We recently took a mini vacation to Wisconsin. Not only do I
enjoy traveling to faraway places, but I also love being able to take a quick
trip to somewhere relatively nearby—like Wisconsin—and still see some
incredibly neat things! At first my travel bug daughter (the apple didn’t fall
far!) was disappointed we weren’t going somewhere farther away or more exotic,
or at least somewhere we hadn’t visited several times. However, I was
especially gratified when she told me loved the fact that we had visited three
state parks in two days—all of them with fabulous views of Lake Michigan.
We started our Wisconsin adventure by stopping at the
welcome center near Beloit, stocking up on more travel brochures than we could
possibly need on our short trip. After lunch at a quaint and friendly
small-town café, we motored toward Milwaukee, where traffic was remarkably
heavy for a Sunday. Glad to have finally made it out of the city intact, we
drove a few more miles up the road to Port Washington, a beautiful town on Lake
Michigan. For once, the weather was ideal, and while my husband looked around
Duluth Trading Company, the girls and I hung out at the marina, soaking up
lakefront scenery. From there, we continued north, stopping at one of my
all-time favorite state parks, Kohler-Andrae State
Park near Sheboygan. Not only can you swim in the water and walk along
the beautiful sandy beaches, but you can also hike among the spectacular dunes
areas. Tired after hiking and wading, we drove north to where we were staying
in Manitowoc.
The hotel was located right on the lake, with access to a
lakeside path. After dinner we took a walk and experienced the moon coming up
over the water, a spectacular fiery reddish-orange color. We ate breakfast the
next day on the patio with tables and chairs facing—you guessed it—the lake!
For a landlubber like me, being able to experience these majestic waters is a
special treat, and I don’t turn down an opportunity to soak it up as much as
possible. Leaving the hotel, we headed
northward, commenting on the awesome
bike and pedestrian trails that connected all the public beaches along the way.
We decided to venture into the Door County Peninsula. After stops at Door
Peninsula Winery and Door County Coffee, we changed our original plan and kept
going to Peninsula State Park. We did not regret our decision and experienced
more gorgeous lakeside scenery, but this time from along the skyline drive,
with views of not only the lake but also some of the tiny islands nearby.
Since we wanted to visit another one of my all-time favorite
state parks, Point Beach State Forest, we finally started southward. Though
worn out from an already busy day, we still managed to find some energy to
explore this park and spent time “just chilling” on the beach.
Since we wanted to visit another one of my all-time favorite
state parks, Point Beach State Forest, we finally started southward. Though
worn out from an already busy day, we still managed to find some energy to
explore this park and spent time “just chilling” on the beach.
The next day started for home, taking a route not only to
bypass busy weekday traffic through Milwaukee, but also to see some different
scenery. Although I was sad to head inland, I was excited to visit Horicon
Marsh. This marsh includes both state and federal portions and encompasses
32,000 acres. You can imagine the diversity of plants and animals that inhabit
this area!
Although our trip was too short, it gave us a chance to
spend some wonderful family time together
and experience new things at some of
our favorite old places. For those of you who have read any of my Nature
Station Mysteries, the characters in Freak of Nature take a trip similar
to this one, even stumbling upon a body at one of the stops. That’s one travel
experience I can do without!
