Wisconsin Vacation Guide
To many, Wisconsin is known for just a couple of things: The Green Bay Packers and cheese – and sometimes, those worlds collide when Packers fans don their colorful cheeseheads. However, if you’ve ever enjoyed visiting the great state of Wisconsin, you know it’s truly so much more than that. If you’re ready to experience the hidden gems and unexpected pleasures of Wisconsin, there’s no better resource than the Midwest Association of Independent Inns, home to some of the top-rated Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin.
Though it’s true that Wisconsin is the Dairy State and accordingly produces most of the cheese in the United States, that’s just a small piece of Wisconsin’s complex identity. It’s also a state that offers four seasons of outdoor adventure for every type of enthusiast, a fantastic mix of small-town charm and urban excitement, breathtaking natural scenery, rich and abundant history, and so much more.
From big adventures to romantic getaways, you’ll find it all in Wisconsin. Extraordinary getaways deserve equally unforgettable accommodations, and that’s why every trip to Wisconsin should be in partnership with one of the many great Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin. Seek the unique with us, and uncover one epic adventure after another.
Things To Do In Wisconsin
Every season brings with it a slew of great things to do in Wisconsin. From hiking and biking on regional trails to fishing and paddling on Wisconsin waterways during the spring, summer, and fall to embracing this chilly winter wonderland at local museums and cultural attractions, you’ll never run out of great things to do in Wisconsin.
Outdoor Enthusiasts
Wisconsin is a veritable playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Spend your days biking on the nation’s first Rails to Trails Conservancy bike trail, the Elroy Sparta Trail, or one of the many other fantastic bike trails around the state, or get outside to chase waterfalls and hike through the lush forests of Wisconsin’s State Parks
Alternatively, head to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore for an unforgettable paddling adventure, or make your way down the scenic, calm waters of the Lower Wisconsin River. These same lakes and waterways that make for great adventures are also perfect for epic fishing trips filled with sturgeon, trout, perch, bass, and more.
Food & Drink
Breakfast at one of our top-rated Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin is just the beginning of your food journey here in the Badger State – and boy, what a delicious journey it will be! Yes, your trip will very likely include plenty of cheese – but that’s not all! Wisconsin is also home to a truly dedicated bunch of craft breweries and big-name brands like Miller, Pabst, and Leinkugels, to name a few. These breweries were all founded in the mid to late 19th century, with the earliest records of Wisconsin breweries dating back to the 1830s. Records show that some of the earliest Wisconsin breweries date back to the 1830s.
If wine is more your scene, you’ll delight in sipping and swirling your way around the state. To date, there are more than 100 Wisconsin wineries worth visiting, which has quickly become one of the top things to do in Wisconsin. The popular Wollersheim Winery dates back to the 1840s, but since then, the proliferation of wineries producing wines made from cold-hardly grapes has expanded, much to the delight of wine lovers everywhere.
In between every adventure – those big and small – will be plenty of delicious bites and treats. Wisconsinites have a deep love of good food, which often shows up in the use of fresh, seasonal, and locally made or produced foods. This love of good food has been driven by the state’s deep agricultural roots and is something we take great pride in. Aside from treating you to delicious fuel to start your day, innkeepers at our Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin know just where to send you for memorable meals.
Arts & Culture
If you knew nothing about Wisconsin other than it was the home of the Green Bay Packers, you’d be doing yourself a disservice. There’s so much depth to this state, which is filled with an incredible array of art and cultural attractions. From exploring the beautiful simplicity of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Architecture at the world-famous Taliesin and visiting the acclaimed House on the Rock to embracing art at Madison or Milwaukee’s leading art and cultural museums, there’s truly no shortage of fantastic things to do in Wisconsin.
Best Time to Visit Wisconsin
As you can probably guess by now, the simplest answer to the best time to visit Wisconsin is whenever you can get here. We mean it when we say there are plenty of great things to do in Wisconsin, no matter the season. However, if we had to pick one time of year to call the “best time to visit Wisconsin,” we’d say fall.
Fall in Wisconsin is nothing short of beautiful, filled with the vibrant autumnal hues of the season everywhere you turn and with weather mild enough to still enjoy everything you want to see and do. Door County, in particular, is a magical place to visit in the fall. Not only do fall colors transform this already dramatic landscape into something jaw-droppingly beautiful, but it’s also the season for visiting the area’s apple orchards.
That said, spring and summer are the perfect times to enjoy things like fishing, boating, hiking, biking, birding, paddling, and exploring Wisconsin State Parks. Summers can be quite warm and humid, so keep that in mind and include at least a little downtime cooling off in Wisconsin’s various waterways.
As the snow begins to fall in winter, the landscapes of Wisconsin transform into a completely new winter wonderland, perfect for activities like downhill skiing and snowboarding at places like Granite Peak Ski area, cross-country skiing, or fat tire biking on regional hiking and biking trails, snowmobiling, curling, and more.
With so many great things to do in Wisconsin throughout the year, it’s easy to see why we say the best time to visit Wisconsin is whenever you can get here!
Winter in Wisconsin
Spring in Wisconsin
Summer in Wisconsin
Fall in Wisconsin
Top Destination Cities in Wisconsin
We could no sooner choose our favorite things to do in Wisconsin than we can choose a favorite city. With big cities like Madison and Milwaukee to consider and charming towns like Bayfield or Appleton, it’s easy to find something to love about all of them! However, there are a few cities in Wisconsin that stand out among the rest and warrant some time on your itinerary. Of course, you’ll also find several of our top-rated Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin in each!
Madison
When it comes to great cities to visit in Wisconsin, you’d be hard-pressed to beat the capital, Madison. As state capitals go, Madison is beautiful, framed by lakes Mendota and Monona. These gorgeous lakes and the Capitol building are just the start of your adventures in Madison, though. The city is as refined as any modern metropolis in the country, with a broad range of fantastic restaurants, excellent museums, and refined attractions everywhere you turn.
It’s also one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country and has the most restaurants per capita, making Madison the perfect place to enjoy the best of both worlds in Wisconsin. Besides the lakes, Madison is packed with parks, trails, free zoos and museums, and one of the best farmer’s markets in the country.
Madison is truly a remarkable place with plenty for outdoorsy travelers and those seeking a more sophisticated urban experience. Of course, it’s also home to several great Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin, making it a great place to launch a trip into our storied state.
Sturgeon Bay
Another great city worth visiting while you’re staying at Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin is Sturgeon Bay in Door County. Sturgeon Bay, once a major shipbuilding hub on Lake Michigan, is a place of majestic natural beauty. Today, you can still spend your time on local beaches admiring historic fishing tugs and massive container ships as they pass by the shore, but you can also find a charming array of shops, art galleries, restaurants, and more in downtown Sturgeon Bay.
It’s the perfect place to launch your adventures on the entirety of the Door Peninsula, including launching a kayak for a lakeshore adventure like no other. Spend a day taking the ferry to Washington Island, pick cherries at local orchards during the summer, or come fall, marvel at the colorful beauty all around. Sturgeon Bay is one place where Wisconsin’s maritime history comes to life while also offering the modern traveler a range of wonderful things to do in Wisconsin.
Appleton
Appleton is yet another fantastic city in Wisconsin worth exploring. It’s located in northeastern Wisconsin on the scenic Fox River and is considered the gateway to the popular Lake Winnebago and the Fox Cities. This area is known for its vibrant shopping and music scene but is also renowned for its access to outdoor adventures, particularly boating on the lakes and rivers.
The Fox Cities offer abundant shopping, nightlife, dining, and cultural activities, making it perfect for romantic getaways in Wisconsin, fun girlfriend escapes, and so much more. During the summer, spend your days boating on the lakes or rivers in the area or fishing for things like largemouth bass, catfish, walleye, and northern Pike. Lake Winnebago is also one of the best places to enjoy (or watch) some ice fishing in the winter!
Best Places To Stay In Wisconsin
With so many fantastic destinations across Wisconsin, planning your trip here can feel overwhelming. One thing is true, though: It’s easy to find the best places to stay in Wisconsin, so long as you stick to our vetted network of Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin. Our network of Bed and Breakfasts, Inns, and boutique hotels is unique, all offering something different but holding to the same values of excellence in hospitality. From Milwaukee to Madison and Bayfield to Spring Green, you’ll find a memorable experience waiting for you at our Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin.
We offer a range of Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin, everything from urban contemporaries to working farmsteads, lake homes to historic estates, log cabins to eco-inns, and spacious inns perfect for destination weddings or solo business travel. As you get busy making your upcoming travel plans, seek the unique with us, and book a room at one of our exceptional Bed and Breakfasts in Wisconsin.
Since the early 1980s, the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association has been the voice of small inns & Bed and Breakfasts throughout the state. All properties are thoroughly inspected, so you will find the highest level of excellence with any property you stay with.