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]

Reconnect with Your Inner Explorer

There are 150 quality-certified inns in Wisconsin that are just calling out to you to get reacquainted with that explorerside of yours. And that means more than just staying at the inn.  It means getting out and taking in all that Wisconsin has to offer. [caption id="attachment_887" align="alignright" width="300"] Cobblestone B&B, Birchwood is a great place to relax after a day spent hiking or snowshoeing the nearby Ice Age Trail or skiing in the American Birkiebeiner.[/caption] Our B&B owners are pros at providing itinerary ideas, so ask away.  We also look the liberty of putting together some dandy tours built around wineries, microbreweries, artisan cheese tastings, biking, birding, and golf courses.  If eco-travel is as important to you as it is to us, then you’ll enjoy visiting these Travel Green Wisconsin-certified properties. We thought an overview by region might be helpful too. If an event is the nudge you need to escape for a few days, then let this events calendar be your guide. One last tip: Sign up for our enewsletter and get insider ideas delivered once a month. Now get out there! Wisconsin Public Radio's Whad 'Ya Know Quiz Prize Winners - redeem your Whad 'Ya Know gift certificate at participating B&Bs.

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]

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