Mary M. Bauer - Wisconsin Day Trips by Theme

Front cover photo: Little Manitou Falls

Back cover photo: Sturgeon Bay Canal Station

.

All other photos via Shutterstock.

Cover and book design by Jonathan Norberg

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Third Edition 2016

Copyright 2013 by Mary M. Bauer

Published by Adventure Publications

820 Cleveland Street South

Cambridge, Minnesota 55008

(800) 678-7006

www.adventurepublications.net

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-1-59193-558-2; eISBN: 978-1-59193-611-4

Thanks to my dedicated day-trippers who rode shotgun with me: Mom, Dad, Kenny, Shelly, Chris, Susie. You guys rule! And a big thank you to the talented, hard-working folks at Adventure Publications for bringing dreams into reality, especially Gordon, Gerri and Kathy. Its been a pleasure writing Day Trips .

The Badger State is also the nations Dairy State and loaded with cheese and Cheeseheads, but thats not all. Wisconsin is the birthplace of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright, childrens author Laura Ingalls Wilder, escape artist Harry Houdini, the Harley-Davidson road hogs and the rails-to-trails system. Wisconsinite inventions the world cant live without include the supercomputer, bathtub, snowmobile, hydroelectric power and ice cream sundae. The Green Bay Packers are the nations only publicly owned professional football team and something Cheeseheads cant live without. Annually, 5 million people travel to the Wisconsin Dells, making it the Midwests number one vacation hot spot. If thats not reason enough to check out Wisconsin, then perhaps the two Great Lakes, the Mississippi River, Door County and the Apostle Islands will clinch it.

Okay, now youre overwhelmed. A vacation in Wisconsin sounds great, but who wants to sort through all the brochures? Wisconsin Day Trips takes the information overload out of planning an excursion. Each chapter offers a number of attractions based on themes such as lighthouses, garden tours, family day and so on. Simply turn to the chapters that appeal and bypass the rest if you like. All the information is right at your fingertips.

So go ahead and have a grilled bratwurst while you tailgate; wash it down with a Wisconsin brewski. Discover covered bridges and round barns on scenic Rustic Roads. Tour the states museums and historic sites, muskie fish in the Northwoods, join an archaeology dig, buy a freshly baked pie at an Amish farm, whitewater raft Class 5 rivers or simply laze the day away on one of the thousands of miles of lakeshore beaches. Wisconsin is your getaway destination!

Amish horse and buggy

Steeped in a bygone era, the Amish are known for their traditional pacifist ways, horse and buggy travel, colorful handmade quilts and plain clothes. Wisconsin has the fourth-largest population of Amish in the U.S., with the first families moving to Medford in 1920. Overcrowding in the East and increasing land prices make an ongoing relocation to Wisconsin an attractive alternative for the growing community.

Based on their concept of Christian humility, the Amish adopt a plain lifestyle, forgoing modern conveniences such as electricity, cars, telephones, computers, etc. Many of the Amish operate small bakeries, furniture shops and quilt shops on their farms. Watch for signs detailing business hours; they are not open on Su. For a more personal glimpse into the Amish lifestyle, there are several tours available. See the . The website features an informative FAQ section.

Augusta

Cashton

Ontario

Curtis

Tomah

Westby

Cedarburg

Westfield

Sturgeon Bay

Albany

Cashton

Jacksonport

Cashton

Augusta

Cashton

Cashton

The Wood Shed, 105 Lincoln Street West, Augusta; 715-286-5404; www.woodshedheirlooms.com

Enjoy a two-hour tour of the Amish way of life from the comfort of your own vehicle, but save room for the guide as he/she will be riding with you, sharing their knowledge and background on these hard-working folks. Plan to see a home and farm, as well as a grocery store and other Amish businesses. Standard tours May-Oct. Call ahead for reservations and rates. Closed on Su.

12651 Highway 33, Cashton 54619; 608-654-5318; www.downacountryroad.com

Your Englisher guides Chuck and Kathy Kuderer and their children live on a farm in the heart of one of the largest Amish settlements in Wisconsin. Learn about the history and customs of these gentle people on a personal tour of the Amish community. Your guide will ride with you in your vehicle for 1 hours as you visit farmsteads. Tours May-Oct are scheduled by appointment M-Sa. Call for times and cost.

Ontario (Vernon County)

The scenic paved route travels 8 miles past Amish farms, log cabins, a round barn, examples of contour farming and Wildcat Mountain State Park. Travel west on Highway 14 to Highway 131. Drive north on Highway 131 approximately 20 miles to Dutch Hollow Road, Sand Hill Road, Hoff Valley Road and Lower Ridge Road. Rustic Road 56 (R56) begins at the intersection of Dutch Hollow Road and Highway 131, extending to the intersection of Lower Ridge Road and Highway 131.

Curtis (Clark County)

The 2-mile gravel road traverses woodlands and dairy farms. A 1-lane wooden bridge on Robin Avenue spans the railroad tracks. View a pasture of buffalo and share the road with horse-drawn Amish buggies. Travel Highway 29 west from Wausau to County P just past Curtis. Go south on County P to Cloverdale Road and east to Robin Avenue.

901 Kilbourn Avenue, PO Box 625, Tomah 54660; 800-94-TOMAH or 608-372-2166; www.tomahwisconsin.com

The Tomah-area Amish live mostly south and west of town. Request an Adventure Map Self-Guided Driving Tour through Amish Country. The free maps are available through the Tomah Chamber or you can download them online. Other maps available include a driving tour of Cranberry Country and the Mill Bluff Coulee Region.

PO Box 94, Westby 54667; 866-493-7829 or 608-634-4011; www.westbywi.com

The 24-mile, self-guided, moderately difficult trail winds through Wisconsins largest Amish community. Free brochures/maps at the Stabbur (Westby Information Center).

OPTION

Branches Winery offers free tastings, appetizer menu, and delicious gourmet wood-fired pizzas. Seasonal, call for hours: 608-634-9463; www.brancheswinery.com.

W64 N707 Washington Avenue, Cedarburg 53012; 262-618-2105; www.amishcraftsmenguild.com

The Amish have stepped into the twenty-first century, so to speak, with an attractive line of environmentally friendly outdoor furniture. Old-order Amish masters construct the furniture using polylumbera high-density plastic made from recycled bottles. Many styles and colors to choose from with a lifetime warranty. Open M-Sa; Su closed during winter.