Get Outta Town
Options you might enjoy: Art in La Crosse, respite on a lake or short hop to North Dakota
An open weekend to travel during the summer can be alluring – if you know where to go. Whether you’re craving a jaunt within an hour’s drive or are happy to hop on plane for a short ride, there are plenty of options stemming out of Milwaukee, from the quaint lake communities of Oconomowoc and Elkhart Lake to North Dakota’s two largest cities (hello, Fargo and Bismarck!).
Research shows that vacationing is one of the best stimuli for improving mental health – and the trip doesn’t have to mean lounging on a beach. It’s more about the prospect of escaping one’s daily grind. A study published in 2014 (based on findings by Cornell University and University of California researchers) found that people are happiest when planning a vacation, as opposed to acquiring a material object.
If the arts inspire a reason to travel, consider La Crosse, which hosts Artspire June 8-9, presented by Pump House Regional Arts Center. This fifth-annual event expects to draw around 10,000 people. It officially kicks off Friday night with the opening of the beer garden and runs through Saturday night. On Saturday, you’ll get the opportunity to view art by 50 exhibitors, and you can also experience live music, food vendors and artistic demonstrations.
Summer is the perfect time to check out Fowler Lake’s revitalized shoreline in downtown Oconomowoc, with lighting and seating niches along the boardwalk. It’s the perfect “gas-tank getaway,” says Bob Duffy, Oconomowoc’s director of economic development, citing “great opportunities to get outside,” including renting canoes and kayaks on Fowler Lake and Lac La Belle. Every Wednesday evening and every other Friday evening, concerts are hosted on Lac La Belle’s beach, while family-friendly movies will be shown on Fowler Lake’s beach on June 14 and July 12. “Oconomowoc is in the heart of Lake Country, and there’s always events and activities going on,” says Duffy. One of the most popular is the Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts in Fowler Park (Aug. 18-19 this year), featuring fireworks and boats strung with lights for a Venetian vibe (Aug. 18). To stay in the thick of the action, book a room at Inn at Pine Terrace, a 12-room bed and breakfast in a Victorian mansion dating back to 1879.