Wisconsin
Wisconsin is known for its dairy, cherries, beer and football. Visit Green Bay, home of the NFL Packers football team. Spectators take pride in their hardiness, watching games in the “frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.” For a warm-weather activity, go to the field during summer’s pre-season training. At the end of practice, local kids offer their bikes to the burly players to ride across the parking lot to the locker rooms.
Packer fans call themselves “cheese-heads.” To fit in with die-hard fans, pick up an orange foam wedged hat to wear to watch your next Packer game. For a refreshing snack, purchase local cheese curds, so fresh that the cheese squeaks when you chew it.
Venture south of Green Bay to the Door Peninsula for U-pick tart cherries or freshly baked pies. The Wisconsin Dells, with striking views of Wisconsin River cliffs, has long been a summertime vacation favorite. Now it’s great for a visit at any time of year for its outdoor beauty and many year-round indoor water parks.
German immigrants originally started some of the oldest breweries in the Midwest U.S. in Milwaukee, now the largest city in Wisconsin. Tour one of these longstanding breweries or sample small-volume beers at the many new craft alehouses. This area offers sports on Lake Michigan with summer swimming and boating, as well as winter ice fishing and iceboating. You can even try curling. Cultural activities include renowned art museums, repertory theater, symphony orchestra and casino gambling.
Madison is the state capital and home of the University of Wisconsin, with some of the top college athletic teams in the country. You’ll find many ethnic restaurants and shops serving the university’s international population. Enjoy some of the more than 250 parks around the city.
Northern Wisconsin has thousands of acres of pristine wilderness, perfect for hiking, fishing, hunting and other outdoor activities. By the end of your Wisconsin visit, you’ll be singing “On Wisconsin” along with Badger fans from the University of Wisconsin.