak tours. Our Beach Shop is found on Madeline Island in Lake Superior, located adjacent to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. We offer a wide variety of clothing, souvenirs, water toys and much more for sale in our shop! Whether you’re new to outdoor adventure or a seasoned pro, we love to share our enthusiasm, knowledge and experience of these islands. Our goal is to expand your horizon of what ‘mother nature’ has to offer!
Meet Our Crew:
Karen, Captain Brad and Sunny, Owners
We started on Madeline Island in 2009, with a small store, one boat, dedication, love for the Apostle Islands, Lake Superior and adventure. Originally Karen went rafting down the Grand Canyon with her mom in 2001 and during that trip, she decided to leave corporate America to start her own business, promoting mother nature’s most beloved treasures, so people could see, explore and learn to care for them with the same passion she still feels today. For years, Brad commuted all summer from the Twin Cities, keeping a regular job so that island life could blossom. Over the years the store grew in size, the variety of products expanded, kayak tours at Big Bay started, more boats joined the fleet, Brad started captaining, rental boats became an option and the business took on a life of its own. Our employees are fantastic, Lake Superior is the boss, its been a fun ride and more to come!
Alex, Store Manager
Captain Lauren / Loz / LD, Boat Captain / Kayak Guide / Boat Mechanic
Captain Lauren (Loz / LD) as been with Adventure Vacations since the end of 2020. She loves everything water related! She’s kayaks, she Captains, and she swims even if there’s ice on the water’s surface. In her free time Loz practices Brazillian Jiu-jitsu so watch out, she’s the strongest of the crew! She’s well known for her hilarious nature and her famous quote, “it’ll buff out!” She loves taking people on Boat & Kayak tours out to Devils Island. So don’t pass up the chance to explore the Apostle Islands with this powerhouse!
Captain Justin, Boat Captain
Justin has been with Adventure Vacations for more than 10 years. He is our longest standing kayak guide and boat captains When he’s not out on the water, he spends time with his two daughters, Phoebe and Fern, and wife, Jessica, who also works as Adventure Vacations! He’s a middle school science teacher in Jackson, Ohio during the winter months. Justin is well known at Adventure Vacations for kayaking in the rain! If it’s a “rain day”, you may be able to spot Justin paddling in the sea caves at the State Park.
Frances, Kayak Guide and Shop Clerk
Frances/Fran has been summering on Madeline Island the majority of her life! She loves the outdoors regardless of the season and enjoys kayaking, hiking, cross -country skiing, and making snow people. Her favorite part of working for Adventure Vacations is getting to know clients and being around an awesome and supportive crew!
Captain Neal, Boat Captain
Neal is one of our beloved Boat Captains. 2026 will be his sixth season with Adventure Vacations. He loves boats so much that he lives in a boathouse on Madeline Island during the summer. Event Pro is Neal’s sound production company that does sound for a bunch of really exciting events, including the 4th of July fireworks on Madeline Island! During the winter months Neal lives in Hastings, MN where he runs a farm and green house and enjoys skiing. If you see Neal around this summer wave at him and his golden retriever, Ivy!