For a real girls’ getaway, try a weekend trip
It’s one thing to meet a few friends for dinner and call it a ladies’ night out.
It’s another to plan an entire weekend getaway where everyone has plenty of opportunities to relax, have fun and take away a bit of Wisconsin history to boot.
Here are a few such girlfriend getaways.
Downtime in the Dells
With hundreds of attractions vying for attention at the Wisconsin Dells, there’s something for everyone, especially ladies looking to hang out over a fun weekend.
First place to check in might be the inimitable Sundara Inn & Spa, where wellness tourism reigns supreme. Whether it’s resting poolside or enjoying a seasonal treatment of turmeric oil, banana and coconut water, you’ll be ready to explore the Dells refreshed.
One of the best ways to see the Dells is on one of the cruise boats that ply the waters of the Upper and Lower Dells to see the natural beauty that has drawn tourists since the late 1800s.
The Upper Dells is my favorite ride. The tour boats cruise past rock formations carved 500 million years ago from Cambrian sandstone. Some of the rocky walls and ledges have odd shapes that look like real-world things. The game onboard is to find the American Indian chief, piano and other images embedded in stone.
Once you reach Witches Gulch, an area discovered by photographer H.H. Bennett in the 1870s when he climbed a frozen waterfall to snap an image, you disembark to explore the shore.
Next up: wine tasting, lunch, and a trolley ride with friends. Before arriving at the Dells, sign up for the popular Dells Wine Trolley Tour to Fawn Creek and Baraboo Bluff wineries.
After a full day exploring the Dells, it’s time to go back to Sundara to take in something new.
The Salt Treatment Room emulates the naturally occurring therapy of European salt caves, whose microclimate is said to benefit the skin and respiratory system.
What better place for a girlfriend getaway than this form of retreat. Lounge in comfy chairs, rest or nap while taking in the microscopic salt particles around you.
In harmony with nature in Ellison Bay
Have you ever thought how cool it would be to take art or writing classes, learn how to weave, make stained-glass pieces, or carve wood with a group of like-minded friends in an unusual environment close to nature?
Deep in the woods of Ellison Bay in Door County, The Clearing is where memories are made. The folk school was founded in 1935 by the legendary landscape designer and conservationist Jens Jensen (he designed Chicago’s famed Garfield Park Conservatory).
At the Clearing — named for the school’s serene setting that “clears your mind” — weeklong, in-residence classes and one- and two-day classes may encourage you to come back for a longer stay.
To get a taste of this place, visit from 7 to 9 p.m. July 24 during the Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Social.
For another taste of northern Door County, make a reservation for dinner at the nearby Wickham House on Ellison Bay’s Mink River Road.
The house was established by Swedish immigrant Andrew Wickham in 1872. Many regulars to Door County remember it as a 14-room bed and breakfast named the Griffin Inn, named for the ship of the same name that lies at the bottom of Death’s Door.
The menu here is “upmarket new American,” and many items are sourced not just locally but also from the restaurant’s large backyard garden.
For an extra treat, reserve the gazebo. You may find your Rushing Waters Stuffed Trout or Organic Staggering Chicken entrees taste even better with fresh breezes floating through the gazebo.
If you and your pals are passionate about food, sign up for a cooking class at the Savory Spoon Cooking School, located in the former village schoolhouse built in 1879.
Besides learning new cooking techniques, you can take classes in how to make floral arrangements using seasonal flowers and materials. The next floral design workshop is Aug. 4.
Hanging out in Madtown
Wisconsin residents take their history seriously. How else to account for the fact that the State Historical Society in Madison was founded two years before Wisconsin became a state?
Interestingly, Madison didn’t have any residents when Judge James Doty wooed legislators to move the Capitol from Belmont, southwest of Madison, to a site he felt was much more desirable for development.
Madison has long had a reputation as a place where things are happening. Life magazine featured a Madison mom and baby in a 1947 cover story showcasing the city where the “good life” was happening
You can get a dose of history and what’s happening in the city now at the Edgewater Hotel, which opened in 1948 on the shores of Lake Mendota adjacent to the University of Wisconsin.
The Edgewater has hosted scores of celebrities like Elton John, Elvis Presley and the Dalai Lama over the years
If you haven’t seen the new Edgewater, renovated and redefined in 2014, the options for a weekend getaway are glamorous and numerous.
There’s a lot to do right here, from divine State House dining to casual fare at the Boathouse on the pier. On Tuesday evenings, grab a free boat ride from the pier to Skipper Bud’s across the lake.
For relaxation, book a spa treatment or sign up for wellness classes like yoga and tension-releasing exercises.
The Edgewater is also a good jumping-off location downtown to explore Madison by foot.
On Saturday morning, walk a couple of blocks to the Dane County Farmers’ Market, the largest producers-only farmers market in the country.
For a lunch nearby, stop at the venerable Great Dane restaurant on Doty Street, a block off the Square. Summer is one of the best times to stake a spot downstairs in the open-air garden with brick walls covered with ivy and flowers.
At the end of the day, walk over to the UW’s famed Memorial Union Terrace for people watching, sunset viewing, live music and of course, brats and beer.
Ladies who lunch — Paoli-style
Paoli, about 25 minutes southwest of Madison, has been a favorite destination to explore artists’ shops, galleries and eateries, or stroll the banks of the picturesque Sugar River that rambles around this historic mill town.
Today, coming into the town you may pass cyclists and canoeists, even horseback riders headed in the same direc-
tion. On great weather for paddling days, you may see a small crowd over at Sugar River Outfitters.
Paoli is a popular destination for anyone who wants to get away without having to go too far to glean a “way out of Dodge” feeling.
Founded in the 1840s when one lone sawmill was the main business center, Paoli eventually added a gristmill, cheese factory and dance hall. Today it retains the character of those days of long ago, but with a twist.
If you want to stick with the history mode, book a stay at the cozy antiquefilled Paoli House Inn. This two-bedroom vacation apartment above what used to be a rooming house in the late 1800s is a step back in time.
The twist is that over the last few decades Paoli has become a plum destination to shop for art, buy artisan cheese and cement memories of your visit at the venerable Schoolhouse Shops & Café.
Aptly named, in 1854 the building was constructed as a one-room schoolhouse. It’s a delightful place to enjoy lunch or dinner and shop for treasures in the adjoining boutique.
Paoli is especially appealing because of its walkability. Sometimes, I’ve parked near the Schoolhouse and after lunch wandered around the riverfront shops like the Paoli Gallery & Print Shop, the Cottage Goddess or Hop Garden, and stopped for a wedge of cheese to take home from the artisan cheese shop, Landmark Creamery.
And I always find time for the Cluck the Chicken Store, filled with gifts ideas. Many, of course, echo the same theme of the store’s name.