Wisconsin Attractions, Businesses, Places, and Events
The Wind Point lighthouse captures that romance. Thinking of a lighthouse brings to mind an image of the keeper sounding a horn on a foggy night to warn a ship in danger. Perhaps the image of a keeper rowing out to a rocky island where he alone guards ships from a deadly nighttime peril. The tall white tower of the Wind Point lighthouse and the picturesque keeper’s quarters sure seem like they would fit into the lore. [Read more...]
While the New Glarus museum specializes in the history of the New Glarus Swiss settlement, it also covers a good portion of Wisconsin history too. New Glarus was started in the mid 1800′s. The Swiss Historical Village has exhibits from the 1850′s to the print shop which was used to print the local paper up till the 1960′s. [Read more...]
For as long as I’ve been able to read, the Mars’ Cheese Castle has been something that always caught my eye when traveling I-94 through the Kenosha area. It was a place I always wished my parents would stop at, even just to check it out. As a kid, I always wondered what it was about. Perhaps, having the word Mars in the name is what created such curiosity. After all, space was something that interested every kid that grew up with Star Wars and Mars meant it was from space didn’t it? A name like Mars’ Cheese Castle has to be one of the most interesting names you could give a business. I also always wondered why it was called a castle. For most of my life, it never really resembled a castle to me. Well, somewhat recently, that changed. [Read more...]
This is something that not many, even from Wisconsin, might know about. You might see a few references to an electric streetcar and Kenosha. I mostly confused it with an Amtrak or Metra commuter line that might pass through the area. If you do travel through downtown Kenosha, you’ll see the tracks and possibly see [Read more...]
While definitely not a large ski hill, Crystal Ridge may be the only ski hill located in Milwaukee County. Just a minute or two south of the Southridge Mall in Greendale, it makes downhill skiing and snowboarding just a few minutes away from much of the southern part of Milwaukee County. It’s location right at the intersection of Hwy. 36 (also known as Loomis Rd) and 76th Street makes it easy to find.
Lets face it. Milwaukee is probably most famous for beer. At one time, nearly all the major beer producers were in Milwaukee. That included the largest, Pabst.
I watched a window just above this streetlamp shatter on the street
For years, the brewery buildings lay abandoned, vacant, and deteriorating. I have spent a lot of time parked in front of some of these buildings and they are impressive. In fact, I watched during a wind storm as a window was blown out of one of the buildings and the glass shattered on the road just across from where I was parked. I kind of thought that if I ever wanted to get photos of these old buildings I better start soon or they would not be around too long. However, something interesting happened to that particular building within a month. [Read more...]
One of the stores that I always liked to visit in New Glarus was Robert’s European Imports. I was shocked to find the store closed but relieved to find the same store down the street using the new name: Esther’s European Imports. My first though is that it wouldn’t be quite the same, but it turned out to be just like the old gift shop. It has the same imported gifts and the same feeling.
Esther's European Imports has a fun mix of Swiss products
That intoxicating, sweet aroma that you smell if you sniff a fresh chocolate bar up close. That is what thinking about the Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus brings to my mind. That wonderful smell of chocolate sugar is the first thing that I became aware of when I stepped inside. That smell alone is worth [Read more...]
About 35 miles north of Milwaukee on Highway 167, Holy Hill is well worth the trip. You do not need to be Catholic to appreciate making the trip. Located in Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine area, Holy Hill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a Wisconsin State Landmark. For some, it is the southeastern Wisconsin scenery that brings them. Yet, Holy Hill is a place of worship for Catholics as well as a monastery.
Fall in Door County is Beautiful
Head east from Green Bay (the home of the Green Bay Packers) for about 35 minutes along Wisconsin State Highway 57, and you’ll find yourself entering Door County. Door County occupies most of the peninsula that forms Green Bay itself. It’s the “thumb” of the Wisconsin map. The two main highways servicing Door County are Wisconsin State Highway 57 and Wisconsin State Highway 42. In fact, Hwy 57 and Hwy 42 twist around each other and meet in a couple places in Door County. Door County is a wonderful place just to drive from town to town and village either using the state highways or the county roads. Most of the county is [Read more...]
That's 10100 Jelly Belly Lane
The Jelly Belly Center is just a few minutes east of the Prime Outlets Mall Pleasant Prairie. Just a bit north of the Wisconsin-Illinois border. It is a great option to [Read more...]