Things to do/Places to stay on trip through Wisconsin

[Jambalaya]

I'm taking my family on a trip through Northern Illinois and Wisconsin. I plan to hit Chicago for a day.
My son isn't a thrill seeker at all, so low-key activities are a must.

Take a 2-hour (or longer) cruise on the lake in Lake Geneva, WI.......NE of Rockford, Ill. Very interesting and historical background with some of the past and present residents with lake homes. 'who's who in Chicago industrial history have lived there......some of the priciest real estate in the country.

below is a resort We stayed (there is a lodge and water park on the grounds) Grand Geneva--former Playboy Club Resort


http://www.grandgeneva.com/

 

[00clone]

Two pretty well-known breweries in Potosi and New Glarus.

I can vouch for New Glarus, I think even a 9 year old would be okay with this. The nice thing there, it's a self-guided tour (i.e....you just walk around) so you can go at a pace that works for everyone. As for Potosi, also recommended, as a friend of mine who has a Master's degree in architecture from ISU worked on that project.

Galena, IL is pretty popular with the tourists if you like little shops and eateries in a historical town.

The 9 year old may get bored with Galena depending on how long the missus spends in all...of...the...shops, but it's still a good stop. If nothing else, send the wife off, and take the kid to...not sure the name...a quick google search says maybe Benjamin's...a bar on the main drag (it's on a corner), there's a pool table in the back, you and the boy can shoot pool all afternoon while the wife goes shopping.

 

[nfrine]

Wheaton Ale Fest - August 3, 2013 - New Location to TBA#

 

[Angie]

Celebrate the world's best condiment: National Mustard Museum | Learn. Taste. Shop. Laugh!

August 3rd just happens to be National Mustard Day...

You beat me to it - good old Poupon U. Clever, clever. Anyway - it's right across the street from a great Italian restaurant, I want to say it's called La Villa Dolce or La Dolce Vita or something like that. The wild mushroom ravioli is amazing.

Isn't there a big outdoor festival in Madison in late July/early August? Or has it already passed?

 

[Cy4Lifer]

I didn't know other people knew about New Diggings!

No one else knows, it's just our little secret!

 

[Cy4Lifer]

I agree with the Potosi Brewery suggestion. It has good food and a small museum on site. Across the street is a winery, with samples. Also, just a short drive downhill to get some nice views of the Mississippi. A few miles upriver is the town of Cassville, where you can hop on a car ferry to cross to the Iowa side, or take it round-trip back to WI.

 

[madcityCY]

Come to Madison (Capitol square), and see the hippies protest something new everyday. Good people watching. You never knew there is so much diversity amongst "whites".

 

[madcityCY]

Also, I agree with everything else posted here, especially Devil's Lake if you like hiking. Go early to avoid crowds - the bluff trails get crowded by 11 am on a weekend.

 

[twistedredbird]

Depending on your route out of Chicago, if you go on 94, a stop at the Apple Holler is always fun for the kids, and it is a good pig out kind of place to eat as well. Love their brunch with apple, cinamon, pecan french toast. http://www.appleholler.com/

Also, one of my favorite places a few miles off 94 is an apple orchard (amazing apples in the fall) with an apple winery next door (year round). Small place, but they have some amazing alcoholic ciders on 142. AeppelTreow Winery & Distillery | Craft 'Hard' Cider and Spirits from SE Wisconsin

 

[madcityCY]

Cedarburg is a neat town north of Milwaukee (winery, shopping, historic town - sim to Galena). MKE itself has a lot of options.

closer to HOTR and the Dells - Sauk City has a great winery (Wollersheim) that's fun to hang out at - if you like that kind of thing.

 

[cowgirl836]

The 9 year old may get bored with Galena depending on how long the missus spends in all...of...the...shops, but it's still a good stop. If nothing else, send the wife off, and take the kid to...not sure the name...a quick google search says maybe Benjamin's...a bar on the main drag (it's on a corner), there's a pool table in the back, you and the boy can shoot pool all afternoon while the wife goes shopping.

true, Galena probably isn't that interesting for a boy, but you can always bribe him with the chocolate/fudge/candy and gourmet popcorn stores that are hopefully both still there next to each other somewhere down by Vinny's. Or do the trolley ride, that might be fun.

edit: ah, found them http://rockymountainchocolatefactory.com/rmcf/control/portalHome
http://greatpopcorn.com/gourmetpopcorn

though I see the popcorn place no longer makes Irish Cream :realmad: Tiger Butter was pretty awesome too, though.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Celebrate the world's best condiment: National Mustard Museum | Learn. Taste. Shop. Laugh!

August 3rd just happens to be National Mustard Day...

I was working in Madison once so we had to stop by the museum.

 

[Cy4Lifer]

Poopsie's store in Galena is another place that kids tend to like. :yes:

 

[stateofmind]

Thanks a ton for all of the great suggestions. Keep them coming. A little more information about our group. My wife doesn't like to spend money or shop! Yep, she's mine!!! So shopping isn't a big attraction for her. Nor do we drink wine. Might have to swing the brewery stops, make the nine year old drive... :wink:

Too bad they don't really like baseball either or we would hit the Cubs or Brewers. I think I'll sit down with my son tonight and start planning the trip out from the suggestions. I love doing a vacation with "nothing" planned, but I do need a route so that I can at least look into places to stay. My son and I are HUGE golfers, and my wife picked it up last year. But we are taking the new Volt, yes I did it, and I'm not sure our clubs would fit with the luggage and us. Probably have to rent clubs if we do go. (BTW, the Volt is one of the coolest toys we've ever had. We have driven over 200 miles and have engaged the generator for around 2 miles so far. The gauge says that we have used less than .1 gallons of gas.)

 

[ISUME]

Eagle Ridge in Galena has some very nice golf courses, but the price is steep. If you wanted a cheaper alternative I would recommend Lacoma in East Dubuque.

 

[buf87]

We took kids that were 8 to 11 years old and stayed in a nice KOA campground that had activities to do and kids had a lot of fun when not at the Dells. Also went to a brewery/restaurant with a big Moose head and had fun there.

 

[oldman]

My wife and I went on our honeymoon through SW Wisconsin and I used to do a lot of rock climbing at Devil's Lake. The beach is nice and there is good hiking, and bike trails. Baraboo is maybe 20 miles from the Dells, has a small zoo, and you might be able to find a motel room for a decent price there (The Dells is pricey). If you do go to Baraboo, you need to stop for breakfast or lunch at the Alpine restaurant. It's a hole in the wall downtown, that serves great eats at cheap prices. Don't miss Ripley's Believe It or Not museum in the Dells. Lacrosse has the Old Style brewery. We went for a nice tour there. Mineral Point has a lead miner's museum that's interesting, and a couple nice bed and breakfasts. There is the Frank Loyd Wright place between House on the Rock and Spring Green. Sparta has some good bike trails. It's a beautiful state.

 

[oldman]

We took kids that were 8 to 11 years old and stayed in a nice KOA campground that had activities to do and kids had a lot of fun when not at the Dells. Also went to a brewing/restaurant with a big Moose head and had fun there.

That place had really good food and beer.

 

[cowgirl836]

We took kids that were 8 to 11 years old and stayed in a nice KOA campground that had activities to do and kids had a lot of fun when not at the Dells. Also went to a brewing/restaurant with a big Moose head and had fun there.

That place had really good food and beer.

Moosejaw. I love their pizza. Hmmm, it's been a couple years since I've been to the Dells. May have to convince the husband that we need to venture up for some waterslides, pizza, and outlet mall shopping!

 

[wxman1]

I don't thinkbit matches your dates but Airventure up in Oshkosh is the 29th-4th. See a few thousand planes of all types amd one hell of an airshow