We have new innkeepers we’d like you to meet. One runs a breathtaking castle, another is near the deepest inland lake in the state, and yet another is nestled in the heart of the countryside. What they have in common is a passion for hospitality and introducing guests to the experiences the locals love. Joining the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association is no small thing. Our member inns are all inspected, licensed and insured, for starters. And each one offers a unique take on travel. Time to meet our newest members.   [caption id="attachment_2574" align="aligncenter" width="476"] Castle La Crosse Bed & Breakfast, La Crosse WI[/caption] New to the WBBA in March, Castle La Crosse Bed & Breakfast owners Billy Banes and Brandon Rigger opened up their home and a piece of La Crosse's history to guests in May 2017. Also known as Castle on Cass, this beautiful home was constructed in 1892 and features all of its original Richardson Romanesque details. Billy and Brandon both strive to find the freshest, most delicious and in-season ingredients for all of their made from scratch breakfasts. All entrees and dishes are made from local eggs and meat products provided by a local family-owned farm in Houston, MN and the surrounding area. Produce and other products are sourced seasonally from the La Crosse Farmers Market, Peoples Food Co-op and other community members.   [caption id="attachment_2576" align="aligncenter" width="619"] Miller's Daughter Bed & Breakfast, Green Lake, WI[/caption] Miller's Daughter Bed & Breakfast in Green Lake welcomed new owners Paula and Ross Bilodeau after they purchased the inn in April. This lovely inn was built in 1905 as a parsonage for the First Congregational Church. The inn was moved to its present location in 2002 to save it from demolition and lovingly renovated into the beautiful Green Lake inn it is today. The property is surrounded by majestic pine trees and the gardens burst with color throughout the summer to complement the peaceful setting. Miller's Daughter's philosophy is to keep things simple so that you can relax and take a break from the routine and stress of everyday life. Breakfasts are cooked using fresh ingredients, locally sourced and seasonal when possible. It is a pleasure for them to indulge their guests with delicious and creative combinations.   [caption id="attachment_2578" align="aligncenter" width="385"] Shane Acres Bed & Breakfast, Juneau WI[/caption] The WBBA's newest member, Shane Acres Bed & Breakfast in Juneau, holds a family based business that enjoys having company and that strives to make your stay a B&B experience like no other. Owners Richard Lowe and Jackie Shane offer something more than just a bed and breakfast, they offer a home away from home. Set on ten acres of rolling countryside, it's an escape from stress to a place where leisure comes naturally. Shane Acres is located nearby to many area attractions. Whether you love antique shopping, visiting breweries, golfing, or hiking, you'll find all your favorite activities just a stone's throw away from the comfortable, welcoming atmosphere that Richard and Jackie have to offer.  

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?

Tangy rhubarb coffee cake renews our faith that warm weather will be arriving soon. Rhubarb Coffee Cake (courtesy of Miller’s Daughter B&B in Green Lake) [caption id="attachment_1821" align="alignnone" width="300"] Rhubarb Coffee Cake[/caption] ½ cup shortening 1 ½ cups sugar 1 cup buttermilk ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups rhubarb, cut fine Zest from 1 orange ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)   Topping ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon cinnamon   Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the shortening, sugar, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, flour, and baking soda. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until well combined. Fold the rhubarb, orange zest, and walnuts.  Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter. Bake 35-40 minutes Stay as a local every time to book a Wisconsin B&B. Plus you’ll sleep easy knowing all our member inns are inspected, insured and licensed. Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

[caption id="attachment_1818" align="alignnone" width="300"] Veggie Pie[/caption]   After months of cold, many are craving early spring vegetables, so we thought you might like this recipe for veggie pie. Bountiful Vegetable Pie (courtesy of Apple Tree Lane B&B in Waupaca)   1 lg. red onion, thinly sliced 4 medium yellow squash, cut into ¼-inch slices 2 medium zucchini, cut into ¼ -inch slices 1 red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips 1 green bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch strips 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced 4 garlic cloves, minced ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 eggs ¼ cup heavy cream 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper 10 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed 2 cups dry French bread cubes (try rosemary/parmesan for even more flavor) Chopped scallions to taste   Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 10” spring foam pan. Sauté the onion, squash, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Whisk the eggs, heavy cream, salt and pepper in a bowl until blended.  Stir in the Swiss cheese, cream cheese and bread cubes. Add the sautéed vegetables to the egg mixture and mix well. Spoon the egg mixture into the spring form pan, packing tightly.  Place the spring form pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour or until firm to the touch, puffed and golden brown.  Cover with foil if needed to prevent over browning. Sprinkle with scallions and cut into wedges.  Serve hot, at room temperature, or chilled. Delicious and a nice presentation. Note: Try spring vegetables like asparagus, ramps and spinach. Serve with sausage and muffin on the side. Tangy rhubarb coffee cake renews our faith that warm weather will be arriving soon. Rhubarb Coffee Cake (courtesy of Miller’s Daughter B&B in Green Lake) [caption id="attachment_1821" align="alignnone" width="300"] Rhubarb Coffee Cake[/caption] ½ cup shortening 1 ½ cups sugar 1 cup buttermilk ½ teaspoon salt 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cups rhubarb, cut fine Zest from 1 orange ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional) Topping ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup chopped walnuts 1 teaspoon cinnamon Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the shortening, sugar, and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the salt, flour, and baking soda. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until well combined. Fold the rhubarb, orange zest, and walnuts.  Pour the batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle over the batter. Bake 35-40 minutes These recipes are just a couple of examples of the unique breakfast dishes the member inns of the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association love to share with their guests.  Thanks to the Apple Tree Lane B&B in Waupaca for sharing this delectable breakfast dish, perfect for feeding a group of friends or family, and to Miller's Daughter B&B in Green Lake for the rhubarb coffee cake recipe that will satisfy a crowd.  We always like to remind our readers that 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.  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?