Wisconsin Travel Guide
Fast Facts
ACTIVITIES
Fishing
Wildlife
Museum
Cycling
Market / Fair
Wildlife Park
Shows & Events
Hiking
Food & Drink
 
Things to Do
ACTIVE ADVENTURE
 
Places to Visit
ACTIVE ADVENTURE
 
 
 

Bois Brule River

 

Photo by Wisconsin Department of Tourism

A Wisconsin family vacation is all about woodland wildlife and the great outdoors. Enjoy birdwatching at a wildlife refuge. Peddle for miles both on and off-the-beaten Wisconsin biking trails. Fish for musky, walleye and bass on one or more of the state's countless inland lakes. Cast a line for king and Coho salmon, steelhead and lake trout on the open waters of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Canoe, kayak or tube thousands of miles of river. Walk or stroll forested hiking trails where, apart from the happy squeals of the kids, there is little to dull the sound of the wind. And while the wooly mammoth no longer roams the state, in Wisconsin, wildlife abounds. In winter, ice fish, cross-country ski, snow tube and sled or motorize your family adventure with a snowmobile or atv (all terrain vehicle). Check out one or more of the Wisconsin attractions from indoor waterparks to museums that offer an alternative to rain, snow and even sun. And while family travel to Wisconsin may not produce the adrenalin of a mountain holiday or emotion of a trip to the deep blue sea, it is a top destination for old-fashioned family fun.
History & Culture
 
Family travel to Wisconsin provides an opportunity to introduce the kids to the history of the state and the culture of its people. Learn more about the turning points in Wisconsin's history from early native settlers to traders and explorers. Discover Native American tribes such as the Iroquois, Potawatomi and Ojibwa that have at one time or another called Wisconsin home.
Maps
 
Maps are a great way to get the kids involved in family vacation planning. Use interactive online maps of Wisconsin to locate a city, street or attraction and plan your itinerary before you depart. Wisconsin road maps will help you find your way. Trails maps will help you plot your route whether your family's interest is birding, hiking, biking or cross-country skiing. Wisconsin lake maps can be used to find the ideal spot to fish as well as the perfect place to boat.
Books
 
Books are a great way to introduce younger children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. Discover books by notable Wisconsin authors, such as childhood favorite Laura Ingalls Wilder, and explore Wisconsin through story and literature. Get recommended reading lists for family travel to the Midwest and find age appropriate books for kids whether your interest is nature or novels.
Music & Sound
 
Local radio provides families with a bird's-eye view of life in Wisconsin. Online radio stations broadcast everything from oldies, folk and polka music to critter rescue and Wisconsin fishing reports.
News
 
Local newspapers provide insight to a family travel destination. Read Milwaukee, Madison and Eagle River based newspapers online. Brush up on local current events from politics to economics and from sports to entertainment. Find out what the locals are reading.
Kids' Stuff
 
Online resources can make learning about Wisconsin fun. Did you know that Wisconsin is nicknamed the Badger State or that this Midwest state has 7,446 rivers and streams? Do you know how a bill becomes law in Wisconsin? Can you name Wisconsin's Governor? Did you know that Jean Nicolet was the first European explorer to set foot in Wisconsin? Do you know which country he came from? Get the answers to the above and discover more Wisconsin facts.
Organizations
 
Associations and non-profit organizations can be a valuable resource as well as a means to get involved. Learn more about local organizations protecting Wisconsin's environment from its forests to its lakes and streams. Introduce school-aged children to the great outdoors via the online magazine EEK! - Environmental Education for Kids - published by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Travel Trivia
Penguins are:
Books for Kids about Wisconsin
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