“Theresa, come here.”
I followed Jim’s voice to the dining room. He reached for my hand, inviting me to step through the open glass doors to the expansive deck.
And there, I was greeted by magic.
Thousands of fireflies danced in the dusk, winking in and out, off and on, like disconnected Christmas lights. I stared in wonder, then stepped on the wide rim of a stone planter so I could get a better look.
Fireflies have decorated my life for as long as I can remember. During my Indiana childhood, they were a seasonal treat that never failed to ignite my imagination. Like most Midwest kids growing up in the ’70s (at least, I imagine most kids did the same), my brother and I would capture a few in a glass jar–with holes in the lid, of course–trying to bring some of that magic inside.
Jim and I watched these fireflies from a cottage in the Northwoods. “Cottage” is misleading. Instead of a simple cabin, our temporary home was a two-bedroom masterpiece designed by John Rattenbury, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Our stay was provided by Canoe Bay Resort, but all opinions are my own and completely influenced by our absolutely divine experience.
Welcome to Canoe Bay Resort
It was our first night in Canoe Bay Resort, a Relais and Chateaux property in Chetek, Wisconsin. Designed for couples, it’s a quintessential romantic getaway that also appeals to friends planning retreats and to individuals looking for privacy in a pastoral setting.
And privacy is key. There are several cottages of varying sizes strategically spaced to give guests the sense they’re in their own little world.
From the moment we turned onto the winding road that led to the hidden resort, Canoe Bay enchanted us. We parked in front of a waterfall cascading down the side of the Reception building. I noticed stone statues in the entrance, which would be echoed that evening at dinner.
Renee Nyhus, the General Manager, escorted us to our home for the next two days. The entire resort is a pollinator amusement park. Instead of mown grass, the grounds are filled with trees, wildflowers, and ferns. The only lawn is around The Lodge, which contains the library, fitness center, and a few guest rooms, and the boat house next door.
The entrance to Edgewood, the largest cottage at the resort, is a custom-made door. Inside is a home of breathtaking beauty, with all the hallmarks of Wright’s prairie style design.
The open living and dining room has a towering vaulted ceiling, a stone fireplace, and electronics tucked behind cabinets. Two walls of windows bring the outside in. A narrow hallway with a low ceiling, another standard Wright feature, leads to a smaller guest room and then to the giant master suite.
Inside this suite is another fireplace, this one two-sided so you can enjoy it from the two-person soaking tub. The shower is also built for two, and can be used as a steam room. Next to that is a sauna.
And yes, we took advantage of every one.
Doors from the master suite lead to the deck, which wraps around the corner of the house. Every morning, I’d make my Nespresso coffee and stand outside listening to the world awaken. And at night, I’d be right back out there watching Mother Nature’s fireworks.
Classical music played throughout the house. We left it on the entire time, except when we went to sleep, which was aided by a jar of Sleepytime Foot Rub, a gift created by local producer Farmstead Organics and left on my nightstand while we went to dinner.
Dinner… oh, what a magical experience.
Dining at Canoe Bay is meant, like everything else, to be on your terms and to encourage the resort’s overall goal of relaxation and restoration.
Upon check-in, you’ll let them know what you’d like to eat the next morning and an approximate time. A continental breakfast with fresh-out-of-the-oven pastries (literally–they were still warm) and fresh fruit is complimentary, or you can order items like steel cut oatmeal or organic eggs and bacon. It all appears on your doorstep in a wooden box custom-made by local Mennonites.
Lunch is handled similarly. You’re given a menu with your breakfast so you can indicate what you’d like for lunch and when.
They then deliver your lunch in a handmade basket from a Ghanaian artist. Maybe you’d like to have lunch in the library, or possibly while canoeing the spring fed lake. Your meal is self-contained and ready to go.
While well-made, options are limited. This is an insular environment and they source everything they can, either from their on-site organic garden or from local purveyors.
The garden itself is intentionally designed to nourish the body and the soul. What used to be a deer pen is a lush oasis, shepherded by Master Gardener John Nissen.
We walked with him under hydrangeas with blooms as big as your head that tower over the path. Maidenhair ferns, ghost ferns, and rock ferns give it that “fluffy,” as John called it, fairytale feel. Much of the produce is grown in rows of raised beds, and he showed us where they’d pulled the carrots we’d eat for dinner that night.
Dinner at Canoe Bay is a prix fixe three-course affair, sourced from the garden and producers like Peterson Meats out of Osceola and Green Leaf Farms in Chetek. While the menu is preselected, they’ll work with any allergies or aversions. As Renee told me, if you don’t feel well because of something you ate, it impacts your entire experience.
There are certain limitations due to their remote location. For example, they cannot prepare Kosher meals. It’s best to call ahead.
This resort, its chefs, and its gardener are mindful of what you’re putting into both your body and into the earth. As John walked the garden with us, he explained he doesn’t use any chemicals. When I asked how they prevent bugs from destroying the plants, he said their pest control is natural: frogs, snakes, and birds.
“It’s been years since I’ve sprayed anything at all,” he said, his Dutch accent still charming after twenty years in the states.
John meets with the chefs each February or March to plan what seeds he’ll need to purchase for the year. Like everything else at this idyllic spot, dining is intentional.
We witnessed that cooperation throughout our visit. “Not my job” is not heard at Canoe Bay. When I asked about the head chef, Renee told me there really isn’t one. Their kitchen is a collaborative space, giving lie to the idea you can have too many cooks.
The food is spectacular. Each dish is carefully prepared and presented, with individual ingredients standing out on their own like solo performers, but when they’re combined, it’s a symphony.
Dinner, and their impressive wine cellar, is at The Inn. Jim noticed the elegant arches, a feature often included in church buildings.
He also noticed more of those statues. Interestingly, he’d specifically mentioned statues created by Frank Lloyd Wright when we stopped in the Wisconsin Dells for a quick stop on our way up to the resort.
Imagine our surprise when we saw some of those same statues at Canoe Bay.
There’s a reason, I’m guessing, for those arches. Along with The Lodge, Reception, and a few of the cottages, The Inn is one of the original buildings from the 1960s. That’s when The Seventh Day Adventist Church of Wisconsin bought what had been a local farm and turned it into Camp Wahdoon, a retreat center.
For Dan Dobrowlski, this was a sad time. In fact, in the binder detailing the story of Canoe Bay, this part of the land’s history is titled “Invasion.”
Dan grew up fishing on the lake with his father and uncles. His grandfather, Stanley, was an immigrant from East Prussia who bought eighty acres half a mile southeast of the lake. When the church moved in, their retreat invited hundreds of kids, completely changing the character of the Dobrowlski’s fishing spot, so the family came less and less.
However, by the early ‘80s, the church had built a camp between Madison and Milwaukee and abandoned their Northwoods retreat.
It would remain empty until 1991, when Dan’s father, George, who’d returned to the area after retiring from Sarasota, noticed that Camp Wahdoon was for sale. He told Dan, a former meteorologist, who bought the whole thing on July 1, 1992.
He began building small cottages around the lake, which later inspired him to start a whole product line of tiny homes.
Canoe Bay, a name Dan chose from an old map of the property, opened May 1, 1993. In 2024, the resort underwent a multimillion dollar renovation. Part of that improvement was upgrading those spa bathrooms.
Besides the luxurious accommodations and stellar dining, there are also lots of outdoor activities. The resort is on 300 acres, after all, and has its own private lake.
Hiking trails wind through the woods, and if you’re a birder, you can borrow binoculars. John Wise, an avid birder who happens to take care of maintenance at the resort, walked with us the morning of our departure and pointed out the songs of chipping sparrows, yellow warblers, and red-eyed virios.
While we were out, we encountered Dessiree. She’d returned from delivering a breakfast and John told us she made the piping hot poppy seed muffins we’d inhaled that morning. She absolutely beamed when we told her how delicious they were.
During our walk, John gave us some pointers. One was to purposefully lose your focus instead of darting your eyes from spot to spot in the hopes of catching a glimpse. He also suggested being still and quiet.
Good advice, period.
Before we left him to enjoy one more meal by the lake, I asked him questions about bird baths for my home. When we checked out, Renee gave me a note from John with advice.
Every person we encountered delivered such an elevated level of service I’m spoiled for anywhere else.
We only stayed there for two nights, but by the time we’d left, a mere forty-eight hours after our arrival, it felt as if we’d been there for at least a month, in the best possible way.
I woke up in the middle of the first night from a dream of an old sticky note cube I used to have. Painted on the side was a melting clock, a sketch of a man with hair sticking out like a porcupine’s, and the phrase, “Time becomes meaningless in the face of creativity.”
At Canoe Bay Resort, time disappeared. Time became meaningless.
We had schedules, of course. Interviews with the master gardener, birdwatching, dinner, and then, eventually, departure, all requiring an awareness of the clock. So I set reminder timers. Knowing I’d get a notification when I needed to be somewhere or do something gave me the freedom to simply exist as if time didn’t matter. (A habit I’m now trying to replicate at home.)
Being present elongated time. And believe me, when you stay in a place like this, you want to be as present as you possibly can. Hearing hawks and woodpeckers and the rustle of a deer dining on the ferns bordering the deck. Smelling the musty morning of a dew-filled dawn, a scent both sensual and savory, and worth savoring. Ending the day with a thousand fireflies dancing in the dusk.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic retreat, a friends getaway, or a solo excursion, Canoe Bay provides a place to slow down, reconnect, and restore.
And be greeted by magic.
Canoe Bay Resort Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canoe Bay family-friendly? Canoe Bay is an adults-only luxury resort designed for guests 21 and older. Children and pets are not permitted.
What’s included in my stay? Your stay includes a complimentary continental breakfast delivered to your cottage, access to all outdoor activities, and use of amenities like canoes, hiking trails, and binoculars for birdwatching. Visit their site for more details.
How far in advance should I book? Given the limited number of cottages and the resort’s popularity, especially during peak seasons, booking well in advance is recommended.
Is Canoe Bay Resort open year-round? Yes, and they’ll even loan you complimentary snowshoes during the winter.
Is there a spa at Canoe Bay? There isn’t an on-site spa, but you can arrange for an in-room massage through their approved vendor.
Which cottages are designed by John Rattenbury? Both Edgewood Villa and Rattenbury are designed by the famed architect.
Do I need to make dinner reservations? Dinner reservations are recommended and can be made when you check in, as well as each morning. The kitchen can accommodate most dietary restrictions with advance notice, though some limitations apply due to the remote location.
Can I eat dinner in my cottage or room? Absolutely. You can have your dinner delivered, just like your breakfast and lunch.
Is dinner included? Dinner is not part of your rate, but you are not presented with a bill after dining. Instead, it’s included when you check out of the resort.
Is there alcohol available? Beer and wine are available for purchase.
Is smoking allowed at Canoe Bay? Canoe Bay is 100% smoke and flame free, both indoors and outdoors. That means no smoking, candles, or e-cigarettes. The fire danger is very high in this heavily wooded area.
What should I pack? Comfortable walking shoes for hiking trails, layers for changing weather, and swimwear for the lake. The resort provides robes and most amenities you’ll need.
Where is Canoe Bay Resort? Canoe Bay Resort is located in Chetek, Wisconsin, in the heart of the Northwoods. The resort sits on 300 private acres with its own spring-fed lake, about 2 hours from Minneapolis-St. Paul and approximately 6 hours from Chicago, Illinois.
Visit canoebay.com to book your getaway.
