Here in Wisconsin, we never let winter get in the way of a good outdoor event.   Stay at a Wisconsin B&B and you’ll always know you have a warm, cozy bed and warm, homemade breakfast to come back to.  So here are our picks for some terrific outdoor fests for each weekend in February, with links to B&Bs in the area, starting with the 24^th annual Hot Air Affair in Hudson, February 1-3.  The weekend includes hot air balloon launches, a parade and geocaching.  The Snowflake Ski Jump Tournament will be held in Westby, February 1-2.  There’s the Sturgeon Stampede in Fond du Lac, February 8-10, with skating, broomball, ice bowling, and ice sailing.  The centerpiece of the Manawa Snodeo in Manawa, February 15-16, is the vintage snowmobile and motorcycle racing under the lights.  Rounding out the short month is the American Birkebeiner Cross-Country Ski Event in Hayward, February 21-23.  Also, feel free to take a gander at Travel Wisconsin's Snow Conditions Report and click on your favorite activity to see what the conditions are like. Feeling hardy?  We hope so. [caption id="attachment_1034" align="alignleft" width="216"] Ski Jump Tournament courtesy of the Westby House Inn, Westby.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1030" align="alignright" width="240"] Guest gears up for an afternoon of snowshoeing at Justin Trails B&B Resort, Sparta.[/caption]                 [caption id="attachment_1026" align="aligncenter" width="182"] Hudson Hot Air Affair[/caption]

About this time of year people are usually firmly divided into two camps – those who can’t get enough of the fluffy white stuff and those who would rather visit the dentist than trudge around in the snow.  The latter group is all smiles, given Wisconsin is conspicuously bereft of snow drifts.  That’s not to say there’s no snow at all.  In fact, in the very northern counties of our state, more specifically the Hurley and Mercer areas, you’ll find fair snow conditions for snowmobiling according to observers for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.  Close-by B&Bs, all within an hour's drive, include Inn at Pinewood in Eagle River (criss-crossed by miles of snowmobile trails) and Bayfield's Artesian House, Rittenhouse Inn, and Pinehurst Inn.  Cross country ski enthusiasts take heart, the Polk County area in far western Wisconsin reports good conditions, and there are two inns to choose from – the St. Croix River Inn in Osceola and the Wissahickon Farms Country Inn in St Croix Falls. Like to downhill ski?  Head to Granite Peak in Wausau, and stay at the Stewart Inn, a real Arts & Crafts masterpiece.  Or try Cascade Mountain or Christmas Mountain Village, both in the Wisconsin Dells area, where you’ll also find Bowman’s Oak Hill B&B as well as White Rose Inns.  Rest assured, snow will fall just as surely as Wisconsin B&B innkeepers will welcome you to their inns with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa, a roaring fire, a cozy bed and the warmest hospitality this side of anywhere.  Happy holidays! [caption id="attachment_298" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A snowy welcome at Wissahickon Farms in St Croix Falls, on Wisconsin's western border."][/caption]    

For a number of years now the Wisconsin Department of Tourism has offered visitors a handy tool – an up-to-the-minute snow conditions report.   It’s great for all you outdoor enthusiasts who downhill ski, snowmobile, cross-country ski, snow shoe, winter hike, or just enjoy a sleigh ride or sledding.  Volunteer reporters around the state regularly update the online interactive map, which is conveniently divided by activity – snowmobiling, downhill ski and snowboarding, and cross country skiing.  You can also sign up to receive a weekly snow report via e-mail.   This year, the Tourism Department cleverly used a Wisconsin map made to look like a mitten to announce the report was up and running, and that’s when things got interesting.  Let’s just call it a case of “Mitten-gate.”  Seems Michigan claims it’s the Mitten State and has been for some time.  Wisconsin Tourism was quick to offer a mea culpa of sorts, saying it doesn’t want to steal the Mitten State moniker; it wants to be known as the Fun State.  The good-natured back-and-forth made headlines all over the country!  Check out the story in USA Today.   By week two, the mitten map of Wisconsin was also sporting a cheesehead, proving we Wisconsinites do have a sense of humor.  

The Wisconsin Department of Tourism has just launched its Snow Conditions report - you can access it by clicking this link: Wisconsin Snow Conditions Report. What's especially handy is that they offer three map views - one for downhill skiing, one for cross country skiing and one for snowmobiling. For those of you who like some snow with your B&B travel, best to bookmark this web site. Happy schussing!