I was recently inspired by a comment left by a previous guest. It reminded me of myself and Isaac’s why. The why behind purchasing a 1940s lakeside motel in Isaac’s hometown of Bayfield, Wisconsin.

Part of our story you may already know or have guessed. Yes, we wanted to come home. But that’s not the whole story. We wanted to give others a place to stay in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and share the lifestyle we yearned for.

I’m Mollie, co-owner and host with my husband Isaac at Seagull Bay. Before June 2017, Isaac and I lived in Hudson, Wisconsin, just outside the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. Isaac worked as a full-time firefighter in Burnsville, Minnesota. I owned Mollie Kae Hair and Makeup Artistry.

Life was good. Isaac had a stable job, and my business was growing. We owned a three-bedroom and two-and-a-half-bath home in an up-and-coming neighborhood. We were living the American dream.

In July 2016, we welcomed our first little firecracker, our son Axel. And as many of you know, parenthood changes things.

This was when Isaac got the crazy idea of moving back to his hometown, “The Best Little Town in the Midwest.” But that wasn’t the crazy part. He wanted to purchase a motel!

I honestly thought this would be a pipe dream, and he’d quickly move past it. But the more he explored his idea, the more doors kept opening.

In June 2017, we were handed the keys to Seagull Bay with an almost one-year-old on my hip and pregnant with our second. Our son Ridge was born exactly two weeks later.

Since then, we’ve been thankful to walk through this life together as a family and create our story in Bayfield, Wisconsin. What we enjoy most is living at a healthier pace for our family. This is what we want for you too.

We came back to Bayfield to make a place for you. A location in Bayfield, Wisconsin, on the edge of Lake Superior. Lodging where you can curate your Bayfield and Apostle Islands vacation experience and create lasting memories.

Lodging in Bayfield, Wisconsin – Without the Cookie-Cutter

When Mike and Jeannie Goodier, the previous owners of Seagull Bay Motel, handed us the keys, we knew they were passing along more than that. Mike and Jeannie had created an inviting and home-like atmosphere that we felt a tremendous responsibility to uphold.

Seagull Bay Motel has always been a family-owned business. It’s a place where guests have come year after year and, in some cases, for over 50 years.

It still has the characteristic charm of a traditional-style motel. But if we’re honest, the Robin’s egg blue siding and a few other things needed to be updated.

Since 2017 we’ve worked hard to restore a slice of Bayfield just for you.

• Updating the Robin’s egg blue siding to a classic white
• Remodeling portions of Bay West to reflect our minimalistic and mid-century modern aesthetic
• Installing air conditioning
• Fixing boilers and regular maintenance

As we continue to update, remodel, and maintain your lodging in Bayfield, Wisconsin, we want to honor the old-school charm of Seagull Bay. But add modern touches to enhance your Bayfield, Wisconsin, and Lake Superior vacation experience.

This June, we’ll unveil our latest remodeling project of the East Building and Cottage. This remodel boasts a mid-century feel with nautical touches – we can’t wait for you to see it. In the meantime, I’m up to my elbows in paint, literally.

Bayfield Wisconsin Lodging Where You Can Escape the Demands of Every Day

Why do you go on vacation? You want to get away from it all. And in part, that was mine and Isaac’s reason for leaving the big city. We wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of big-city living.

Little did we know what it was like to run a business.

At Seagull Bay, we lie on the edge of town and high on the Lake Superior shoreline. Our location just outside historic Rittenhouse Avenue allows our guests a quiet and peaceful place to stay in Bayfield.

The motel and our adjoining property at Bay West overlook the south channel between Madeline and Long Island and Chequamegon Bay. There are places on our front lawn and balcony where you can sit and just breathe.

One of the things we love most is when you open the door to your room at Seagull Bay, your eye is immediately drawn to the window and panoramic views of Lake Superior.

A picturesque sight where you can:

• Look out onto the water
• Take a deep breath
• Let your shoulders relax
• Escape for days at a time

Seagull Bay is your spot to stay in Bayfield, Wisconsin, where you can slow down and feel refreshed.

Seagull Bay – A Lakeside Motel in Bayfield, Wisconsin, Where Memories Are Made

Seagull Bay isn’t only a calm and refreshing place to stay in Bayfield, Wisconsin. But it’s a timeless place where memories are made. Each year Bayfield feels more recognized as a premier destination in the Midwest.

Bayfield has the feel of a New England-style coastal town with 19th-century buildings and a couple of cobblestone streets. It’s a Harbor Town with marinas filled with:

• Sailboats
• Motor boats
• Fishing Tugs

Bayfield is the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and archipelago. Here you can enjoy activities like:

• Kayaking
• Sailing
• Biking
• Hiking

Its microclimate is the perfect catalyst for growing apples, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. And to top it off, it’s home to many artists like potters, jewelers, and world-class musicians. Bayfield is a town that stirs the soul.

So thank you, Nancy k357, for your kind words and for reminding us why you and others come to stay with us at Seagull Bay.

“I’ve been coming to Seagull Bay for over 30 years, and always feared it would someday be replaced by a new, modern, but cookie-cutter, hotel. But you Carriers have done an OUTSTANDING job of keeping what so many of us longtime customers LOVED about the place Mike and Jeannie created, and enhancing it in the most wonderful ways (I LOVE the new bedding…). I used to come to Bayfield and Seagull Bay to escape the demands of a rigorous job and just BREATHE for a while. Now that I’m retired, I still anticipate and enjoy what it has always been – a lovely, calm, and peaceful place to be. Well done, Carriers.”

Looking back, I’m grateful for Isaac’s crazy idea. Sometimes in the midst of raising our three boys and running a business full-time, I feel bogged down and tired. But then I’m reminded that we came home to Bayfield to experience a lifestyle full of green space and natural views. A place where you can stretch – and, as Nancy said, a place where you can breathe. This is what we want for you.

BOOK NOW for peaceful lodging in Bayfield, Wisconsin, where memories are made.

Enjoy the view,

Mollie, Isaac, Axel, Ridge, and Banks