Attainable Sustainable Travel

  [caption id="attachment_2062" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Green Fountain Inn, Waupaca WI[/caption] Tread lightly on the earth this season with a stay at an eco-certified Wisconsin B&B. There are 25 inns among our membership who are Travel Green Wisconsin certified, a voluntary certification that demonstrates a property’s commitment to eco-friendly best practices. Included on that list are city inns like Green Fountain Inn which is located on historic Main Street in Waupaca close to shopping, public beach, and park. There are also country estates like Canyon Road Inn nestled in the beautiful North Woods of Western Wisconsin and is the perfect getaway for all seasons. Now add in the 21 inns on the National Register of Historic Places, and you have another level of sustainability, keeping homes of historical significance from ending up in landfills while sustaining the links to local history and families. [caption id="attachment_1785" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Canyon Road Inn Binoculars Canyon Road Inn Binoculars[/caption] WBBA Seek the Unique

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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

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Stow the Phone

[caption id="attachment_1879" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Currier's Lakeview Lodge Currier's Lakeview Lodge[/caption] Silence is the new luxury travel, as in silencing your phone, turning off your laptop, even setting down the Kindle. Trade in all your tech devices for a distraction-free getaway to Wisconsin’s northwoods where simple pleasures like sleeping in at a favorite cabin-style B&B, swimming in a crystal clear lake, exploring forests on foot, and bonfires under the stars all reign supreme.

When visitors return to the same vacation destination year after year and generation after generation, you know they’re on to something good. And in Wisconsin, that “something good” is the northwoods, defined loosely as the upper half of the state, where tall pines, pristine lakes, and room to breathe are considered the pinnacle of luxury. Here are five inns that fit the bill for northwoods nirvana:

  1. Cobblestone B&B, Birchwood –  The innkeepers at this turn-of-the-century manor house invite summer vacationers to stroll down to the beach for a dip, or just hang out on the porch swing with a glass of lemonade in hand.
  2. Currier's Lakeview Lodge, Rice Lake – The lakeside views are the calling card for this B&B, given the inn is situated on a five-acre peninsula on the east shore of Rice Lake. Children and pets are welcome at this family retreat.
  3. Maxsell’s Restaurant & Suites, Florence – This historic waterfront inn on Fisher Lake has suites, of course, but also a restaurant and pub room. This place solves the question of where to take your significant for their birthday or your anniversary.
  4. Inn at Pinewood, Eagle River – This B&B, an original log house built in 1934, hugs the shore of private Carpenter Lake and it’s a favorite for romantics at heart.
  5. Canyon Road Inn, Turtle Lake – Private patios and decks overlooking the lake or woods seem tailor made for catching up on reading or napping, you choose.

[gallery columns="5" ids="1786,1866,1864,1882,1884"] There are so many ways to enjoy your time in the Wisconsin northwoods.  Maybe you like to spend an afternoon hiking on trails that lead you through the woods, surrounding yourself in the serenity of nature and the excitement of spotting the numerous wildlife; or maybe a peaceful afternoon on the lake, dipping a pole in the water, fishing for the many species of fish Northern Wisconsin has to offer.  There's always time to sit back in the lounge chair by the lake or on the porch, sipping an ice cold tea and reading your favorite book.  Whatever your preference, there is a WBBA Inn to suit your needs. Remember, 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

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Some B&B Myths Die Hard

A recent post by writer Andrew Knowlton, (aka “The Foodist”) at Bon Appétit magazine had us shaking our heads and tsk-tsking. Try as we might in the B&B industry to dispel myths, some food writers simply haven’t  gotten the message. So, first read his post here, then continue with our blog. It’s all so not true! Here in Wisconsin, nearly 100% of B&Bs have private baths and not just any baths but spa-like baths – the White Lace Inn – Sturgeon Bay  and  Canyon Road Inn - Turtle Lake are perfect examples. You don’t have to eat with other guests, although many travelers like the experience. Just choose an inn that provides in-room breakfast like the Otter Creek Inn of Eau Claire, where you’ll customize your own breakfast (and dining time) from their menu.   Or, choose the communal table set-up at Pickwick Inn of East Troy. Curfew, shmerfew….there is no such thing. Same goes for rigid check-in times. Who needs a mini-bar when most innkeepers provide free beverages (unless of course you prefer to pay for water). Many offer complimentary libations and snacks in the evening too. Who wouldn’t love the Wisconsin wine and cheese tasting at Cold Spring Inn, Hubertus…from their own vineyard! To borrow from the line in that Oldsmobile TV spot, this is not your grandmother’s B&B. [caption id="attachment_1174" align="alignright" width="210"]Breakfast at the Otter Creek Inn is as individual as you are: choose your entree, sides, and beverages and schedule delivery to your guest room door so that you may enjoy breakfast-in-bed or at the private table in your guestroom. Breakfast at the Otter Creek Inn is as individual as you are: choose your entree, sides, and beverages and schedule delivery to your guest room door so that you may enjoy breakfast-in-bed or at the private table in your guestroom.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_450" align="alignleft" width="192"]Largest Shower, View of Lake, Canyon Road Inn, Turtle Lake, Wisconsin B&B 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.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1173" align="aligncenter" width="144"]Perfectly paired wine & cheese awaits guest enjoyment at Cold Spring Inn's complimentary welcome gathering. Perfectly paired wine & cheese awaits guest enjoyment at Cold Spring Inn's complimentary welcome gathering.[/caption]      

Wisconsin Hosts U.W. Women’s Open, B&Bs Host Golf Fans

The U.S. Women’s Open is back at Blackwolf Run Golf Course in Kohler July 2-8. According to the course web site, Blackwolf Run is regarded as one of Pete Dye’s crowning achievements.  It’s played host to the Andersen Consulting World Golf Championships in 1995, 1996 and 1997 as well as the historic 1998 U.S. Women’s Open, with the U.S. Women’s Open returning for the second time.  There’s a nice variety of Wisconsin B&Bs near Kohler, if you want to stay and play the course yourself.  Just click on the Eastern Waters & Door County region on our map. For something farther northwest, Canyon Road Inn in Turtle Lake is now offering a golf package.  And check out our Golf Map to see courses in the state and nearby B&Bs.  We’d help you with your swing too if we could! [caption id="attachment_693" align="aligncenter" width="150" caption="Golfers and non-golfers can stroll these greens at Canyon Road Inn, Turtle Lake. Innkeepers Patti and Turner assure you "we do all the work - you just enjoy"!"][/caption]
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