Category
Must See
Do you love architecture and being nosy? This is the dream event for you! Every September Doors Open Milwaukee, sponsored by Historic Milwaukee, lets you wander around dozens of open buildings. Some are businesses who clearly just want more foot… Continue Reading →
The Art Institute of Chicago is an institution everyone should see at least once. Just don’t expect to see it all in one day! At around a million square feet, and with 300,000 pieces, you need to carefully pick and… Continue Reading →
The S.C. Johnson Company Global Headquarters (or as everyone still calls it, S.C. Johnson Wax) is a must-see for any Frank Lloyd Wright fan. The visitor center is under the massive gold dome, left over from the World’s Fair. Johnson… Continue Reading →
The Volo Auto Museum is only part of a massive entertainment complex. The sheer amount of stuff there is staggering. Not only are there endless buildings of classic and movie cars, but a classic car sales floor, an antiques mall,… Continue Reading →
The Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville are suprisingly large and incredibly gorgeous. Wander 20 acres of what they describe as 26 separate garden areas. While you may not notice all of them, the gardens do dramatically changes from English Cottage… Continue Reading →
Fishery areas rarely hold any interest for us. Usually, they’re a small lot, then a short trail to a body of water. After driving by Six Mile Creek Fishery Area for nearly two decades, we were completely floored to find… Continue Reading →
This was one of our holy grails of locations. Not because it is hard to get to, but because the garden is only open 1 hour a day, 5 days a week. Miss the 11am tour Tue-Saturday and you’re out… Continue Reading →
This stately home has an amazing history. This massively strong and elegant home was built by one of America’s wealthiest citizens, Russell Jones, and is the basis for the term “keeping up with the Joneses.” As you view the property,… Continue Reading →
Not to be confused with Houghton Falls, MI, this wonderful preserve is an off-the-beaten track gem. Well groomed trails and wooden paths wind through piney woods, past a small waterfall, sandstone overhangs and a winding creek. The path ends on… Continue Reading →
The Chicago Botanic Garden is amazing! There’s something for every plant lover here – Japanese gardens, English cottage gardens, experimental plants, natives, edible, tropical and even artwork made of plants. With nearly 400 acres, wear comfy shoes and plan to… Continue Reading →
The weekly Saturday market on the Capital Square is a Madison institution. As the largest temporary farmers market in the Unites States, there is something for everyone. Sellers run the gamut from traditional farmers market fair (locally grown produce, cheeses,… Continue Reading →
The fantastic new Art Preserve, created by the Kohler Foundation, is a continuation and culmination of their long-running work to preserve outsider art. The JM Kohler Art Center has displayed works of outsiders for decades. The Kohler foundation has preserved… Continue Reading →
Tucked behind a collection of utilitarian buildings off Highway 42 is a lovely garden maintained by the Door County Master Gardeners. Wander through arches covered with vines, down winding paths, past a busy pond and through waves to sedges. The… Continue Reading →
Caxton Books is an inveterate reader’s fantasy bookshop. Deep, shadowy, clean, well-organized and filled with wondrous and unique books. The layout clearly follows the owner’s personal tastes. There’s a large collection of art and design in the front, mysteries and… Continue Reading →
The Ridges Sanctuary is an unique and very special piece of protected land. The woods, ridges and swales are home to a unique population of arboreal conifers, insects, mosses, pitcher plants and orchids. The network of trails is shady and… Continue Reading →
Peninsula is a perennial favorite and one we look forward to returning to again and again. There are plenty of winding, woody trails with magnificent views of the water throughout the park. But the gem we return to in the… Continue Reading →