Here's your guide to Wisconsin's endless summer opportunities (2024)

Whether you want to ride a Duck in Wisconsin Dells, dip a toe into Lake Superior or inhale a burger cooked at a more than century old hamburger stand in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin has a lifetime of destinations to hit this summer.

Our state boasts more than 15,000 lakes and 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, is home to the Waterpark Capital of the World and is known for its festivals, fireman's picnics and fairs.

We've got custard, ice cream and soft serve stands; Green Bay Packers practice sessions to watch and a Milwaukee Brewers team that, as we head toward the All Star break, finds itself in first place. There are sunrises over lakes Michigan, Monona and Winnebago to catch and sunsets over lakes Mendota, Pepin and Nokomis to help one relax at the end of the day.

So, here are a few ideas to consider as you fight the weekend traffic on Interstate 90-94 or the backups south of Minocqua due to road construction on Highway 51.

Beaches

Just way too many list but here are a few to get you started.

Lake Michigan offers up scores of offerings that include North Beach in Racine, Bradford Beach in Milwaukee and, just beyond the campgrounds and sand dunes, the beach at Kohler-Andrea State Park just south of Sheboygan. Just to the north is the beach at Point Beach State Forest, while Destination Door County lists more than 20 beaches to explore, some on the Lake Michigan side, others on the Bay side of the peninsula. One of the beaches isn't even known for sand. Instead, Schoolhouse Beach on Washington Island is covered in smooth and colorful limestone rocks.

Some of the more notable inland swimming spots include Devil's Lake State Park near Baraboo; Crystal Lake Park & Beach in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest near Sayner, Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County and Riviera Beach in Lake Geneva.

Lake Superior has absolutely gorgeous beaches, but those looks are deceiving thanks to water temperatures that are typically in the low 60s on even the best of days, whether it's at Broad Street Beach in Bayfield, Cornucopia Beach or the nearby Meyers Beach.

Roadside landmarks

In the Clark County community of Niellsville, Chatty Belle is the world's largest talking cow, while Mercer has the world's largest talking loon. The pink elephant doesn't say a word but has been an anchor at the Shell station in DeForest since the 1960s. It was manufactured by Sculptured Advertising in Sparta in 1963 and installed in front of a supper club in Marquette, Iowa, before being moved to DeForest.

At the World Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, a 143-foot-long, four-story-high muskie invites visitors to walk up through the body and into its toothy mouth. And in Woodruff, just north of Minocqua, there's a 9-ton, 15-foot-high concrete penny at the Dr. Kate Museum.

Fish and cheese houses

Eating your way through Wisconsin is a time-honored tradition but these are a few places to pick up cheese and fresh and smoked fish.

There's the Mouse House Cheese House in Windsor, Ellenbach's in DeForest and the Market Square Cheese Store in Lake Delton. Fromaginaton anchors the Capitol Square in Madison, Wisconsin Cheese Mart is in Milwaukee's downtown and on State Street in Madison, while one of the quickest pull-offs for cheese is along Highway 151 south of Beaver Dam at Schultz's Cheese Haus.

The largest is likely the Mars Cheese Castle along Interstate 94 near Kenosha, while one of the homiest might be Joe's Cheese House in Marinette, where the samples can include aged cheddar of more than 20 years.

Over in Prairie du Chien, Valley Fish & Cheese is a destination in of itself and offers up cheese from around the state, smoked carp, catfish nuggets and even turtle meat. The Red Cliff Fish Company north of Bayfield has a smoked Lake Superior whitefish with a brown sugar glaze that makes the fish taste like candy while the Bailey's Harbor Fish Company in Door County has fresh yellow perch from the Bay of Green Bay. There's also the Susie Q Fish Company in Two Rivers, LaFond's in Kewaunee and the St. Paul Fish Co. in Milwaukee.

Best towns for a stroll

Historic downtowns dot the state and these are some of the best in which to take a walk and shop.

High Street in Mineral Point offers one of the largest collections of historic buildings in the state filled with retailers, bars, restaurants and art galleries. Henry Dodge was sworn in as governor here of the newly formed Wisconsin Territory in 1836, while at the bottom of the sloping street, hang a left and visit Tony and Julie Hook, makers of award-winning cheese and some of the oldest aged cheese in the country.

Cedarburg, north of Milwaukee, is lined with buildings made of stone but offers up one of the most vibrant downtowns in the Midwest. There are wineries, distilleries and brewpubs, restaurants, bakeries, pizza shops and beer gardens overlooking the Milwaukee River. In Fond du Lac County, downtown Ripon features Knuthe Brwing Co. and the Mapes Hotel along with the movie theater that helped get Marcus Cinema going.

Other notable downtowns include State Street in Madison, Main Street in Stoughton, downtown Burlington, multiple communities in Door County and, in northern Wisconsin, Hayward, Bayfield and Minocqua.

Cold treats

Culver's may be the largest frozen custard company in the country and got its start in Sauk City, but Wisconsin has plenty of other locally owned places to grab a cone or a dish to take the heat off for a bit. Gilles Frozen Custard, founded in 1938 on Bluemound Road in Milwaukee, is a great stop before or after a Brewers game, but don't forget about Kopp's Frozen Custard, founded in 1950, with three Milwaukee area locations; Leon's Frozen Custard (1942), at the corner of 27th Street and Oklahoma Avenue, or Oscar's Frozen Custard with shops in Waukesha, Franklin and West Allis.

Soft serve also has a spot in the summer offerings for many, and central and northern Wisconsin have multiple go-to spots with Briq's Soft Serve, known for its Pounder, a massive soft serve cone. Founded by Dan Briquelet in Wausau in 1985, the company now has locations in Rib Mountain, Mosinee, Merrill, Weston, Minocqua, Rhinelander and Edgar.

In Watertown, Schuett's Drive-In is back open, serving soft serve while a few blocks away is Mullen's Dairy Bar, which has been making its own ice cream since the early 1940s and now has other locations in Oconomowoc and Delafield. Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor has been in business in Ephraim since 1906, while Babco*ck Hall ice cream is a must for those taking in a sunset at Memorial Union in Madison.