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Autumn. That last splash of color before the grey blanket of winter is pulled over the landscape. The twirling, tumbling curtain of burnt umber, crimson and amber leaves announce the last hurrah of summer and whisper at the deep, bone-numbing chill to come.
I think that’s why I embrace its arrival. It straddles the seasons with its sun-kissed days and crisp, cool evenings requiring jackets from the back of the closet.
It induces us to embrace those last carefree adventures before the wolf of winter howls at our door and I find myself packing the car and heading northwards towards Wisconsin to find a kaleidoscope of sights, tastes and fun times. Here are the experiences you should have during fall in Wisconsin.
New Glarus
Fun times are certain at the annual Oktoberfest festival in rural New Glarus, Wisconsin. Founded by Swiss immigrants in 1845, New Glarus embraces its heritage. The village is a haven of 1800s architecture, continuing the traditions brought over from its sister city.
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Its downtown is a striking display of chalet-styled buildings with sloping roofs, gingerbread-carved balconies, and old-world names decorating the colorful signboards hanging from the businesses.
This village of less than 2,500 is located in south-central Wisconsin. There is always a welcoming atmosphere that permeates its streets, but never more so than Oktoberfest.
A Wisconsin Oktoberfest
We walked towards downtown from our motor inn past a parade of fiberglass cows decorated in a kaleidoscope of varieties. The cows are a celebration of its dairy heritage.
Portions of 1st Street and 5th Avenue were blocked off. Huge tents were in place, vendors had set up their booths full of wares and delicious smells permeated the air from food trucks.
Fronting the event, high above on a hill, stood the Gothic-styled steeple of the Swiss Reformed Church, as though blessing all who attend. There was a palpable sense of enthusiasm from the crowds.
Oktoberfest originated with the celebration of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghause, a mouthful to say the least. Today it’s morphed into a celebration of the change of seasons with a merry mixture of song, drink, and dance.
The Band, the Beer and Local Businesses
At one end of the tent the polka band played a lively, and slightly funky, beer-barrel polka which was my cue to head to the tent’s bar with my recently purchased souvenir stein in hand.
The village is home to the famed New Glarus Brewery and their wares were well represented. Their traditional Staghorn Octoberfest celebrates the season with a frothy, milder amber essence than most. The brewery also features beers from their main lineup including its famed Spotted Cow, a farmhouse ale.
With beer in hand, we explored the shops surrounding the square. Unique and custom-made items dominated. The Chalet Cheese Haus with all things cheese made from milk supplied by local farms. A Well Worn Story is filled with handcrafted leather and canvas bags, belts, and wallets made by a husband and wife, Tim and Morgann. Or the 134-year-old New Glarus Bakery creating its Old World breads, pastries, cookies, and specialty desserts. Delicious.
Events are numerous and run throughout the entire weekend, but the live music playing all day in the festival tent was the evident favorite. In the late afternoon they began with some traditional Oktoberfest tunes while dozens of couples in traditional lederhosen and Dirndl danced the evening away only stopping to quaff a stein or two. The best dressed attendees received prizes and recognition as king and queen.
Local Flavors
For dinner, we climb several steps high above the street to Kristi’s. Housed in a Victorian home, we enjoyed a non-traditional Oktoberfest meal of crab cakes and filets in the living room.
Afterward, we sat on the grassy grounds of the church and enjoyed the festivities well into the evening.
The following morning we breakfasted at the Fat Cat Coffee Works. Housed in an old feed mill that sits along the Sugar River State Trail, it’s a family-owned café that provides a warm embrace to the new day. A spinach and goat cheese quiche with a cup of pumpkin spice coffee, appropriate to the season, gave us a start to the day.
On our way out of town, we stopped at The New Glarus Brewery, tucked on a hill overlooking the rolling countryside.
We took a free walking tour of their brewing facility. It was quite the sight with the bottling machinery all in motion. Outside the beer garden was dotted with architecture reminiscent of Roman ruins surrounded by forests tinted with the colors of fall.
Lake Geneva
Our first morning in Wisconsin’s Lake Geneva, I stepped out onto the balcony of our room at The Geneva Inn. The chilly air enhanced the warmth of my coffee cup as I held it in both hands. I was scanning the glacial lake framed in a wreath of Sugar Maple, Beech, Aspen, Oak, and Hickory trees parading out their fall wardrobe and it’s a spectacular feast for the eyes.
The Second Deepest Lake in Wisconsin
Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpsed a rising ball of color through the trees. A hot air balloon was sailing across the lake providing its early morning passengers with a sunrise vision of the lake. I raised my cup to the occupants as they sailed past.
Geneva Lake is one of Wisconsin’s largest and deepest inland lakes and is renowned for its gorgeous aquamarine hue.
One of Geneva Lake’s attractions is the public walking path. The path is said to have originated as a trail leading from one Potawatomi village to the next; but, despite European settlements around the lake, the path has remained.
Lake Shore Path and Million Dollar Homes
What makes the Lake Shore Path so wonderful is what it allows you to see and experience. The path encircles the entire lake and is nearly 22 miles around, so most people, like us, walk just a portion of it at a time.
As we strolled along the lake through well-groomed backyards, we saw historic turn-of-the-century estates up close, occasionally interspersed with modern new homes. As long as we remained on the trail, we were invited through lakefront yards of opulent homes owned or once owned by the people behind the likes of Wrigley, Maytag, Schwinn, Morton Salt and Tito’s Vodka.
Some of the estates are valued at well over $30 million.
There is no requirement on the type of path to be maintained. Some portions are quite inviting, with smooth pavers and elaborate landscaping, while other portions are merely a dirt path.
Read More: Enjoying the Wonderland of Winter in Door County, Wisconsin
Boat Tours Give a Unique View of the Homes
If walking the path is not an option for you, Geneva Bay Boat Tours offers boat tours of varying lengths that is full of Geneva Lake history, lessons in architecture, stories behind the lake’s lavish homes and fun facts about the prominent business owners and celebrities
A unique experience only accessible by boat is Black Point Estate is a historic house museum on the lake’s highest natural point of Geneva Lake. Originally a summer residence of a Chicago beer baron, it was left to the state of Wisconsin for public enjoyment by its heirs, and it’s now recognized for its architectural significance on the National Historic Register.
Fish Creek
A vulture sailed past our heads, easily maneuvering upon the thermals with an enviable effortlessness. He briefly eyed us as if to question our presence in the rarified air of his domain. Or he was simply eyeing us as a potential meal.
We were standing atop a 60’ wooden tower, over 250’ above the bay below. All around us were stunning panoramas of old growth forests and the waters of Green Bay. I found myself spinning around trying to take it all in as my jaw hung slack from my face.
A Quaint Downtown
Fish Creek is located on Highway 42 in Door County past one of eight Door County wineries, Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market. Its main street lies at the bottom of a steep hill and is lined with the charming, white-washed Victorian storefronts that house a variety of shops and restaurants that on any given week-end can be filled with curious shoppers.
However, the crown jewel of this village of less than 900 is the Peninsula State Park. This 3,776-acre treasure is home to a century and a half old lighthouse, a sandy beach, towering bluffs, and eight miles of scenic shoreline. And, of course, it includes our towering perch from which we were enjoying the mesmerizing views.
Peninsula State Park
The new Eagle Tower opened in 2021 and is the 3rd one in this spot. The 60-foot structure places you 253 feet above the lake, with 100 steps to the top. However, the alternative winding, 850-foot ramp allows you to rise above the forest’s floor through the colorful canopy and exit above the treetops to a truly magnificent view.
Colorful Woodlands
Leaving the tower, we drove onto Skyline Road, a 3-mile long route that takes visitors over the highest points throughout the park providing excellent prominent views of the colorful woodlands and surrounding waters. Near Sven’s Bluff, we traipsed along Sky Line Trail, a 1.9 mile loop trail where the only other traffic we found were chattering squirrels who seemed perturbed by our presence.
Read More: Countdown The Top 10 in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Fish Boils: A Door County Culinary Experience
Afterward, we headed to Fish Creek for dinner. If you are so inclined, I would recommend one of the county’s famous fish boils, which are as much a theatrical spectacle as a culinary experience.
Patrons stand around a simmering caldron full of local white fish and related accoutrements, including potatoes and corn, over a wood-burning fire outside. The finale involves the boil master throwing fuel on the fire to create a giant fireball and boil-over. A unique and colorful dining experience.
Fall Festivals, striking azure lakes and breathtaking foliage all beckon you to experience fall in Wisconsin.
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