Fun Travels Across the United States
WISCONSIN
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NEWS
Funjet Vacations Has Lots of Good Vacation Packages for the Holidays
Olbrich Botanical Gardens has lots on tap
Wisconsin Dells Is A Happening Place Every Season. (
Native American Casinos in Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Native American casinos offer visitors Vegas-style gaming – but that is just the beginning. Many of these state of the art facilities have “upped the ante” by adding attached hotels or resorts, live performance venues, gourmet restaurants and even meeting and convention facilities. With its urban location, expansive gaming floor and Vegas-style cabaret theater, its not surprising that Milwaukee’s Potawatomi Bingo Casino (1-800-PAYSBIG; www.paysbig.com) is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the state, drawing nearly four million visitors per year. The casino offers an 80,000 square-foot gaming floor, including table games such as poker, blackjack, craps and roulette, as well as more than 1,600 slot machines, a separate bingo hall and the non-smoking Sky Lodge gaming area. In the casino’s Northern Lights Theater, visitors can see some of America’s most popular contemporary musicians and comedians including acts like Lily Tomlin, Bonnie Raitt, David Lee Roth and Natalie Cole, along with impersonators, and holiday specials. Potawatomi Bingo Casino also features a Vegas-style sports book area, The Fire Pit Sports Bar & Grill, as well as one of the state’s only four-star, four-diamond restaurants, Dream Dance. Dream Dance offers upscale dining featuring 100 percent true Japanese Kobe beef, Maine lobster and the restaurant’s own farm-raised venison – not to mention a 500-bottle, retail-priced wine list. For a Vegas-style, all-you-can-eat feast, The Buffet offers the best of American and ethnic cuisine.
Las Vegas-style revues and country stars such as Dwight Yoakam draw a wide range of audiences to the newly remodeled Ho-Chunk Casino (for information, call 1-800-746-2486, or check web site www.ho-chunk.com) in Baraboo, just outside of Wisconsin Dells. The Wo-Zha-Wa Sports Bar and Grille serves up traditional bar fare along with daily live music acts, while the gourmet Copper Oak restaurant offers a full range of delicacies and wines for every course. Guests can wake up to the family-friendly Sun Rise Café for hearty breakfasts (as well as standard sandwiches and salad fare all day) or indulge their appetites at The Stand Rock Buffet, which features weekly seafood and prime rib nights. The Ho-Chunk Casino complex, which features the state’s largest gaming floor, also includes a 300-room attached hotel with multiple meeting rooms, as well as The Wellness Center, a tribal-owned facility that operates as a combination private fitness center and medical facility.
Chart-topping acts like Aretha Franklin, Sawyer Brown and the Brian Setzer Orchestra headline the Oneida Casino (For information, call 1-800-238-4263, or check web site www.OneidaBingoAndCasino.net) in Green Bay. Located on the main gaming floor, the Casino Lounge offers a variety of country, rock and blues shows free of charge. Oneida Casino also offers two restaurants, the Standing Stone Buffet and the Pine Tree Grille.
A natural playground awaits guests at the Lake of the Torches Resort Casino (For information, call 1-800-25-TORCH, or check web site www.lakeofthetorches.com) in Lac du Flambeau. Set on the shores of a 10-lake chain, the casino attracts anglers in search of muskie and walleye as well as paddlers who canoe and kayak the silvery waters to the calls of the loons. Inside, the Eagles Nest restaurant serves up fish frys every day of the week, while the daily buffet features “Big City Brunches,” a Sunday special, and weekly seafood nights. Lake of the Torches also features the Woodland Oasis water recreation area, which has a 19-person hot tub and a kiddie pool. The resort’s theater hosts regional and national musical acts throughout the year. During the summer months, the resort holds outdoor concerts by the lake.
The Menominee Casino-Bingo-Hotel (For information, call 1-800-343-7778, or check web site www.menomineecasinoresort.com) in Keshena, hosts free live music every Wednesday through Saturday. The casino also offers The Forest Island Restaurant, which specializes in Native American cuisine. Visitors can embrace the Native American spirit in the Five Clan Gift and Smoke Shop.
At the St. Croix Casino and Hotel (For information, call 1-800-U-GO-U-WIN, or check web site www.stcroixcasino.com) in northwestern Wisconsin, complimentary live entertainment is offered every Friday and Saturday night. These free concerts, along with special events like onsite pow-wows, add variety to the already wide range of gaming opportunities at the casino. For an elegant, full-service dining experience, visitors can try an authentic Native American meal in the Me-Ki-Noc Restaurant. If visitors are looking for something more low-key they can partake in the TLC Buffet.
The Mohican North Star Casino (For information, call 1-800-775-CASINO, or check web site www.mohicannorthstar.com) in Bowler, offers entertainment by major national and regional acts. At Bayfield’s Isle Vista Casino (For information, call 1-800-226-8478, or check web site www.islevistacasino.net) the entertainment is strictly local: its popular Thursday night karaoke provides visitors with alternatives to traditional gaming. The Isla Vista Lounge also hosts occasional live musicians on weekends.
Native American fare tops the menu at Café Manoomin at Mole Lake Casino
(For information, call 1-800-236-WINN, or check web site www.molelake.com). Guests can dine on venison chili, try Indian tacos served on homemade fry bread, a tribal tradition, or sample manoomin (also known as wild rice). Local musical groups and celebrity impersonators also provide entertaining and often humorous reasons to leave the bingo halls or slot machines.
The Rainbow Casino (For information call 1-800-782-4560, or check web site www.rbcwin.com) located in Nekoosa offers over 650 reel games, progressives, video poker and jumbo games. Located on site is the Rainbow Grille & Banquet Center which can accommodate up to 250 people. Along with its casual dining atmosphere, the Center also offers a fine selection of steaks, seafood, salads, appetizers, Wisconsin cheese soup and other delectable entrees as well as a full service bar. Visitors can also take pleasure in a mid-day or late-night snack from the snack bar, without interrupting their winning streak. This quick-stop offers a variety of tasty sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts.
In northeastern Wisconsin, Carter’s Potawatomi Bingo Northern Lights Casino (For information, call 715/473-2021, or check web site www.cartercasino.com) offers live poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, wide-area progressives, video poker and bingo. Visitors looking to spend the night can stay at the Indian Springs Lodge and Restaurant located adjacent to the casino. The Northern Lights Casino is also home to the Fire Keeper Café and a convenience store located across the road with native tobacco products and groceries.
Just outside Madison, DeJope Gaming (for information, call 1-888-248-1777, or check web site www.dejope.com) offers class II slot machines. The casino also hosts a daily buffet from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. which features a traditional Wisconsin Friday night fish fry.
Nestled in Wisconsin's beautiful Lake Superior region, Bad River Lodge & Casino (For information, call 1-800-795-7121, or check web site www.badriver.com) features big-city casino action while offering all the comforts of home. The lodge is attached to the casino and is equipped with 50 rooms of standard double queen, king and Jacuzzi suites and is also handicap equipped. The casino’s Manomin Restaurant offers an array of ethnic foods, while its Gitchee Gumee Convention Center can seat up to 500 for banquets and 750 for theater-style occasions.
Hole in the Wall Casino and Hotel (For information, call 1-800-BET-U-WIN, or check web site www.stcroixcasino.com/HoleInTheWall) in Danbury, offers everything from sandwiches to steaks in the Loose Change Café. Guests can also satisfy their taste buds in the Hole in the Wall Saloon or the Happy Snapper Bar which serves drinks and snacks to those in the gaming room. The Hole in the Wall Hotel features 46 double queen rooms, a video arcade, a hospitality center, indoor pool and a Jacuzzi room.
Located in beautiful Jackson County Forest near Black River Falls, Majestic Pines Casino (For information, call 1-800-657-4621, or check web site www.mpcwin.com) offers a range of gaming opportunities as well as a popular snack bar and the Majestic Pines Buffet, which is open seven days a week.
Weekly Wisconsin snow conditions reports and free travel-planning guides, including the Wisconsin 2008 Winter Event & Recreation Guide, are available by visiting travelwisconsin.com or calling the Wisconsin Department of Tourism at 1-800-432-TRIP/8747. Travelers can also obtain free guides and information at the Wisconsin Welcome Centers, located in select state-border cities.
EAGLE RIVER
Wild Eagle Lodge
Located at Eagle River, Wild Eagle Lodge is a place I can return to again and again because it's so enjoyable -- as well as being the largest resort along the river's chain of 28 lakes. Standing along the bays of duck and Lynx Lake, the accommodations are deluxe and there's lots to do here. Relax and watch the boats going by; try to catch a tasty fish for dinner; rent a motor boat, canoe, kayak or waterbike; swim off the private sand beach; splash around in the protected cove-like area with the kids; play tennis or basketball; or spend time with your spouse while the children engage in a variety of fun programs at "Camp Run-a-Muk."
Three nights a week, you can take the free ferry ride to nearby restaurants, or simply soak in the hot tub or sit in the sauna.
Or, stay in your luxury unit in one of four buildings along Duck Lake, have concierge service for whatever you desire; rent a DVD; grill a steak on the gas grill; or stretch out and read a good book.
Lodge Homes include:
Fireplace; large living room; fully equipped kitchen; two full bathrooms; two T.V's with DVD/VCR; Whirlpool (optional); Deck or Patio with Grill; 14' Rowboat or Dockage Space.
Resort Amenties Include:
Indoor Pool; "Geyser" pool; Whirlpool; Sauna; Massage Center; Exercise Room; Arcade; Kid's Playground; Basketball/Tennis; Kid's Activities Program; Boats, Canoes & Kayaks; Pontoons; Paddle-Bikes; Docks; On-Site Boat Launch; Private Sand Beach; Campfire Pits; and Bicycles are available.
The resort also accommodates meetings, conferences, or special occasions at the Lodge, with an outdoor tent ready to accommodate up to 400 guests. Don't feel like cooking? Go down to The Lounge and order a pizza, sandwich or a drink.
For more information, check web site www.wildeaglelodge.com; for reservations call 1-877-945-3965. The Resort is located one mile north of Eagle River on Highway 45. From Highway 45 north turn east on Chain O' Lakes Road. Wild Eagle Lodge is 1/4 mile east on the right side of the road.
GREEN BAY
More soon
JOHNSON CREEK
Milford Hills Hunt Club
If you want to hunt or try a couple rounds of sporting clays, this is the place to be.
Located at W5670 French Road, Johnson Creek, Wisconsin between Madison and Milwaukee, it has phenomenal facilities -- a 4300 square foot clubhouse with a fieldstone fireplace, hickory floor and soaring pine ceiling overlooking the picturesque countryside of Jefferson County; shotgun rentals, and lots of events. These include:
Europen Pheasant Shoots
Chukar Tournaments
Fly Fishing Seminars
Shooting Instruction
A Special Lobster Boil Dinner
Hayrides, sleigh rides, fishing and bonfires
PLUS Sporting Clays, a Wobble Trap, fully Automatic Traps, Five Stand, and golf carts for getting around. The fully automatic Sporting Clay Course consists of 8-14 stations encircling a pond, four towers and varied terrain. It's challenging and addicting!
Warm up with a round of 50 targets before your hunt. Sporting Clays also makes for a great corporate outing, and if you crave competition, join Milford Hills summer and winter Sporting Clays Leagues. Shooting instruction is available for the beginners or advanced.
For details, contact the club at W5670 French Road, Johnson Creek, WI; 920-699-2249, or check web site www.milfordhills.com..
MADISON
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is owned and operated by the City of Madison Parks Division in partnership with the Olbrich Botanical Society. It is located in Madison, Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Monona at 3330 Atwood Avenue. For membership information call 608-246-4724. For more information call 608-246-4550 or visit www.olbrich.org.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is owned and operated by the City of Madison Parks Division in partnership with the Olbrich Botanical Society.
Events
Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros
Get the same great plants grown at Olbrich Botanical Gardens and expert advice from area professionals at Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros. Visit Olbrich’s Pro Potting Bench for free container design and planting services. New in 2011 - refresh a lack-luster garden area at the new Inspiration Station. Local landscape architects will sketch out garden designs on the spot using your photos and feedback. Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros features everything from annuals and perennials to ornamental grasses and shrubs. Olbrich’s staff carefully chooses unique plants that grow best in this climate. Find the newest, hardiest, disease-resistant cultivars on the market. Local gardening experts, master gardeners and Olbrich’s horticulturists will be available to answer questions. Proceeds from the sale benefit Olbrich Botanical Gardens. For more information, visit Olbrich’s website at www.olbrich.org or call 608-246-4550.
Admission is $1 for the general public. Admission is always free for Olbrich Botanical Society members and children 5 and under, and is free for everyone on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Visit www.olbrich.org or call 608-246-4550.
Ongoing:
Mondays 5:30 – 6:45 p.m. OR Thursdays 7:30 – 8:45 a.m.
Yoga in the Gardens
Held inside the tropical Conservatory or outdoor gardens when possible. The cost is $12 per class, no registration required. Visit www.olbrich.org or call 608-246-4550.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is operated as a public-private partnership between the City of Madison Parks Division and the Olbrich Botanical Society.
Garden Answer Service
Do you have spots on your tomatoes, critters eating your blooms, or want to know about native plants for rain gardens? Have your problems solved by the Garden Answer Service at Olbrich Botanical Gardens every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m., during June, July, and August. A trained garden resource volunteer will be ready in Olbrich’s Schumacher Library to provide one-on-one assistance. Inquiries can range from choosing good plants for your yard’s conditions, to landscaping design options, to learning some of the basic gardening how-tos. There is one problem the Library resource volunteers can’t tackle: Please don’t bring diseased or infested plant materials to Olbrich. Questions can also be phoned in at 608-246-5805 or e-mailed to ljacobson@cityofmadison.com. The library is open to the public for reference. Olbrich members may check out materials..
Olbrich’s Plant Sale with the Pros
Growing Gifts Shop Sale
Find the perfect gift for the gardening enthusiast on your holiday shopping list at the Growing Gifts Shop Annual Holiday Sale at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. During this once-a year-sale, the general public receives 10 percent off all purchases, and Olbrich Botanical Society members receive 20 percent off purchases. Olbrich’s Growing Gifts shop specializes in unique garden-themed items for the whole family. Choose from a variety of gardening books, decorative dinnerware, stationery, jewelry, and gifts for the home. Proceeds benefit Olbrich Botanical Gardens. To become a member call 608-246-4724 or visit www.olbrich.org.
For more information call 608-246-4550. Olbrich Botanical Gardens is located in Madison, Wisconsin on the shore of Lake Monona at 3330 Atwood Avenue. Visit Olbrich's website at www.olbrich.org.
MILWAUKEE
The winter’s first snows have Americans feeling the travel bug, but the impending holidays mean schedules are increasingly hectic. Funjet Vacations, a leading provider of vacation packages, has made it even easier to find the best deals by redesigning their website at Funjet.com, along with introducing special offers for holiday and last-minute travel with the “Funjet Away for the Holidays Sale.”
Funjet launches the “Funjet Away for the Holidays Sale” for travelers looking for getaways from December 18, 2011 through January 3, 2012. Offers include reduced rates at select hotels in Mexico, the Caribbean and Las Vegas. Free night deals are also available in Hawaii and Orlando. Plus, many resorts are offering spa credits, kids stay free offers and discounts on golf, to give consumers a variety of offers no matter where they wish to visit.
Harley-Davidson Museum™ Opens
The one-of-a-kind Harley-Davidson Museum™, located in Milwaukee, has 130,000-square-feet and adds a whole new dimension to the Harley-Davidson experience and gives visitors a feel for the freedom, camaraderie and pride that Harley-Davidson riders experience every time they fire up their motorcycles. Exhibits inside tell the stories of the extraordinary people, culture, products and history of Harley-Davidson.
The experience is not limited to inside the Museum’s walls. Museum attendees and the general public can walk around the Museum’s 20-acre park-like grounds and enjoy the festivities, including a custom bike-build, tattoo artist and live music. To curb any hunger, both the Museum Restaurant and Cafe will be serving up classic American fare with Harley-Davidson attitude. The Museum grounds are open to the public 24-hours a day, and all are welcome to visit the retail store or dine at the Museum’s Restaurant or Cafe without attending the Museum.
The backdrop of the Museum buildings, motorcycles and exhibits creates a spectacular event space that can be customized for any special event, not just our Grand Opening celebration. Five meeting rooms provide intimate gathering options, while spaces inside the Museum and Archives buildings have breathing room for up to 1,050 people. Outdoors the sky is almost the limit, as the grounds can accommodate 15,000 people.
To learn more about the Harley-Davidson Museum and its Grand Opening festivities, visit www.h-dmuseum.com.
A Growing Taste for Culinary Travel in Milwaukee - Food Tours and More
Spice up your next trip to Milwaukee by experiencing a walking food tour which explores historic neighborhoods and offers samplings from some of the city's most delicious ethnic restaurants and specialty shops. Milwaukee Food Tours are guided, low-impact, 2.5 hour walking tours featuring Milwaukee's German and Italian heritage. Participants will learn about Milwaukee's rich history and architecture as well as enjoy sampling ten delicious tastings from Italian bakeries, meat shops, pizzerias, German eateries, cheese and sausage makers and breweries along the way.
Visit www.MilwaukeeFoodTours.com for complete details, pricing, to purchase gift certificates or to schedule a walking tour. To learn more about booking a private group tour, contact Theresa@MilwaukeeFoodTours.com.
Culinary tourism is the hottest niche market to emerge within the tourism industry in years, creating unique and memorable food experiences for visitors of all ages.
WISCONSIN DELLS
Kalahari Resort Celebrates Over 10 Years of Vacation Adventures
There’s a decade of fun brewing at Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Having hosted more than 10 million visitors since opening in May 2000, Kalahari is gearing up to capitalize on the trend of travelers taking drive-to regional getaways versus fly-to vacations this summer. In addition to introducing a new cast of characters, a new hip-hop theme song and special on-site 10-year celebration activities, summer at Kalahari Resort will bring unique packages and deals.
Kalahari, which first opened as a 100-room hotel with a 60,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, is now home to a 756-room convention/waterpark/theme park complex. The resort expansions began in 2002, when the company doubled the size of its indoor waterpark and added major attractions such as the region’s first Master Blaster water coaster. In 2004, Kalahari was first in the U.S. to install the FlowRider, a simulated surfing ride, in its indoor waterpark. And more recently, the resort completed an Indoor Theme Park complete with an indoor Ferris wheel, go-cart tracks and climbing wall. Over the last 10 years Kalahari Resort has invested more than $129 million into resort expansion projects.
For packag details , go to www.KalahariResorts.com.
Wisconsin Dells Is A Happening Place in the Fall, too.
Golf courses in the area including Wild Rock Golf Club, Trappers Turn and Cold Water Canyon Golf Course, have just posted fall specials. And the Ducks, jet boats and tour boats are all running on the Wisconsin River, while the Mid-Continent Railway Museum train is tooling through the countryside.
For more getaway ideas, visit the official web site for the area, www.wisdells.com. The Visitor & Convention Bureau's toll-free number is 1-800-223-3557, and their visitor-
friendly building is located at 701 Superior Street.
For those who are really into leaf peeping, hop aboard a WWII amphibious tour vehicle known as a Duck, a jet boat, or a tour boat and see the sights along the Wisconsin River that made Wisconsin Dells famous. On land, there's the Lost Canyon Tours horse-drawn wagon tours that take you through the narrowest of passes, and the Mid-Continent Railway Museum train with its restored turn-of-the-century coaches that meanders through the wide-open countryside.
As for the waterparks, this is a great time for parents with little ones not yet in school to get away to a resort geared just for them. Consider an overnight at Great Wolf Lodge, Copa Cabana Resort Hotel & Suites, Wintergreen Resort & Conference Center, or the Polynesian Resort Hotel & Suites to name just a few. For grade-schoolers and high-schoolers, a popular time to play in the Dells is during teachers' convention break, typically scheduled during the second half of October. With more than 15 indoor waterparks in just over 15 square miles, it's no wonder the area has gained international fame as "The Waterpark Capital of the World!®"
Detailed listings of seasonal packages and specials, all with a nod to keeping
the "value" in "vacation," plus all of the area's accommodations, activities,
restaurants and shopping can be found at www.wisdells.com.
Kampgrounds of America (KOA)
Kampgrounds of America (KOA) says that according to Native American legend, the 15-mile stretch of towering rock formations known as the Wisconsin Dells was created by a giant serpent, which dug 150 feet down through the sandstone to create the majestic rock formations. Scientists attribute the dells to thousands of years of erosion by glacial waters.
The area is also known for another unique attraction: original Wisconsin Ducks. This variety doesn't come with feathers, feet and beaks--the circa WWII amphibious vehicles are entirely mechanical in nature and offer an unusual means to tour the dells in anything but sedate manner.
Circus fans can take a short drive to Baraboo for a tour of Circus World Museum. The location is appropriate, as the Ringling Brothers' Circus began in Baraboo in 1884, and the town served as the circus' s winter quarters until it merged with the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1914. The museum offers historical circus exhibits and features live performances during the summer months.
If the outdoors and architecture are more your style, a visit to Mirror Lake State Park is in order. The park, near the town of Lake Delton, is the location of the restored Seth Peterson Cottage, a wood and glass structure designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Rocky Arbor State Park, just north of the Dells, offers additional opportunities for hikers and photographers.
Once you've had a first-hand view of the area's many natural wonders, take a second look through the 'eyes' of H.H. Bennett. The town of Wisconsin Dells offers an exhibit of work by the local photographer who first brought attention to the dells' scenic beauty with his dramatic images and stop-action photographs.
Explore the Wisconsin Dells and surrounding attractions from your base camp at Wisconsin Dells KOA, located just off I-90/94 (or choose one of many hotels and motels). The ampground is conveniently located near water parks, boat tours and country music shows, and is just a short drive from Baraboo.