Wisconsin
5
Day Itinerary •
USA
Five days in Wisconsin lets you explore the full extraordinary breadth of the Badger State, from the sea cave kayaking of the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior to the extraordinary Door County peninsula lighthouses and Fish Boil tradition, the vibrant Milwaukee food and brewery scene and the remarkable Wisconsin Dells sandstone canyons. This route covers the complete Wisconsin experience. The extraordinary Apostle Islands and Madeline Island, the magnificent Door County with its lighthouses and cherry orchards, the extraordinary Milwaukee Art Museum and craft breweries, the remarkable Kettle Moraine glacial landscape and the extraordinary Wisconsin Dells.
Best Time To Visit
June to October for kayaking. February for ice caves.
Getting There
Fly into Milwaukee (MKE) or Minneapolis (MSP)
Getting Around
Rental car essential throughout Wisconsin
Budget Per Day
Approx $110 to $180 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, some kayaking and trail hiking
DAY 1
APOSTLE ISLANDS
MORNING
APOSTLE ISLANDS SEA CAVE KAYAKING
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore gives the most extraordinary sea cave kayaking in the Great Lakes, the extraordinary sandstone sea caves of Meyer's Beach and the Squaw Bay caves carved by Lake Superior's wave action into arched passages, pillared chambers and sea stacks of extraordinary red and orange sandstone. The guided kayak tour gives extraordinary close-range access to formations impossible to reach on foot. Tours from Trek and Trail approx $55. Drive: 3 hr drive
MIDDAY
MADELINE ISLAND AND LA POINTE VILLAGE
Madeline Island is the most extraordinary island in the Apostle archipelago, its extraordinary La Pointe village with the Madeline Island Museum in the historic American Fur Company post giving the finest Lake Superior heritage experience in Wisconsin. The extraordinary Big Bay Town Park on the island's north shore gives the finest undeveloped Lake Superior beach in the state. The ferry from Bayfield gives the most extraordinary lake crossing. Ferry approx $15 return. Drive: 30 min drive + ferry
AFTERNOON
BAYFIELD ORCHARDS AND LAKE SUPERIOR SUNSET
The Bayfield peninsula is the most extraordinary orchard country on Lake Superior, its extraordinary concentration of apple, strawberry and cherry orchards on south-facing slopes above the lake giving the finest fruit landscape in Wisconsin. Hauser's Superior View Farm and the Bayfield Apple Festival in October give the finest orchard experience. The Lake Superior sunset from the Bayfield bluffs above the Apostle Islands is the most extraordinary in Wisconsin. Orchards free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Apostle Islands ice caves in February are the most extraordinary free winter spectacle in the Great Lakes, the frozen sea caves of Meyer's Beach transformed into extraordinary ice cathedrals of blue and white ice formations accessible by walking on frozen Lake Superior. Free. Check NPS website for ice conditions before visiting.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Maggie's Restaurant, Bayfield The finest breakfast in Bayfield. Extraordinary local Lake Superior whitefish and strong coffee. | Lunch: The Pier Restaurant, Bayfield Outstanding Bayfield waterfront lunch. Extraordinary local Lake Superior fish. | Dinner: Old Rittenhouse Inn, Bayfield The most extraordinary dinner in northern Wisconsin. Local Lake Superior produce.
DAY 2
DOOR COUNTY PENINSULA
MORNING
DOOR COUNTY CANA ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE AND CAVE POINT
Door County gives the most extraordinary lighthouse trail in America, its extraordinary 11 historic lighthouses along 300 miles of Green Bay and Lake Michigan shoreline including the extraordinary Cana Island Lighthouse connected by a causeway. The extraordinary Cave Point County Park with its limestone sea cliffs and wave-carved caves gives the finest coastal geology in Wisconsin. The extraordinary Whitefish Dunes State Park gives the finest sand dunes on Green Bay. Cave Point free. Drive: 3 hr drive
MIDDAY
PENINSULA STATE PARK AND EAGLE BLUFF
Peninsula State Park is the most extraordinary state park in Wisconsin, its extraordinary limestone bluffs, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and five miles of Green Bay shoreline giving the finest coastal hiking in the state. The extraordinary Nicolet Bay beach is the finest swimming beach on the peninsula. The park's extraordinary 20-mile trail network through cedar forest and along the bluff edge gives the finest variety of coastal hiking in Wisconsin. Entry $8 per vehicle. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
DOOR COUNTY FISH BOIL TRADITION
The Door County Fish Boil at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek is the most extraordinary dining tradition in Wisconsin, its extraordinary outdoor cauldron of Lake Michigan whitefish, potatoes and onions boiled over a cedar wood fire culminating in the spectacular kerosene boilover that extinguishes the flame and sends a column of fire into the sky. The tradition brought by Scandinavian fishermen in the 19th century gives the finest outdoor dining in the Midwest. Approx $25.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Ellison Bay bluff trail in northern Door County is the finest hidden coastal hike on the peninsula, its unmarked path through cedar forest to a limestone bluff above Green Bay giving the most extraordinary wild view in Door County entirely unknown to most visitors. Free. Park at the Ellison Bay boat launch.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: White Gull Inn, Fish Creek The most legendary breakfast in Door County. Extraordinary cherry pancakes and strong coffee. | Lunch: Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, Sister Bay The finest lunch in Door County. Extraordinary Swedish pancakes. Goats on the sod roof. | Dinner: White Gull Inn Fish Boil The most extraordinary Wisconsin dining tradition. Local Lake Michigan whitefish over open fire.
DAY 3
MILWAUKEE
MORNING
MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM AND CALATRAVA PAVILION
The Milwaukee Art Museum's Quadracci Pavilion by Santiago Calatrava is the most extraordinary building in Wisconsin, its extraordinary movable brise soleil wingspan of 217 feet opening and closing each day above Lake Michigan in the finest piece of contemporary architecture in the Midwest. The museum's extraordinary collection includes the finest Georgia O'Keeffe collection in America and remarkable German Expressionist works. Entry approx $19, free Thursdays. Drive: 3 hr drive
MIDDAY
MILWAUKEE CRAFT BREWERY DISTRICT
Milwaukee is the most extraordinary craft brewery city in the Midwest, its extraordinary brewing heritage now expressed through over 40 craft breweries. Lakefront Brewery gives the finest tour including the extraordinary Friday night fish fry. Milwaukee Brewing Company, Sprecher Brewing and the extraordinary Good City Brewing give the finest craft beer experiences. The Historic Third Ward of converted cast-iron warehouses is the finest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Tours approx $12. Drive: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM AND RIVERWALK
The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee is the most extraordinary motorcycle heritage museum in the world, its extraordinary 450-motorcycle collection from the 1903 Serial Number One to the present day in a stunning riverside campus. The Milwaukee RiverWalk along the Milwaukee River through the Brewers Hill and East Side neighborhoods gives the finest urban walking experience in the state. Museum entry approx $22.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Pabst Mansion in Milwaukee is the finest hidden Victorian mansion in Wisconsin, its extraordinary 1892 Flemish Renaissance home of beer baron Captain Frederick Pabst giving the most extraordinary Gilded Age domestic interior in the Midwest. Entry approx $14. The finest hidden gem in Milwaukee.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe Benelux, Milwaukee Third Ward The finest breakfast in Milwaukee. Extraordinary local Wisconsin eggs and strong coffee. | Lunch: Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee The most extraordinary brewery tour lunch in Wisconsin. Outstanding craft beer and bratwurst. | Dinner: Odd Duck, Milwaukee The finest farm-to-table restaurant in Milwaukee. Extraordinary local Wisconsin produce.
DAY 4
KETTLE MORAINE
MORNING
KETTLE MORAINE STATE FOREST AND ICE AGE TRAIL
The Kettle Moraine State Forest in southern Wisconsin preserves the most extraordinary glacial landscape in the Midwest, its extraordinary kettles, kames, eskers and moraines deposited by the last glacier 10,000 years ago giving the finest Ice Age geology in Wisconsin. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail through the Kettle Moraine gives the finest walking in the glacial landscape. The extraordinary Lapham Peak observation tower gives the finest view of the moraine. Entry $8 per vehicle. Drive: 1 hr drive
MIDDAY
OLD WORLD WISCONSIN OPEN-AIR MUSEUM
Old World Wisconsin in Eagle is the most extraordinary open-air ethnic heritage museum in the Midwest, its extraordinary 600-acre site of 65 historic buildings from 12 ethnic communities including Norwegian, German, Finnish, Polish and Danish immigrant farms giving the finest living history experience in Wisconsin. The extraordinary costumed interpreters demonstrating traditional crafts and farming give the most authentic 19th-century Wisconsin experience. Entry approx $22. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
HORICON MARSH AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST CATTAIL MARSH
Horicon Marsh is the most extraordinary wildlife marsh in Wisconsin, its extraordinary 32,000 acres of the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States giving the finest migratory bird stopover in the Midwest, with up to 200,000 Canada geese in autumn and extraordinary concentrations of ducks, herons and shorebirds. The extraordinary auto tour loop gives the finest wildlife encounter. Marsh entry free.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area near Baraboo is the finest hidden canyon in Wisconsin, its extraordinary narrow sandstone glen with 100-foot walls carved by a small stream giving the most extraordinary slot canyon experience in the Midwest entirely unlike any other Wisconsin landscape. Free. 1-mile round trip trail.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: The Alpine Inn, Elkhart Lake The finest breakfast near Kettle Moraine. Extraordinary local Wisconsin eggs and strong coffee. | Lunch: Old World Wisconsin cafeteria Outstanding heritage museum lunch. Local Wisconsin produce at the finest open-air museum. | Dinner: Siebkens Resort, Elkhart Lake The finest resort dining near Kettle Moraine. Extraordinary local Wisconsin produce.
DAY 5
WISCONSIN DELLS
MORNING
WISCONSIN DELLS UPPER DELLS BOAT TOUR
The Wisconsin Dells is the most extraordinary sandstone canyon landscape in Wisconsin, its extraordinary narrow gorges of Cambrian sandstone carved by the Wisconsin River giving the finest water canyon experience in the Midwest. The Upper Dells boat tour gives extraordinary close-range access to Stand Rock, the extraordinary sandstone pillar that photographer H.H. Bennett famously photographed in 1886, and the remarkable Witches Gulch canyon. Tour approx $30. Drive: 1.5 hr drive
MIDDAY
LOWER DELLS AND ROCKY ARBOR STATE PARK
Rocky Arbor State Park near the Dells is the most extraordinary hidden state park in Wisconsin, its extraordinary Cambrian sandstone canyon trail through 500-million-year-old rock formations giving the finest geological hiking in the Dells region entirely away from the tourist water parks. The extraordinary Lower Dells boat tour gives the finest view of the broader Wisconsin River canyon landscape. Rocky Arbor entry $8, boat tour approx $25. Drive: 15 min drive
AFTERNOON
BARABOO AND THE INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION
The International Crane Foundation in Baraboo is the most extraordinary conservation attraction in Wisconsin, its extraordinary collection of all 15 species of crane in the world including the rare Whooping Crane and Siberian Crane giving the finest bird conservation experience in America. The extraordinary Devil's Lake State Park nearby, with its quartzite bluffs above a glacial lake, is the finest state park in Wisconsin. Crane Foundation entry approx $14.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Devils Lake State Park bluff trails near Baraboo are the finest hidden hikes in Wisconsin, the extraordinary East and West Bluff trails above the quartzite cliff faces giving the most extraordinary panoramic view of a glacial lake in the state from 500-foot bluffs. Free. The finest hidden gem in southern Wisconsin.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Ishnala Supper Club, Mirror Lake The most legendary Wisconsin supper club breakfast. Extraordinary local produce on Mirror Lake. | Lunch: Wally's House of Embers, Wisconsin Dells The most legendary supper club in the Dells. Extraordinary local Wisconsin beef and lake fish. | Dinner: Ishnala Supper Club, Mirror Lake The finest supper club dining in Wisconsin. Extraordinary local produce with extraordinary lake views.
Where To Stay
Bayfield and Door County, Nights 1 to 2 Old Rittenhouse Inn or White Gull Inn. Approx $120 to $220. Milwaukee, Night 3 The Pfister Hotel or Saint Kate Arts Hotel. Approx $130 to $250 per night. Kettle Moraine and Dells, Nights 4 to 5 Siebkens Resort or Wilderness Hotel Dells. Approx $100 to $200.
Top Tips
1. Apostle Islands ice caves in February on a frozen Lake Superior are the most extraordinary free spectacle in WI.
2. Door County cherry blossom season late April is the most extraordinary bloom in the Midwest. Book early.
3. Old World Wisconsin in Eagle is the finest open-air ethnic heritage museum in the Midwest. Entry approx $22.
4. Wisconsin Dells Upper Dells boat tour gives the finest sandstone canyon experience. Book the morning departure.
5. Kettle Moraine Ice Age Trail fall color in October is the finest glacial landscape walk in the Midwest.
6. Milwaukee's Bradford Beach on Lake Michigan is the finest free urban beach in Wisconsin. Open all summer.
Total Budget
$110 to $180/day