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Wisconsin Southwest part of the state scenic, relaxing
They call southwestern Wisconsin the driftless area (a misnomer after a windy, snowy day).
This is what the land looked like before the ice age, because the glaciers skipped southwest Wisconsin. It left intact the valleys, hills and ridges.
Residents, though, would say that the southwestern corner of Wisconsin is not less of anything.
Local, quiet, charming
"We are small town. We are farmland. We are rolling hills. We are the river bluffs. People come here for the beauty and serenity," said Pam Curry, coordinator of the Point of Beginnings Heritage Area.
"Maybe you've done the waterparks with the kids and visited Chicago and seen the hustle and bustle."
Maybe you are looking for a closer, quieter place.
Waiting to greet you are "quirky" restaurants and bars throughout the region, she said, often mom-and-pop type places with great storytellers.
Each town is distinct, with locally owned shops that sell antiques, primitives, art, books, and things for your home and yourself.
Decorated for the season with much more evergreen and less tinsel, small town stores are a less stressful way to shop for Christmas gifts.
Mineral Point offers candlelight shopping the first Saturday evening in December, and every town has a holiday celebration. Several have holiday parades with the high school band playing carols.
Spring Green, in its visitor's guide, describes itself as "equal parts artists" community and down-to-earth farm town, uncrowded open space and unpretentious, open people. It is Norman Rockwell, Edward Hopper and a bit of hippie culture all rolled into one." And it is old. Southwest Wisconsin was one of the first areas settled. Much of the history has been preserved.
"There has been a lot of money and volunteer time in restoring old buildings like the Potosi Brewery," Curry said.
Eat, drink and be active
There is a lot to see and do and eat.
During harvest, roadside stands and Farmers Markets sell direct to customers. That means just-dug potatoes, just-picked apples, late season vegetables, and pumpkins.
And, you can buy cheese where it is made.
You can eat at a chain restaurant if you choose, but each town also has locally owned restaurants ranging from diners to white table cloth fine dining.
You can work up an appetite by getting outdoors in the cool weather.
In a new collaboration, a brochure and Web site list 28 bicycle loops through the driftless region. All paths are paved, although not all are for novice riders.
The Web site, www.cyclesouthwestwisconsin.com, has a blogger describing what it is like to ride the loops. Both the brochure and Web site list the length of the route, sights to see, parking and restroom availability.
There are new ways to find the history here. The Point of Beginnings organization printed a new brochure outlining information and history that can be discovered by geocaching.
That is a high-tech version of hide and seek that uses global positioning systems or other navigational tools to find outdoor treasures or adventure.
Not all of the questions need geocaching, but since that hobby is growing, Point of Beginnings decided to keep up with the times.
It's meant for families to do together, and answers to 20 of the 35 questions can be turned in for a prize drawing, and the brochure map can be shown at some historic sites and businesses for discounts. The program runs through Sept. 27.
"It's incentive for some history education," said Curry.
The snow brings other recreational opportunities.
"Snowmobiling is a big thing," said Becky Becker, executive assistant with Grant County Economic Development. In Grant County, there are 32 publicly funded trails covering 370 miles.
If you want to cross country ski, state parks have groomed trails.
Watching leaves turn from a kayak or canoe is an up-close way to see the seasons change. And, there is fishing in lakes, streams and rivers.
A view from a car
In Wisconsin, the Great River Road goes through 33 towns. A brochure advises that "you should set aside at least two days to drive the entire route, although many people take a full week or more." "The Story of the Great River -- A Historic Tour of the Wisconsin Great River Road" audio tour can be downloaded free at www.wigreatriverroad.org.
"The Point Road in Potosi is located on a peninsula that goes out into the Mississippi River," the brochure quotes Frank Fiorenza, of Potosi, as saying.
"Within a stretch of 250 miles, it is as far out as you can be on the river without exactly being in a boat. It is not only a unique perspective of the river, but it is an absolutely stunning area for birdwatching."
You can see where the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers meet at Wyalusing State Park in Bagley. The view is the same that Marquette and Joliet saw.
In keeping with driving close to a river, the Lower Wisconsin River Road was recently dedicated. "That is a beautiful drive," Becker said. Go to www.lowerwisconsinriverroad.com.
For a different way to travel, the Cassville Ferry is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 1.
Fall foliage is what brings many people to the area, but bare trees reveal some views of the river you can't see other times of year, said Patti Wacker, tourism coordinator for the Prairie du Chien Chamber of Commerce.
Fall and winter are good times to look for off-season lodging packages, she said.
And watching snow flakes fall out a window made wavy with age while sipping cocoa or wine is a pleasing and peaceful way to spend a winter day.
Some bigger events
Sept. 11-13: Platteville Dairy Days, Legion Park, entertainment, carnival, truck and tractor pull.
Sept. 11-13: Historic re-enactment, Mound View Park, Platteville. Military demonstrations, storytelling, period food and music.
Sept. 19-20: Driftless Area Art Festival, Soldiers Grove. Juried; celebrating visual, performing and culinary arts of the Driftless area.
Sept. 25-27: Cornish Festival, Mineral Point. Taste of Mineral Point Sept. 26.
Sept. 26-27: Gays Mills Apple Festival. Apple cookies, apple doughnuts, apple cider, and apples.
Sept. 27: Heritage Day, Fennimore Railroad Museum. Also, Farm toy show and sale at the Memorial Building.
Oct. 3: Cheesefest, Shullsburg. Free entertainment, hayrides, cheese curd-eating contest, cheese bake-off, book sale, market.
Oct. 16-18: Fall Art Tour. Fifty-one southwest Wisconsin artists open their studios so visitors can see art being made. Mineral Point, Spring Green, Dodgeville, Baraboo.
Oct. 18: Port of Potosi. Fall beer show, flea market, color extravaganza.
Nov. 27-29: Bit of Yesteryear Christmas, Shullsburg. Tour of homes, pasty lunch, holiday open houses at stores, lighted parade and fireworks.
Dec. 5: Candlelight shopping and gallery night, Mineral Point. Evening hours at shops, galleries and eateries, with streets lined by luminaria.