Wisconsin is the only state where an NFL team — the Green Bay Packers — is owned by the fans. It is one of the few places where fish fries occur every Friday, and even when temperatures drop, the fun does not stop. The state offers snowmobile trails, ice fishing, the arts, casinos, resorts, scenic hikes and unforgettable adventures all year long, including cruises on the Great Lakes and excursions to ice caves on Apostle Island. It boasts more than 15,000 lakes and untold varieties of beers, cheeses, brats and wines. And those are just a few reasons why groups love to visit and residents hate to leave.
Popular Demand
Harley-Davidson Museum
Celebrating the magic of H-D motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson Museum is one of Milwaukee’s top tourist destinations, featuring an unrivaled collection of bikes, stores offering cool memorabilia, two floors of exhibits, demonstration rides and delicious dining. The museum is the perfect place to learn why bikers love the sight and the distinctive sound of a V-twin Harley motor. The museum is situated on 20 beautiful acres with the Menomonee River on three sides. Its MOTOR Bar and Restaurant offers not just food but also live blues music, local craft brews and fun spaces for groups.
Lambeau Field
The home of the Green Bay Packers is much more than a football stadium. In addition to explaining the storied history of football in the NFL’s smallest city, Lambeau Field hosts international entertainers from Paul McCartney to Kenny Chesney and boasts facilities to host any meeting. On tours of Lambeau, guides provide entertaining stories explaining the Packers winning history and the reverence fans hold for the team. The stadium is open year-round for everything from ice skating to snow tubing. Groups can also dine at the stadium’s 46 Below Bistro, named for the Packers’ remarkable win in the arctic cold of the 1967 Ice Bowl.
Midwest Civil War Museum
Focusing on the War between the States from the perspective of the Midwest, the Civil War Museum in Kenosha highlights the impact and contributions of seven states that sent 1 million men to serve in the Union army. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin not only contributed their sons but also shipped food and raw materials that were instrumental to preserving the Union. History lovers can explore the dramatic impact the war had on the region before, during and after the conflict.
Up and Coming
Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
South of Green Bay near the shore of Lake Michigan, the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Manitowoc is an educational gem. The barn-shaped museum contains a birthing barn where visitors watch cows giving birth. Guests also enjoy interactive exhibits about the fabulous diversity of cheeses, smoked meats, sausages, beef, poultry, bacon, seasonings, sauces and dry rubs produced in Wisconsin. There is a café offering locally sourced options for breakfast and lunch and a store with cheese, wine and farm-themed gifts. The discovery center also offers tours of a nearby dairy.
International Crane Foundation
The International Crane Foundation in Baraboo has improved its trails, expanded the gift shop and enhanced its visitor experience. Cranes rank among the most endangered birds, with 10 species threatened. Tours to see the spectacular cranes and learn about the foundation’s global conservation efforts occur from May to October. At another Wisconsin attraction providing artistic representations of birds, the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau is best known for its annual “Birds in Art” exhibition, which opens the first Saturday after Labor Day.
Museum of Glass
The Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah holds the largest collection of glass paperweights in the world, along with a collection of Germanic glass, contemporary sculptures and art glass from the late Victorian era. Built on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, the museum offers spectacular views and a marvelous collection of glass buttons; a glass studio where professional artists teach classes; and a gift shop selling Christmas ornaments, jewelry and gifts created by glass artists from around the world.
Overnight Sensations
Heidel House
Heidel House, a historic and group-friendly hotel on Green Lake, recently opened its remodeled facilities and conference center. Among the improvements are a new lobby, renovated guest rooms, banquet rooms and pools, along with dining options at the Oakwood Restaurant and Waves Pub and Grill. The property has direct access to nearby golf courses and provides easy ways to enjoy a day on the lake, unwind and have family fun with a live performance at the Thrasher Opera House, shopping at the Princeton Flea Market and other attractions.
Chalet Landhaus Inn
The Chalet Landhaus in New Glarus offers the relaxing charm of the Swiss countryside, festivals and Scandinavian folk traditions. Guests enjoy the town’s chalet-style architecture and its many specialty shops. The hotel is close to Sugar River Bike Trail, the National Historic Cheesemaking Center and Museum, and other attractions. There are whirlpool suites, family suites, standard rooms, and a restaurant offering Swiss and American dishes, and the conference room can be used for meetings, training or holiday parties.
Memorable Meals
Kegel’s Inn
To enjoy authentic German food in a fun atmosphere and historic building, Kegel’s Inn in Milwaukee’s West Allis neighborhood is the place to go. Kegel’s is one of the state’s best places to enjoy a Friday night fish fry in an atmosphere featuring hand-painted murals, original leaded glass windows and the heavy wooden beams, which together create an authentic German ambiance. The menu offers Old World cuisine from schnitzel to roast pork shanks.
Al Johnson’s
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant and Butik in Sister Bay has long been famous for visitors to Door County because of its log building, sod roof and a distinctive display of animals: live goats grazing on the grass roof. It is also one of the most visited restaurants in the Midwest because of its Swedish pancakes, Gravlax salmon filets, Christmas ham, cakes, Swedish meatballs and other delicious food. Guests can shop the Butik for clogs, Scandinavian clothing and more.
