A Whirlwind 18 Day Wisconsin Road Trip

Overview

Prep work and planning for our upcoming Alaska Adventure is finally done and we now have time to start blogging again on some of our past adventures. This Wisconsin trip we did a few years ago is one of our all-time favorites. We did such a variety of activities and we came away feeling we only touched the surface and will need to go back and fill in some of the gaps in the future. This trip is a great sampler of what the state has to offer.  Wisconsin is known for its cheese, but did you know it was home to the Ringling Brothers Circus (and 60+ other circuses) and many fantastic recreational areas?

Day 1:  A Day of Driving

Life has a way of throwing interesting experiences and challenges at you – and the morning of our departure was one of those times.  As we were pulling out of the driveway, we found a dead deer ripped apart in our yard. Coyotes! Our neighbor, John, was kind enough to drag it into the woods while we were gone. Day 1 is about pressing it and getting as far as we can without getting too tired. The route is a means to an end.  We landed in Chesterton, IN for the night. Chesterton was a nice basic stop. We settle into a very nice Econo-Lodge and about 100 yards away is a great little craft brew place – The Craft House.

 

Day 2:  Heading to Milwaukee

We have a full agenda today.  With our shorter drive to Milwaukee. we stop off at Old World Wisconsin along the way, then proceed to the historic Pfister Hotel before heading out on the evening for baseball.

Old World Wisconsin

Old World Wisconsin is an open-air museum located near the town of Eagle not far from Milwaukee. It depicts housing and the daily life of settlers in 19th-century Wisconsin, with separate areas representing the traditions of different ethnic groups who settled in the state. It contains more than 60 historic structures, ranging from ethnic farmsteads with furnished houses and rural outbuildings to an 1880s crossroads village with traditional small town institutions.

The park is divided into themed areas that represent typical settlement from various immigrant cultures.
1. African American
2. Danish
3. Finnish
4 German
5. Norwegian
6. Polish
7. Yankee/1880’s Village

Old World Wisconsin encompasses 480 acres ranging from ethnic farmsteads to crossroads villages.

Researchers traveled throughout Wisconsin in search of authentic historic buildings hewn by generations of Wisconsin settlers, documenting many old farmhouses, outbuildings, and small-town structures.

Piece by piece, workers painstakingly dismantled the old structures. They numbered bricks, boards and logs, and move them to the site of Old World Wisconsin. In a setting largely unchanged from the rolling prairies the first pioneers found, the building took shape once more, reconstructed precisely as they had once been built.

New structures, new gardens, new livestock and newly uncovered stories help Old World Wisconsin to continue to expand and represent the mix of history.

One of the things we learned was that some of the barns have overhangs holes that were used to raise pigeons. Why raise pigeons? The guano is one of the best fertilizers. The eggs aren’t too bad either. The meat of pigeons is customarily referred to as squab and is considered a delicacy in many parts of the world.

VERDICT:  We would highly recommend visiting this place when you in the Milwaukee Area.

Pfister Hotel

Built in 1893, this 125 year old hotel has been a downtown icon for well over a century. It continues to celebrate the grand tradition of gracious service and impeccable style. The Pfister Hotel was the most lavish hotel of its time, costing nearly $1 million; it featured groundbreaking innovations such as: fireproofing, electricity throughout and individual thermostats in every room in a Romanesque Revival design.

 

Miller Park

We grab dinner at Millioke (now East Town Kitchen and Bar), then hop the bus to Miller Park to watch the Nationals play the Brewers. We actually planned the vacation before we realized our home team favorite, the Washington Nationals, were playing while we were in town. We manage to score 2nd row seats right behind the Nationals dugout (for about what we pay for section 318 at Nats Park). UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!

1. My Nats sweater was a hit with other Nats fans.

2. Their mascot enters the stadium via the yellow slide.

3. Similar to the President’s Race in Nats Park, the Brewers host a Hotdog Race (what says baseball more than hotdogs?)

Day 3:  Exploring Milwaukee

Day three was all about meeting old friends, traveling the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive and spending time exploring downtown Milwaukee.

Breakfast with Nancy’s Childhood Paster

We started the day in the Milwaukee area by with meeting Nancy’s childhood Pastor for breakfast. It was an adventure getting to the restaurant between city traffic and construction. A fantastic time catching up with Pastor Froehlich – the leprechaun (there’s a private joke there).

Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive

This was probably the most disappointing scenic drive we’ve ever done.

HOW IT WAS DESCRIBED:

Enjoy the beauty, variety and geology of southeast Wisconsin by driving the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive. The 115-mile drive has numerous places to picnic, hike, camp, bike, swim, fish, visit historical sites, shop and find lodging along the way.

REALITY:  The directions included 55 different turns and were very hard to follow. Our research said it was clearly marked with signs – and we maybe saw 2 signs along the entire route. It was essentially driving through one basic small town after another. There were lakes here and there, but nothing that earns the term “scenic”. We didn’t notice places to picnic, hike, swim or fish. Saying there are “historical sites, shops & lodging” was also a stretch.

VERDICT: skip this “scenic” drive.

Milwaukee River Walk

Time to explore the Milwaukee River Walk that extends 3.1 miles on both sides of the Milwaukee River! We start with a marketplace that is loaded with shops bearing all sorts of food, clothes, trinkets, etc.  The downtown area is clean and safe. There are several art displays, cafes and brewpubs.

In the remake of Dawn of the Dead the Milwaukee River Walk is declared “unsafe” because of the risk of zombie attack.

Three rivers run through the heart of this city: the Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic Rivers.

First Stop – Rock Bottom Brewery

The Rock Bottom Brewery offers several great craft beers and a beautiful atmosphere.

Second Stop – The Safehouse

It is in an alleyway and the unassuming entrance has been the doorway to safety for spies and special agents since 1966. A password is required to enter. Visiting ‘operatives’ pass a fun clearance test to prove they aren’t double agents. This spy-themed hideaway is unique and full of historical references. All staff is in-character. We lucked out with free appetizers – the result of getting to know our bartender and the kitchen making a wrong order for someone else.

Third Stop – Who’s on Third

It is one of the top 19 sports bars in the USA and the official Milwaukee Brewers bar. What a better place to catch dinner and watch the Nationals play the Brewers tonight (other than at the ballpark).

 

Milwaukee River Walk at Night

And then it is time to head back to our hotel and experience downtown Milwaukee at night. Not only are the lights beautiful, but we run into the infamous Fonzie statue.

Day 4:  Morning in Milwaukee and Transition to Algoma

Even though this is a transition day for us we still have time for one more activity before heading north to Algoma (our next overnight destination).

Breakfast at the Pfister

The morning begins with breakfast at the hotel (elegant, excellent and expensive) – then another round of photographs of the inside of the hotel.

The Pabst Mansion

Captain Frederick Pabst, founder of the Pabst Brewing company, commissioned an architect to design a mansion in the Flemish Renaissance Revival style. Known today as The Pabst Mansion, the home took 2 years to build at a cost of $254,000 including all furnishings. They lived in the home for 18 years. After the Pabst descendants sold the house in 1908, it became the archbishop’s residence and the center of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee for more than 67 years. The ceiling, cove, walls, and paintings above the doors were all painted white by the archdiocese. The restoration crew found the original paint colors behind mirrors they had painted around. Fortunately, almost all of the spectacular woodwork still retained its 1892 finish. To date, over 600 individual objects have returned to the Pabst Mansion and are on display. Restorations are still in progress.

After completing the tour of the Pabst Mansion it was time to head off towards our next overnight destination in Algoma.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour is roughly 1,100 miles long and would take 14.5 hours with no stops. We did part of this drive 2 years prior when our travels took us through Michigan. Lake Michigan is the only one of the Great Lakes that lies entirely within the United States. Among all five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is the second largest in volume and third largest in surface area. One of the most scenic routes in the United States is the Lake Michigan Circle Tour. It follows state highways around Lake Michigan, through Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Port Washington Lighthouse

In 1835, General Wooster Harrison became the town’s first permanent settler, in what he originally named “Wisconsin City.”

Port Washington

With a natural harbor at the mouth of Sauk Creek, the city became a port on Lake Michigan. Port Washington has one of the largest charter fishing fleets on the Great Lakes. Port Washington has the largest collection of pre-Civil War buildings in Wisconsin, several of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. While a loosely-organized “circle route” around Lake Superior was promoted by local tourist organizations as early as the 1960s, the first official (and signed) Great Lakes Circle Tour was the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.

Kewaunee Grandfather Clock

After Port Washington, the circle tour takes you through Sheboygan, then through Manitowoc – then onward to Kewaunee, home of the roadside attraction – the World’s Tallest Grandfather Clock.  The colonial-style redwood grandfather clock stands 36′ tall, has three faces — morning, noon, and night — and has real clockwork, motor, mechanisms, and chimes.  From Kewaunee, it is onward to Algoma where we will stay for the next few days.

Algoma

The quaint community of Algoma is nestled on the shore of Lake Michigan. It has a beautiful sand beach and a boardwalk – and serves as a gateway to explore the Door Peninsula

Hotel Stebbins

The lobby of Hotel Stebbins has a beautifully restored original 1905 tin ceilings. The hotel only has 10 rooms.

The Hotel Stebbins started life as the Ahnapee House in 1857 and was built from materials shipped in from Racine, Wisconsin. It has always operated as a hotel. In later years, the restaurant and bar were added to create what is now Algoma’s only full-service hotel

The restaurant was a hoot (decorated in lounge lizard plus) – as was the “friends with benefits” couple we met (Jen & Greg). Great tunes on the jukebox and sports on the TV. The food surpassed our expectations.

Day 5:  Exploring Door County Peninsula

Door County Peninsula

Breakfast at Caffe Tlazo – WOW!

Door County is on a peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Its known for its long shoreline and many parks. Peninsula State Park on Green Bay is home to sheltered Nicolet Beach, with its calm waters. On Lake Michigan, Newport State Park is a wilderness park crisscrossed with trails. Potawatomi State Park, in Sturgeon Bay, is fringed by limestone cliffs.

We pass beautiful Harbor View Park in Algoma.

We start by driving the Lake Michigan side of the Peninsula. Of course, we want to shop for CHEESE. Stop #1 does NOT disappoint! “Rattlesnake” cheddar has a habanero “bite” to it. Onion cheddar was a favorite. This place has a HUGE showroom with pre-cut samples everywhere. Back in the cheesemaking “cave” area, our tour guide has a beard cover – cuz ya wouldn’t want any beard hairs to fall into the cheese!

The shoreline drive really is a treasure. The whole peninsula is peppered with quaint inns and charming restaurants.  However, not much to see or do at Peninsula State Park. More inns & restaurants, beautiful shore views – and of course, a token church and a token roadside attraction (miniature Statue of Liberty) that makes no sense in WI.

Washington Island

At the tip of the peninsula, it’s time for a short ferry ride to Washing Island. These waters are treacherous and are littered with shipwrecks (hence, the lighthouses).  Washington Island has a population of 712. It has 3 parks, 2 beaches, the Midwest region’s largest lavender farm and a school of fine arts. Not much in the way of hiking, shopping or restaurants. We classify this as: underwhelming.

 

Time to drive the bay side of Door Peninsula. First stop is Island House Cider in Ellison Bay.

Whitefish Dunes State Park

No swimming for us at Whitefish Dunes State Park – a little too cold. Rustic Road = Scenic Drive

Day 6:  Football and Railroads

Stopped at a little bakery & cheese shop for some yummy breakfast. Then though the town of Algoma to head to the Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field.

Cheese Shopping at Renard’s

It is quite amazing that cheese shopping never gets old. Each place has its own personality both in terms of atmosphere and cheeses. Cheese curds literally squeak when you eat them.

Green Bay

And we make our way to Green Bay passing quirky sculptures, art and just interesting places. If you in Green Bay and you are a football fan, how can you not visit Lambeau Field?

Lambeau Field

Lambeau Field is the oldest continually operating venue in the NFL and is home to the Green Bay Packers.

The Packer’s Gear store blew us away. It was like the size of a Walmart. And pretty much if you can put a logo on it, it is in this store. Everything from crock pots to grills to vehicles to bedding to cookware to all sorts of sports toys to ash trays to YOU NAME IT.

The entrance atrium was renovated in 2013 and is massive. In the off-season, the facility hosts weddings, job fairs, corporate lunches, cocktail receptions, meetings and more. The walls are dotted with signs containing details of significant games in team history.  Green Bay holds 13 titles which is more than any other team – 9 NFL championships & 4 Super Bowl victories.

We buy tickets for the “championship tour”. There is a decent museum we head to while we wait for our tour to start.  The museum keeps us busy looking at all eras of uniforms. We got to compare our hand size to Brett Favre’s.

Before we leave on the tour, our guide informs us that this complex is large enough to host 20 weddings and receptions simultaneously!  When the community was looking to improve the revenue stream for the franchise, they capitalized on the numerous requests to “get married on the field” – so they expanded the facilities, added the museum and started giving tours and hosting personal events such as weddings.  The complex is open 364 days a year.

We start our tour with a teaser – a walk around the top of the stadium. We learn the Packers Cheer (Go Pack, Go) and compete doing it against another tour group on the opposite side of the stadium.  A stroll through some hallways allows us to pass by all sorts of “eye candy” on our way to…the locker room…through the tunnel (touch the lucky spot on the wall) – then entering the field!  It is all metal bleachers, just like a typical high school stadium. They rent seat cushions since you can only imagine how cold that metal gets. Capacity: 81,441 (5th largest).  The Packers have sold out every game since 1960.  Our tour guides tell us stats for the trifecta of exceptional quarterbacks – Bart Starr, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.  We get to see the legendary Vince Lombardi’s office – for whom the Super Bowl trophy is named.

Green Bay’s football franchise isn’t named for some generic animal. The name comes from its first sponsor, the Indian Packing Company, which in 1919 gave $500 to employee Curly Lambeau for uniforms and equipment for the football team he founded.  The Packers are the only publicly owned, non-profit sports organization in the USA. The Packers have more than 360,000 stockholders.  The food vendors staff them with local groups and give a portion of the proceeds to the organization.  For example, the local girl scouts, church youth group or soccer travel team might be serving you a hotdog!

And finally, lunch at Curly’s Pub inside the complex (watching baseball).

VERDICT:  This is a must-see activity if you are in Wisconsin!

The National Railroad Museum

The National Railroad Museum contains numerous artifacts including company dishes, old advertisements, log books and tickets. Founded in 1956, by community volunteers in Green Bay, the National Railroad Museum is one of the oldest institutions in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the nation’s railroad history. The National Railroad Museum has a large collection of rolling stock spanning more than a century of railroading. It includes a number of historic locomotives, including an Aerotrain, Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4017 (One of the world’s largest steam locomotive types). There is also a standard gauge track around the perimeter of the grounds.

Apes Bar and Grill

The place is intimidating from the outside – but once inside, the food and local folk were welcoming.

The streets of Algoma at night aren’t much to look at, but at least they are safe.

 

Day 7:  Transition North to Bayfield

Today is a power driving day – one of the longest drives without anything significant to stop and see along the way.

It starts, of course, with another cheese shopping stop. Ron’s Cheese had been highlighted on the Cheese Tour Map – and it was tough to find, hiding down an obscure side street.

 

Our drive continues through iconic farmland as we first backtrack to Green Bay before heading north.

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest covers more than 1.5 million acres of Wisconsin’s northwoods, managing lands for multiple uses including forestry, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation, fisheries management, special forest products gathering, wilderness and natural areas management.  Portions of this area contain some of the largest and oldest trees in the forest.  Wildlife such as deer, bear, fisher, ruffed grouse, and various species of songbirds are common. They were all hiding today apparently.

This area has quirky roadside attractions to keep the drive interesting.

 

 

Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center

This visitor center helps people connect with historic, cultural, and natural resources of the Northern Great Lakes Region

It has unique displays staging an overview of human cultures interacting with the land and natural resources of the region from the Ice Age to the present.

 

The Old Rittenhouse Inn

The venue consists of 3 historic properties – Old Rittenhouse, Le Chateau and a 1910 Arts & Crafts Cottage. Our room is in Le Chateau. We have “The Tower Room” up there in the round area of the 2nd floor. The property also has an exquisite on-site restaurant – The Landmark.  Both Victorian properties are filled with antiques and vintage wallpapers, grand fireplace mantles, and windows overlooking Bayfield and Lake Superior.  The Tower Room is exceptional – we have a bedroom and a separate sitting room. The views from the triple windows are impressive, as are the furnishing and decor.

We walk into town for dinner at a place called Pier Plaza.

 

Day 8:  The Apostle Islands

 

The Apostle Islands are a group of 22 islands in Lake Superior. Originally thought to include only 12 islands, they were named for the 12 Apostles of Christ. Traces of human activity date back as far as 100BC and follow established trade routes. We are taking 2 boat tours today.

We have time to kill after breakfast so we meander through the streets of Bayfield. It really is a picturesque town.

 

Time for our first boat tour. Throughout 55 miles we see extraordinary natural scenery including historic Raspberry and Devils Island Lighthouses, standing rocks and extensive sea caves.

The scenery is truly breathtaking. Once we are past the harbor and we get into cruising around the islands we begin to understand why the Apostle Islands are listed in the book “1000 Places To See Before You Die“. Makes you wonder how did these form like this on the “edge” of Lake Superior?

The sea caves are really cool looking. And the lighthouses are two of the highlights. Before we know it, the boat tour is over and we’re pulling back into the harbor.

 

We have time to kill between boat tours and our first stop is the gift shop where we learn there are 8 lighthouses among the islands. We grab a quick lunch and just wander around the harbor area looking at all the sailboats docked in the marina.

Our second boat tour is called “Shipwrecks, Sea Caves and Lighthouses”.  The glass bottom boat allows an amazing view of shallow shipwrecks. You just can’t stop staring!  We learn the Apostle Islands were originally part of the main land. When the glaciers melted, waves from the waters of Lake Superior caused erosion that formed the islands.  The sea caves are primarily made of red sandstone. To get from island to island, many visitors choose to kayak. Camping is offered on 18 of the 21 islands and requires a permit. The lake holds several species of trout and some species of salmon. In seasons when the water is warmer visitors can catch fish from the shore in water as shallow as ten feet. Hunting black bears is limited to two islands.

 

Here are more pictures of downtown Bayfield by the beautiful harbor. We treat ourselves to the 5-course dinner at the Landmark Restaurant at Old Rittenhouse Inn. OMG – it was not only presented so beautifully, it was delectable. Definitely worth it!

 

Day 9:  Scenic Driving and Exploring to the West of Bayfield

Sand Bay

It is our last day in the Bayfield area and there is so much to see within a day’s drive. We are very excited to go adventuring today. We plan to do a circle/oval, traveling clockwise. First stop is Sand Bay – and the group of kayakers catches our attention (because its not exactly warm out).

The Escholin House and the Davidson Windmill

Had no idea this existed (not in tour books) but truly a worthwhile stop.

Amnicon Falls State Park

This park features a series of delightful waterfalls and rapids along the Amnicon River which can be viewed from a covered foot bridge (1 mile hike).

A short Drive into Minnesota

We look at the map – we look at the time. What the heck – totally unplanned, let’s continue heading around Lake Superior up to Two Harbors, Minnesota.

MINNESOTA! Unbeknownst to us, we will venture in and out of Minnesota over the next week as we go along the Mississippi River. This is beautiful country and very similar to Wisconsin (at least in this area where they meet). We love exploring places we’ve never been to figure out if we want to come back in the future and explore the area in more depth. So far – yes!

Steam Train

What is that smoke up ahead? Honey, I think that’s a steam engine train.Well, golly, yes it is a steam train! This is cool – let’s go slow so we can see the whole thing go by.

And then we continue on our way. Like Wisconsin, Minnesota roads apparently also offer roadside sculptures (like this giant chicken). The area has plenty of straight tree-lined roads. We are SO glad we decided to take this unplanned detour today.

Two Harbors is where we stop to turn around. This north shore area of Lake Superior makes us wish we had more time. We’re frantically using our smartphones to figure out the best us of our limited time here. So much to do, so little time. We know that some day we need to return to finish the circle tour around Lake Superior.

Lighthouse Point & Harbor Museum

Lighthouse Point is the only operating light station in Minnesota. There’s also an older historic restored lighthouse, lots of hiking trails, a scenic railroad and more that we don’t have time for. Next time we come to finish the Lake Superior Circle Tour – we need to spend a night (or two) here in Two Harbors.

 

We grab some lunch at a FABULOUS place called Backwoods Bar & Grill. unfortunately, it is time to turn around and head back to Bayfield. The entire Lake Superior Circle Tour is 350 miles long and 160 miles wide split between two countries, one province and three states.

Tom’s Historic Logging Camp & Old Northwest Co. Trading Post

Another unplanned stop – still in Minnesota. The authentic logging camp is an overnight experience. We only browse the trading post (which today is a massive gift shop). We buy one of these handmade coffee mugs as a reminder.

VERDICT:  This was a great one day scenic drive with a mix of hiking, waterfalls, a lighthouse, etc.

Gruenke’s Inn

Back in Bayfield, we’re not exactly sure where we’re going to eat tonight. We’d done restaurant research long before we started the trip, but we left it back at the room and didn’t quite have it memorized. As we passed Gruenke’s – it rang a bell. So we stopped. Stepping in Greunkes Restaurant is like stepping back in the 40s. The Coca-Cola memorabilia, the working Wurlitzer and old soda fountain counter conjure images reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell cover on the Saturday Evening Post.

Morty’s Pub

Morty Baldwin was the first resident to swim across the bay to Madeline Island. His father also owned another bar in town called Bucket of Blood. The pub was built in 1935 at a time when tourists came north to escape hay-fever. They spent their time fishing and drinking.

Our last night in Bayfield at this magnificent B&B – as seen at night from below with all the lights on.

Back at our room, we watched the full moon rise over the water.

Day 10: Transition South and West

And so we begin the second half of our trip where we descend from the north back to the south along the west border of the state. But first – we need to see a little more of the interior. We are blessed with an exceptional sunrise and take our last photos of our lodging exterior (Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield).

We start our day backtracking so we can find and explore Copper Falls State Park. Then we will traverse a beautiful scenic drive through more of the Nicolet-Chequamegon Forest. And we pass yet another quirky roadside “attraction” – a giant fish.

There is an even bigger one we will pass by today and unfortunately miss. This other fish is one of the most iconic Wisconsin roadside attractions – semi-famous because it is so large that weddings have been held in the musky’s mouth. Not sure why that would appeal to anyone?

Copper Falls State Park

The entire park consumes 3068 acres with 17 miles of hiking and biking trails. It contains its tributary, the Tyler Forks. This park was created in 1929 but many structures have been destroyed by flooding over the years. This place involves some hiking through ancient lava flows, gorges and spectacular waterfalls. They provide wonderful signage showing overviews of the hikes and details of how the park evolved. Our hike starts with an observatory tower. Mother Nature has let her trees grow so there is little to view.

They mined copper in this area during the Civil War – and in the 1880’s there were 2 copper mines near this log bridge and the picnic grounds. The water is brown from the tannins in the pine tree needles.

We leave Copper Falls and head west with excitement for the beautiful scenery along parts of the Glidden-Cable scenic drive. This is where we are supposed to take a slight detour to see the giant fish – oops.

One scenic drive flows into another as we take on parts of the St. Croix Scenic drive.  Since we are ahead of schedule, we meander over the state border briefly to Minnesota.  Then back into Wisconsin where we are once again treated to roadside “eye candy” including another cheese store. We approach our overnight accommodations in the little non-descript town of Siren.

Siren is “just a place with a nice B&B conveniently located along our route”. The Lilac Village Bed & Breakfast is a place we nick-name: Cousin Pattie’s place. The host and hostess made it feel like we were staying with family!  The town does have a Best Western – but you can’t question our choice.  And there is a tasty little restaurant – Tesora – within easy walking distance where devour a custom made brick oven pizza.  NOTE:  as of 4/9/2022, Tesora is no long in business, but we’re confident some other restaurant will open in this space.

 

Day 11:  Travelling South along the Mississippi River (The Great River Road)

 

We had a great time here. We joked that we had stayed with “Cousin Pattie” and her husband, Neal. The hospitality was top notch. They even gave us a fresh tomato from their garden AND a knife to cut it with later  Eight years later, every time I take that knife out of my utensil drawer, I think of Pattie!

 

Burnett Cheese

This is one of the few remaining full-service cooperatives producing cheese today. The Branstad Creamery was the third creamery in Burnett County and started operations in May 1897. The Wood River Creamery was started in June 1896. In the 1960s, the creameries decided to merge and begin the more profitable venture of creating cheese, focusing on Mozzarella. In 1966, the two creameries were closed and Burnett Dairy Cooperative was formed.

 

St Croix Scenic Byway

The 124 mile St. Croix Scenic Byway follows a route established in 1855 between Point Douglas, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. Although intended as a highway for troop movement, the road quickly attracted a flood of civilian and commercial traffic. The route offer visitors unbeatable scenery

Interstate Park

Interstate Park comprises two adjacent state parks on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, both named Interstate State Park. They straddle the Dalles of the St. Croix River, a deep basalt gorge with glacial potholes and other rock formations. The Wisconsin park is 1,330 acres and the Minnesota park is 298 acres.

Wisconsin is the best place to witness many of the land forms created by continental glaciation. Near the end of the last ice age, a series of ridges formed between two immense lobes of glacial ice. These ridges are 120 miles long. Scattered among them are crater-like depressions that were created by large chunks of melting ice.

The nearly 1,200 mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail was established in 1980 and traces the glacier’s edge.

As we are eating lunch, we notice a river cruise launching in the waters below. We watch as it heads down the St. Croix River – sort of wishing we had known it was here and sorry we missed it.

The Great River Road (Minnesota side)

The Great River Road runs on both the Wisconsin and the Minnesota sides of the Mississippi River.

We cross the river and head into Minnesota to explore the towns that dot the shores. The entire road follows the Mississippi River through 10 states. In MN, it spans 565 miles, 43 communities, 20 counties, three tribes and six unique destination areas

Franconia Sculpture Park

Lo and behold, we notice this huge area with large outdoor sculptures – this had not been in our research (but then again, we hadn’t necessarily planned to drive the MN side). We actually turn around because we NEED to explore this place. These types of stops are what we long to find while we explore an area.

Franconia Sculpture Park is a 43-acre outdoor sculpture park with over 100 monumental displays. It was founded in 1996 by a small group of professional artists.

There is an active artist residency program that serves 40 artists each year and an arts learning programming that serves over 100,000 annual visitors.

Stillwater

We pass through Stillwater, MN and find it utterly charming. As we post picture on Facebook, we learn one of our co-workers lives here – but we don’t discover it until 4 hours and 200 miles later.  We note this as a place to stay sometime in the future when we drive the entire Great RIver Road.

More of the Great River Road

The Great River Road is not a single road but a designated route along connected segments of named and numbered highways and streets maintained by states, counties, and/or local jurisdictions.

The entire 2,340 miles are designated with a green-and-white sign showing a river steamboat inside a pilot-wheel with the name of the state. They 10 states are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana.

La Crosse

We cross the bridge into La Crosse as the day is ending. Our historic hotel, The Charmont, is beautifully lit (with a view of the river from our room).

Beers & Cheers

With Mississippi River Cruises using La Crosse as one of its stops, we’d heard this was a popular place with “Seniors” (as in Senior Citizens).  On this night, we do run into a multitude of “Seniors” – but of the College variety.  It turns out we have stumbled into the annual “Beers & Cheers” event that takes place every fall on the Saturday before the Fall Semester begins at University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.  We stop for an early dinner at the Twisted Moose – and we people watch until well after midnight. “Beers & Cheers” involves t-shirts with a list of all the participating bars on the back where one can check the box after going there.  Photo-bombing girls tell us we must be cool parents., We chat with Noah who says he will be famous one day, remember that we met him. We first met Zak, the bartender as we enjoyed our early dinner in an fairly empty place – and chatted with him again when he returned after his shift.  He was a little surprised to see us there so long that he had the staff forgive our entire bill!  Two wedding parties joined in the fun including the crazy bride dancing on the bar. (No pic of the girl that threw the wet bar towel at Zak and almost got ejected). An amazing experience we will NEVER forget!

 

Day 12:  Chilling in La Crosse and NFL Football on a Sunday

The Charmont Hotel

The Charmant Hotel is a 67-room luxury boutique hotel in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin. The building is a renovated candy factory, constructed in 1898 and in operation for 35 years. Our room is quite chique and has a view of the Mississippi River and Riverside Park.

Charmant was a premium line of chocolates produced by the resident Funke candy company. Charmant is also the French word for charming, reflecting the hotels friendliness, whimsy, and allure. The hotel is located on the site of the very first building in La Crosse, a log cabin constructed by fur trader Nathan Myrick in 1842.

The main restaurant serves rustic French cuisine. There is also a lobby bar and lounge, a parlor offering coffee and spirits, a rooftop bar serving wood-fired pizza, and a sweets bar with pastries and handmade confections.

Howie’s

We use this Sunday as a resting day since we were up pretty late the previous night!  We head to a “sport’s bar” named Howie’s to watch the Redskins. We meet “Chill”, a Redskins fan who is very excited to have some fellow Resdkins fans to cheer with. “Chill” was a good old soul and we bond well. His friend Chuck comes in for the second half of the game. Definitely a local joint (which was on the Beers and Cheers Pub Crawl)

We walk back toward our hotel looking for a place to catch dinner.

 

The Freight House

Very highly rated, but we quickly realize this isn’t what we’re looking for. Beautiful interior, but we are looking for more vibrance and less “upscale”. One drink and we’re on our way

Dublin Square

We head to an Irish Pub called Dublin Square – which doesn’t disappoint. The place is packed and they are watching the Green Bay Packers game (this is Wisconsin after all). These are die-hard fans who love their Packers!

Let’s Go Pack!

Day 13:  Exploring the La Crosse Area

La Crosse is the largest city on Wisconsin’s western border. The first Europeans to see the site of La Crosse were French fur traders who traveled the Mississippi River in the late 17th century. The name originated from the game with sticks that resembled a bishop’s crozier or la crosse in French, which was played by Native Americans there.

Grandad Bluff

Our first along today’s drive is Gradad Bluff, a cliff on the east side of La Crosse. It is approximately 590 feet above the surrounding land and 1183 feet above sea level. Locations visible from the bluff include the University of Wisconsin La Crosse, the Mississippi River and the bluffs in Minnesota.

Mindoro Cut Scenic Drive

The cut is 74 feet deep, 86 feet long, and 25 feet wide; it is the second-deepest cut built by hand in the Western Hemisphere and the oldest functional cut which has not been improved upon. The project was completed primarily with hand tools.

Before the cut was made, Phillips Ridge was too steep to be traversed, so traffic to Mindoro had to take a longer route bypassing the ridge. Since horses could not be effectively used on the steep slope, waste rock was removed from the site via wheelbarrows which were balanced on narrow, uneven planks.

 

And now we venture away from La Crosse, up river and over into Minnesota again. So many little towns – and we’re surprised how the river narrows and widens so much.

 

We go as far as Winona where we stop for lunch at the Jefferson Pub (wonderful).

 

Over the bridge and back into La Crosse  This was the most strategic port on the western boundary of Wisconsin. Boats traveling north and south docked here, and wagons traveling west crossed the river on ferries from this place. La Crosse thus became known as the Gateway City.

 

La Crosse Queen.

And let’s face it – you HAVE to take a paddleboat ride on the Great Mississippi River! All aboard the La Crosse Queen.  The tour is narrated and provides a different perspective of the city.

 

Apple Valley Drive

What to do with some extra time? How about another scenic drive through another scenic area?

We run across the Great River Bluffs – which turn out to be a little over-stated And with time on our side, we venture briefly into Iowa. And back over the river into Wisconsin and head back to La Crosse.

The Crow

Voted 2015’s Best New Restaurant in La Crosse, The Crow was “Make Your Own Mac-N-Cheese” night. WOW – took the bartenders recommendation on our combo and it was to die for.  The portion was so rich and so large, we shared just one!

Day 14:  Transition to Central Wisconsin

Before leaving La Crosse we had to find the iconic “World’s Largest Six-Pack” – Wisconsin never disappoints with all its kitchy road eye candy. Then, we head down river again before we will turn east into the center of the state.  The drive is spectacular.

The House on The Rock

We hadn’t heard about The House on The Rock until we were researching places to see in Wisconsin.  VERDICT:  This is truly one of THE premiere museums we’ve ever been to and a MUST SEE in your lifetime!  Expect to spend 3 to 5 hours minimum with all there is to see and explore.

This is a complex of architecturally distinct rooms, streets, gardens, and shops designed by Alex Jordan Jr. The entrance drive is lined with art/statues. For what it’s worth, Frank Lloyd Wright has a house, Taliesin, about 20 miles away (that we didn’t have time to visit).  It all started when he charged 50 cents a person because they were curious about his house.

The “house” itself is atop Deer Shelter Rock, a column of rock approximately 60 feet, 70 feet by 200 feet on the top. Additions were made to the original structure and other buildings added over the course of several decades.

The first building is the house itself – where house meets nature. The crown jewel is the Infinity Room that juts out 218 feet from the House on the Rock, without supports underneath. The room has over 3,000 windows.

The next area we visit is called “The Streets of Yesterday”. It is a re-creation of an early twentieth century American town – but underground.

Then we are on to the “The Heritage of the Sea” area which features a 200-foot model of a fanciful sperm whale-like sea creature There are numerous nautical exhibits, most of which are models of ships. It is a large two-story room just filled with eye candy!

This next set of pictures is of random collections of things as we transition into another themed area. Collections such as puppets, masks, swords, early carriages and cars.  How did this place get so many different collections? Well – “one thing just sort of led to another.”

And into one of the “carousel” rooms. The eye has so much to take in – it is almost overwhelming. This is just part of the entire carousel area – which features 269 carousel animals, 182 chandeliers, over 20,000 lights, and hundreds of mannequin angels hanging from the ceiling. The carousel has no horses – but the facility itself has over 3000 wooden carousel horses on display

Ah – “The Music of Yesterday” area which is a huge collection of automatic music machines. Put in a token and these automated music machines come to life. Mechanical figures move in sync with the music. Some are miniature and some are to full scale and fill an entire room. Some have woodwind & brass instruments that have automation both of bellow to blow air into the instrument and to operate the keys.

This is the back side of the world’s largest indoor carousel known as “The Organ Room” filled with spiral staircases winding you in and around.

And just to keep with the theme of “random collections” – we stumble into a mind-boggling display of Victorian doll houses. The detail is incredible from furniture to curtains

And then the “miniature circus” room has numerous displays of an era gone by. As with every other display in this eclectic museum, the minute attention to detail is amazing – as is the number of items on display.

Next we walk down the hall of unusual guns – which includes a gun that is part of a wooden leg. And down of hall lined with knight’s armor.

And finally, the world’s largest carousel, complete with naked mannequins and all sorts of characters. The wooden horses are on the walls, not the carousel. Can you understand how we spent an entire day here?

Tower Hill State Park

A quick stop at Tower Hill State Park (a hike and a view) – and then on to the town of Mazomanie (may-zo-mane-ee) where we’ll be spending the next few nights.

Mazomanie

We stay at a quaint place named the Walking Iron Bed & Breakfast (to our knowledge, not currently in operation) – which is conveniently (and plan-fully) located within walking distance of a GREAT restaurant, The Old Feed Mill (with a waitress named Nancy).

Day 15:  The Wisconsin Dells

Today we are going to explore the area generally knows as the Wisconsin Dells. We opted to NOT stay “in the Dells” and once we got to “the Dells proper” – we were SO glad. The Dells are super-touristy like Gatlinburg Tennessee, Ocean City Maryland or Branson Missouri.

For now – here is a tour of the B&B. Our room is fairly spacious (Lenora’s Garden Room).  This place is delightful (although it has closed since we stayed there).  We’ll take this over a chain motel or an RV in a campground any day!

Breakfast is “just continental”, but you always learn something when you eat with other Bed & Breakfast guests.

Merrimac Free Ferry

As we head north to “The Dells”, we take a slightly unconventional route that requires us to take the Merrimac Free Ferry (yes, it’s FREE) across the Wisconsin River.

Lost Canyon

We start our time in “The Dells” by enjoying a half hour tour through a magnificent mile of cliff-walled gorges in a quaint horse-drawn carriage.

Wisconsin Dells

As we ride into town, we get our first sign that we might need signs to navigate this place. PURE TOURIST TRAP. This area is complete with a Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Duck Boat Rides, Putt-Putt, Noah’s Ark Water Park, Roller Coasters, etc.  The Dells proclaims to be the “Waterpark Capital of the World.” – and in fact, Noah’s Ark WaterPark is the largest in the US.

It all began in 1856 when they started offering boat tours using wooden rowboats until 1873 when the first steamboat, the Modocawanda was used.

The Upper Dells Boat Tour

Since tourism started with boat tours, we feel we need to experience a boat tour.  We choose the Upper Dells Boat Tour.  Our boat journeys northward, cruising through a path cut by ancient glaciers, pine-crowned cliffs and views of iconic sandstone formations like Chimney Rock, Blackhawks Profile and Romance Cliff.
At our first shore landing at Witches Gulch is a spectacular and spooky walk through a narrow canyon carved by wind and water and filled with fern glens, shadowy passages and hidden whirlpool chambers.

Our second stop is Stand Rock, a world-famous landmark because of the skillful photography of H. H. Bennett. In 1886 he took the first stop-action photo of his son jumping onto Stand Rock – a 5′ 7″ leap. Bennett invented the first camera shutter. Bennett also created stereoscopic images that allowed viewers to see the Dells in three dimensions. His photography helped turn the city of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin into a major tourist destination.  Today a German Shepard demonstrates the same jump (safety net down below just in case!)

Souvenir Shopping and Lunch at Dell’s Distillery

Baraboo Bluff Scenic Drive

We’ve had enough of the Dells and decide to take the Baraboo Bluff Scenic Drive back to our B&B.  We are in the Devil’s Lake State Park area and we’ll spend more time there tomorrow.  Tower Road crosses the bluffs west to east before descending down to Durward’s Glen. We laughed at a road named Pigtail Alley. There are many beautiful vistas and farms along the drive. We pass by Parfrey’s Glen State National Area but it is getting late, so we just enjoy the drive.

OUR VERDICT ON “THE DELLS” – it might be your type of place, but it isn’t ours.  A half day was all we needed.

Day 16: Circuses, Sculptures & Devil’s Lake

At breakfast, we are telling our innkeeper about our trip so far. He asks if we have heard of Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron. We tell him we have but are having a hard time finding it on a map.  He describes it to us, says it is on our way to Circus World and gives us basic directions…tells us it is right before Delaney’s Surplus shop. It isn’t easy to find – but Oh My God – what a find!

Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron

Built in the 1980s, Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron is the largest scrap metal sculpture in the world, standing 50 ft high and 120 ft wide, and weighing 300 tons. The sculpture incorporates two Thomas Edison dynamos from the 1880s, lightning rods, high-voltage components from 1920s power plants, scrap from the nearby Badger Army Ammunition Plant, and the decontamination chamber from the Apollo 11 spacecraft. Its fictional creator, Dr. Evermor, was born Tom Every in Brooklyn, Wisconsin. According to Every, Dr. Evermor is a Victorian inventor who designed the Forevertron to launch himself, “into the heavens on a magnetic lightning force beam.” We feel privileged to meet his wife, Lady Eleanor who tells us her husband is not well.

Dr. Evermor’s art park is home to a large number of other sculptures. The most numerous sculptures are the “Bird Band and Orchestra” which includes nearly 70 birds ranging from the size of a child to twenty feet tall, all made from scrap industrial parts, geological survey markers, knives, loudspeakers, springs, and musical instruments, among other salvaged materials.

Other large-scale sculptures include gigantic insects (the “Juicer Bug” and “Arachna Artie”), the “Epicurean” bellows-driven barbecue train, “The Dragon”, and “The UFO”.

Mr. Every also created much of the installation art for the House on the Rock, including the world’s largest carousel.

Lady Eleanor tells us the Discovery Channel had been there filming the week before. We spend every bit of 2 hours here – and took home one of his creations to remember this special place. Its a 7″ x 7″ bug named Hermen. We don’t have enough cash or our check book – so she trusts us to send her payment in the mail once we get home.

VERDICT:  This is a very cool place to explore.  We highly reccommend it.

Circus World Museum

Circus World Museum is a large museum complex in Baraboo, Wisconsin, devoted to circus-related history. The museum features circus artifacts and exhibits. During the summer it also hosts daily live circus performances.

The museum is owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society and operated by the non-profit Circus World Museum Foundation. Baraboo was home to the Ringling Brothers. It was from Baraboo in 1884 that the Ringling Brothers Circus began their first tour as a circus.  Over 6 seasons, the circus expanded from a wagon show to a railroad show with 225 employees, touring cities across the US each summer. Baraboo remained the circus’s headquarters and wintering grounds until 1918, when the Ringling Brothers Circus combined with the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1908.

The museum sits on some of the land owned by the Ringlings and includes eight of the ten remaining Ringling buildings on the grounds. Buildings include the Ring Barn, Elephant House, Animal House, Baggage Horse Barn, Winter Quarters Office, and Wardrobe Department. Circus World Museum holds one of the largest collections of circus materials in the world, including circus wagons, posters, photography, and artifacts used by shows from all over the United States. The museum also has smaller collections of Wild West shows and carnival materials.

Circus World’s pride and joy is the largest collection of authentic circus wagons on earth. This colossal congress contains over 260 wagons and vehicles from large, medium, and small shows as well as carnivals. They were gathered from across the United States and England, some in good shape, some neglected, and still others were basket cases but each one has a story to tell and they are beautiful. Restored by the craftspeople of Circus World, the parade wagons are rolling masterpieces of the wood-carvers art, while the baggage wagons carried all of the equipment used by the show.

Incidentally, the 5 Ringling Brothers were: Al, Alf T, Otto, Charles and John.

Circus Worlds Robert L. Parkinson Library and Research Center is the worlds foremost research facility for circus history. The holdings document the history of the American circus from its inception in 1793 to the present day. It contains a huge collection containing rare photographs, posters, manuscripts and artifacts. With information on some 2,800 American circuses, and a reference file of over 300,000 names of circus performers and employees,

Here we show you pictures of miniature models of circuses. We saw another collection of these back at House On The Rock. Wisconsin is the birthplace of 2 major circuses, Ringling Bros. (1884 in Baraboo) and P.T. Barnum (1871 in Delavan). Nancy grew up very near Bridgeport, CT which was the adult home for P.T. Barnum – so she grew up around a lot of festivals that honored circus history.  At least 26 circus colonies made this area their winter home from the mid to late 1800’s. Circus World is the most visited of Wisconsin’s 10 official historic sites.

Circus World Museum has
* Rare Photographs and Negatives from the 1850s to the Present
* Original Music Compositions, Arrangements and Handwritten Manuscripts
* Thousands of Journals, Manuscripts and Business Records
* Exceptional Collection of over 10,000 Circus Ads and Posters

The winter months here in Baraboo were busy, caring for the animals. In 1916 that consisted of: 500 horses and ponies, 29 elephants, 15 camels and 20+ other hay eating animals, and tigers, lions, monkeys, and birds including ostrich.

VERDICT:  This is yet another highly recommended place to spend several hours!

After our visit, we catch a late lunch in downtown.  Baraboo is such a cute little town. Then we head out to Devils Lake.

Devil’s Lake State Park

Its been a long day, but we still have time to squeeze in a 1 hour kayak ride around Devil’s Lake. This place is also known for hiking with just over 30 miles of hiking trails.  But there is only so much time in one day. Like so much of Wisconsin, this lake was formed by ancient glacial activity. Truly the most amazing thing we saw here, was open alcohol containers (and not just beer and wine)!

Rookie’s

Imagine a sport’s bar jam packed with memorabilia – and a wiffle ball field behind the restaurant back porch. Then imagine great pub food and a super fun bartender “Jo”. Rookie’s is a must see/must eat place!

 

Day 17:  First day of transitioning home to VA

And just like that, it is time to leave Wisconsin and head home. It will take us two days and we plan to take our time. One last amazing breakfast and one last drive around little old Mazomanie.

One last chance to drive through this fabulous state – with a few more glimpses of roadside eye candy here and there.

Roth Cheese

As if we haven’t been to enough of cheese stores or bought enough cheese – we’ve actually heard of Roth Cheese, We stop at one last cheese store and use the excuse that it is a break from driving.

Roth specializes in Swiss-inspired alpine-style cheeses, Dutch-style Gouda and Havarti cheeses. They’ve won more than 200 awards. In 1911, Otto Roth immigrated to the US from Switzerland to start Otto Roth & Co, importing Swiss cheeses. 80 years later he chose Wisconsin to make his own cheese in the US. The secret to their award-winning cheese is using the best milk Wisconsin has to offer. 152 family farms supply milk to Roth Cheese – all within a 60-mile radius from farm to creamery.

This tour is the best one because we got to see some of the cheese making and packing process in action. The workers all wear hairnets and beard-nets.  And in the end, we come home with an entire cooler fully packed with different cheeses from all the different cheese stores we visited.  We know some cheese must be consumed within 3 months (the softer cheeses) while others will last much longer.

Into Indiana

Then we drive, drive, drive (not on the interstate) passing windmill farms and passing through small town America. We make it to Richmond Indiana where we stop for the night (just before the Ohio border).

Day 18: The final miles to home in VA

Richmond to Hocking Hills

We get up at the break of dawn because we still have a lot of miles to cover to get home, yet we don’t want to have to feel rushed. Since Nancy used to live in central Ohio, she is aware of some great scenic driving through the southern region. Nancy has only been to the Hocking Hills State Park once back in college – so we hope to have some time to explore it as we pass through.

Hocking Hills State Park

This place is packed – it is a gorgeous Saturday in the Fall. We took one of the last parking spaces.  It took Nancy half an hour in line for the bathroom! We wish we had planned ahead and brought something like KFC for lunch – but we didn’t.  It is already mid-afternoon, and we’re hungry, and we have about 4 hours of driving left – so we cut our losses and head for the final push home.  We do note that we want to return (and we did about 4 years later).

THE FINAL VERDICT ON WISCONSIN

We have to say – Wisconsin exceeded our expectations on so many levels.  This state does not get the “travel destination” respect that it deserves.  If we had to pick the top 5 highlights, they were probably Old World WIsconsin, Green Bay’s Lambeau Field, House On The Rock, Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park and Circus World.  It helps that Wisconsin has so much cheese as well as many historic hotels and bed & breakfasts to enjoy.  We also appreciated all the state parks as well as the drive along the Mississippi River (which didn’t even make the top 5).