Things to do in Wisconsin

VISITING WISCONSIN

Are you thinking of coming to the reunion but wondering what else to do to take advantage of your time in Wisconsin? Southern Wisconsin is loaded with adventures for the whole family!!

Here are a few highlights:

• Spring Green: attend a play at the American Players Theater; visit Taliesin (Frank Lloyd Wright’s school and home); rent canoes and float down the Wisconsin River.

• Dodgeville: tour House on the Rock; go to Governor Dodge State Park for hiking and swimming; visit the outlet store for Land’s End.

• Prairie du Chien: follow the mighty Mississippi River along the Great River Road visiting quaint towns; stop at Wyalusing State Park where the Wisconsin and the Mississippi River meet; visit Villa Louis and tour this beautiful historical house owned by Wisconsin’s first millionaire.

• Fennimore: stop by Carr Valley Cheese for some wonderful squeaky cheese curds.

• Mineral Point: tour Pendarvis, a historical mining town built by Cornish immigrants; go antique shopping; visit multiple art studios.

You can also go to:

Madison area:

• Tour the beautiful Wisconsin State Capitol (only the U.S. Capitol is taller)

• Visit Olbrich Gardens

• Take in a minor league baseball game at Warner Park

• Rent a bike and go on one of the numerous bike routes around the 3 lakes

• Visit Henry Vilas Zoo --one of the country’s FREE zoos

• Go to the famous Saturday Farmers Market around the Capitol Square

• Stop by the Memorial Union on UW-Madison campus to enjoy a beer and sit by Lake Mendota.

Milwaukee area:

• Attend a Brewer’s baseball game

• Take in the Wisconsin State Fair during the first week in August

• Visit numerous museums including the Calatrava Art Museum

• Go on a variety of tours in breweries

• Ten Chimneys, the summer home of Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne

• Explore Old World Wisconsin, a recreation of working farmsteads and settlements established by European immigrants in the 19th century.

In case you enjoy a bottle of beer or wine, Wisconsin has several places that make their own. There are approximately 205 microbreweries in Wisconsin. Famous ones in the area include: New Glarus Brewing – check out Spotted Cow which is only served in Wisconsin; In Mineral Point – the Commerce Street Brewery; In Mt. Horeb – the Grumpy Troll. Check out this website for a full listing. 

There are several local wineries also. Southern Wisconsin and Door County have excellent climate for growing grapes. The largest winery is Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac which has won numerous awards. Local wineries are Botham Vineyards in Barneveld and Spurgeon Vineyards in Highland. Check out this map for sites in southern Wisconsin.

There is much more to do.

Check out these websites for further ideas. You’ll also see lodging choices, including hotels, motels, B&Bs, campgrounds, rental homes, etc.

• Travel Wisconsin

• Uplands Guide

• Southwest Wisconsin Visitor's Bureau

• Hidden Valleys of Southwest Wisconsin

• TripAdvisor

• Airbnb

Major airports are located in Madison (1 hour away), Milwaukee (2 hours) and Chicago (4 ½ hours).

Make a vacation out of it and come to the family reunion!!

For a printable copy of this page, please use this pdf version.