Traveling Around Wisconsin

Oshkosh a small town on Lake Winnebago is famous for two things – the popular line of children’s clothing and its place in the world’s air show circuit.

The largest meeting of aviators, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has been held in this town every summer since 1970. This is a weeklong event when the airport’s control tower is busy with up to 15,000 aircraft in all shapes and sizes. Visitors descend upon the town to watch the thrilling aerobic displays and flybys from vintage and contemporary military aircraft. There are also nighttime displays. It is interesting to visit the EAA AirVenture Museum.

The Circus World Museum is located in the small town of Baraboo. It is an exciting place for children of all ages to learn about the activities of a working circus. There are many interesting displays and it is home to the world’s largest collection of circus-related artifacts. In the summer a Big Top is set up with regular shows. Baraboo was the former headquarters of the Ringling Brothers Circus.

The Dells of the Wisconsin River or the Wisconsin Dells is an amazing five-mile gorge on the state’s largest river. There is a lot of natural beauty all around in the state park with unusual sandstone rock formations, canyons, and cliffs. You’ll see unique flora and fauna such as cliff cudweed which can be found in only one other locations in the world and six species of dragonfly. To be able to see the beauty here access is by boat. There are regular boat tours and excursions available.

Door County is one of the prettiest corners of Wisconsin. There is amazing natural beauty in this area which lies on a peninsula that overlooks Lake Michigan. It has become a popular vacation spot and there are many campsites. You can enjoy many outdoor activities like trout fishing, sailing, diving, swimming, hiking, and biking.

There are lovely small town to see like Sturgeon Bay with a beautiful old lighthouse and Ephraim, an old harbor with historic buildings.

Washington Island is home to the country’s oldest Icelandic settlement.

The Land o’ Lakes region is lovely and can be found between Boulder Junction, Eagle River, and Rhinelander in the northern part of Wisconsin. It is an area popular with water sports lovers. There are over 200 lakes in various sizes Campers and backpackers enjoy this area and it can also be explored by canoe or kayak. Among the highlights here are fishing and bird watching. If you’re lucky you can get a look at some of the few remaining white-tailed eagles in the area.

Eagle River is a town which is a good place to begin exploring this region. You have your choice of activities like fishing, boating, hiking, biking, and swimming. In the winter there is cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

The House on the Rock is one of Wisconsin’s most unusual tourist attractions. It sits on top of Deer Shelter Rock in Spring Green. This is the work of Frank Lloyd Wright whose famous Taliesin East home is nearby. One of the highlights here is the 218-foot-long Infinity Room which seems to disappear into the distance when you stand in it. This fun attraction is part of a larger complex, including a resort and an inn.

Cave of the Mounds is close to Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. |The Blue Mounds are two hills and the cave is located on the southern slope of the eastern hill. |It has been designated a National Natural Landmark and is called “the jewel box” of caves in North America. It is known for its lovely limestone formations in the interior. There are walkways and lights that have been placed to highlight the natural beauty of the cave.

Interstate Park consists of two state parks. One is in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota. The parks are divided by the Dells of the St. Croix River. The gorge has natural beauty with deep potholes and amazing rock formations. You can explore the park from the towns of Taylor Falls, Minnesota, and St. Croix Falls.

Cedarburg is a historic town on the banks of Cedar Creek in southeastern Wisconsin. This is a charming town with a covered bridge. You can see an old preserved grist mill. Visit the restored mill at Cedar Creek Settlement and enjoy the shops and restaurants and a winery

Wisconsin Off the Beaten Path

Jurustic Park in Marshfield is a unique art park and hobbit house. Visitors can wander about and discover all this amazing park has to offer. This is the creation of amateur paleontologist Clyde Wynia who excavated and recreated the now extinct creatures that once inhabited the McMillan Marsh near Marshfield during the Iron Age.

Peninsula State Park Fish Creek is Wisconsin’s third largest state park. There are a variety of things to see that include the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and the White Cedar Nature Center. To get spectacular views of the surrounding area climb the Eagle Tower. Camping is available.

Granddad Bluff in La Crosse offers amazing views of La Cross and the Mississippi River. This mesa stands nearly 600 feet high. The bluff can be seen from most points of the city so it hosts the annual New Year’s Eve fireworks celebration, To make access easier there is a parking at the top.

Granddad Bluff Park opened in 1912. You can enjoy several bluff side hiking trails.

Pewit’s Nest is a 30 – 40 foot gorge with cascading waterfalls and amazing rock formations. Within and above the gorge is forest dominated by red cedar, white pine, hemlock, and yellow birch. The Pewit’s Nest Natural Area is in Baraboo.