25 Hidden Gems a Short Drive or Flight from Wisconsin

Can you tell escaping winter and the stress of the holiday season is on our minds this week? Two in five Americans report feeling their mental health worsen during the holidays. Two ways to mitigate that are to stay positive and plan ahead, and one way to achieve that goal is by planning a quick getaway.

Yesterday, we shared 10 of Wisconsin’s best hotels with indoor pools–perfect for a swimmable staycation. But if swimming isn’t your thing, we’d recommend a night at the Saint Kate–The Arts Hotel, which made Yelp’s list of the Top 100 Places to Stay in America in 2023.

The Milwaukee gem, which replaced the former InterContinental Hotel, opened in June 2019 as the city’s first independent arts hotel. Named after St. Catherine, the patron saint of artists, the hotel hosts a rotating set of plays, art classes, exhibits, screenings, and more. The decor in each of the 219 guest rooms is inspired by a different artist.

Click here for photos and prices.

Another Midwestern hotel earned the #1 spot in Yelp’s Top 100, as did three Chicagoland hotels.

LOOK UP! – One of the strongest meteor showers of the year is visible from Wisconsin through Dec. 17! The annual Geminid meteor shower is active every December, and is most active tonight and tomorrow night. The best time to watch is from 6 to 7 p.m. Here’s our best meteor-spotting tips.

FROZEN (WISCONSIN’S VERSION) – Step aside, Arendelle! Wisconsin has its own ice castles. Did you know you can tour the ice caves in the Apostle Islands? Dress warm and head north to climb into a pontoon for a one-of-a-kind open-water tour offered every weekend through Dec. 24. Click here to reserve your spot today!

ALL ABOARD! The Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad just released its 2024 schedule! The historic train line runs on 26 miles of track between Spooner and Springbrook, and offers a variety of events including dinner rides and themed evenings. Most sell out months in advance, so it’s a good idea to lock in a date now. Click here for the full schedule (& ticket/pricing info.)

From big cities with iconic national monuments to well-known tourist traps, Google can direct you to the most popular vacation destinations in every US state. However, sometimes the most memorable trips happen when you seek out unexpected, under-the-radar spots.

For example, although the US is home to 63 national parks, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon National Park get the most attention. So, why not try an underrated gem like New Mexico’s White Sands National Park? And if nature isn’t your scene, there are plenty of other underrated experiences that deserve a spot on your bucket list, like Indianapolis’ City Market Catacombs.

To help you get started, we’ve partnered with Stacker to compile a list of 25 must-visit hidden gems. You can thank us later!

The World’s Largest Mailbox in Casey, Illinois

The town of Casey, Illinois is no stranger to breaking world records—it’s home to the largest chair in the US and the world’s largest mailbox, which was created as part of businessman Jim Bolin’s Big Things in a Small Town workshop. Measuring in at a whopping 5,743.41 cubic feet, the Casey mailbox is also fully functional and features a built-in stairway where visitors can mail letters of their own.

The Heidelberg Project in Detroit, Michigan

When Heidelberg Project creator and artist Tyree Guyton returned to the street where he grew up in Detroit, Michigan, he found it riddled with poverty and substance abuse. To combat these issues, he embarked on the Heidelberg Project, creating guerrilla-art installations using abandoned houses to transform them into a colorful spectacle with polka dots and lots of paint!

The Fenelon Place Elevator in Dubuque, Iowa

Located within the town of Dubuque, Iowa, the Fenelon Place Elevator has been dubbed the world’s “shortest, steepest, scenic railway.” For $4 round trip, visitors get to see panoramic views of the Mississippi River, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin.