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!

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  Joining the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association takes more than pretty curb appeal and private baths. Meet the new member inns for 2017 and find out what it takes to make the list. Did You Know: B&Bs join the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association only after they’ve passed a detailed inspection. Needless to say, not every inn makes the cut. Plus, every inn in our membership is licensed and insured. We bring good tidings of inns that have joined the Wisconsin B&B Association during 2017: [caption id="attachment_2188" align="aligncenter" width="328"] An Evening at the Stewart Inn[/caption] Joining the WBBA earlier this year, the Stewart Inn is a beautifully restored and comfortably furnished 1906 Prairie style mansion designed by George Maher, one of the founders of the American Arts and Crafts movement. Featuring original chandeliers, sconces, decorative fireplaces and stained glass windows, the Stewart Inn is among the world’s most intact examples of George Maher’s architecture. [caption id="attachment_2221" align="aligncenter" width="369"] Pinehurst Inn B&B[/caption] The Pinehurst Inn B&B in Bayfield joined the WBBA with its Northwoods charm and Southern hospitality. Located on over three wooded acres, there is something for everyone year-round, such as hiking or biking the many trails in the area and kayaking the sea caves, or snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on the picturesque trails, downhill skiing and tubing on Mount Ashwabay just minutes from the Inn, or walking on frozen Lake Superior to enjoy the ice caves. [caption id="attachment_2222" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Silver Star B&B Inn - Fireplace[/caption] Also joining the WBBA in 2017, the Silver Star B&B Inn in Spring Green. Located in the unique driftless area of southwestern Wisconsin, an area that somehow escaped the past two great "Ice Ages", Silver Star B&B Inn is situated on a beautiful 20 acre setting. Unique raised bed gardens not only provide a visual floral feast in the height of summer, but may also provide the fruits and vegetables served to you at breakfast. [caption id="attachment_2219" align="aligncenter" width="380"] Lazy Cloud B&B Hayloft[/caption] Finally, the Lazy Cloud B&B in Lake Geneva. With its rich history, this small country inn has all the privacy and luxury of the finest Lake Geneva hotels and all the personal attention and amenities of a Bed and Breakfast. You are sure to be in for a magical, enchanted evening when staying at the Lazy Cloud B&B with their many romantic packages. They provide the place and the romantic atmosphere - you provide the love, laughter and celebration of your relationship!

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  [caption id="attachment_1987" align="aligncenter" width="441"] Cranberry Bog[/caption] Fall and food are the perfect pairing in Wisconsin. Plan your getaway around the state’s various food “capitals”, and be sure to enjoy a mouthwatering homemade breakfast at your favorite B&B too. [caption id="attachment_1889" align="alignleft" width="300"] Dreams of Yesteryear in Stevens Point, WI[/caption] When talking about food capitals this time of year, we have to kick it off with cranberries. Wisconsin produces more of this tart fruit than any other state. There is even a designated “Cranberry Highway,” a self-guided drive that stretches for nearly 50 miles along century-old cranberry beds from Wisconsin Rapids to Warrens, and between Pittsville and Nekoosa. Stay at Dreams of Yesteryear in Stevens Point where excellent restaurants, quaint downtown shops, a fabulous brewery tour, a picnic by the river, museums and more await you within easy walking distance. You can also visit Tuft’s Mansion in Neillsville where the area offers numerous opportunities for a unique vacation experience such as many craft and antique shops. [caption id="attachment_841" align="alignright" width="237"] Stewart Inn in Wausau, WI[/caption] The soil and climate in central Wisconsin, more specifically Wausau, makes it one of the best places in the world to produce ginseng. In fact, 95% of the ginseng in the U.S. is grown here. This root must grow for four years before it can be harvested. Don’t wait that long to visit Stewart Inn, a beautiful Arts & Crafts mansion in downtown Wausau serving both a nightly wine and cheese reception and a gourmet breakfast.   In Bayfield, cool temperatures and moist air, courtesy of Lake Superior, make it prime apple growing country. After picking apples, and squash and pumpkins too, put your feet up at eco-friendly Pinehurst Inn B&B where you’re surrounded by pine trees and gardens, and romantic Old Rittenhouse Inn where the the fall colors are best viewed right from the expansive front porch. [caption id="attachment_1991" align="alignleft" width="224"] Cherry Tree[/caption] Cooler spring months and a unique soil composition on the Door County peninsula provide just the right growing conditions for cherries. At this time of year, dried cherries are a real treat. Similarly, it’s a treat to stay at any of the 10 inns there, including White Lace Inn, Scofield House B&B, Inn at Cedar Crossing, Garden Gate B&B, White Gull Inn, Inn at Windmill Farm, Eagle Harbor Inn, Blacksmith Inn on the Shore, Bay Point Inn, and Juniper Inn.     [caption id="attachment_1994" align="alignright" width="239"] Christmas House B&B in Racine, WI[/caption] Racine is “America’s Kringle Capital.” Not familiar with Kringles? They’re the distinctive oval-shaped flaky pastry treat brought to Wisconsin by Danish immigrants in the mid-19^th century. Make the Christmas House B&B, a historic downtown landmark, your home away from home while there. Sheboygan has been called the “Bratwurst Capital of the World.” Be sure to nosh on a sausage or two while visiting the area, with Tauscheck’s B&B in nearby Plymouth serving as your host. Monroe is the “Swiss Cheese Capital of the U.S.,” and you can have your cheese and eat it too at the nearby Albany House in Albany, a circa 1908 country house in the heart of the Swiss and Amish communities in the region. [caption id="attachment_782" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Albany House in Albany, WI[/caption] Finally, if you are a fan of horseradish, then head to Eau Claire, where Silver Spring farms has been growing the hot and spicy condiment ingredient since 1929. Then cool your heels at Inn On Lake Wissota in neighboring Chippewa Falls. [caption id="attachment_1995" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Inn On Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, WI[/caption]

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