Top Things to do in Wisconsin
Top Hotels in Wisconsin
- 1. Drury Plaza Hotel Milwaukee Downtown
- 2. Hilton Garden Inn Milwaukee Downtown
- 3. Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva
- 4. Grand Geneva Resort & Spa
- 5. Hampton Inn & Suites Madison / Downtown
- 6. Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club
- 7. Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay
- 8. Radisson Hotel La Crosse
- 9. Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
- 10. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, La Crosse, WI
10 Museums in Wisconsin That You Shouldn't Miss
When you think “adventure travel” you probably think of far-flung places like Belize and Alaska—not Wisconsin. But if you’re an outdoor adventurer, you’ll find plenty of places to explore in Wisconsin. A vacation in Wisconsin can put you close to the Kettle Moraine State Forest, which has excellent biking trails. Or choose Wisconsin’s Apostle Islands—kayakers will love exploring Lake Superior’s many caves and shipwrecks.
Packers fans don’t wear those cheese-wedge hats for nothing! Foodies will love tasting as many of Wisconsin’s artisanal cheeses as possible. Either drive from cheesemaker to cheesemaker, or choose a Wisconsin vacation in a town with a good farmers’ market—then the cheesemakers bring their wares to you. And what goes better with artisanal cheese than craft beer? In Milwaukee, visit the Lakefront and Sprecher Breweries for tours and tastings.
Wisconsin Dells is a classic family vacation destination. A vacation in Wisconsin Dells will put you close to all the excitement—you’ll have to tear the kids away from the theme parks, wave pools and water parks in Wisconsin Dells!
Lake Geneva boasts clean beaches, golf, and a small-town feel that definitely appeals to city dwellers—it’s a popular getaway for residents of Chicago.
Restaurants in Wisconsin
1. EAA Aviation Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 692 reviews
Located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at the site of the world's largest aviation event (EAA AirVenture) the Museum is one of the most extensive aviation attractions in the world, a year-round destination for the entire family. Come and explore our world-class displays and galleries. Marvel at aviation innovations in our collection of more than 200 historic airplanes. Spend time in one of our four movie theaters. Take a ride in a vintage airplane at Pioneer Airport-a real working aerodrome right out of the "golden age" of aviation. Witness a piece of history in the Eagle Hangar, our tribute to World War II aviation and get "hands on" in the KidVenture Gallery, our exciting interactive gallery for kids of all ages!
Reviewed By donfey - The Villages, United States
The Museum at EAA's World Headquarters is a history, aviation buffs must see. And, the gift shop will satisfy your desire for mementos or gifts. The Experimental Aircraft Association is the best organization going for the support of private (General Aviation) pilots, and is not limited to home-built aircraft. The extensive collection of WWII bomber art is, all by itself, worth the visit!
2. Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 930 reviews
Reviewed By danielrk2015 - Prairie du Sac, United States
Even my wife and daughter enjoyed the Hall of Fame and stadium visit! The HOF is located right next to Lambeau Field and is a really high quality interactive display of Green Bay Packers history, and there's a lot of it over the past 100 years. I wanted to stay longer than the 90 minutes allowed, but there are some COVID restrictions in place to keep everyone safe. Each HOF Packer player has a display and video of his highlights. All the championship trophies are kept here. The top games and seasons are highlighted and there's a 15 minute video giving a survey of the Green Bay Packer NFL franchise and how it became owned by the fans rather than a billionaire.
3. Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 257 reviews
Reviewed By BethanyAnneB8 - Wausau, United States
I really enjoy that they get new exhibits every few months. It keeps me coming back. I’ve gone here with my boyfriend and both of our families. Well maintained and clean place to enjoy art. Could spend a short amount of time or a few hours and have a good time. Recently went to the origami exhibit, very cool!
4. Wisconsin Maritime Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 502 reviews
Welcome to a great place to learn, play and explore the rich maritime history of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum offers visitors a unique place to spend hours learning about the sailors, shipbuilders and submariners who made that history, and to have some great family fun! Founded in 1970 as the Manitowoc Submarine Memorial Association, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum has grown into one of the largest maritime museums in the Midwest. In addition to commemorating the maritime heritage of the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area and the submarines built here during World War II, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum is now a leader in preserving the maritime history of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes region.
Reviewed By Localgirl252 - Menomonee Falls, United States
Tour a WWII Gato class submarine the USS Cobia. 28 subs were built in this ship building town. The Maritime museum is a Smithsonian affiliate and is the largest maritime museum in the Midwest. Make sure you view the short video before touring the Cobia. Exhibits include ship building, ship trade on the Great Lakes, a Wisconsin built boat display, ship models, a engine room, a children’s activity room and dive sites of Lake Michigan ship wrecks. Plan 2 to 3 hours here. The Cobia has an overnight program for children and adults.
5. Northwoods Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 56 reviews
We are hibernating for the winter of of 2021. We will reopen to visitors in late spring. See you in spring and thank you for your support!
Reviewed By jennifersG3423CA
We come here often and LOVE it everytime, the are always changing things up and it’s nice to see all the kids enjoying themselves without electronics lol..plus the toys and mostly educational
6. Chazen Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 312 reviews
This art museum's impressive collection includes prints, photographs, paintings and sculptures from prehistoric times to modern day. Special exhibitions showcasing local artists take place throughout the year. The Chazen remains free, but you must book an appointment in advance to visit during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic:
Reviewed By BAR1025 - Mount Horeb, United States
They have a new cafe with wifi, treats, espresso, and gifts. It's a gift shop with benefits! I already bought a book and a few mochas. Really nice addition to a great museum!
7. Wisconsin Veterans Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 240 reviews
The Wisconsin Veterans Museum acknowledges, affirms, and commemorates the role of Wisconsin citizens from Civil War to present military history.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
In our travels from coast to coast, my wife and I love to visit art museums and history museums. In Madison, Wisconsin, we visited the Wisconsin Historical Museum, the Chazen Museum of Art and the Overture Center for the Arts. Then one of the docents at the Chazen asked: "Have you been to the Veterans Museum?" Now we have. We would have been disappointed if we had missed it. Located at 30 West Mifflin Street, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum was founded in 1901 and has been housed at this site since 1993. Dedicated to the soldiers of the state of Wisconsin, it is composed of two galleries that chronicle the history of their service in the nation's wars from the Civil War to the Persian Gulf War to the War on Terror through exhibits, videos, maps, photographs and dioramas. The 19th century gallery showcases Wisconsin's involvement in the Civil War, including a large diorama depicting the Battle of Antietam. Three Wisconsin regiments formed part of the famed Iron Brigade that fought in most of the major battles in the eastern theater, including Antietam, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville and Petersburg. In the 20th century gallery, see exhibits that illustrate Wisconsin's roles in the Mexican Border campaign, World War I and World War II and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf conflicts. Many historical firearms and three full-scale aircraft also are on display--a Sopwith Camel from WW I, a P-51 Mustang from WW II and a Huey helicopter from the Vietnam War. Even if you aren't from Wisconsin, a visit to the Wisconsin Veterans Museum is a very sobering and educational experience.
8. Circus World
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 656 reviews
Circus World in Baraboo is America's favorite circus attraction! Baraboo was home to The Ringling Bros. Circus from 1884 thru 1918, and during those thirty-four years the operation grew to become the largest circus enterprise the world has ever known. Although the Ringlings left in 1918, many of their original structures survived.During the summer months, see the world’s largest collection of glorious parade wagons plus 7 authentic Ringling Bros. buildings filled with colorful, big top memories. Experience the thrill that never grows old at Circus World!The health and safety of our customers, our employees, and our communities remains a top priority. Circus World is pleased to welcome back guests starting June 1, 2021. May all your days be circus days!
Reviewed By WIWoman53092
My husband and I had a delightful day of learning, laughs and pure enjoyment! We thoroughly enjoyed the tasteful re-creation of the old time circus atmosphere, wonderfully restored circus wagons, and the Big Top show complete with elephants and talented, devoted performers. Kids will have fun, so so did we as adults! Too many photos to share, but here are two. Thank you Circus World for our FUNDAY MONDAY.
9. Madison Children's Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 309 reviews
(Note: The museum is closed indefinitely, due to the pandemic. MCM will reopen sometime in 2021.) The Madison Children's Museum is an award-winning destination for fun family activities and hands-on learning! Visit our inventive city of Possible-opolis for ages 6 and up, and our four-season Rooftop Ramble, with animals and gardens. Kids under 5 have a place of their own in the Wildernest, a global village made with natural, local materials.There's always something new to do at Madison Children's Museum, where our mission is to connect children with their family, their community, and the world beyond through discovery learning and creative play.
Reviewed By EvergreenCOmom - Evergreen, United States
My 11, 8, and 5 year olds had a blast exploring this highly interactive and innovative children's museum. It's high candy for kids and adults alike from the moment you walk in and see the 5 and under Wildernest area on the lower level while looking straight up at the open staircase to see the older kid climbing play structure "thing" that you have to see to believe. Naturally, we went straight up to climb and slide. Great energy burner and the slide is steep/fast enough that kids don't get held up waiting to go. Next we made our way through the coops to cathedrals portion. I was fascinated! I had no idea about the history of Frank Lloyd Wright- I knew he was from Madison but I learned so much about his life and design ideas. There was everything from the types of blocks he played with as a child to a fun barn space for kids to try out building and chores to a functioning "studio" space where they can try to design a dog house with large interlocking puzzles pieces. So cool! I finally weaned my kids off this section because I was eager to check out the rooftop. For older kids the staircase is yet another helpful energy burner (up a few flights). The rooftop is beautiful and another creative place to explore, with interesting garden spaces and indoor lab space to check out beetles, turtles, and other small animals. There's also a chicken coop outside, plus a couple of small climbing structures and beautiful look out spots (especially fun for us out oft owners). The one last thing my daughter wanted to do was the giant hamster wheel back down by the climbing structure. It's a fun little novel thing to do but be prepared to wait a few minutes in line since it's open sporadically as staff are able to come and open it. I assume it's open more readily on weekends. And now a few logistics: I bought my tickets online ahead of time to see if it saved any time. For one adult & three kids it was just over $31, so not bad. It saved a few seconds when we walked in, but since there wasn't a separate line I was confused about how this would help on really crowded days. We were there on a June Tuesday afternoon. Parking was crazy easy since a street space opened up right outside the front door. I also saw multiple parking structures, so even on weekends I figure parking is not impossible. I saw that they allow you to bring food in to the cafe, which is super helpful. You can bring in food for the little ones just within the Wildernest, also helpful. Bathrooms and elevators were really easy to find once inside. I also appreciated that they had environmentally friendly features like high flow/low flow toilet flushers and hand dryers. Most of all, I appreciated the time and effort that clearly went into making this an amazing space for a wide variety of ages.
10. Milwaukee Public Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,061 reviews
Featuring more than 4.5 million objects and a variety of exciting exhibits, this is considered one of the best natural history museums in the United States.
Reviewed By marlenelovestotravel - Milwaukee, United States
MPM has an amazing collection of artifacts displayed in appropriate high quality exhibits. MPM has a variety of educational programs for all ages within the museum and at times in collaboration with sites in natural areas. The IMAX theater, book club, behind the scenes & short term special exhibits keep the facility fresh & encourages visitors to return frequently.
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