The open road, a kaleidoscope of colors, mild temperatures, and an escape from the real world. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Bikes and B&Bs pair so nicely this time of year. Oh, and by bikes, we mean both bicycles and motorcycles. We have lots of fall getaway ideas for fans of two wheels. Wisconsin’s Harley-Davidson just celebrated its 115^th anniversary with a huge bash in Milwaukee over Labor Day weekend, and it was a “wow” for motorcycle fans. Wisconsin is also a peddler’s dream and here’s the evidence: Trek Bicycles is tops with tons of cyclists – the company is headquartered in Waterloo. Wyatt Bicycles in La Crosse manufactures high-end aluminum adventure bikes – think mountain bikes and fat bikes. Based in Madison, one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, Pacific Cycle is the parent company of Schwinn and Mongoose. Waterford Precision Cycles and Gunnar Cycles are both in Waterford. And there’s Sotherland Custom Bicycles in Whitewater. So with that biking tutorial out of the way, here are free-wheeling ideas for those of you with fall wanderlust. Best Inns to Ride a Motorcycle To: For those that love the city, Hotel Ruby Marie in Madison is located across from the majestic Lake Monona, where the cool lake breeze will greet you on a ride. Hotel Ruby Marie is also within a short distance from Capitol Square, where you can sight-see around the beautiful Wisconsin State Capitol building. For those that love to trek outside of the city limits, Sheer Memories B&B in Muscoda sits on the rolling hills that overlook the beautiful valley of the Lower Wisconsin River. Perfect for fall color peeping! [caption id="attachment_1983" align="alignleft" width="282"] Justin Trails Resort in Sparta[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2620" align="alignright" width="287"] Pedal'rs Inn in Wales[/caption]                 B&Bs with Covered Spots to Store Your Motorcycle: Nestled in a quiet, peaceful coulee, Justin Trails Resort in Sparta, WI offers guests a relaxed country getaway in the heart of the Wisconsin Driftless Region. They also offer their garage space for bicycles and motorcycles as part of their services. Sparta is often dubbed as the "Bicycling Capital of America" and is nearby to the famous Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Inns with Best Proximity to Top State Bike Trails: Located just outside of Elkhorn, WI and across the road from sparkling Lauderdale Lakes, you'll find Ye Old Manor House and the nearby 19 mile White River State Trail. This scenic trail follows a former rail corridor and passes by numerous bridges, scenic vistas, quaint towns, farmlands and wetlands. Then there are the guests at Pedal'rs Inn in Wales, WI, who have access to the miles of connecting paved trails throughout the surrounding areas. Nearby to Pedal'rs Inn, the 52 mile Glacial Drumlin State Trail offers easy connections to Madison and Milwaukee. [caption id="attachment_2606" align="alignleft" width="294"] Motorcycling in Kettle Moraine State Forest[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2648" align="alignright" width="271"] Greenway House B&B in Green Lake[/caption]               B&Bs to Pair for Inn-to-Inn Bike Trips: Green Lake, WI is an area with numerous and wonderfully scenic trails for all levels of bicycle riders, so why not take a ride to stop & stay at Green Lake's beautiful inns? Angel Inn offers a breathtaking lake front view, so rent Tri-cycles, Cruisers, or a Tandem from them for a leisurely cruise. You can also follow the new bike path nearby to the Green Lake Conference Center. Miller's Daughter Bed & Breakfast has several trails located near the inn, including the 12 mile Mascoutin Valley State Trail which runs along the old Milwaukee railroad bed. Greenway House is a historic retreat in the heart of Green Lake and ideal for some downtown biking while McConnell Inn offers their knowledge of the many scenic back-country roads and nearby trails that are perfect for biking or motorcycling. [caption id="attachment_1280" align="aligncenter" width="370"] Owner of Eagle Centre House B&B & his Harley[/caption] Inns Where the Owners are Big Bicyclists Themselves: Eagle Centre House B&B in Eagle WI, where the owners and family love to ride the hills and rural roads of the Southern Kettle Moraine. The inn is located 3 miles from the forest headquarters. At Eagle Centre House, you are welcome to walk their 20 acres of kettles and moraines crested with towering oaks and lush with an abundance of native prairie plants and wildlife.

Take A Ride!

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

  [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 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]

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

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 117^th 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. 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[/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[/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[/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[/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"] 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.  A 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?