Lake geneva
Distance from Milwaukee: 50 miles
Why Go: Years ago, this lakeside enclave was a summer home haven for Chicago’s elite, families like the Sears and Wrigleys, whose mansions still grace Lake Geneva. The city center is home to adorable shops selling luxury soaps, imported products from Ireland, and must-have kitchen utensils. There are also some wineries with tasting rooms, such as Studio Winery (live music on Saturday afternoons). Cruise around the lake on a guided tour from the Lake Geneva cruise line. Accommodations range from historic bed and breakfasts like the Maxwell House and Baker House to the comfortable and luxurious Grand Geneva Resort, with a spa, golf course, steakhouse, fireplaces, pool, and many recreational activities on-site.
Gate County
Distance from Milwaukee: 154 miles
Why Go: The gateway to this peninsular county in northeastern Wisconsin is Sturgeon Bay (www.sturgeonbay.net), a boating mecca with a beautiful downtown area. Head further north and you’ll pass the pedestrian-friendly little towns of Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, and Sister Bay. An ice cream cone at the 110-year-old Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream in Ephraim is a must, as is touring the Cana Island Lighthouse and reserving a table to boil fish (The Old Post Office in Ellison Bay; and Pelletier’s Restaurant & Fish Boil in Fish Creek are combined in theatrical performances that bring this culinary tradition to life).
The cocktails at Fred and Fuzzy’s Waterfront Bar & Grill convey a Key West vibe and taking the ferry to Washington Island is reminiscent of times gone by (tip: visit the lavender farm, Fragrant Isle. Home to five state parks, four of which count With campgrounds, with Peninsula State Park at Fish Creek is a popular choice with its lighthouse, beach, and Peninsula Players Theater.
Madison
Distance from Milwaukee: 79 miles
Why Go: Home to the largest farmers market in the country (Saturdays from May to November from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Capital Plaza), Madison also offers a contemporary art museum (Overture Center for the Arts) and restaurants and eclectic shops (both the museum and these restaurants and shops are on the pedestrianized State Street, which connects the State Capitol building, open for tours, with the University of Wisconsin-Madison). At the eastern end of the city, along the isthmus (named for being surrounded by Lake Mendota and Lake Monona), is the Olbrich Botanical Garden, with an authentic Thai pavilion.
A trip to Wisconsin’s capital city wouldn’t be complete without enjoying an ice cream made on the university grounds or a cold local beer at the university’s Memorial Union along Lake Mendota, with stunning views of the lake and, in some nights during the summer, live music. Both the Edgewater Hotel and Hotel Red are two of the city’s first-class lodging options.
Green spring
Distance from Milwaukee: 118 miles
Why Go: The art scene here is anchored by the American Players Theater, which hosts a mix of indoor and outdoor performances throughout the summer several nights a week, drawing on scripts from Shakespeare and other playwrights alike with professional actors climbing to stage. We encourage you to have a picnic and eat on the grounds before curtain time. Another wonder in Spring Green is Frank Lloyd Wright’s former Wisconsin home, Taliesin, which he designed and built in 1911. It is open for tours during the summer months.
Spring Green has a highly regarded independent bookstore with a small café (Arcadia Books) and the art galleries are run by some of the best artisans in the state, who make their living in pottery, painting, photography, making furniture, engraving and other media. . House on the Rock Resort, named for its nearby attraction of the same name, is a luxury option, while the Usonian Inn is cheaper (but was designed by a Wright protégé). Kayaking or canoeing down the Wisconsin River and pitching a tent at the Wisconsin Riverside Resort is another option.
