Roadtrip Northeastern

Designated a “Wetland of International Importance” by the Ramsar Convention of the United Nations, Horicon Marsh is a 33,000-acre wetland carved out by a glacier thousands of years ago. It features over 5 miles of hiking trails, a paddle trail, a wetland boardwalk and an education and visitor center. Bald eagles, great blue herons, black terns and more can be spotted here.

The Lakeshore Birding Area stretches along Lake Michigan in Manitowoc. It includes a facility that holds excavated material from harbor dredging, where many migratory birds like to stop on their journeys. More than 300 species of birds have been recorded in the area, including migratory birds, waterfowl, songbirds and shorebirds.

At the Wild Wolf River north of Shawano, the Menominee Logging Museum offers the largest and most complete museum of its kind in America. The museum’s seven log buildings and tens of thousands of artifacts tell about the tribe’s — and Wisconsin’s — history with logging. The museum is open May through October.

The George W. Brown, Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center in the heart of the Lac du Flambeau reservation celebrates the history of the tribe through cultural programs, exhibits and seasonal workshops. Among the attractions is the largest sturgeon known to be caught by spear in the world, clocking in at more than 7 feet long and nearly 200 pounds.

The 145-mile Nicolet-Wolf River Scenic Byway cuts through land close to both the Lac du Flambeau and Mole Lake reservations. The byway contains stops for hiking, camping, bird feeding and more. At the Forest Pond Campground, visitors can camp and pick wild raspberries, blueberries and strawberries when in season.

Southwest of Green Bay, the Oneida Nation Farm raises a variety of crops and Oneida Black Angus meat on more than 6,000 acres rented from the tribe. But the farm’s buffalo herd is an attraction unto itself. The tribe built an overlook with an observation deck to observe the 150-buffalo herd. The overlook is open year-round, but visitors should arrive early in the day to have the best chance of seeing the buffalo grazing during the summer months.

Pick up the perfect summer read during your Door County vacation. Novel Bay Booksellers is a woman-owned store located in the heart of Sturgeon Bay.

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are the High-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. If you want to see what a future major leaguer looks like, this is the team for you. The Timber Rattlers have several promotion nights during the summer, including a one-night-only promotion in July that will transform the team into the “Wisconsin Frozen Pizzas.” Go to a game on a Friday night if you want to see a post-game fireworks show!

This remote location in a cove on the north side of Washington Island is a unique beach made of polished limestone rocks, a deposit of the Niagara Escarpment.

High Cliff State Park overlooks Lake Winnebago, the state’s largest inland lake at more than 130,000 acres. The park is named for its limestone cliff that parallels the lake’s eastern shore. High Cliff offers hiking, camping and water recreation. It features four developed boat launches, and an undeveloped launch for kiteboarders, windsurfers and paddlers. The park also includes a swim area and bath house with showers and flushing toilets.

This Door County park is among the state’s most remote. Accessible only by ferry (or your own boat) and with no cars allowed, some people swear it’s even darker at night than the nearby Newport, a certified Dark Sky park! The historic Pottawatomie Lighthouse has stood since before Wisconsin became a state and is open for daily tours through the summer.