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You Haven't Seen the REAL Wisconsin Unless...

Wisconsin
by Andrew Lewandowski Sep 1, 2016

…You’ve eaten a Cream Puff at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Consider the Wisconsin State fair to be an annual 10-day living exhibit of the modern cultural identity of Wisconsin. The culinary scene is legendary, notable foods on-a-stick include cheese balls, exotic meat sausage combos, and deep fried cream cheese. Nothing, however, can compare to the mighty Original Cream Puff. Over 400,000 of these heavenly pastries were whipped up and devoured in the 2015 Fair alone. That’s an average of 40,000 Cream Puffs made per day. Light, flaky, creamy, sprinkled with love. Devouring a cream puff is the most important thing to do upon arrival at the fair. Splurge on a 6-pack, I won’t tell anyone.

…You’ve attended Summerfest.

Do you love music? Have you heard of the largest music festival in the western hemisphere? Humble Milwaukee, Wisconsin is host to one of the largest music festivals in the world. Over 1,000 performances grace the grounds and its 11 stages during the festival’s whopping 11 days. Imagine experiencing every single music genre that exists, in a single day. Now imagine paying only $15 to get in, because that’s how much a full price day pass sold for this year costs — believe it. Real natives know that the journey into Summerfest is half the experience of the festival. For $5, park-and-ride shuttle busses drop you off at the front door of the grounds from all around the county. Locals know the 20-30 minute ride provides the ideal pre-game window to begin working on your buzz with your buds. By the time you’re on the grounds you’re ready for a banging good time.

…You’ve visited the Waterpark Capital of the World.

The word Wisconsin, may not bring to mind world-class aquatic recreation, but a small southern town called Wisconsin Dells is on a mission to change that. “The Dells”, as true ‘Sconies refer to it, contains the largest concentration of indoor and outdoor waterparks on the planet. Nearly 90% of people who grew up in Wisconsin have been to the Dells and stepped into Noah’s Ark. It is one of the original waterparks in the area, with an ever increasing number of water slides that has grown to over 50. Before diving into a wet and wild day at the waterparks, the seasoned Dell-goers know the best way to start the day – the Banana French Toast with a cup of jo at Denny’s Diner, a traditional 50’s diner with the jukebox and original toy paraphernalia to boot.

…You’ve explored the parks.

Adding to the list of things people don’t associate with Wisconsin, we have islands and an amazing State Park system. Nationally recognized, yet widely unknown, Wisconsin landscapes are as diverse as they are stunning. The Apostle Islands are a saintly collection of 22 islands in Lake Superior at the northern tip of the state. The islands are a well known romantic go-to for local newlyweds and long-term lovers alike. If you’re craving a more devious adventure, take a dip in Devil’s Lake. This fresh body of water surrounded by the Baraboo Hills is the largest park in Wisconsin and is comprised of the remnants of a giant glacier that melted and leveled the terrain thousands of years ago. Insider fun fact: geologists have established that the Baraboo Hills were a part of the ancient Baraboo Range, a glacier destroyed mountain range that rose higher than the Rockies.

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