August 2010

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An A to (almost)Z List of September Fun | part 1

August 31, 2010 in Things to do in Wisconsin | No comments

Never let it be said that there’s nothing to do in Wisconsin! Compiled below is part one of our list of Wisconsin events happening in September throughout Wisconsin from A to (almost) Z!

Alma Music & Arts Festivals - September 5th
Arts & crafts fair with live music, kids activities along the Mississippi River.
Amish Market, Ferryville – September 18th
Shop from a large variety of Amish goods including furniture, quilts, organic produce, flowers & more.

Beef-A-Rama, Minocqua – September 24th & 25th
There’s a dance, Rump Roast Run & Parade of Beef – what else can I say??
Blair Cheese Festival – September 16th-19th
Events kick off Thursday night with the Tapping of the Golden Keg & include live music, a moped fun run and arm wrestling.

Cannons at the Fort, Prairie du Chien – September 17th-18th
Historic reenactment of early 1800′s life in Wisconsin. Learn basket & candle making, bowl carving & more.
Cornish Festival, Mineral Point – September 24th-26th
Celebrating their Cornish heritage, the Southwest Wisconsin Cornish Society hosts this 18th annual festival with tours, demonstrations and more.

Darien Cornfest – September 10th-12th
Activities include a corn-eating contest, a corn fest parade, softball, volleyball & horseshoe tournaments as well as hammerschlagen contests.
Driftless Area Art Festival, Soldiers Grove – Sept 18th-19th
80 exhibitors, from sculptors to painters plus live music, kids art area and more!

East Troy Bluegrass Festival – September 11th & 12th
Two full days of bluegrass music in the historic East Troy downtown square – free admission!
Ethnic Festival, Two Rivers – September 18th
Live music, dancing, crafts and more all celebrating “more than 60 cultures from around the world” in Central Park, downtown Two Rivers.

Fall Festival/ Booya Days, Cadott – September 18th
Live music, crafts, pumpkin painting and free Booya plus Miss Booya & Princess Coronations!
Fall Harvest Days, Union Grove – September 18th & 19th
Presented by the SE Wisconsin Antique Power & Collectibles Society, this two day event features threshing & baling demonstrations plus kids activities and free horse-drawn wagon rides.

Gemuetlichkeit Days, Jefferson – Sept 17th-19th
This 40th annual celebration of German culture includes live music, dancing, euchre tournament and a sauerkraut eating contest!
Green County Cheese Days, Monroe – September 17th-19th
Food & cheese-making demos, music & dancing, carnival, kids activities & yodeling lessons – what else do you need?

Heritage Weekend, New Richmond – September 24th-26th
Presented by the New Richmond Heritage Center, events include a spaghetti dinner, 5K run/walk plus pony rides for the kids & more.
Harvest Windmill Festival, Evansville – September 10th-12th
Featuring historic trolley tours, live music & polka dancing, wine & cheese tasting plus a petting zoo.

Indian Summer, Milwaukee – September 10th-12th
Live music, Pow Wow, traditional (Frybread-yum!) and modern foods plus lacrosse tournaments, native arts & crafts and so much more.
Iowa County Fair, Mineral Point – September 2nd-6th
Midway rides, Jr. Fair animal judging, Wii competitions and even a free spaghetti dinner!

Four JAZZ music events to choose from:
Jammin’ on the Porch, Mineral Point – September 10th
Jazz at Five, Madison – September 1st & 8th
Jazz in the Park, Milwaukee – Sept 2nd, 9th, 16th & 23rd
Jazz on Jefferson, Sturgeon Bay – September 11th

Kermis Dutch Festival, Little Chute – September 17th & 18th
All the elements of a fun Wisconsin festival: arts, crafts, food, beer, live music + Dutch clog dancing.
Kites over Lake Michigan, Two Rivers – September 4th-5th
Most kite flying activities will be wind/ weather dependent, but you won’t want to miss the Saturday night bonfire & the free kite-making for kids Sunday morning.

Lake Geneva Wine Festival – September 10th & 11th
Learn about wines & wine pairings, plus a celebrity chef challenge Friday night and Grand Tasting Saturday.
Lena Dairy Fest – September 11th
Food, free rides, games, kids activities, tractor pulls and a parade!

Maple Fall Fest, Marshfield – September 18th & 19th
Maple syrup products & seminars, “Amish specialties”, food, beer, petting zoo and arts & crafts exhibitors.
Milwaukee Ukulele Festival – September 25th
If you love all things ukulele, this is one festival you don’t want to miss! Includes vendors selling instruments, instruction books, CDs and more.

Part 2 coming your way soon!
So, where are you headed? Click on the comments link above & let me know…

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Experience Eagle River

August 23, 2010 in Explore Wisconsin, WH&LA Members | 3 comments

Located near the headwaters of the Wisconsin River and part of the chain of 28 lakes, Eagle River is truly a ‘Northwoods’ vacation experience!

Outdoor Fun:
With miles of clear lakes & rivers, Eagle River is a fishing heaven with dozens of guides & outfitters to choose from. Whether you’re in search of that trophy musky or just looking to cast a line with the kids, you’ll find your perfect spot in Eagle River. When you’re ready for a break from fishing, hop on your bike, lace up your shoes and head out for one of the many area biking & hiking trails. With autumn just around the corner, the Northwoods will soon erupt into a beautiful array of fall colors.  If snowmobiling is more your speed, you’ll find hundreds of miles of groomed snowmobile trails in this “Snowmobile Capital of the World”.  Be sure to check out snowconditions.com and get all the latest info for area trails & ski resorts.

Don’t Miss:
Northwoods Children’s Museum- If you’re headed to Eagle River for the Festival of Flavors this weekend, be sure to stop at the Children’s Museum & pick up cheese hats for the kids to decorate & wear in the Kids Cheese Hat Parade
Eagle River’s Ice Palace: Construction takes place around New Years each year & is all done by hand by volunteers & headed up the fire department
Soda Pops on Main Street where you’ll find dozens of unique, unusual and fun sodas to choose from
Grandma’s Toy Box & The Rock Shop – located in downtown Eagle River, Grandma’s features educational games, toys, puzzles and more

Mark Your Calendar:
August 28-29: Eagle River Festival of Flavors
October 2-3: Cranberry Fest
January 7-16, 2011: Snowmobile Championships
March 5-6, 2011: 21st Annual Klondike Days
June 11, 2011: Great Northern Beer Festival

Where to Stay:
There are wide range of accommodations to choose from and here are our recommendations:
-Country Inns-
Edgewater Inn & Cottages
-Hotels-
Best Western Derby Inn, Days Inn of Eagle River, or Settle Inn & Suites
-Motels-
Bridgewater Inn, Riverdale Motel & Resort, or Super 8
-Resorts-
7 Mile Pinecrest, Bear Paw Vacation Homes, Chanticleer Inn, Eagle River Inn & Resort, Eagle Waters Resort, Gypsy Villa Resort, Lake Forest Resort & Club, Maplewood Resort, Pitlik’s Sand Beach Resort, or Wild Eagle Lodge
-Vacation Homes-
Boettchers Country Lakehouses

Flickr photo credits: Fishing signs: Still a Fan of FOTC, Snowmobiling: firehole

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Best Western Milwaukee Airport receives Director’s Award

August 17, 2010 in WH&LA Members | 1 comment

Congratulations go out to the Best Western Milwaukee Airport Hotel & Conference Center who recently received the Best Western Director’s Award for outstanding quality standards.

“The Director’s Award is an important symbol of success,” says Mark Johnson, General Manager/Vice President. “This award confirms the Best Western Milwaukee Airport Hotel & Conference Centers commitment to providing quality accommodations for our guests. Our Housekeeping and Maintenance departments have worked hard to achieve this level of excellence.”

Located directly across from Mitchell International Airport and minutes from the Frontier Airlines Center, Potawatomi Casino and several Milwaukee downtown attractions, the Best Western Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Conference Center is a convenient choice. Whether you’re a corporate traveler, business meeting attendee or a social leisure guest, you will be spirited into a special full-service atmosphere with first class amenities and uncompromising service.

For more information on the Best Western Milwaukee Airport Hotel click on over to WisconsinLodging.org. Congratulations again to Mark and the staff of the Best Western Milwaukee Airport!

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Raise Your Glass to Wisconsin

August 13, 2010 in Things to do in Wisconsin | 3 comments

Another hot & steamy day here in southeast Wisconsin & what better way to cool down than with an ice cold beer or crisp glass of wine?  Check out some of these upcoming beer & wine fests & festivals and experience Wisconsin by-the-glass!

August 13-14
Brews, Brats & Bands – Point Brewery, Stevens Point

August 20-22
Cedar Creek Winery’s 20th Anniversary – Cedarburg

September 4
Milwauktoberfest – Milwaukee

September 10-11
Lake Geneva Wine Festival – Lake Geneva

September 11
8th Annual Thirsty Troll Beer Fest – Mount Horeb
Fall Harvest Fest – Parallel 44 Winery, Kewaunee

September 11-12
5th Annual Fall Festival – Autumn Harvest Winery, Chippewa Falls

September 12-18
Milwaukee Beer Week – Milwaukee

September 17-18
Great Lakes Brewfest – Racine

September 18-19
Annual Wine & Harvest Festival – Cedar Creek Winery, Cedarburg
Fall Harvest Festival – Chateau St. Croix, St. Croix Falls
Wet Whistle Wine Fest – Von Stiehl Winery, Algoma

September 24-October 2
Oktoberfest 2010 – La Crosse

October 1
Taste of Wine & Beer – DePere

October 2
Lincoln Lager BarleyFest – Merrill

Mark your calendars & raise a toast to Wisconsin this fall! (As always, please enjoy responsibly.) What are your favorite beer or wine tours in Wisconsin? Are there any fests we missed on the list?

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Featured Properties for August

August 12, 2010 in Featured Property | No comments

Have you checked them out yet? Each month on the Stay in Wisconsin Blog, we’ll feature a group of properties and showcase their amenities (and sometimes even a great deal!) We’ve got five picks for August – check them out here or at wisconsinlodging.org.

The Beacons of Minocqua, Minocqua

Picture a strand  of shimmering sapphires sealed by deep pine forests. Now imagine at the center  of this masterpiece of nature a resort offering all the amenities and services  modern travelers have come to expect.  This is “The Beacons,” a four  season condominium resort on the shores of Lake Minocqua.

8250 Northern Road, Minocqua, WI 54548
info@thebeacons.com
800/236-3225

Popp’s Resort, Lakeshore Homes & Cottages, Crivitz

Popp’s Resort is located northwest of Crivitz in Northeastern Wisconsin, on High Falls Flowage. High Falls is known for Bass, Northern, Walleye, Musky and Panfish in a Canadian setting. Popp’s offers Lakeview Cottages, Lakeshore Cottages, Deluxe Lakeshore Homes, Motel Suites, bait shop, pontoon/boat rentals, restaurant and bar.

W11581 County Road X, Crivitz, WI 54114
poppsresort@poppsresort.com
715/757-3511

Bridgeport Waterfront Resort, Door County

This Door County resort offers beautiful waterfront lodging in the heart of historic Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Bridgeport Resort is centrally located near historic attractions, fine dining, shopping and everything that Door County has to offer. We feature spacious one, two and three bedroom suites in this resort getaway with whirlpools, kitchens, and fireplaces that make you feel right at home. A variety of amenities and recreational activities are offered on-site including indoor and outdoor pools, fitness room, sauna, kids splash park, wireless Internet access and barbeque picnic areas. Bridgeport Resort is the ideal accommodation for corporate travelers, family vacationers, and couples seeking a romantic getaway. If you are interested in holding a special group event, we provide three meeting rooms with audio-visual equipment to accommodate groups of different sizes. We also provide packages for many activities, festivals, and community events for a memorable Door County vacation.

50 W. Larch Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
stay@bridgeportresort.net
800/671-9190
The Inn at Little Sister Hill has a great location between Ephraim and Sister Bay – we are nearby many popular Door County attractions. Enjoy our one and two bedroom suites; each including full kitchens, living and dining rooms and wooded views. Outdoor heated pool, playground and picnic area on site!

2715 Little Sister Hill Road, Sister Bay, WI 54234
stay@doorcountyinn.com
800/768-6317

2188 State Hwy. 13, Adams, WI 53910
608/339-6088
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And the winner is…

August 10, 2010 in Explore Wisconsin | No comments

Lucky #1!  Commenter Kerri wins the free four pack of tickets to the Why Not Wausau arts and music festival!

Kerri – send an email to communication@wisconsinlodging.org with your address so we can send out your tickets right away. Have a great time, and let us know how you liked the festival!

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Free Wausau Music Fest this weekend and Concert Ticket Giveaway!

August 9, 2010 in Explore Wisconsin, Things to do in Wisconsin | 6 comments

Looking to get outside this weekend? Throw some music and art in the mix, and you’ve got the Why Not Wausau? music, arts and outdoor festival this Friday and Saturday, August 13-14. Tickets to the Granite Peak concert on Saturday are $20, but the Stay in Wisconsin blog wants to send you for free!

Here’s a quick breakdown of the festivities:

Friday, August 13: Free music in downtown Wausau at Downtown on the Square. Bring your pets (on a leash), your beverages and your lawn chair, and enjoy some great music from Ryan Flannery & the Night Owls at 6:30 and BlueHeels from 8:00-10:00. Check out the International Art Exchange gallery show downtown, featuring work from new and independent artists with fresh ideas. There is no admission fee to any of Friday’s events.

Saturday, August 14: An entire day of music at Granite Peak, with gates opening at 11:00 am. Line-up includes Trapper Schoepp & the Shades, Absinthe & the Dirty Floors, Farewell Milwaukee, Communist Daughter, The Daredevil Christopher Wright and headliners .357 String Band and STEEZ. Music continues to 10:00 pm. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 on the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased at whynotwausau.com, Inner Sleeve Records and Central Board Shop.

As always, you can find great places to stay and book a room in Wausau at wisconsinlodging.org!

OR! Why not win a free four-pack of tickets? Leave us a note in the comments section letting us know why not Wausau? Have you found yourself in Wausau and discovered a great place? Had a great meal? Stayed at a great hotel? Tell us about your favorite Wausau experience (or what you’d like to experience in Wausau) and we’ll pick a winner at random. Comments will be open through noon on Tuesday, August 10!

So let’s hear it… Why Not Wausau??

Special thanks to Flap Jack Creative for hooking up the free tickets!

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Susan from Milwaukee wins free night at the Delafield Hotel

August 4, 2010 in WisconsINN Getaways | 1 comment

Congratulations to Susan B. from Milwaukee, WI! Susan is the winner of the August WisconsINN Getaways free night give-away at the Delafield Hotel in Delafield.

If you’re interested in being entered to win a different free night each month, simply sign up for the WisconsINN Getaways monthly e-newsletter. Every month, you’ll receive an email with up to 10 special deals or packages for amazing places to stay in Wisconsin AND each month you’ll be entered for a chance to win a free stay.

Upcoming giveaways include:
* AmericInn Lodge & Suites East, Green Bay

Click over to the WisconsINN Getaways newsletter to sign up today and again, Congratulations to Susan!

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State Fair-Just a Few Days Away!

August 3, 2010 in Things to do in Wisconsin | 1 comment

Every year we start to get really excited as we countdown to the Wisconsin State Fair and this year is no exception!

Check out our list of the Top 5 Things to Do/ See/ Eat at Wisconsin’s State Fair this year:

  1. Cream Puffs - Always makes our list for two reasons – Nothing compares to a REAL WI State Fair Cream Puff (in fact we even devoted an entire blog post to it last year) PLUS they are made by the WI Bakers Association to promote Wisconsin’s dairy products
  2. Giant Slide – That big green & yellow slide (& their burlap sacks) beckons us every year from smack dab in the middle of the Fair
  3. FREE samples – Be sure to pick up your Information Booklets when you enter the Fair to find out where you can get FREE samples of Coke Zero (full run of Fair), Mello Yello (9th-15th) or Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (12th-15th) + free cups of water from the Salvation Army (east side of Expo Center)
  4. The Animals – No trip to the Fair is complete without checking out the cute babies in the Birthing Barn and catching a Pig Race (or two!) New “animals” at the Fair for 2010- check out the Days of the Dinosaur exhibit in the Big Backyard ($1 admission)
  5. Deep Fried Food-on-a-Stick – It’s become almost a cult-like phenomenon!  With dozens of foods-on-a-stick (most, but not all, deep fried) we asked our resident expert, a girl who saves up her dollars and calories for the Fair, for some of her recommendations:
  • Deep Fried Oreos, Snickers, Pickles & Veggies are all located along the strip of food vendors parallel to the racetrack along the eastern border of the Fair grounds
  • Check for a ‘buy one-get one’ coupon in the info booklets for the Milk Barn, located at the northeast end of the park (just south of the Midway area). The line is always long, but it moves pretty fast.
  • Then, grab some Cookie Dough-On-A-Stick — best enjoyed shared (and with a cup or two from the Milk Barn!)

Bonus #6 - Don’t forget the Wisconsin Products Pavilion:
Home to the Maple Syrup producers (Maple Cotton Candy- yum!), plus Grilled Cheese sandwiches, Palermo’s pizza, the FFA ice cream sundae folks and US! Be sure to stop by the Dept of Tourism booth in the center of the pavilion and pick up your 2010 Wisconsin Lodging Directory.

What did we miss? Click the comments link at the top of the post & tell us about your top 5!

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