How Do You Define Well-being?

  Have you taken stock of your well-being lately? Basic human needs like being in nature, knowing where your food comes from, getting a good night’s sleep, and making time for the people most important in your life can often be addressed with a B&B getaway. Transformative travel is next-gen wellness travel. It’s a getaway that helps you reset and recharge. And it isn’t about an age as much an attitude about what’s important in life, addressing all aspects of a person’s life – exercise, meditation, healthy food, relaxation, unplugging, preventative care, even the goal of using up your vacation days. In Wisconsin, a number of B&Bs really get transformative travel and the power that little moments have to put guests on the path they’ve always longed for. [caption id="attachment_2536" align="alignright" width="358"] Forest Therapy for all seasons at Inn at Wawanissee Point[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2546" align="alignleft" width="212"] The Crystal River by Apple Tree Lane B&B[/caption]                       At Apple Tree Lane B&B, it’s their interpretation of the Japanese practice of “forest bathing” that has guests flocking there in the warm weather months. Lest you think forest bathing is walking through the woods barefoot or taking a dip in a lake – although it can be those – it is so much more. The practice of slowing down to connect with nature in an immersive, mindful way can boost mood and reduce stress. Apple Tree Lane B&B's location by the river lets one get accustomed to this practice. Also nearby to the inn, the Waupaca segment of the Ice Age Trail starts within Hartman Creek State Park, running north of the park to Indian Valley Road, and south of the park through the Emmons Creek Fish Hatchery and Wildlife Area. The segment is part of the 1,000-mile National Scenic Ice Age Hiking and Skiing Trail. Another pristine place to forest bathe in solitude is the Inn at Wawanissee Point's 42-acre wooded sanctuary adjacent Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area, both nestled atop the Baraboo Range, ancient quartzite bluffs topped with 55,000 acres of oak, maple and basswood forest, the largest tract of its kind remaining in the upper Midwest. Their 3 miles of private trails are secluded, groomed just enough for easy walking, meander mature forest intertwined by a stream, and intersect their small, restored prairie, with meditation benches, stumps and boulders for quiet reflection. Nature power-melts away tension here. Other B&Bs where you can untether from technology and get back out in nature include Country Comfort B&B and Sheer Memories B&B, with miles of hiking trails right on these properties. Country Comfort is located right on the Red Cedar River and Trail with nearby Hoffman Hills Hiking Trails adding another place for forest bathing while in Menominee. Sheer Memories is located on the rolling hills of Southwestern Wisconsin overlooking the Wisconsin River Valley with trails, gardens, fields, and woods, and where breathtaking views lend itself to a peaceful retreat. [caption id="attachment_2542" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Farm fresh ingredients[/caption] Mindful eating is another aspect of transformative travel. At Parkview B&B, the innkeepers take pride in preparing delicious, creative, homemade breakfasts while using seasonal, fresh, local, & quality ingredients. The Altemus Corners B&B lets you enjoy fresh produce and berries for a full breakfast including fresh farm fruit (berries and melons) juices, coffee and tea. Lazy Cloud B&B has restorative spa treatments right at the inn. Franklin Street Inn hosts experiences in a Group Art Workshop like no other in the area and is another path to well-being for many. They will allow each participant to create a unique painting of their own. Seasonally, these are conducted in their lovely garden area. Artha Sustainable Living Center includes a guided meditation option in one of its packages. When it comes to a restful night’s sleep, you’d be hard pressed to find anything as dream-inducing as the beds at Ye Olde Manor House and Grapevine Log Cabins. Plus the quiet, rural atmosphere at both properties lends itself to falling asleep and staying asleep. Lots of ideas to be well!   WBBA Seek the Unique

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

 

5 B&B's to Help You Maintain Your Wellness Routine

So, you want to get away, but you don't want to abandon your discipline and regimen of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  Somehow a getaway is associated with leaving all your cares behind, throwing caution to the wind, and several days of decadence.  We're here to tell you that doesn't have to be the case.  Wisconsin is home to a number of B&B's that promote healthy living in one aspect or another.  If the point of a getaway is to renew your spirit and rejuvenate your body, then a stay at one of these WBBA member B&B's will be just what you are looking for. The benefits of Yoga have been known for years, whether practiced in the privacy of your bedroom, or in a class at the local gym, yoga provides a means of escape from the demands of everyday life.  Reducing stress and promoting overall health by strengthening muscles, muscle tone and flexibility, also reducing blood pressure.  If yoga is part of your wellness routine, or maybe you'd like to see what it's all about, there are a couple of WBBA B&B's that offer yoga for their guests.   Rainbow Ridge Farms in Onalaska, WI offers goat yoga.  Yes, you heard me right, goat yoga.  What started as a birthday party on a summer day in 2016 on Lainey Morse's farm in western Oregon.  It quickly grew into a global sensation with classes springing up worldwide. Cindy Hoehne & Donna Murphy are the owner's of Rainbow Ridge Farms in Onalaska.  Since their B&B is also a working hobby farm, goat yoga is a great fit, offering guests an opportunity to connect with nature and animals while promoting their own health.  Goat yoga was quite a sensation throughout the country in 2017, and Cindy & Donna had much the same experience.  Once they offered the classes, they had so many folks wanting to participate they had a waiting list.  The goat yoga classes are offered seasonally, May through October, at Rainbow Ridge Farms since they are held outdoors with the goats. Artha Sustainable Living Center is located in Amherst on a lush 55 acre plot with rolling hills of wooded land and open fields.  Marguerite & Bob Ramlow strive to provide a place that exists in harmony with the environment. This harmony includes living within the boundaries of the ecosystem as well as being in tune with our inner selves.  They offer yoga classes several times per week. Yoga retreats are offered three different weekends throughout the year.  Sessions of guided meditation are interspersed with workshops on chakras, breathing techniques and restorative and vinyasa flow yoga. Brayton Bed & Breakfast in the heart of Oshkosh also offers seasonal yoga outdoors under the pergola during the summer months.  Another service provided by innkeeper Nicole Brayton is one-on-one meditation.  Meditation is also an excellent way to reduce stress and promote wellness for yourself.  While there are different forms of meditation, they have one thing in common, to find a quiet space where you can concentrate on one thing and put the chaos from the outside world away.  This is easy to do when you getaway to one of Wisconsin's B&B's.  Whether the B&B is located in the heart of the city or in a remote area, you're sure to find a quiet, peaceful place for you to focus and recharge.  Take for example the views from Inn at Wawanisee Point in Baraboo, WI.  Overlooking the Baraboo Bluffs, the Inn is a luxury villa secluded on 42 wooded acres with an extraordinary, 36-mile vista of the Lake Wisconsin valley and beyond.  What a spectacular place to leave your cares behind. [caption id="attachment_2484" align="alignright" width="450"] The views at Inn on Wawanisee Point offer plenty of motivation for meditating and reveling in the splendor and awe mother nature has to provide.[/caption] Or maybe you prefer to stay where the action is, the Washington House Inn in the heart of Cedarburg has elegant lodging within walking distance of historic Cedarburg’s festivals. If you haven't been to Cedarburg, it's a quaint town that offers unique shops, restaurants, galleries, a local winery and brew pub, performing arts, historic sites, bike trails and a large selection of outdoor activities for any season.  Their luxurious rooms will offer plenty of peace and relaxation. Healthy eating is important to many of us, if you want to make sure you don't completely abandon your healthy eating habits, have a conversation with your innkeeper several days before you arrive.  Chances are a healthy breakfast will be happily provided. Remember to Seek the Unique while exploring all the beauty Wisconsin has to offer!     WBBA Seek the Unique          

Sustainable Travel Leap

  Looking for ways to tread lightly on the earth when you travel? Try green-certified independent inns to start, and then ask the innkeepers for recommendations on locally owned shops and restaurants. Spring always seems like the ideal time to talk about eco-lodging, what with Mother Nature waking from winter slumber, delicate plants and edibles poking through the once ice-crackled earth, and travelers eager to inhale the fresh air and exhale wind-chill hangovers.     Here in Wisconsin, we have a voluntary certification program called “Travel Green Wisconsin,” and we’re proud to say the Wisconsin B&B Association was a pioneer in this movement to promote eco-friendly travel. Among the many inns that are certified are Lake Ripley Lodge B&B in Cambridge with their new rain gardens boasting Native Wisconsin wildflowers, and Crystal River Inn in Waupaca, who serve food from their garden, harvest local wild fruit, and make all their jellies and jams. [caption id="attachment_2315" align="alignleft" width="260"] Lake Ripley Lodge B&B[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2316" align="alignright" width="263"] View from Crystal River Inn[/caption]                 Going above and beyond what Travel Green Wisconsin requires are Pinehurst Inn B&B in Bayfield, which was named one of the “Top 10 Eco-friendly Inns” by BedandBreakfast.com and received the 2014 Wisconsin Governor’s Stewardship Award, and Artha Sustainable Living Center in Amherst, where guests appreciate local, organic food and are welcome to attend the yoga studio’s weekly classes. You can find a more complete list of travel green certified inns on our website. [caption id="attachment_1394" align="alignleft" width="300"] Pinehurst Inn[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1395" align="alignright" width="268"] Artha Sustainable Living Center[/caption]                 But the Wisconsin B&B Association’s commitment to the environment doesn’t stop there. We’re also proponents of “conscious travel,” with innkeepers always happy to suggest ideas for shopping local, dining at locally owned restaurants, and visiting attractions that preserve the history and culture of the community. We’re all in this together!

WBBA Seek the Unique

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

200th Anniversary of the Bicycle

  [caption id="attachment_1983" align="aligncenter" width="405"] Justin Trails Resort in Sparta, WI[/caption] Two hundred years ago this year, in the German city of Mannheim, inventor Baron Karl von Drais rode his new invention, the bicycle, for the first time. To mark the two-wheeling occasion, we offer our own biking ideas that may be new to you. [caption id="attachment_1670" align="alignleft" width="219"] Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail[/caption] The biking accolades for Wisconsin continue to pile up. The first state to convert abandoned railways to trails. Home to bike manufacturers like Trek and Pacific Cycle. Lauded by the League of American Bicyclists for Bicycle Friendly Community Programs including the highest level, Platinum, bestowed on Madison. Search our site for B&Bs with biking and more than 80 inns pop up. If you like to view fall color pedaling below a brilliantly hued tree canopy, we have suggestions. We’ve heard from visitors recommending biking in the Green Lake area. Try the Loop the Lake trail, a 27-mile route that follows the parameter of Wisconsin’s deepest lake past picturesque scenery, or there’s the Mascoutin Valley State Trail built on a former railroad corridor with two sections – one between Berlin and Ripon and the other between Rosendale and Fond du Lac. After power pedaling, pull in to the McConnell Inn and enjoy the gentle pace that prevails or Miller’s Daughter B&B where you could head to a local flea market, head out to one of the area festivals, or enjoy a day on the lake. There is also Greenway House B&B, a Victorian era house with 7 luxurious rooms that blend the historical features of the house with contemporary design or even Angel Inn, a beautifully restored Greek Revival Mansion and the only lakefront B&B on Green Lake. [caption id="attachment_404" align="alignright" width="321"]Miller's Daughter B&B, Victorian, contemporary, Green Lake Miller's Daughter in Green Lake is just the place to return to simple pleasures.[/caption] The Tomorrow River State Trail also comes highly recommended. This 29-mile route takes riders through scenic glacial terrain and bucolic farm countryside from Plover to Manawa. Inns along the way offering lovely accommodations include Artha Sustainable Living Center, a serene retreat in an eco-conscious renovated farmhouse on 55-acres of woods complete with fields and organic gardens, Ferg House Inn, which is located in a Bavarian village in the country where wildlife abounds, and Lindsay House B&B, a 1892 Victorian home where you can enjoy a cup of tea or a glass of wine in one of their many outdoor seating areas on the wrap around porch or the beautiful gardens.   [caption id="attachment_1395" align="alignleft" width="273"] Artha Sustainable Living Center in full bloom.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2053" align="alignright" width="270"] Bicycles[/caption]                   One more recommendation and it’s actually a state historic site. Old World Wisconsin in Eagle has an exhibit called “Catch Wheel Fever,” open on the weekends in the fall, that lets visitors hop aboard bicycles replicated from the 1890s. After your spin around the track, take a look at the period road maps for cyclists. Then make your way to Eagle Centre House, just one-half mile from Old World Wisconsin, where a full candlelight breakfast is included in your journey into the past. [caption id="attachment_1418" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Eagle Centre House[/caption] WBBA Seek the Unique

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

Celebrate True Brews

For just about every traveler to Wisconsin, the state’s name is synonymous with beer, brats and cheese. Let’s focus on the beer part, shall we, with a look at anniversaries at two breweries paired with nearby B&Bs.

  [gallery ids="1876,1648,1877"] Just about every city, town and village in Wisconsin has at least one of the following: a historic brewery, a new microbrewery, historic taverns, beer festival, or all of the above. Some major anniversaries this year point to the state’s proud brewing heritage. [caption id="attachment_1889" align="alignleft" width="400"] Dreams of Yesteryear[/caption] In Stevens Point, the Stevens Point Brewery turns 160, making it one of the oldest continuously operating breweries in the country.  It even provided beer to Civil War soldiers and survived prohibition by brewing soda. After your brewery tour, stay at Dreams of Yesteryear located in the historic downtown district. Tip: Each room has a binder-full of stories about the house as researched by a local historian.           The youngster by 10 years, the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, is the big 1-5-0 this year. To mark their sesquicentennial they’ve  collaborated with Hofbräuhaus Munchen to brew a special anniversary lager. [caption id="attachment_1890" align="alignright" width="300"] Overlooking Lake Wissota from Pleasant View Bed & Breakfast[/caption] Both breweries are using the same recipe with hops from Germany & malt from Wisconsin.  Spend the night at the Pleasant View Bed & Breakfast on the shores of Lake Wissota where you may want to enjoy a Leinie’s as you watch the sun set.           A few more brew favorites: [caption id="attachment_1891" align="alignleft" width="450"] Artha Sustainable Living Center[/caption]

  • In Amherst, Central Waters Brewing Co. is known not only for its artisan beer, but for being one of the most environmentally sustainable breweries in the nation. Which makes a stay at the nearby Artha Sustainable Living Center a perfect pairing, given this B&B is a sustainable oasis set on a lush 55-acre plot.

The innkeepers at Canyon Road Inn in Turtle Lake shared their favorite microbrewery finds in the area – Valkyrie Brewing Company in Dallas (Dallas, Wisconsin, that is), a small family owned and operated brewery where the beers are cold fermented and aged to cut back on fusel alcohols (the stuff that gives you headaches); and Barley John’s Brewery in New Richmond, where the spring Maibock has just been released. It’s an especially nice accompaniment to their “Nibbles and Dips” food menu. Hike the wooded trails on the inn’s property so you can enjoy these brews guilt-free.     This is just a sample of the many Wisconsin breweries that have either popped up recently or have been around for generations. They have an impact on their local economy, providing jobs, and many of them use local ingredients, giving other businesses in the community an opportunity to share in the wealth of the craft brewery boom.  All of these breweries attract tourists, especially those who are interested in experiencing the local community.  These breweries offer people a chance to visit the brewery, and get to know the folks who run it.  Incorporating your brewery tour with a WBBA Inn is a great way to immerse yourself into a community, giving yourself a chance to live like a local, eat local cuisine, and drink local beer. As always, all WBBA members are licensed, inspected and insured.  So rest assured, 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

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?  

Natural Twosome - Golf & B&Bs

Wisconsin has major travel news this year. The U.S. Open comes to the state for the first time in the tournament’s history, to a public course, no less. Natural Twosome – Golf and B&Bs The 117th U.S. Open is being played at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, marking the first time the storied event has ever been staged in the state. Plus it’s only the sixth time it’s being played at a public course. Golfer We put together a list of the Top 10 Wisconsin public golf courses (and the B&Bs nearby, naturally) to help you tee up your golf getaway bucket list.

There are more than 500 public golf courses in Wisconsin. Multiple PGA and LPGA tournaments have been contested at public courses at Kohler. Plus, the U.S. Open comes to Erin Hills in Wisconsin, the first time this storied event has ever been staged in the state and only the sixth time at a public course. And this just in: Wisconsin is ranked the #1 golf destination for 2017 by GolfAdvisor.com! So, if there was ever a year to celebrate golf, this is it, which is why the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association put together its own list of top public courses based on travel habits at its member inns. While Erin Hills is closed until after the U.S. Open, there are plenty of top-notch golf getaways for those eager to tee up their summer travel schedule. Top 10 Contenders for Best Golf/B&B Getaways

  1. Whistling Straits, Sheboygan: This course will be hosting the 2020 Ryder Cup. Stay at Lake Orchard Farm Retreat on the shores of Lake Michigan, a sixth generation farm with its own on-site nine-hole golf course and clubhouse. [caption id="attachment_1757" align="alignnone" width="300"]Lake Orchard Farm Retreat Guest room Lake Orchard Farm Retreat Guest room[/caption]
  2. Blackwolf Run, Kohler: Spend the night at the nearby Jay Lee Inn in Elklhart Lake, an elegant 1902 Victorian Federal house with views to the lake. There’s also Tauschek’s B&B in Plymouth, a log home with rustic charm and modern amenities. [caption id="attachment_1758" align="alignright" width="300"]Tauschek' Bed & Breakfast Tauschek' Bed & Breakfast[/caption]
  3. University Ridge, Madison: The three inns in Madison each have their own unique personality, much like the city itself. There’s The Buckingham Inn near Camp Randall Stadium with red naturally a favorite accent color, Hotel Ruby Marie where you can enjoy the bustle of the Capitol Square, and The Livingston Inn Gothic Revival mansion with lakefront access to Lake Mendota.
  4. Lawsonia, Green Lake: Take your pick of four B&Bs in the resort community of Green Lake – Miller’s Daughter B&B where complimentary wine is served daily, McConnell Inn where breakfast is prepared by their pastry chef, the lakefront Angel Inn with parking for your boat, or Greenway House where guests can enjoy breakfast on the wraparound porch.
  5. SentryWorld, Stevens Point: After a day on the course, spend the night at Dreams of Yesteryear, an architectural gem in Stevens Point’s historic downtown district, and wake up to a full gourmet breakfast before heading back to the course for another round of golf.
  6. The Bull, Sheboygan Falls: Choose a two-story suite at the Rochester Inn or, if traveling with your golf buddies, reserve The Fringe Country Inn and gather in the spacious common room. Both are right in Sheboygan Falls.
  7. Horseshoe Bay, Egg Harbor: There are lots of charming B&Bs up and down the Door County peninsula. [caption id="attachment_1759" align="alignnone" width="300"]Bay Point Inn Bay Point Inn[/caption] In the same community as the course is Bay Point Inn, patterned after a European vacation villa.
  8. Washington County, Hartford: The Westphal Mansion Inn, an English Tudor mansion in downtown Hartford, is a local historic landmark with plenty of old world style. [caption id="attachment_1763" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Westphal Mansion guest room Westphal Mansion guest room[/caption]
  9. The Bog, Saukville: A short drive will get you to Hidden Serenity B&B in West Bend, a spacious inn next to a wildlife sanctuary where there’s also a tennis court if you also like to swing a racquet.
  10. Geneva National, Lake Geneva: This is the site of the 2017 Legends LPGA. If you typically travel with a group of golfer friends, reserve the entire home known as At The Lake House B&B. [caption id="attachment_1760" align="alignright" width="300"]LazyCloudexterior Lazy Cloud Bed & Breakfast, Lake Geneva WI[/caption] Lazy Cloud B&B bills itself as a place for romantics so if you golf with your significant other, give this inn a try. Both are in Lake Geneva.

Bonus Recommendations: There are two other public courses in the state designed by the same duo who designed Erin Hills - Wild Rock in Wisconsin Dells and Troy Burne in Hudson. In Wisconsin Dells, retreat to Bowman’s Oak Hill B&B with its park-like setting where breakfast is served on the large deck. In Hudson, Phipps Inn is located in a historic district making it a short walk to downtown restaurants. Look Forward To: Sand Valley Golf Resort in Nekoosa is set to open in May, and is already getting lots of advance accolades. Less than an hour from the course is Artha Sustainable Living Center in Amherst, an eco-friendly inn set on a 55-acre plot with lots of greens, as in green fields and woodlands. Also just under an hour’s drive is Riverview B&B in Neshkoro, located on the White River, so bring your kayak along with your clubs. When Erin Hills Reopens to the Public: If you’ll be golfing Erin Hills after the U.S. Open, consider a stay at Inn at Pine Terrace in nearby Oconomowoc. The design of this historic mansion was modeled after a nobleman’s castle near Vienna, making it a fitting spot to spend the night when golfing one of the crown jewels of Wisconsin. Just as each golf course is unique and has it's own personality, so do the B&B's in the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association.  WBBA Seek the UniqueA great reason to plan a B&B getaway, where innkeepers are your ultimate concierge to all things local.  Another important item to point out, WBBA members are licensed, inspected and insured.  So rest assured, you will get a good night's sleep when you stay at a WBBA B&B, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated the next morning.  Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

Receive our Newsletter for B&B travel, seasonal packages, Wisconsin fun, and tasty recipes, all delivered to you in our quarterly e-newsletter.