You don't have to travel far to have fun! Some of the hottest things to do in Wisconsin



MILWAUKEE -- Summer is almost officially here! Tourism secretary-designee Sara Meane from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism joins FOX6 WakeUp with a look at some of the hot things to do this summer.

This year, Wisconsin celebrates several big anniversaries


    The greatest airshow in the world is hosting its 50th anniversary in Oshkosh July 22-28. More than 600,000 people from 80 different countries and 10,000 aircraft will descend on Oshkosh during the week-long event that features exhibitors, forums, workshops, presentations, aircraft flights, air shows, concerts and more.

    • 60th Annual Lumberjack World Championship, Hayward


    The thunder of chainsaws, the quick footing of the birlers, the brute strength of sawyers, and the agility of pole climbers are all on display at this world championship event. On Aug. 1-3, the world’s best professional lumberjacks and lumberjills will converge in Hayward to compete in sawing, chopping, logrolling, speed climbing, boom running, axe throwing and more.

    • Al Johnson’s 70th Year- Door County


    Located in Sister Bay, Al Johnson’s has been serving authentic Swedish and Mainstream American “comfort food” since 1949. In the early 1970s, when the restaurant was looking to expand, it pulled in some authenticity form its Scandinavian roots by having a grass and sod roof built in Norway and shipped to its location. Local goats walk on its roof and there’s even a goat cam.

    Wisconsin had 10 courses ranked in Golf Digest’s recently published list of Top 100 Public Courses. Why are we becoming so popular for golf?

    • Wisconsin is getting a lot of love for golf right now. In anticipation of the 2020 Ryder Cup being held for the first time in Wisconsin at Whistling Straits, people are taking notice of our award-winning courses throughout the entire state.

    • For example, Sand Valley in Nekoosa has been getting praise for not only the amazing golf venue, but also the new grass tennis courts.

    • Erin Hills has amazing landscapes and hosted the US Open in 2017, which had an economic impact of about $120 million into the state.

    • And of course, Whistling Straits in Kohler is a beautiful course along the coast of Lake Michigan, with lush rolling hills. It hosted the PGA Championships in 2004, 2010 and 2015.

    • The beauty of these courses is that they’re public, so anyone can make reservations to play like the pros.


    Gov. Evers is advocating for the creation of an Office of Outdoor Recreation – what are the benefits of this?

    • The number one reason people visit Wisconsin is to participate in outdoor recreation.

    • Wisconsin generates more than $20 billion in tourism revenue each year, and nearly $18 billion comes from hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and other outdoor activities.

    • The Office of Outdoor Recreation would focus on specifically marketing the outdoor activities that are such a large part of our state’s tourism industry.

    • We want to highlight all the wonderful and fun ways visitors can enjoy the outdoors in Wisconsin.

    • We’re lucky to have some great cities like Madison and Milwaukee that provide urban adventures like kayaking and fishing. As well as smaller communities and more than 50 state parks where you can pitch a tent, set out for a hike and get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

    • The office will help us compete for visitors with states like Colorado and Michigan which already have their own Offices of Outdoor Recreation.


    To learn more and plan your next Wisconsin getaway, visit TravelWisconsin.com.