Wisconsin · best-of list
The 6 Best Outdoor Spots in Wisconsin
All 6 outdoor spots our route editors picked in Wisconsin, across 3 destinations, gathered in one list. 4 come with an insider tip, and 4 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
6 outdoor spots in Wisconsin, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Door County 3 picks
Cave Point County Park
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Lake Michigan waves crash into undercut limestone ledges.
Tip: Calm days are good for kayaking the caves.
Photo: Eitan Price · Google
Peninsula State Park
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Bluffs, bike trails, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and the Eagle Tower above Green Bay.
Photo: Miscellaneous Muzik · Google
Whitefish Dunes State Park
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Sand dunes and a long beach next to Cave Point.
Photo: User Royalbroil on en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee 2 picks
Lakeshore State Park
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Urban state park on a lakefront peninsula with the clearest view back at the downtown skyline.
Tip: Walk out at blue hour for the skyline reflected in the lagoon.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Milwaukee Riverwalk
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Three-mile walkway along the Milwaukee River through downtown and the Third Ward, lined with bars and bridges.
Tip: Walk it at dusk on Dec 30 when the bridges and towers light up.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront 1 pick
Lake Park
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Olmsted-designed bluff park above Bradford Beach, with ravine bridges and lake overlooks.
Tip: Walk the bluff path north from the lighthouse for the widest lake views.
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in Wisconsin?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 6 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Wisconsin has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Door County has the most (3 of 6), followed by Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee (2) and Bradford Beach & the Lakefront (1).
Are any of these free?
4 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Cave Point County Park, Lakeshore State Park, Lake Park and Milwaukee Riverwalk. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Wisconsin
Best outdoor spots nearby
Destinations on this list
- Door County 3 on this list
- Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee 2 on this list
- Bradford Beach & the Lakefront 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.