Visit the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee

There are plenty of wonderful things to do in Wisconsin, not least of which is enjoy the spectacular natural beauty this state is known for. However, there are other great things to do, too, like visit the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. The Harley-Davidson Museum houses an unrivaled collection of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and memorabilia, not to mention a variety of events and other experiences to complement your time there. It's truly a mecca for motorcycle enthusiasts. 

The Harley-Davidson Museum is located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, not too far from other popular city attractions like the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan, top museums, breweries, and so much more. Milwaukee truly offers a little bit of something for everyone and this spring is a wonderful time to visit. 

While you're enjoying the Harley-Davidson Museum and the vast number of other things to do in Milwaukee, consider staying at one of our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfasts nearby. There are two properties in Milwaukee itself, and a few more in nearby suburbs of southeast Wisconsin

A view inside the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee

Visit the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee

If you're any kind of a fan of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, then you really must visit the inspiring Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. From the moment you first set foot on the 10-acre park-like campus, you'll be impressed. That's true even if you aren't somehow already a fan of these American-made masterpieces - but we're pretty sure you'll leave a fan. 

The Harley-Davidson Museum will walk you through the fascinating history of this epic American brand through a series of interactive exhibits, unique collections of motorcycles, and two-floors worth of Harley-Davidson memorabilia.  We're not kidding when we say it's impressive!  Here are just a few of the things you can expect from your next visit to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. 

  1. Through various exhibits at the Harley-Davidson Museum, you'll gain an in-depth understanding of the lifestyle and culture surrounding this iconic brand. Current special exhibits include Off-Road Harley-Davidson, Building a Milwaukee Icon: Harley-Davidson's Juneau Ave. Factory, and Tsunami Motorcycle Display. 
  2. You can take behind-the-scenes tours of the Harley-Davidson Museum, where you'll learn even more about the heritage associated with the brand.
  3. The events calendar is packed full of exciting events for Harley enthusiasts (and even those non-enthusiasts among us)! This includes motorcycle rallies throughout the year. 
  4. Don't leave the Harley-Davidson Museum without picking up some merchandise from their amazing museum store.

The Harley Davidson Museum is currently open seven days a week. Tickets can be purchased online, though you can also purchase them upon arrival at the museum. 

Places to Stay Near the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee: Sheridan's Bed and Breakfast and Bay View Studios, and The Muse Gallery Guesthouse.

After visiting the Harley-Davidson museum in Milwaukee, get out on the road for a scenic drive around Wisconsin

Find the Best Scenic Rides in Wisconsin

After leaving the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, we have no doubt you'll be inspired to take a road trip across this beautiful state.  The open road, the beautiful scenery, the warmth of the sun on your back, and nothing but the roar of the wind and your bike in your ears. It's a sense of peace that's hard to come by - but did you know that bike rides (both pedal-powered and Harley-Esque bikes) and B&B's pair well together? Depending on how much time you have, you can visit one or more areas of this incredible state, stringing together a trip from one Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast to the next. Wouldn't that be fun?

To give you a little inspiration for your upcoming road trip, here are a few of our favorite scenic drives in Wisconsin, most of which involve the Wisconsin Rustic Roads program.

  1. Roads 55 & 56 meanders through southwest Wisconsin's Driftless Area, where you can enjoy beautiful places like Wildcat Mountain State Park. Get in some more of Driftless Wisconsin's dramatic scenery on Rustic Road 66.
  2. Travel through the beautiful prairies and meander along the Wisconsin River in central Wisconsin on Rustic Road 49.
  3. Combine Rustic Roads 1086, and 115 in southeast Wisconsin for a sensational 12.7 mile drive through Wisconsin's Kettle Moraine State Forest - Southern Unit. While here, feel free to hike on the scenic Ice Age National Scenic Trail.  
  4. Drive through a 300-year-old tunnel of oak trees along Rustic Road 90.
  5. If you're heading north, find your way to Rustic Road 105 and ride through the breathtaking Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.  This route will take you across the Smith Rapids Covered Bridge over the South Fork of the Flambeau River.
  6. Travel along the scenic St. Croix River in Western Wisconsin on Rustic Roads 101 and 103, and enjoy the dramatic sandstone bluffs and trees towering over the river. 
  7. The longest Rustic Road in the state is road #32.  Ride through beautiful hardwood forests and basque in the glory of the Thunder and Peshtigo Rivers.  You'll be traveling through the waterfall capital of Wisconsin
  8. Head to Waupaca County, and find three rustic roads grouped together, #'s 5723, and 24, which offer you the chance to drive alongside the Crystal River and the area's beautiful apple orchards. 

Pit Stop at Wisconsin Bed and Breakfasts

Between a visit to the Harley-Davidson Museum and the scenic rides above, you could spend weeks crisscrossing the state of Wisconsin and still not have covered it all. You'll make a good dent, though, and all along the way, you'll have the opportunity to stay at some of the best places in Wisconsin.

Wherever your travels take you in Wisconsin, you can be assured that when you stay with one of our members you are choosing to stay in some of the most outstanding lodging accommodations around the state. There is nothing standard about a stay at a Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast.

Our Wisconsin Innkeepers offer the best service and hospitality.  Your day will always start with a delicious breakfast - which, as foodies, is a real point of pride for our Innkeepers. Going the extra mile to ensure you have everything you need during your stay, including personalized recommendations for places to go and things to see, comes standard with your stay. Are you ready to get out on the road and visit the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee? Start by booking a room at one of our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfasts today!

Wisconsin Music Festivals To Fill Your Summer Evenings

music festivals

 

One great thing about summer in Wisconsin is the variety of music festivals you find throughout the state. Whether you like Rock-n-Roll, Country, or Blues, there’s a genre to fit your style. So, why do folks like to stay at a B&B when they are in the area for a music festival? A weekend filled with music implies noise and crowds, while a B&B offers quiet, rest and relaxation. This is exactly why some festival goers retreat to the solace of a B&B. Let’s not forget the sumptuous breakfast that is served in the mornings! So, if you plan on attending a music festival this summer, be sure to check out the member B&B’s in the area and book your stay today.

 

The Popular Music Festivals Of Southern Wisconsin

We’re all familiar with Summerfest in Milwaukee. Eleven days of music and almost one million visitors descend upon the city to listen to over 800 bands. It’s no wonder they tout themselves as the world’s largest music festival. What about the rest of the state? We’re here to tell you there’s plenty of music to be heard throughout Wisconsin in the summer!

The Driftless Region of Southwest Wisconsin offers a couple of choices for music festivals. La Crosse is hosting the 44th Annual Great River Folk Festival August 23-25, 2019. To get your Blues fix, head to Prairie du Chien for the 22nd Annual Prairie Dog Blues Festival July 26-27, 2019.

 

A Northwoods Summertime Experience

Northwestern Wisconsin has an abundance of music festivals. Eau Claire is hosting the Blue Ox Music Festival in June and Country Jam USA in July. For more than 30 years, Cadott, WI has been hosting Country Fest in June and Rock Fest in July. OneFest is a Christian Music Festival held Chippewa Falls at the end of July. The Northern Wisconsin State Fair, also in Chippewa Falls, takes place in the middle of July and offers a variety of concerts.

Northeastern WI has a couple of options for you; the 37th Annual Porterfield Country Music Festival in Marinette is being held on June 15-23, 2019. Rhinelander hosts the Hodag Country Festival July 11-14, 2019.

 

Central Wisconsin's Well Known Music Festivals

A trip to the East Central part of the state is always fun. Oshkosh is home to two different festivals. Country USA is held on June 27-29, 2019. The nation’s largest Christian Music Festival, Lifest, is taking place July 11-14, 2019. Manitowoc has hosted Metro Jam for more than 40 years. This is a free event and is being held on June 14-15, 2019.

If you appreciate original music, find your way to downtown Appleton, for a fantastic four-day celebration.  The Mile of Music is set for August 1-4, 2019.  It is a FREE event that will feature 200 artists from around the country.  Festival attendees can expect 900 sets of live music!  It is housed throughout Downtown Appleton’s walkable mile-long stretch and showcases 60+ of local venues, including bars, restaurants, cafe's, shops, parks and more! 

Wausau, which is located in Central Wisconsin, is home to the longest running blues fest, Big Bull Falls Blues Fest. Located on Fern Island, the festival will run August 16-17, 2019.

No matter your taste in music, Wisconsin is sure to have a festival to help you get your groove on and celebrate summer in Wisconsin. While traveling to one of these great festivals, be sure to stay at one our member bed and breakfasts. Seek the Unique.

 

Submitted by: Beth Kalata, Innkeeper at Inn on Lake Wissota, Chippewa Falls, WI

Live It Up at Live Concerts

  Foodies book vacations around a destination’s authentic food offerings. Exercise enthusiasts map their road trips around triathlons and marathons. History devotees head to reenactments. Music lovers fill up their summer calendar with live concerts. Let’s make this the summer of music getaways in Wisconsin. You may be surprised at the line-ups! Hand it to Wisconsin to host every kind of music genre around – jazz to rock, indie to folk, up-and-comers to today’s biggest headliners. Seems we just love a good party with good tunes. If music is your thing, here’s a Billboard-esque rundown of top concerts in Wisconsin this summer and suggestions on where to stay after the final curtain call. [caption id="attachment_2500" align="aligncenter" width="304"] Waterfest, Oshkosh WI[/caption] June 15-16: Metro Jam, Manitowoc. This free music fest features performers across nearly every genre. Westport B&B and Red Forest B&B offer impeccable accommodations not far from the festival. Thursdays, June 21-August 23: Waterfest live concert series, Oshkosh. Soak up the atmosphere at the outdoor amphitheater, then stay at the Brayton B&B, where it captures the best aspects of a B&B: wonderfully inviting rooms, tantalizing food, and the personal touch of Innkeepers that happily serve as concierge during your stay. July 6-7: Eaux Claires Fest, Eau Claire. This indie music and arts festival is getting lots of national attention. The Otter Creek Inn offers one acre of wooded beauty located within city limits and is abound with flowers in the summer, while the nearby Inn on Lake Wissota is famous for being tucked away in the pine-filled shores of this picturesque lake. August 2-5: Mile of Music, Appleton. After all that walking at this free, 100% original music festival featuring emerging artists, you can walk to and rest up at Franklin Street Inn, where Victorian Charm with Modern Comfort give you the experience of comfort and elegance when you sleep. August 17-18: Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau. Stewart Inn is fit for music celebrities, where it offers unmatched charm and amenities in a beautiful arts & crafts mansion. [caption id="attachment_2502" align="alignleft" width="300"] Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau WI[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2503" align="alignright" width="240"] Eaux Claires Fest, Eau Claire WI[/caption]               August 24-26: Great River Road Folk Festival, La Crosse. Four Gables B&B and Castle La Crosse offer very unique overnight experiences - Four Gables B&B is a lovely Victorian Queen Anne home listed on the National Register and tastefully furnished with antiques. Castle La Crosse, also designed in the Queen Anne form, is a grand bed and breakfast featuring numerous bedrooms, beautiful leaded and stained-glass windows, a library, and a music room. September 28: Kilbourn City Live, Wisconsin Dells. Hear up-and-comers before they hit it big, then head to peaceful Bowman’s Oak Hill B&B to enjoy 8 acres of park like setting and 23 acres of woods to wander. You will have the opportunity to rest, reflect, relax and be renewed both in body and spirit during your stay.  

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Top Music Festivals This Summer

The music scene in Wisconsin has taken some intriguing, indie twists in the last few years, with festivals featuring performers you’d only expect to see on the coasts. Buy your tickets and book your B&B for music events in Eau Claire, Appleton, Wausau and more.

Wisconsin’s live music calendar this summer should impress even east and west coast concert fans. Here are a handful of still-insider gems that are getting bigger by the year. Eaux Claires in Eau Claire, June 16-17, the brainchild of Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, is a multi-stage experience with live music, performance art and visual art. Stay: The English Tudor-style Otter Creek Inn gives you room to spread out after being in the crowd at Eaux Claires. [caption id="attachment_1903" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Otter Creek Inn[/caption] Driftless Music Festival in Viroqua, July 8, features jazz, swing, bluegrass and zydeco genres. Stay: Cream Pitcher B&B in Blue River and Westby House Inn in Westby are both an easy drive from this music fest. [gallery columns="2" ids="734,396"] Acoustic Fest in Manitowoc, July 15, showcases the talents of accomplished acoustic musicians. All proceeds go to local scholarships and community organizations. Stay: Guests of Westport B&B are treated to a full candlelight breakfast, a nice complement to the unplugged vibe of the acoustic festival. [caption id="attachment_1904" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Westport Bed & Breakfast[/caption] Mile of Music in Appleton, August 3-6, prides itself on being cover-free, meaning only original music from hundreds of artists and it’s all free. Stay: Franklin Street Inn is the perfect mix of Victorian charm and modern amenities, providing a quiet oasis after hearing all those great artists perform. [caption id="attachment_1905" align="aligncenter" width="450"] Franklin Street Inn[/caption] Big Bull Falls Blues Fest, Wausau, August 18-19, is Wisconsin’s longest running blues fest. Stay: The Stewart Inn was designed by one of the founders of the American Arts & Crafts movement with luxurious rooms that will make you feel like an A-list musician yourself. [caption id="attachment_1906" align="aligncenter" width="450"] The Stewart Inn[/caption] Music Festivals allow fans an opportunity to sample a large number of bands in just a few days.  The rise in the popularity of the living like the locals also adds to the allure, giving folks who value experiences much more than owning things, an opportunity to not only enjoy some music, but also experience the community around the festival. They get a chance to break away from the business of their everyday lives and sample something out of the ordinary.  For those who love the camaraderie of a diverse group of folks coming together for one weekend to enjoy their favorite genre of music, but then would prefer to leave that all behind for a quiet, restful night's sleep, the WBBA Inns are the place for you.  Our Innkeepers can provide the peaceful respite you crave to rejuvenate and be ready for all of the mayhem another day has to offer.  We always like to remind our readers that all WBBA members are licensed, inspected and insured.  So rest asured, you will get a good night's sleep when you stay at a WBBA B&B, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated the next morning. WBBA Seek the Unique

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4 Things Wisconsin B&B's have in Common with The Gilmore Girls

  wbba-breakfastFor those Gilmore Girls fans, nothing can be more exciting than the revival of the Gilmore Girls on Friday.  This show is near and dear to the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association, for the obvious reasons.  So, what do Wisconsin Bed & Breakfasts have in common with the Dragonfly Inn? [caption id="attachment_1690" align="alignright" width="300"]hamilton-house Hamilton House Whitewater, WI[/caption] Let’s face it, it’s usually the charm and character of the B&B itself that catches the eye and lures us in.  Remember how Lorelei borrowed money from Luke so she could remodel the Dragonfly Inn?  For most, an old Victorian is what usually comes to mind when we think of a bed and breakfast.  A welcoming front porch, a beautiful entry with a wooden staircase that has been restored to its original luster and glory.  A parlor with some comfortable, overstuffed chairs to sit back and relax, or maybe the dining room with the built-in china hutch and the sparkling crystal and silverware.  The Dragonfly Inn was a mid-century modern, and, thanks to Lorelei,  had it’s own personality. You will find plenty of B&B’s in Wisconsin that are full of personality.  Whether it is an old Victorian or a restored Farm House-such as Antiques With Inn in New London, a mid-century modern, or contemporary urban B&Bs, cabins on the water, or historic estates- like the Hamilton House in Whitewater. You also have options for the type of getaway you are looking for.  Did you want to spend a couple of nights in the city, maybe do some shopping at your favorite stores, or catch that comedian you’ve been meaning to see for quite some time?  Maybe some time in the country or a small town will help you relax and reconnect with that special someone in your life.  No matter the pace you are looking to set for your getaway, you will find a Wisconsin B&B to fit that style. Let’s not forget the best asset of any B&B is the innkeeper.  Your innkeeper will greet at the door and help you get settled into your room.  Are you looking to just relax before you head out for dinner?  The B&B most likely has a common area, such as a living room, where you can sit back and relax.  Some even offer a complimentary glass of wine with a fruit & cheese platter.    Once you’re ready for dinner, your host will be happy to help you select the right restaurant for the type of dining experience you are looking for.  Are you celebrating a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary?  The innkeeper will be able to describe the fine dining restaurants in the area.  Maybe you prefer to live like a local and head to the neighborhood bar & grill.  Since your hosts live in the area, they will know the best places to eat.  You won’t find a more knowledgeable concierge anywhere. What about the bedroom, you ask?  Well, let’s set the record straight, all of the Bed & Breakfasts in the WBBA have private baths, so this eliminates the excuse for having to share a bath. [caption id="attachment_1621" align="alignright" width="300"]Romantic getaway at the Honeybee Inn Romantic getaway at the Honeybee Inn[/caption] You’ll find your bedroom to be chic and luxurious; some have whirlpool tubs, others have claw foot tubs, or a walk-in shower with multiple shower heads.  You may find your room big enough it has a sitting area with a beautiful fireplace.  It certainly will be a great space to unwind and spend some romantic time with your honey. The amenities WBBA Inns offer is what will keep you coming back time and time again.  Most inns offer free wi-fi, free parking and free snacks.  But let’s not forget the most important amenity of all, Breakfast!  For starters, just like Lorelei, most of us can’t get going in the morning without a great cup of coffee.  Who better to serve that up than an innkeeper?  They make pots and pots of it every day, so they know what’s good, some even grind their own beans.  Just as the B&B’s each have their own personality, so do the innkeepers and the breakfasts they prepare.  Some like to offer a gourmet breakfast, served on the finest china and crystal.  Others offer some of the best comfort food you’ve ever tasted.  Many innkeepers are great home chefs in their own right, and love perfecting recipes or coming up with new ones of their own.  So, you don’t want to have breakfast with a bunch of people you don’t know?  At most inns this won’t be a problem, many offer in-room dining for breakfast. [caption id="attachment_1692" align="alignleft" width="282"]Breakfast at the Red Forest Inn, Two Rivers WI Breakfast at the Red Forest Inn, Two Rivers WI[/caption] Don't forget to Seek the Unique and book your stay at a Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast. In honor of the Gilmore Girls reunion we have partnered with Milwaukee.citymomsblog, GreenBay.citymomsblog and Madison.citymomsblog to give away an overinight stay at one of Three Inns across the State of Wisconsin.  The grand prize winner will get to select which inn they would prefer – Pedal’rs Inn, Cameo Rose Inn, or Crystal River Inn. Another winner will win a $100 WBBA gift card and a third winner will walk away with a Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association cookbook.  You can register to win on Facebook. **This offer expires November 30, 2017. Based on availability. Not valid on holidays or special event weekends and other blackout dates may apply. Therefore, must mention at time of reservation. No cash value. Cannot be combined with other offers or specials. Credit card deposit may be required at time of reservation. Valid identification and credit card required at time of check-in.

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