Six Great Winter Outings in Northeast Wisconsin

Do you hole up in the winter? Burrow under a blanket and hibernate until April? Not me. I’m that elusive breed of person in Wisconsin that loves winter and snow.

As children we all love snow. Somehow, probably somewhere between shoveling driveways and sliding through intersections, we learn to hate snow.

Why not try seeing snow through a child’s eyes for a day? I propose that those of you living parts of the world that have true winters try being a winter tourist in your own city or state. It turns out it can be pretty fun! 

Get Going, Get Outside!

1. Wequiock Falls

It turns out Wequiock Falls is a pretty cool place in winter. The waterfalls freeze into beautiful ice formations. When the sun is shining and the snow sparkles it’s nothing short of magical.

Make sure to wear boots and be ready to walk down a short, but icy trail to get down to the falls (or you can enjoy the falls from the road). Wequiock Falls is just outside of Green Bay, off of Highway 57 on Bay Settlement Road. FREE.

2. Cave Point

Right next to Whitefish Dunes State Park, this county park is underrated during the winter months. The sounds of the ice cracking, the limestone cliffs, and a stunning view of Lake Michigan make this a winter “must see”. You can check things out quickly, take a few pictures and hop back in your car or you can bundle up, enjoy the view and take a walk in the snow.

Cave Point is about and hour and a half drive from Green Bay. Make a day of it. Check out Door County in Winter (without the tourist crush). It’s another thing altogether. Warm up with a hot drink or meal at one of the restaurants that doesn’t close for winter. We always follow our trip to Cave Point with a hot lunch at Casey’s BBQ & Smokehouse in Egg Harbor. FREE

3. Sledding

There is nothing like sledding to bring you back to childhood. Even if you only go down the hill a few times and spend the rest of the time watching the kiddos do it! FREE

4. NEW Zoo

The best part of going to the NEW Zoo in winter is how empty it is! Whenever we visit the zoo during winter it feels like we have the zoo to ourselves.

Feeding the giraffes, watching the otters play, and a cup of hot chocolate in front of the fireplace make this a great place to get outside to stretch your legs (and keep the kids busy) during those cabin fever months.

5. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

The Wildlife Sanctuary is a great outing for families during winter. You can do all the outdoor activities you’d normally do during summer; feed the ducks, walk across the floating bridge, stop at the waterfall and visit the animals…there is nothing like watching a duck land on ice!

Check out this post for all the Wildlife Sanctuary details. FREE (donation suggested)

6. Wine & Cheese

Really can’t bear to play in the snow? There’s always winery tours and cheese sampling in Door County. Enjoy the snowy landscape from the warmth of your car and take a ride to Door Peninsula Winery in Carlsville. Again, one of the best things about Door County in winter is its off-season. We were the only people on our winery tour and there were only a few others at the sampling area. The winery was also kid friendly. P thought the tour was pretty cool, but he thought the free fudge samples were even better.

Renard’s Cheese isn’t far from the winery and what goes better with wine than cheese? Take your picture with Melvin the mouse and sample cheese, dips and other local specialty foods before you head back for the day.

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There’s also the Fox River Trail, East River Trail, Fonferek’s Glen, UW-Green Bay’s Arboretum, Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve…the winter possibilities are endless! Better than shoveling, don’t you think?