by Tim Froberg
Buckle up fellow Cheeseheads, it’s time to hit the open road.
Granted, we reside in a beautiful part of the country. The Fox Cities is a fantastic place with plenty of terrific leisure activities to enjoy right in our own backyard should you choose a “stay-cation” with your days off from work. Most of us, though, enjoy a change of scenery and an opportunity to explore new places and shake up our lives a bit by getting away from our routine.
Allow me to play travel guide and escort you (well, at least verbally) on some great road trips across Wisconsin and neighboring Midwest states that can be enjoyed on a tank of gas or two. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, bring along your bicycles or kayaks, or rent them at your destination site.
Summer moves at warp speed in Wisconsin and August is already here. Don’t waste this warm, wonderful month by doing the everyday grind. Hit the road and enjoy what is left of Wisconsin’s summer.
Here are nine very nice getaways that won’t shatter the budget or leave you as frazzled as Clark Griswold on his trek to Walley World. I’ll conclude this section by sharing my experiences from a recent trip to the Apostle Islands.
Door County
Door County has been called the Cape Cod of the Midwest and for good reason. The picturesque Door Peninsula offers more than 300 miles of shoreline along the blue waters of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. Door County blends the natural beauty of the great outdoors with the charm of harbor towns such as Sister Bay, Egg Harbor, and Fish Creek.
Looking to camp? Door County has you covered, boasting five stellar state parks including Peninsula in Fish Creek and Potawatomi, just west of Sturgeon Bay. Peninsula is Wisconsin’s third-largest state park and offers an incredible 460 campsites along with hiking and biking trails, a lighthouse, a summer theater, and an 18-hole golf course. Potawatomi is equally stunning and a haven for hikers because of the Ice Age Trail, a scenic 1,000-mile path that starts at the park. Whitefish Dunes State Park features some great shoreline and is perfect for beach lounging. Cave Point State Park, located practically next door, is known for its spectacular limestone ledges and underwater sea caves. Kayak tours are available, allowing paddlers to explore the caves up close.
Washington Island is a must-visit destination across the mainland about seven miles northeast off the tip of the Door Peninsula and is accessible via daily trips by the Washington Island Ferry Line. Once you arrive, you’ll find countless hiking and biking trails and it’s easy to find kayak rental kiosks.
Door County is also known for its fabulous cherry orchards, 11 historic lighthouses, 10 wineries and an assortment of wonderful restaurants. Do yourself a favor and take in a traditional Door County fish boil for a fun and healthy dining option.
Minocqua
If you’re the outdoors type who appreciates the breathtaking beauty of the forest along with clean sparkling waters, Minocqua should be on your getaway list. Located in northwest Oneida County, Minocqua is known for its spectacular natural scenery and countless recreational activities.
Hikers and cyclists should hit the fabulous Bearskin State Trail. A 21.5-mile crushed granite path, this trail starts in downtown Minocqua and takes you through thick forests, past gorgeous blue lakes and streams, and across trestle bridges. A mostly flat trail, it’s one of the most scenic hiking-biking-walking paths in northern Wisconsin. Keep your eyes open for wildlife because there’s a decent chance you’ll bump into a critter along the way.
With a mind-boggling 3,200 lakes and bodies of freshwater, Minocqua is a water world. The Minocqua Chain of Lakes—an enormous lake chain of nearly 6,000 acres of waters and more than 15 miles of shoreline—is ideal for swimming, boating and fishing. Drop a line in Minocqua Lake, Clear Lake, or Crystal Lake and who knows? You might land a lunker of a fish.
Marinette County
Marinette County is all about woods and waterfalls—and that’s a good combination for outdoor enthusiasts looking to find solace in the slow lane. Some call it the Waterfall Capital of Wisconsin and it’s not a stretch. The area is home to a whopping 15 accessible waterfalls, including Long Slide Falls, Caldron Falls, Eighteen Foot Falls, Strong Falls, Veterans Falls and Piers Gorge, located in Norway, Michigan, just a few miles from the Wisconsin border.
Dave’s Falls in Amberg may be the best of the bunch overlooking the Pike River in a tranquil, wooded area and offers both upper and lower falls along with a wooden bridge and some stunning rock formations. Easy to find, it’s a great place to take in nature and ponder life’s mysteries. Reaching most of the waterfalls requires short, intermediate and long hikes through some beautiful woodsy areas.
If you want to add more oomph to your vacation, head to the Peshtigo River which is heralded for its excellent whitewater rafting. Known for having the longest stretch of continuous whitewater in the Midwest, it features a variety of rapids that create challenges for rafters of all skill levels.
Campers often flock to the nearby Crivitz area where Governor Thompson State Park—with its more than 2,800 wooded acres—is considered to be a top campground.
Wisconsin Dells
The Dells is the definition of an American tourist town. A small city that gets loud and ultra busy during July and August, it’s been Wisconsin’s No. 1 summer vacation destination for years.
The list is long of popular tourist attractions that allow adults and children to go splish-splash at well-known water, theme and adventure parks. And you know what? They’re all worth the visit. I’ve been going to Noah’s Ark Waterpark for years and it still brings out the kid in me. A Wisconsin summer just isn’t a Wisconsin summer unless I slide down the Point of No Return at least a few times.
Mt. Olympus Water and Theme Park, Witches Gulch, Wisconsin Deer Park, the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, the Rick Wilcox Magic Theater, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Big Chief Go Karts, Christmas Mountain Village, and Alligator Alley Adventures are additional popular attractions for the armies of tourists who invade the Dells each summer.
If you don’t want to deal with the summer heat, the Dells has several indoor water parks which have turned it into a year-round destination. Some, such as Wilderness Resort, offer both indoor and outdoor parks.
Wisconsin Dells Boat and Duck Tours—known more commonly as “The Ducks”—is another popular Dells tradition that hasn’t faded away. Passengers climb aboard an amphibious World War II-era vehicle and are taken on a wet and wild tour of both land and the lower dells of the Wisconsin River.
With many businesses aimed at tourists and the carnival-like atmosphere of the downtown, the Dells can be commercialized, but it is a fun, high-energy place that’s ideal for families.
Baraboo
Devil’s Lake State Park is what makes this small Sauk County town tick during the summer months. Devil’s Lake is Wisconsin’s largest (9,217 acres) and most visited state park. The park’s overwhelming natural beauty is no secret to tourists, even referenced by the great Johnny Cash (along with Baraboo) in his hit song, I’ve Been Everywhere.
Devil’s Lake is known for its exceptionally high cliffs and quartz bluffs that are wrapped around a gorgeous lake where canoes, kayaks, and rowboats dot the waters.
Many of the scenic hiking trails (30 total) lead to high vantage points that offer jaw-dropping bird’s-eye views of the park and the lake. The most popular trail may be the stunning Tumbled Rocks Trail. An extraordinary pathway next to the lake lined with fallen boulders that almost seem to have been strategically placed by nature, this is a truly memorable and photo-worthy trail.
The more advanced hiker should take on Devil’s Doorway which features a remarkable doorway-like rock formation and steep bluffs that rise 500 feet above the lake for an unforgettable view.
Baraboo can also be a bit of a circus—literally. The hometown of the famous Ringling Brothers, bring the kiddos to the well-known Circus World Museum for a daily live circus along with circus exhibits and artifacts.
Visitors should also check out the International Crane Foundation, a nonprofit that strives to protect cranes and their ecosystems and habitats. There, 15 crane species can be observed and nature trails are abundant.
Munising, Michigan
If you’re looking for a hidden gem, this small town off the southern shore of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, might be the place.
Munising is the gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Pictured Rocks gets its name from the 13 miles of colorful sandstone cliffs that soar 200 feet above Lake Superior. Time and nature have sculpted these rock formations into a variety of amazing shapes and colors and created shallow must-see caves and arches.
Pictured Rocks is best viewed from the water. Take one of the daily boat tours or rent a kayak which will allow you to paddle through some of the caves. If you’re on land, check out Miners Castle—one of the most famous landmarks along the Pictured Rocks shoreline—offering breathtaking views of Lake Superior and Grand Island.
The hiking trails in the Pictured Rocks area are exceptional and take you through beautiful country. Look for several gorgeous waterfalls that are either in or around Munising and make sure to stop by Munising Falls, a 50-foot waterfall that is located within city limits and easy to find.
Milwaukee
Despite being Wisconsin’s largest city, I find Milwaukee to be a friendly, not-so-intimidating, easy-to-navigate city loaded with fun events and recreational activities.
Milwaukee Brewers games, lakefront festivals (don’t miss Milwaukee Irish Fest on Aug. 14-17) and the Wisconsin State Fair (July 31-Aug. 10) top the list of must-do August activities.
But there’s more to Milwaukee than just beer, ballgames and festivals. Milwaukee’s lakefront area is a wonderful place to take a walk, jog, or bike ride. You can also charter a boat on Lake Michigan, rent a jet ski or just chill on a nice stretch of sand at Bradford Beach where beach volleyball games are the rage. Take a tour of the city with Milwaukee Boat Line. Or, paddle down the Milwaukee River on kayaks and dock at a local restaurant or Lakefront Brewery for a cold one.
To get a nice view of the water and the city, I recommend visitors take a stroll down the Riverwalk. A 3.1-mile public walkway along the Milwaukee River, this trail takes you through the historic Third Ward with art galleries, boutiques, and dining options. Along the way, you can stop and say “Ayyy” with the bronze statue of The Fonz.
Chicago
OK, you hate the Bears and the Cubs. I get it. But if you can deal with the traffic and want a more urban experience, the Windy City is an incredible place to visit.
Chicago is jam-packed with spectacular sights and venues. My list of favorites starts with Wrigley Field and Wrigleyville and includes Navy Pier, the Field Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium, and Millennium Park. At the latter stop, it’s almost mandatory to take a selfie at the Bean—an enormous sculpture known for its reflective surface.
The downtown section of Chicago is bustling and amazing. Take a stroll along the Magnificent Mile. A mile-long stretch of Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile offers a mix of restaurants, department stores, hotels, and residential and commercial buildings. Check out the Chicago lakefront where beaches, boats, marinas, and tiki bars give off a Florida vibe during the summer. An 18-mile paved trail is great for walking, running, biking, and rollerblading.
The food in Chicago is extraordinary. Practically every type of ethnic cuisine is available and few disappoint. As a deep-dish pizza lover, I have a tough time leaving the Windy City without inhaling a pie from Giordano’s or Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria.
Bayfield and the Apostle Islands
“The Lake is Boss” is a well-known saying seen on T-shirts in the Bayfield area. The shirts don’t lie.
Lake Superior is the Boss of Bayfield—the gateway to the fabulous Apostle Islands. The phrase means that Lake Superior’s waters have more control over you than you have over them, but it could apply to everyday life in Bayfield.
Practically everything in this area—whether it’s the whitefish you eat at local restaurants or the ferries transporting you to Madeline Island—is connected to the deep waters of Lake Superior.
Growing up near Marquette, Mich., on the southern shore of Lake Superior, I had seen one side of the Boss. I decided it was time to check out another side of the deepest of the Great Lakes. A four-day stay in Bayfield, a small city off Lake Superior in Wisconsin’s deep Northwoods, followed and I was able to knock the Apostle Islands off my travel list.
The Apostle Islands are a stunning group of 21 islands featuring pristine beaches, historic lighthouses, and the star attraction: jaw-dropping sea caves. “Wow” will likely be the first word out of your mouth when you see them. The ridiculously gorgeous rock formations are a geological marvel—a visual masterpiece from Mother Nature—formed during the ice ages and shaped into arches, caves, and caverns by years of erosion created by Lake Superior waters pounding against sandstone cliffs.
The sea caves alone are worth the four-and-a-half-hour drive from Appleton and my wife, Sharon, and I got to see them up close. We took a laid-back, three-hour boat tour called the Grand Tour (contact Apostle Islands Cruises) on our second day in Bayfield that took us past Devils Island, home of the caves.
The caves are so breathtakingly beautiful we wanted to reach out and actually touch them. The next day we got that opportunity when we kicked things up a notch with a six-hour kayak tour that actually took us through the sea caves and allowed us to explore them up close.
A far more adventurous way to see the caves and worth the money, the kayak tour is not a leisurely expedition due to the relentlessly powerful waves of Lake Superior that make paddling the tandem sea kayaks no picnic. Our full-day tour with local company Trek and Trail included a friendly, knowledgeable and much-needed guide because the Superior waters not only humble you, but put you in danger if you don’t respect them.
Once back on the mainland in Bayfield, we took a ferry to picturesque Madeline Island, the only inhabited island of the Apostles. We had an awesome dinner at The Pub—one of the area restaurants I heartily recommend—along with Hoop’s Dockside, Manypenny Bistro and The Pickled Herring.
I’m not a big fish guy, but it’s just wrong to dine in a Bayfield restaurant and not order some type of whitefish (fresh from Lake Superior) for your entrée. At Hoop’s—where you can see stunning views of Lake Superior—I devoured an incredible whitefish sandwich. At the Pickled Herring, where we dined outside and enjoyed one of the weekly outdoor concerts in downtown Bayfield, I had an off-the-charts whitefish po’ boy sandwich.
On our way out of town, we hit Morgan Falls, a beautiful 70-foot waterfall with a scenic hike, and it was worth the stop.
The Boss delivered on our in-state vacation. We found Bayfield to be a charming, friendly town and were dazzled by the mind-blowing beauty of the Apostle Islands. The Boss is always right.
This article was originally published in the August 2025 issue of Appleton Monthly Magazine.
