Calling All Hardy Explorers

Here in Wisconsin, we never let winter get in the way of a good outdoor event.   Stay at a Wisconsin B&B and you’ll always know you have a warm, cozy bed and warm, homemade breakfast to come back to.  So here are our picks for some terrific outdoor fests for each weekend in February, with links to B&Bs in the area, starting with the 24th annual Hot Air Affair in Hudson, February 1-3.  The weekend includes hot air balloon launches, a parade and geocaching.  The Snowflake Ski Jump Tournament will be held in Westby, February 1-2.  There’s the Sturgeon Stampede in Fond du Lac, February 8-10, with skating, broomball, ice bowling, and ice sailing.  The centerpiece of the Manawa Snodeo in Manawa, February 15-16, is the vintage snowmobile and motorcycle racing under the lights.  Rounding out the short month is the American Birkebeiner Cross-Country Ski Event in Hayward, February 21-23.  Also, feel free to take a gander at Travel Wisconsin's Snow Conditions Report and click on your favorite activity to see what the conditions are like. Feeling hardy?  We hope so. [caption id="attachment_1034" align="alignleft" width="216"] Ski Jump Tournament courtesy of the Westby House Inn, Westby.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1030" align="alignright" width="240"] Guest gears up for an afternoon of snowshoeing at Justin Trails B&B Resort, Sparta.[/caption]                 [caption id="attachment_1026" align="aligncenter" width="182"] Hudson Hot Air Affair[/caption]

Superlatives to Guide B&B Travelers to Wisconsin part 2

Remotest Inns:  Located on a secluded 340 acre estate, Silver Star B&B Inn - Spring Green is perfect to connect with the great outdoors.  Forest Moon Bed & Breakfast - Hayward is a log home situated in a clearing in the heart of the forest. Experience the rural tranquility and rugged beauty of the Driftless Area at Inn at Lonesome Hollow- Soldiers Grove, situated on 160 rural acres, half of which lie in their completely private valley. [caption id="attachment_764" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Inn at Lonesome Hollow, Soldiers Grove[/caption] Prettiest Inns:  Totally subjective, so we had to include a few in this category, with the caveat being they are all “painted ladies,” as in Victorian beauties. Check out Miller’s Daughter B&B - Green Lake, Scofield House B&B - Sturgeon Bay, Victorian Dreams B&B – Lodi, The Roth House - Soldiers Grove, and Dreams of Yesteryear - Stevens Point. [caption id="attachment_763" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Victorian Dreams B&B, Lodi[/caption] Eeriest Inn:  Purported to have had ghost sightings is the Brumder Mansion B&B - Milwaukee. [caption id="attachment_762" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Brumder Mansion B&B, Milwaukee[/caption] Stateliest Inns: We pick Joannes B&B - De Pere,  Ludlow Mansion - Monroe, Inn at Pine Terrace- Oconomowoc which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [caption id="attachment_759" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Joannes B&B, De Pere[/caption] Sportiest Inn: As in offering lots of outdoor sports options to guest. And this category goes to Justin Trails B&B Resort - Sparta. [caption id="attachment_761" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Justin Trails B&B Resort, Sparta[/caption] Love-liest Inn:   White Lace Inn - Sturgeon Bay takes the cake. In it's 30 years of operation has  helped a total of 1,300 couples tie the knot making it the love-liest inn.  A close second goes to White Rose Inns - Wisconsin Dells which hosts approximately 50 weddings every year.  Their slogan is "You make the choices we do the rest." [caption id="attachment_760" align="aligncenter" width="300"] River View Room at White Rose Inns, Wisconsin Dells[/caption]

Guys Like B&Bs Too – Part I

Good thing you’re likely sitting down reading this next statement: Guys like B&Bs.  Yes, it’s true, guys will even plan a guys’ getaway, or “mancation” at a B&B if said inn meets their manly criteria.  Pray tell, what could that be?  Technology, for starters.  Guys want to feel plugged in, which means Wi-Fi, no negotiation there.  Big-screen TVS are often mandatory as well.  Being able to move around without bumping into stuff is an interior design strategy that appeals to guys, big time.  Of course, food is high on the list, as in hearty and often.  We reached out to our member inns to see which have offerings that are right on the mark for mancations and landed on 10 that are doing it right.  In this blog installment, the first five.  Next five in blog part II. 1.       The Stagecoach Inn in Cedarburg offers a pub crawl in the city’s historic downtown, with all the pubs located in historic buildings and within walking distance of the inn. 2.       In Manawa, the Lindsay House B&B has a special called “Mancation, Manawa Style.” Included is a night of bowling, bar food and beer; coffee bar and breakfast fit for a king; and easy access to snow activities like skiing and snowmobiling. 3.       Canyon Road Inn with a lake location in Turtle Lake has large rooms with king-size beds, flat-screen TVs with DVD players, and welcomes guys who like fishing, biking, hiking and horseshoes. 4.       At Inn at Lonesome Hollow in Soldiers Grove, located on 160 acres in the driftless area of southwest Wisconsin known for its thousands of cold springs, it’s all about trout fishing.  Ride in on your motorcycle to enjoy the winding highways and scenery of the Kickapoo River Valley, then stay in a two- or four-bedroom cabin. 5.       The innkeepers at Eagle Centre House B&B in the southern Kettle Moraine Forest say their rooms with two beds and private bath fit the bill for guys.  Winter mancations here are typically structured around hunting, snowmobiling and skiing, with a hearty breakfast every morning. [caption id="attachment_487" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Lindsay House B&B, Manawa"]French Toast[/caption] [caption id="attachment_486" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Inn at Lonesome Hollow, Soldiers Grove"]Trout[/caption] [caption id="attachment_482" align="aligncenter" width="250" caption="Canyon Road Inn, Turtle Lake"]Flat Screen large room[/caption]

Travel Trends - Big Showers, More Freebies, B&Bs

Travel + Leisure magazine listed big showers, little tubs as one of the hot travel trends a few years back.  Wisconsin B&Bs that did this trend proud include Stewart Inn - Wausau with its huge double steam showers. Innkeeper Paul Welter notes “ Many of our guests are skiers, and they appreciate the soothing effects of steam on muscles and sinuses.  You can enjoy aromatherapy along with your steam bath by placing essential oils in a small receptacle in the steam outlet.”  Going beyond a room with a view,  Canyon Road Inn’s 8’ long shower with multiple body sprays has a great view of the lake.  You’ll indeed get the royal treatment in the Queen Bee Victorian room’s  4’ x 6’ shower at the Honeybee Inn – Horicon with a total of 9 heads & sprays. This year, Budget Travel predicts travelers will demand more amenities, like free bottled water and Wi-Fi.  Ha, the vast majority of Wisconsin B&Bs have been doing that all along!  In fact, Inn at Wawanissee Point – WI Dells, and Arbor Inn – Prescott take it one step further and provide free wine and cheese tastings in the evening... Cold Spring Inn-Hubertus does this too, using the wines produced from their own vineyard.  And here’s one travel trend for 2012 we especially like – TripAdvisor.compredicts more travelers will choose B&Bs this year than last. [caption id="attachment_451" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="Soothing double steam showers at the Stewart Inn – Wausau have therapeutic results similar to hot water but use only a small fraction of the energy and water – a more eco-friendly way to relax."]Eco-friendly, therapeutic, double steam shower[/caption] [caption id="attachment_450" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Canyon Road Inn – Turtle Lake just may have one of the largest showers of all B&B’s in Wisconsin, at 8’ long . . .and with a view of the lake, too."]Largest Shower, View of Lake, Canyon Road Inn, Turtle Lake, Wisconsin B&B[/caption]
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