Wisconsin destinations, parks and attractions
Are you going on a road trip to Wisconsin, looking for tips about the destinations so you and your party can enjoy it, be comfortable and not spend a fortune?
Here are some of the top destinations in Wisconsin and tips about visiting them
National parks and monuments in Wisconsin
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore,
Lake Superior, WI.
Imagine that moment, being in that perfect spot as the sun rises, and everything comes into focus. A rocky shoreline suddenly reflects the world around you. Waiting for you among the water, land, forests, and history is that moment. How will the islands inspire you?
- Ice Age National Scenic Trail,
Madison, WI.
A mere 15,000 years ago during the Ice Age, much of North America lay under a huge glacier. Mammoths, saber tooth cats and cave lions roamed the earth! Some of the best evidence of this glacier is found in Wisconsin such as the state’s many lakes, river valleys, gently rolling hills, and ridges. The nearly 1,200 mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail, established in 1980, traces the glacier's edge.
- North Country National Scenic Trail, Seven States-New York to North Dakota MI,MN,ND,NY,OH,PA,VT,WI.
Come to the North Country. Trek the hills and valleys. Stand on the shores of lakes and streams from glaciers 10,000 years before. Clear-flowing water, red/gold of autumn, a fairyland of snow, open prairies, and distant horizons paint the land. Historic sites along the way tell how America settled and grew as a nation. From North Dakota to Vermont, adventure is never far away.
- Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway,
Saint Croix Falls, WI,MN.
Grab your paddle and your longing for adventure and head to the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers! Together they form the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, offering over 200 miles of clean water that glides and rushes through a forested landscape. Paddle, boat, fish, and camp among this wild and scenic beauty. Hiking and historic towns also beckon.
Wisconsin State parks and historic sites
- Amnicon Falls State Park
- Aztalan State Park
- Belmont Mound State Park
- Big Bay State Park
- Big Foot Beach State Park
- Black River State Forest
- Blue Mound State Park
- Brule River State Forest
- Brunet Island State Park
- Buckhorn State Park
- Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area
- Capital Springs State Recreation Area
- Chippewa Flowage
- Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area
- Copper Culture State Park
- Copper Falls State Park
- Council Grounds State Park
- Coulee Experimental State Forest
- Cross Plains State Park
- Dells of the Wisconsin River SNA
- Devil's Lake State Park
- Fenley State Recreation Area
- Fisher Creek State Recreation Area
- Flambeau River State Forest
- Governor Dodge State Park
- Governor Earl Peshtigo River State Forest
- Governor Knowles State Forest
- Governor Nelson State Park
- Governor Thompson State Park
- Harrington Beach State Park
- Hartman Creek State Park
- Havenwoods State Forest
- Heritage Hill State Park
- High Cliff State Park
- Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area
- Interstate State Park
- Kettle Moraine State Forest - Lapham Peak Unit
- Kettle Moraine State Forest - Loew Lake Unit
- Kettle Moraine State Forest - Mukwonago River Unit
- Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit
- Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit
- Kettle Moraine State Forest - Pike Lake Unit
- Kinnickinnic State Park
- Kohler Andrae State Park
- Lake Kegonsa State Park
- Lake Wissota State Park
- Lakeshore State Park
- Lost Dauphin State Park
- Lower Wisconsin State Riverway
- MacKenzie Center
- Menominee River State Recreation Area
- Merrick State Park
- Mill Bluff State Park
- Mirror Lake State Park
- Natural Bridge State Park
- Nelson Dewey State Park
- New Glarus Woods State Park
- Newport State Park
- Northern Highland American Legion State Forest
- Pattison State Park
- Peninsula State Park
- Perrot State Park
- Pike Wild River
- Pine-Popple Wild Rivers
- Point Beach State Forest
- Potawatomi State Park
- Rib Mountain State Park
- Richard Bong State Recreation Area
- Roche-A-Cri State Park
- Rock Island State Park
- Rocky Arbor State Park
- Sauk Prairie State Recreation Area
- Straight Lake State Park
- Tower Hill State Park
- Totogatic Wild River
- Turtle-Flambeau Scenic Waters Area
- Whitefish Dunes State Park
- Wildcat Mountain State Park
- Willow Flowage Scenic Waters Area
- Willow River State Park
- Wyalusing State Park
- Yellowstone Lake State Park
Wisconsin Seasons, bugs, topography and climate
Wisconsin has al humid climate, with warm humid summers and cold, often snowy, winters. Winters can be brutally cold and snowy, especially with lake effect snows. The southern part of the state is slightly warmer than the northernareas.
| Climate data for Wisconsin (normals from 1981-2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 66 (19) |
69 (21) |
89 (32) |
97 (36) |
109 (43) |
106 (41) |
114 (46) |
108 (42) |
104 (40) |
95 (35) |
84 (29) |
70 (21) |
114 (46) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 23.9 (−4.5) |
29.2 (−1.6) |
40.6 (4.8) |
55.5 (13.1) |
67.3 (19.6) |
76.3 (24.6) |
80.4 (26.9) |
78.2 (25.7) |
69.8 (21.0) |
56.9 (13.8) |
41.2 (5.1) |
27.5 (−2.5) |
52.9 (11.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 15.0 (−9.4) |
19.6 (−6.9) |
30.5 (−0.8) |
44.0 (6.7) |
55.3 (12.9) |
64.7 (18.2) |
69.1 (20.6) |
67.1 (19.5) |
58.7 (14.8) |
46.5 (8.1) |
33.1 (0.6) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
43.6 (6.4) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 3.7 (−15.7) |
6.3 (−14.3) |
18.3 (−7.6) |
31.6 (−0.2) |
42.6 (5.9) |
52.4 (11.3) |
57.2 (14.0) |
55.0 (12.8) |
47.1 (8.4) |
36.2 (2.3) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
10.6 (−11.9) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −54 (−48) |
−55 (−48) |
−48 (−44) |
−20 (−29) |
7 (−14) |
20 (−7) |
27 (−3) |
22 (−6) |
10 (−12) |
−7 (−22) |
−34 (−37) |
−52 (−47) |
−55 (−48) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.15 (29) |
1.03 (26) |
1.80 (46) |
2.63 (67) |
3.54 (90) |
4.17 (106) |
3.79 (96) |
3.78 (96) |
3.75 (95) |
2.38 (60) |
2.00 (51) |
1.27 (32) |
31.29 (794) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.4 (29) |
9.5 (24) |
8.7 (22) |
3.2 (8.1) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.8 (2.0) |
4.9 (12) |
10.2 (26) |
48.7 (124) |
| Source: "Wisconsin State Climatology Office". | |||||||||||||
Wisconsin Camping tips
Camping reservations are required and can be made for the same day of your arrival or up to 11 months in advance of your planned date of occupancy. Campers must make a reservation before setting up on any site.
a campsite online or by calling 1-888-947-2757.
AUTOMATIC CHECK-IN
Campers should proceed directly to their reserved campsite after the designated check-in time of 3 p.m. Campers will be automatically checked in through their reservation. All occupancy rules still apply.
DNR staff may periodically stop by campsites to verify check-in. Campers should keep a copy of their reservation on hand or available on a mobile device for staff to verify the reservation.
There are both state parks and private campgrounds in Wisconsin.