15 Readers' Favorite Wisconsin Getaways

"Door County is great whatever the season. There's always something to do and something beautiful in nature to look at! It doesn't matter where you stay -- I prefer anyplace with a water view.

"When I think of Door County, I automatically think of quaint shops, art galleries, great food, gentle breezes, tours, small beaches, the sound of waves hitting the shore, the ferry to Washington Island, the boat ride to Rock Island. You can do it all or do nothing at all!"

--Lynne Gonzales, Waukesha, Wisconsin

Door County Visitor Bureau

"Eagle River in Wisconsin is my favorite summer vacation spot. My favorite restaurant is up there: The White Stag Inn in Rhinelander. They've been around for years (They were there when I was a camp counselor in the area in the 1970s!). We enjoy the winery in Three Lakes, fishing and boating on the Eagle River Chain of Lakes and Wisconsin River, and biking on the converted railways. We golf, swim, boat and have a very fun and relaxing time."

-- Teri Genal, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Eagle River Chamber of Commerce

"We have an annual Olde Friends Reunion in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Frank Lloyd Wright's home and school are nestled in the hills. The surrounding valleys have a pristine beauty. The American Players Theatre is beyond compare. Nearby, in Mineral Point, is The Brewery Creek Inn. Locals operate wineries, art galleries, potteries and a family-run cheese farm. It's always a highlight of our summer to spend time renewing old friendships in the quiet beauty of the Wisconsin countryside!"

-- Connie Hagen Johnson, Leland, Iowa

Spring Green Chamber of Commerce

"My friends go to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. This year, we all turned 70 (ouch). The first time, we were in high school. You do the math! Great town, beautiful shops -- and we love each other's company."

--Terry Wuich, Des Plaines, Illinois

Lake Geneva

"We have a sisters' weekend every fall. One of our best trips was to Madison, Wisconsin. We stayed at the Concourse Hotel right on Capitol Square. We walked around the city center, seeing the capitol building, the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Monona Terrace center on Lake Monona, and State Street shops and eateries. The Saturday farmers market around Capitol Square is full of treats and a variety of people, plants and animals. This town definitely has something for everyone, but the best was just to have time together."

--Lynda Ryan, Kenosha, Wisconsin

Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau

Midwest Living's® annual My Midwest photo contest draws hundreds of submissions from throughout the Midwest. User kimlarson sent in this photo of the annual Balloon Rally and Glow in Wausau, Wisconsin. The four-day summer event includes barnstormer plane rides, a kite club performance, fireworks and music as well as morning balloon launches and evening balloon glows.

Wausau Balloon Rally

Titled Serene, this My Midwest photo, submitted by ellenprather95, was taken at Devil's Lake State Park. Two miles south of Baraboo, Devil's Lake attracts more visitors annually than any other Wisconsin state park. Fishing, swimming and boating are popular on the 360-acre spring-fed lake. Nearly 30 miles of trails wind along the shoreline and though rocky forests.

Devil's Lake State Park

User Kevin260 entered this photo, The Otter, in the My Midwest photo contest.

"A family photo of my children and my nieces and nephews taken in the otter near Wabeno, Wisconsin. My mother used to come here with her aunt and uncle when she was a little girl. She brought us here in the summer when we were growing up and now our kids enjoy the cool water of the otter as well."

-- Kevin260

Wabeno

User miranda92 sent us her photo of Copper Falls in northern Wisconsin. Deep gorges and high waterfalls reward hikers and campers who venture into scenic Copper Falls State Park.

Copper Falls State Park

This photo, Griffin Gaze, was sent to us by user bdsoplanda.

"A watchful griffin overlooks the grounds of the world-famous Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin." -- bdsoplanda

Williams Bay is on Geneva Lake in southeast Wisconsin. The observatory, part of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago, is open for free public tours on Saturdays throughout the year.

Yerkes Observatory

Titled Wide Open on the Elroy-Sparta, this My Midwest photo was submitted by marylouh67. The 32-mile Elroy-Sparta bike trail runs along an abandoned Chicago and North Western Railroad bed in southwest Wisconsin. The trail passes through three rock tunnels, including one three-quarters of a mile long.

Elroy-Sparta State Trail

The sun sets over the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in this My Midwest photo submitted by gustafson5. The 22 Apostles fan out for almost 30 miles from the town of Bayfield, tempting visitors with 720 square miles of forests, caves, rocky outcrops and endless views. The islands, 21 of them protected as a national lakeshore, call to paddlers ready to take on Lake Superior's big water. But whether visitors go by ferry, sailboat or kayak, they find the Apostles are a destination for adventurers of all skill levels.

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

This photo, America's Cathedral, was sent by ttate07. At this little gem of a park (20 miles southeast of Duluth), water tumbles over rocks into a swimming hole, and a historic covered bridge spans the falls of the Amnicon River. The short, pretty trails appeal to those who just want to get their Zen on listening to water splash over stones.

Amnicon Falls State Park

"From the serene waters of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee's skyline is absolutely magical," writes user marc.c.cullen, who sent in this photo Calm Waters. Top attractions in the city include the Milwaukee Art Museum with its flapping "wings," the Harley-Davidson Museum, Discovery World, Old World Third Street and the lakefront Henry Maier Festival Park, which pulses with live bands throughout the summer.

Visit Milwaukee

This picture, submitted by jerid505 for our My Midwest photo contest, shows a fisherman in the early-morning mists on the Brule River in Florence County, Wisconsin. Florence County, about 110 miles north of Green Bay, is home to 265 lakes and 165 miles of rivers and streams.

Florence County