I figured if I'm going to do a travel blog, I might as well start in my own backyard - Wisconsin's Northwoods. Commonly known as "Up North" by the thousands of tourists who flock here every summer.
​
I live on a chain of three lakes amid thousands of acres of forest...
.jpeg)
Hi, I'm Pat and welcome to my blog, Life's A Trip!
​
I love traveling, food and getting a great deal on anything - which is what this blog is about.
​
I'll share not only my travel destinations including accommodations, dining hot spots, and top (and weird!) travel attractions with you - but how to make any trip more budget friendly.
My quaint little town is all of 3 blocks long. We don't even have a traffic light. We really don't need one because apart from ourselves, the only "traffic" we get is our herd of whitetail/albino deer occasionally wandering down the middle of Main Street.
Yet in spite of our small towns up here, we have plenty to offer visitors to our area and I'll highlight some of the best to see and do in the Northwoods. But first a little history on the Northwoods...
Northern WI was settled and grew in size as a result of the logging industry.
In fact, one of the log cabins of the resort I used to own was built to house the lumberjacks of the Yawkey Bissel Lumber Company almost 100 years ago - complete with railroad ties as a foundation and newspaper stuffed in the walls as insulation.
​
What is now Slo's Pub was the steam plant and next door to Slo's is the mill pond, at the bottom of which is one of the logging train steam engines.
​We've kept our logging roots history alive. To this day you can catch Scheer's Lumberjack Show in Woodruff, featuring real lumberjacks. Some of whom have competed in the World Championships.
Because the Northwoods is so vast (Vilas Co. alone is 1,018 square miles) I'll highlight the Minocqua-Woodruff-Arbor Vitae area and the nearby towns of Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters, Eagle River, St. Germain, Lac du Flambeau, Laona (only briefly) and Sayner.
attractions
As I said, we've kept our logging history alive and well.
The Minocqua Museum houses some of our lumbering and pioneering history and if you want to take a drive, head over to Laona (75 miles) and ride the Lumberjack Steam Train and visit the Camp 5 logging museum and blacksmith shop.
Admission to the Minocqua Museum is FREE.
My little town of Boulder is noted for it's bike trail system that is part of the Vilas County Bike Trail System.
One of the best ways to explore Vilas County in Northern Wisconsin is on two wheels. The Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail offers riders more than 52 miles of paved trails that connects St. Germain, Sayner, Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters and Mercer.
This spectacular trail, recognized as a National Recreation Trail, winds through the Northern Highland American Legion Forest and along crystal clear lakes and rivers.
Along the trail are many scenic rest areas with picnic spots and restrooms. There are 20 different parking areas to choose where to start your ride. You will also find swimming spots for a quick cool down in the summer months, and walking trails if you want a break from two wheels.
There are several campgrounds along the trail as well as many motels and resorts on or easily accessible to the trail. From the Heart of Vilas Bike Trail, you can ride right up to a restaurant for a great meal or a quick snack.
The trail system features smooth pavement suitable for all types of riders - from flat-to-rolling terrain, manageable hills, and multiple scenic bridges. Bring your sense of adventure and Bike the Heart!
We actually have more bike traffic during the summer than we do car traffic. Bring your own bike or you can rent one from Coontail at the corner of Hwy. M and Main Street.
Boulder Junction is known as the "Musky Capitol of the World" because so many world class trophy musky have come from our 194 lakes.
​
We have musky, walleye, northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass. crappie, perch, bluegills, sunfish and rock bass in my lake.
​
Fishing is great year round. You can hire a guide if you wish and also participate in fishing seminars held during the year, most of them FREE..
​My nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews with their catches, most made right off the dock...
You won't find any shortage of water activities up here, with our hundreds of lakes! Swimming, boating, canoeing, kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing, tubing, windsurfing, paddleboarding...name it, you'll find it up here. We also have some beautiful beaches and waterfront parks!
For anyone staying in downtown Minocqua, Torpy Park is a tourist favorite. Park amenities include a beach, restrooms, pavilion, picnic shelters, grills and tables, tennis courts, playground, sand volleyball court, parking area, ice skating rink during the winter months. There's also a lifeguard on duty.
​
Just walk north out of downtown Minocqua, past Minocqua Brewing Company and shortly you'll see Torpy Park on your left. You can't miss it.
I'll let you in on a local secret...I used to live on Big Arbor Vitae Lake and on the north end of the lake is a fantastic park with beautiful sand beach that we locals used to picnic and hang out at - because no one was ever there! We'd have the whole park and beach to ourselves!
​
It has picnic tables, grills, and restrooms.
The Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest is a popular camping destination, and Clear Lake is one of the area's main attractions. Located east of State Highway 47, the 850-acre lake is renowned for its exceptional clarity and is a great spot for swimming, boating, and fishing.
Clear Lake's beach and campground is situated on the southwestern corner of the lake and offers visitors a large sandy beach with a designated swimming area.
Brandy Lake Beach
Brandy Park in Arbor Vitae (north of State Highway 47 and west of U.S. Highway 51) sits on the southern shore of 113-acre Brandy Lake. In addition to a sandy swimming beach with a pier, the park has two sand volleyball courts, baseball fields, a disc golf course, playground equipment, a changing house and restroom facilities, and a shoreline picnic area with tables and grills.
​
Buffalo Lake
Another popular camping destination in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest is Buffalo Lake, located off County Highway J east of Woodruff. With a 50-site campground and a beautiful sandy beach on the eastern edge of the lake, visitors can enjoy a tranquil beach day as well as great pan fishing. Note that a Wisconsin State Park System vehicle admission sticker is required for vehicles that park in the state forest.
​
Lake Katherine
Lake Katherine is a gorgeous swimming lake in Hazelhurst. The picturesque lake is extremely clear and the beach is a peaceful spot for a family-friendly beach day. The lake is easy to access, just a short distance off Hwy 51 and has restrooms, grills, tables, and play area as well.
And if you're into water parks, the Waters on Hwy. 51 has a great indoor water park for the kids.
Boulder is surrounded by state forest so there's plenty of camping opportunities both here and in the surrounding area. (Crystal Lake is my personal favorite)
Campanile Center in Minocqua offers live theater performances and concerts that are really entertaining and very professionally done. They also offer arts education programs, have art exhibitions and a dance studio.
Ticket sales are handled through the Campanile administrative office next to the auditorium. The lobby & auditorium open 1 hour before the event. All shows are general admission. Advance ticket prices end the day before the event. Prices on the day of the show and at the door are higher. Save yourself a few bucks and don't buy tickets online! Go to the administrative office before the show!
Tickets run between $15 and $42, depending on where you want to sit. I've always purchased the $15 tickets and never had any problem seeing the show.
Lakeland Theater in Woodruff is our movie theater that features 7 different movies in 7 theaters. If you go on a Tuesday, all seats for all shows are $5 the entire day.
You can purchase tickets online if you wish.
If horseback riding is your thing, there's Grassy Creek Ranch right here in Boulder Junction. They take groups of 2-6 riders and assign horses based on your riding ability. Reservations by PHONE ONLY are required.
​
Rock Falls is only about 15 minutes away in Arbor Vitae on Hwy. 70 East. They also have mini golf and go karts.
Quite a few of the towns in my area have FREE water ski shows. The two I'd recommend are the Min-Aqua Bats, the world's longest running water ski show, held in Minocqua.
These are high school age kids skiing!
​
Shows are held every Sunday, Wednesday & Friday @ 7 p.m. all summer long.
The other show I'd recommend is the Manitowish Waters Skiing Skeeters. Shows are held in Rest Lake Park on Wednesday and Saturday @ 7 p.m. June through mid August. Also FREE to attend.
For you golfers, plenty of courses to choose from up here.
TROUT LAKE GOLF CLUB is right down the road from me on Hwy. 51 North.
ST. GERMAIN GOLF COURSE is in, where else? St. Germain. The 19th Hole Sports Bar & Grill is just a short distance away, with an ice cream shop next door.
PLUM LAKE GOLF CLUB is a 9 hole course located in nearby Sayner. It was voted the Best 9 Hole Course in WI.
In Minocqua, there's Timber Ridge Golf Club.
Boulder Junction just finished building a brand new sports and recreation park that's just fantastic!
Tennis and Pickleball courts, basketball court, baseball diamond, skateboarding park and a phenomenal large playground for kids - complete with zip line! Admission is FREE.
My great nieces and nephews love that place!
If you're heading into Boulder on Hwy. M the park will be on your right. If you hit the Community Center you've gone just a tad too far. Look for the baseball diamond.
Northwood Zipline Adventure Tours is a blast! They'll even customize activities for you and your group and there's 3 adventures to choose from. Great fun for adults and kids alike.
Reservations are required.
​
​If it's shopping you're into, check out downtown Minocqua, especially Gaslight Square Shoppes. It's my fave spot downtown because it's like walking old fashioned brick paved streets of a bygone era. The shops reflect that same atmosphere.
If you're into antiques and vintage stuff, then head upstairs to the second floor. There's a HUGE array of booths full of antique and vintage items. I've often spent a half day up there, just browsing.
Another place in Minocqua you want to make sure to visit is Dan's Minocqua Fudge. (To die for!)
You can even watch them making the fudge through the front window of the shop.
Dan's also has just about any kind of candy you can think of as well as a small 1950's style soda fountain at the rear of the store.
​
The other store you might want to check out is the Cheeseboard.
The Cheeseboard offers a huge selection of cheeses, meats and other goodies like Wisconsin maple syrup, maple mustard, fudge, cheese spreads and more.
The Cheeseboard is located on Hwy. 51 just past Savemore Foods if you're heading north on Hwy. 51.
It will be on your right.
Heading up toward Manitowish Waters...
​
How many of you know the Northwoods was often frequented by 1930's gangsters like Al Capone and the John Dillinger gang? (Al even had a home up here).
If you head up Hwy. 51 North toward Manitowish Waters, you'll see a sign for Little Bohemia Lodge on your left.
This was the site of the famous shoot out between the FBI and the John Dillinger gang. Part of the movie Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp was also shot there.
It's now a supper club with bar but the owners have kept all of Dillinger's belongings left behind, his room is just as it was when he stayed there and the bullet holes are still in the walls and windows.
It's kind of interesting just to stop by for a drink or to have dinner and look around.
​
My neighbor's grandmother, Fern was Dillinger's favorite waitress at Little Bohemia. She said he was always very polite and he tipped her $100 each time she waited on him - lots of money in those days but then I guess if you rob banks for living you can afford it.​
​
A big hit up here is Bingo – Manitowish Waters Lions Club on Monday nights, held at the Manitowish Waters Community Center.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and it's best to get there early as the hall fills up fast and at times, they've had to turn people away due to fire capacity of the hall.
​
Games cost $15 for a full set
of sheets that covers every game played. However, you can buy less expensive half sheets for kids or if you want to play less cards. The Lionesses make homemade desserts, burgers, hot dogs, brats and other goodies for sale to eat. The Bingo game starts at 7 p.m.
​The other Lion's Club event you don't want to miss is their annual pork chop dinner! TO DIE FOR!
Best dang pork chops you'll ever eat! They use some expensive rub they get out-of-state and grill the chops over an open flame. You can order 1 or 2 chops and your meal will include a baked potato, salad bar of homemade salads, roll and butter and choice of homemade desserts. $15 if you order 1 pork chop.
Drink tickets are available for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
​The pork chop dinner is also held at the Manitowish Waters Community Center but in the enclosed pavilion beside the Community Center. They start selling dinners at 5 p.m. and again, get there early!
Clean restrooms are right next door and a beautiful playground right in front of the pavilion will keep kids entertained.
If you have little ones, it would be worth your time to take a drive over to nearby Eagle River and visit Tthe Children's Museum. Discovery learning and creative play through 26 different exhibits. It’s how children learn about themselves and the world. It’s also the thought behind every NCM exhibit. Layered on top of that are cool colors, great sounds, custom contraptions, green environments, hundreds of activities, and a staff that’s dedicated to making the most of every child’s visit.
Admission is $9 per person regardless of age.
​
Discounts available via:
Museums For All
Just show your active EBT card with photo ID and the card holder plus three family members can get free admission to the museum for the day! Additional family members of the same household receive just $3.00 admission.
Vacation Passes
Great for large families visiting the area. Coupons are transferable and do not expire.
-
10 admission coupons for just $80
The Northwoods Children's Museum is located at 346 W Division St, Eagle River.
​
If you're in the Northwoods from August 7th through August 10th, head over to the Vilas County Fairgrounds for the Vilas County Fair.
Rides, concessions, livestock judging, horse show, tractor pull, exhibits, live entertainment, kids games...the Vilas Co. Fair has them all and then some.
No gate admission but there are $25-$30 wristband nights that provide unlimited rides. Parking is $7.
​
Our abundant wildlife is one of the big draws of the Northwoods. One of the most popular attractions in the Minocqua area is Wildwood Wildlife Park - home to over 1,700 animals and 229 species!
There's a petting zoo, you can feed some of the animals and birds, there's a safari tram, a kiddie train, adventure paddle boats, a Koi/Trout pond, educational center and gift shop.
What's great about Wildwood is that some non dangerous animals roam free while the 'caged' more dangerous animals don't LOOK like they're in typical zoo cages. They use Suncatcher cages.
The park is extremely clean and the animals very well cared for.
I took my nieces and nephews there and now they've taken their kids there. Kids love the place.
10094 Highway 70 West, Minocqua, WI
Northwoods Wildlife Center is a rehab facility for our sick, injured and/or orphaned wildlife. Northwoods Wildlife Center provides the wildlife of the Northwoods with rescue, rehabilitation, and release services, covering roughly 25% of the state.
As one of the most established wildlife rehabilitation centers in Northern Wisconsin, they admit 600-700 animals a year in need of medical treatment and care.
​
Their wildlife rehabilitators are licensed through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to provide professional care for over 100 species of
Wisconsin wildlife. As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, they receive no government funding. All funding is provided through their members, sponsorships, and generous donations made by the public.
​
I was really impressed with the Center. Interns and staff take so much care in not imprinting with the animals so that they can successfully be released back into the wild whenever possible.
Call ahead to arrange a tour...you'll find the center really interesting! Phone: (715) 356-7400
The Center is located across from Trig's grocery store, right off Hwy. 70 on Blumenstein Rd. in Minocqua. You can clearly see it to the left if you're at the stoplight on Hwy. 70.
​
Up for a pirate adventure? Head over to Eagle River's Pirates Hideaway!
Cruise the Eagle River chain on a pirate ship! In addition to offering pirate ship cruises on the largest inland chain of freshwater lakes in the world, this lakeside attraction includes an ice cream shop, gift shop, & tiki bar with live entertainment! A visit to Pirates Hideaway affords your friends and family the opportunity to relax & play by the lake while taking advantage of their many lakeside services.
Those are the best things to see and do in Minocqua and the surrounding area.
We also have many festivals and events throughout the summer, especially. Check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Visitor's Center of the town you're visiting for more information on such events.
​
On with dining on the next page...