Mary Bergin

Mary Bergin

A freelance travel/food writer in Madison, Mary has won three Lowell Thomas awards, the highest achievement in travel journalism. Her Wisconsin Supper Club Cookbook (Globe Pequot Press) is in its eighth printing.

Our Wisconsin Johnsonville Marketplace opened near the Johnsonville sausage factory in late 2020. Visitors can buy T-shirts, all sorts of cookout materials from condiments to grills, and exclusive Potosi Brewing Co. beer. (Photo by Mary Bergin)
Our Wisconsin A Traveler’s Guide to Johnsonville (The Town, Not the Brats)

The famed bratwursts come from a tiny community that might have a smaller population than your last family reunion.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin July 19, 2021 5:17 pm CDT
Our Wisconsin This view of Lake Winnebago is from Fond du Lac’s Lakeside Park.
Our Wisconsin This is the Lake Winnebago Road Trip Itinerary You Didn’t Know You Needed

There’s more to the state’s largest body of water than what’s along the I-41 strip.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin June 16, 2021 10:52 am CDT
Our Wisconsin Ice cream – including Orange Chocolate Bliss and Huckleberry – is made in small batches at Sassy Cow Creamery. (Photo by Mary Bergin)
Our Wisconsin Get Your Ice Cream Right From the Source at These Creameries This Summer

A sweet road trip can give you a taste of what rural Wisconsin offers to cool your taste buds.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin June 16, 2021 10:50 am CDT
Our Wisconsin Vanessa Watts cooks, delivers and coordinates Lasagna Love volunteers in parts of central and eastern Wisconsin.
Our Wisconsin Volunteers Make and Deliver Comfort Food for Wisconsin Families in Need

Vaccinations are coming, but hard-hit households will need help for some time to come.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin February 16, 2021 1:04 pm CST
Our Wisconsin In a sign of the times, the statue of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi has been masked up since early in the coronavirus pandemic.
Our Wisconsin Packers Heritage Trail Shows How a Team From a Little City Built a Big Following

Get ready for the playoffs with a walking tour that includes favorite haunts of Packer legends.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin January 14, 2021 11:51 am CST

continuing coverage

The children of Emily Shields, Eau Claire, are among tens of millions who benefit from a federal child tax credit that has been expanded and converted into monthly payments through the American Rescue Plan proposed by President Joe Biden and passed with only Democratic votes in Congress. (Photo by Julian Emerson) Economy GOP States Are Getting a Big Chunk of Biden’s Popular Child Tax Credit—Wisconsin Also Above Average
contact tracing wisconsin Coronavirus ‘It’s Scary’: Health Departments Can’t Keep Up With COVID Contact Tracing Anymore
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael J. Gableman, pictured here in 2011, has been hired by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) to investigate baseless concerns over the 2020 election. The investigation is one of many nationwide as Republicans follow the lead of former President Donald Trump and work to undermine faith in the electoral process. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal, Pool Photo via AP File) Elections ‘This Isn’t a Real Investigation’: Email Sent by Gableman to Election Clerks Raises Alarm
(Photo via School District of the Menomonie Area) Education Menomonie School Board Ends Mandatory COVID Contact Quarantines, Leaves Decision With Parents
Our Wisconsin Some tastes of Christmas are best left to the experts to produce. (Photo by Mary Bergin)
Our Wisconsin Here Are 12 Wisconsin-Based Holiday Treats ‘Yule’ Love

Mary Bergin takes us on another tour of the state, this one rooted in food and drink to enjoy this time of year.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin December 11, 2020 1:04 pm CST
Our Wisconsin Darla Dernovsek submitted this photo of her husband Mike and their dog Sunny on a hike at St. Peter's Dome near Ashland.
Our Wisconsin There’s Much to Be Thankful for in Wisconsin—the Places and the People

Our travel writer offers reminders of what we have and what will still be with us after this most unusual year.

Mary Bergin Mary Bergin November 25, 2020 9:11 am CST