Running out of ideas about how to spend precious leisure time during these waning days of summer or beyond? My “in” box contains no shortage of ideas. Take a peek.
—
The 70-acre Holy Hill Art Farm, a 160-year-old homestead near Hubertus, is hosting one more dinner in the farm’s barn this summer. A ticket for the adults-only meal on Aug. 25, a buffet-style pig roast, is $65 and includes music, beverages and pie.
The farm is five miles from the Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary basilica. holyhillartfarm.com, 262-224-6153
—
Dorf Haus, a Bavarian-style supper club in Roxbury and near Sauk City, makes TABÉlog’s Top 10 list of German restaurants in America. The foodie website is an offshoot of kakaku.com and a popular restaurant review site in Japan. Details at tabelog.com, which raves about the German smorgasbord and polka music that packs the house on one Monday each month. foodspot.com/dorfhaus, 608-643-3980
—
Gaining popularity in Milwaukee County are park-based beer gardens and traveling beer gardens, seasonal efforts that began during the summer of 2015. They are a nod to Germany’s outdoor and family-friendly biergartens. Days and hours of operation depend on the Milwaukee-area park. countyparks.com (search “beer garden”).
—
A permanent exhibit at Port Exploreum in Port Washington reveals thousands of facts about Lake Michigan. That includes real-time info about where ships are traveling. It is the place to go for immediate answers about wave height, lake cloud cover, ice cover and much more.
The exhibit’s interactive table is shaped like the Great Lake, and Port Exploreum helps kids and adults better understand Port Washington’s history as a harbor town. portexploreum.com, 262-284-2406
—
Ground was broken this month for a $3.9 million Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl Living Arts and Cultural Center in Lac du Flambeau. It will be a venue for showcasing Native American artistry and food, but only $1.6 million has been raised so far.
The project aims to replace a decaying facility used since 1951 for tribal ceremonials and other gatherings that demonstrate Ojibwe traditions and culture. For details about what is planned and how to make a donation, go to indianbowlproject.org, 715-588-4252.
Already in place are George W. Brown Jr. Ojibwe Museum and Woodland Indian Arts Center. A re-created, rural Ojibwe village on 20 acres unfortunately was torched by vandals years ago. lacduflambeauchamber.com, 715-588-3346
—
Kohler Company wants to expand the Inn on Woodlake to include multi-room spaces to better accommodate families and groups of friends, especially for “golf buddy trips.”
Pending village approval, work begins this fall to add two-bedroom, four-bedroom and more single-bedroom units. The three-diamond inn, a sister property of The American Club resort, would stay open during construction. americanclubresort.com, 866-887-8455
—
Some travelers follow the Mississippi River in their car. Others choose to bike it, and now GreatRiverTrail.org points out the highlights in 11 central and northern Illinois trail towns, covering 62.5 miles of riverfront.
These 10-foot-wide and hard-surface trails for bicyclists also twist into rural settings between Rock Island and Savanna, Ill. An interactive trail map for smart phones, and other mobile devices, determines the user’s location through a GPS, then lists nearby accommodations, restaurants and entertainment.
—
Tired of presidential politics? So is The Second City comedy troupe, and the Chicago-based performers are poking all the fun they can this month before taking their show on the road.
“Unelectable You,” a two-hour political comedy developed with writers at the lippy online magazine Slate, plays at UP Comedy Club in Piper’s Alley until Aug. 28, then heads to out-of-state locations (none in Wisconsin). Tickets are $26-$36. unelectableyou.com, 312-662-4562
“As countless runners-up have learned, being qualified is not the same as being electable,” says Director Matt Hovde, who calls the production “a shout-out to the fractured and confusing process we have of choosing a leader.”
—
An expansion of Chicago’s Riverwalk (with addition of kayak rentals) and ongoing centennial celebration at the revamped Navy Pier are other reasons to fit in a visit to the Windy City.
Two downtown Chicago hotels – The Silversmith at 10 S. Wabash Ave. and LondonHouse at 85 E. Upper Wacker Dr. – are among this year’s 22 new members of Historic Hotels of America.
Bon Appetit presents Chicago Gourmet, Sept. 23-25 in Millennium Park, an array of chef demos, seminars and tastings. The Broadway hit musical “Hamilton” arrives Sept. 27 at PrivateBank Theatre in the Loop for its first run outside of New York City. choosechicago.com
—
Sever and Sharon Peterson say their farm’s corn maze was the first in the Midwest, and this year’s design on more than 10 acres celebrates the family’s 20th anniversary of making mazes near Shakopee, Minn. Also on the farm are zip lines, obstacle courses, a rope swing, giant slide, pumpkin patch and performers.
The family-friendly destination is open on weekends, Sept. 9 through Oct. 21. The Petersons say a foreign exchange student from England introduced them to the notion of maze design. severscornmaze.com, 952-974-5000
—
Trek Travel, guided bicycling vacations on Wisconsin-made Trek products, organizes trips in the United States and Europe. New destinations for 2017 include trips to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks; New Mexico; Ojai to Santa Barbara, Calif.; Norway; Danube River cruising; and Rhine River cruising.
Most excursions last six days and five nights; cruises involve seven nights. Prices depend on the destination and duration of travel but include bike rental, lodging, food and most other expenses – but getting to the departure point is an additional charge. trektravel.com, 866-464-8735