Wisconsin

Wisconsin is famous for its dairy, especially to its interstate rivals from Illinois who use the term cheesehead like a major insult. People here are unashamed of their dairy heritage. Central European roots are common in Wisconsin, so polka and bratwurst are alive and well. You can see cheese made at Monroe’s Roth K├ñse, toward the Southwest end of the state. One of the strangest museums I’ve heard of is the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, due west of Milwaukee. It has an actual tasting bar. The Harley-Davidson Museum and Plant is in Milwaukee. In the south toward Chicago is Racine’s Wingspread, a Frank Lloyd Wright Prairie House set on a lakefront. The Wisconsin Dells are a very touristy area, but their natural beauty seems to have been the original draw. Experience rushing rivers or take scenic hikes…or check out an African-themed waterpark. It’s up to you.

Typical foods in Wisconsin include pork, cheese soup, and trout or walleye. Madison has it all, from eclectic international food trucks (East African, Jamaican, Indonesian, vegan), to a restaurant with both Hungarian goulash and vegan chili, to mac and cheese-topped pizza slices. Well duh, it’s cheese, they would have that here. Sustainable, farm-to-table dishes include fried chicken and waffles, mussels and frites, and burgers. You can eat artisanal beef and drink a Corpse Reviver in Milwaukee. In Northwestern Wisconsin by the Apostle Islands, have a sandwich with local farmstead cheese or a microbrew from the area. These days, you can sit down for a Nepali meal in Madison or have vegan Vietnamese crepes in Appleton. If you have dietary restrictions and concerns, talk to staff and they’ll probably try to help you get something suitable. These are friendly, accommodating Midwestern folks!