If you're from Wisconsin or the midwest, you know that there is no lack of abundance of cute little towns, that seem to transport you back to a simpler time. One of those small towns, which was actually on Trip Savy's top best small towns to live in Wisconsin, is Sheboygan; which is located right on the start of Wisconsin's thumb. What is there to love about Sheboygan? It could be the coastal vibes; which are found everywhere from the sailing artwork on the brick walls downtown to the marina surrounding the famous Blue Harbor Resort. Or it could be the otherworldly feel of the sand dunes at Kohler-Andrea State Park. Regardless of the reasoning you choose, this quaint area of the midwest has a lot of hidden (and not-so-hidden gems) to offer.
Sheboygan has been duped the "Malibu of the Midwest", though it gave me all the New England and coastal vibes. Sheboygan is also the freshwater surf capital of the world! On any given day you will most likely see surfers and windsurfers out on the water.
Places to Stay:
-The Holiday Inn (if you're feeling saucy, ask for an upgrade to the jacuzzi room!)
If you're familiar with Wisconsin, you're probably well aware of the famous Blue Harbor Resort. This is where we stayed. While they advertise their waterpark (which if you have kids is a nice place to go, as there is also a small (I mean SMALL!) glow in the dark mini golf, as well as an arcade, within the waterpark, the resort also caters to an older crowd. This is due to the resort being located right on Lake Michigan, as well as they have two nicer dining restaurants; which have a cozy and romantic ambiance. A quick note: Since we are just getting back to normalcy, due to the pandemic, only one of the restaurants was open and with a limited menu (but the entire resort is opening back up at the end of May 2021).
What else is nice about this resort is that every night they have a huge (wood) bonfire down by the lakeshore! We sat there for a few hours soaking in the heat from the fire against the cold lakefront breeze, and actually met some people and hung out, discussing life, for a while. I've always thought this, but one of the best and most rewarding feelings in the world is getting to know others and talking about life while sitting around a bonfire. Many stories have been spoken, and many truths have been said around a bonfire.
My husband and I actually went on this trip for a mini graduation getaway, as I just graduated with my master's degree (yay me!). We got a romance package in our bottom flow suite (that overlooked the lake). For $29, I highly suggest getting the romance package. We had no idea what it would entail until we got there, and let me tell you, it was so much fun to guess what the resort was going to do for us! I'm not going to spoil it on here, as I want you all to have the same fun time guessing what is in it! But let me tell you, it is worth the $29!!!
While we enjoyed our room very much, and the views/being right on the lake, our room was right next to the waterpark, which was a big NO NO from us!!! Maybe we're just getting older, but checking out the waterpark and all the little kids screaming down the hallway, and splashing us in the waterpark, made us want to next time we stay at the resort request a room on the opposite side of the hotel. It is kids being kids :) So no worries there, however, just make a note that if you are staying with kids, being on the first floor next to entrance 1 would be perfect! However, if you are a couple, request a room on the opposite side of the hotel than the waterpark.
Places to Eat
-Prohibition Bistro and Wine Bar
-Field to Fork
-The Duke of Devon
-Black Pig (they were closed for renovations when we went, but we've heard nothing but great things about this place, and they are top on our list of restaurants to try).
-Harry's Diner (best breakfast I have ever had in my ENTIRE life. Get the Barcelona Breakfast with the steak, you won't regret it)
-Whistling Straits Restaraunt
Things to Do:
-Downtown Sheboygan is such a fun area to walk around, they have so many amazing restaurants, a vintage collectibles store, and even an amazing chocolate shop.
-Kohler-Andrae State Park (we spent Sunday here, hiking the sand dunes and beachfront. It felt as if we were on a planet from Interstellar). Just note that you need either a state park day pass or an annual state park pass to enter.
Winter Update:
We decided to take another trip to Sheboygan for winter hiking and Christmas fun! Sheboygan actually has a large Christmas festival and drive-through light display, that is fun for all families and ages. There is also a Christmas animation display at the historical museum that is worth checking out. I have listed the links to the Christmas activities below:
-Drive through lights and holiday activities (including live music, Santa, and wreath making)
As the same as the spring itinerary, I highly recommend winter hiking at Kohler Andrae State Park. Just a quick note: when you are entering the park make sure that you go beyond the first parking lot, then when you get to the stop sign that has a parking lot in front of it, take a left. You will go about a quarter of a mile and see grills and a seating area on the right-hand side. Across the way from that is a trail that leads up the sand dunes, directly to the black sand beach.
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