Everyone is familiar with Wisconsin cheese, beer and brats, but how about its vast fields of cranberries and ginseng? With its many personalities—the hip urban scene of Milwaukee, the eco-friendly atmosphere of Madison, the football fandom of Green Bay, and the living history of Waukesha, to name a few—this varied Midwestern land is also cutting edge, cultural, historic, and adventurous.

When planners incorporate the diverse activities, little-known attractions and iconic lures of the state into agendas, a meeting in Wisconsin is sure to leave a lasting impression on groups.


Greater Milwaukee

Transformation is the buzzword in Wisconsin's main metro nowadays, and with all of the new offerings, there are plenty of interesting ways for planners to liven up events.

"If you haven't been here in three to five years, then you really haven't seen us," says Jack Moneypenny, vice president of sales for Visit Milwaukee, the city's CVB. "People still see us as an industrial town, but we're growing with arts and culture."

Indeed, over the past eight years, $1.5 billion has been invested in the city's renewal as a tourism destination.

Milwaukee's shorefront location along Lake Michigan makes it a top draw, with a kaleidoscope of attractions and events.

Groups can catch a private tour of the Sprecher Brewery, then relax in an indoor beer garden, or plan an event at the Milwaukee Art Museum and see the impressive addition that includes massive, mobile "wings" that open up, revealing a space large enough to fit a Boeing 747.

Private events at Pabst Mansion, built in 1892 in the Flemish Renaissance style, also tap into Milwaukee's rich heritage of beer-making.

For the ultimate team-building program, planners might consider the new Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, where they can book a day aboard the S/V Denis Sullivan, a three-masted schooner modeled after the vessels that traveled the Great Lakes in the 1880s. Day sails are available for groups of 50 or less, and delegates learn to work together by raising the sail, taking turns at the helm and performing other shipboard duties.

Scheduling downtime for attendees to explore the vibrant Milwaukee Riverwalk and to discover the beauty of Lake Michigan is a must, according to Moneypenny.

"People who haven't been here before just stand in awe looking at the Great Lakes," he says. "They don't realize just how large the lakes are, and the shoreline is beautiful, because it's all county parklands and public beaches."

Ten minutes west of Milwaukee, the suburb of Brookfield is well known as a shoppers' haven. More than 250 retail shops and 20 shopping centers include both nationally recognized stores and unique, eclectic boutiques. Add a bevy of antique stores and day spas to the mix, and delegates can shop 'til they drop and kick back for a rejuvenating massage.

Also just a few miles west of Milwaukee are Waukesha and Pewaukee, where groups are treated to a variety of unique heritage attractions.

Old World Wisconsin is the largest rural life museum in the world, featuring more than 60 historic buildings on 576 acres. Groups are welcome at the living history site, and its octagon-shaped barn restaurant is available for receptions.

Also available for events is Ten Chimneys, the historic home of Broadway stars Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne. The home, once the inspirational retreat for actors, writers and artists in the 1930s and 40s, still retains the lush decor of the period.

Meanwhile, a dinner cruise on Lake Pewaukee is always a sure bet for attendees.

Smaller groups fit in well with the area, according to Tammy Tritz, executive director for the Waukesha and Pewaukee Area CVB.

"I'd say our ideal group size is 500 attendees and under," she says. "And we specialize in making sure all the planner's needs are met."

In the nearby Oconomowoc area, visitors can take a 10-mile roundtrip excursion on an historic electric railroad, tour the 1850s brick Octagon House or head to Holy Hill and be inspired at the National Shrine of Mary.


Madison

Located between Monona and Mendota lakes, the capital of Wisconsin, home to the University of Wisconsin, has a sharp focus on nature while maintaining a vibrant, culturally rich urban atmosphere.

The Madison area has five lakes and more than 200 parks, and the outdoors is not only the main attraction, it's a growing business. Madison has a reputation as a "green" destination, leading the way in recycling, energy conservation, green construction techniques, and land conservation.

Even its main group venue, the Monona Terrace Convention Center, centers on the trademark principle of its designer, Wisconsin native Frank Lloyd Wright, in incorporating the natural beauty of the surrounding environment into the architecture. Among the highlights are outdoor promenades, a rooftop garden and sweeping views of Lake Monona from meeting facilities.

"The best way to enjoy Madison is to be outdoors," says Deb Archer, CEO of the Madison CVB. "You can walk or bike anywhere, or get out on the lake. We're a high-energy city and a smart meetings destination."

Beyond the active outdoor diversions, there a number of interesting sites groups can tour, including Cedar Grove Cheese, an organic cheese company that uses cutting-edge techniques to avoid water pollution; the International Crane Foundation, a conservation center; and the Dane County Farmers Market on Capitol Square, reputed to be the largest market of its kind in the country, with 300 vendors.

Utilizing the city's many off-site venues is another way to infuse events with local character. Popular options include the Capital Brewing Company, listed as America's top-rated brewery, and Olbrich Botanical Gardens, featuring 16 acres of lush vegetation.


Wisconsin Dells

Fun comes in the form of both natural and manmade attractions in the Wisconsin Dells, a top family getaway that is also well suited to meetings and retreats.

Known as the "Waterpark Capital of the World," the Dells region has several large, group-friendly resorts with indoor and outdoor water parks, including Chula Vista Resort, Great Wolf Lodge, Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort, and Kalahari Waterpark Resort, which claims to have the largest indoor water park in the country.

There are more than 200 water slides in a 19-square-mile area, plus championship golf courses and spas. There's even gaming fun at the Ho-Chunk Casino, Hotel and Conference Center.

"We're very family-friendly," says Melanie Platt-Gibson, marketing director for the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau. "And we're finding that meeting delegates are coming early or staying late after their conference and wrapping some family time into it."

While the host resorts have become a main attraction of the destination, attendees should also experience the wonder of the region's namesake. Visitors can now walk along the dells—ancient sandstone cliffs towering above the Wisconsin River—via a walkway that affords sweeping views, or take a boat tour along the river. Groups can also enjoy a leisurely evening dinner cruise or kick it up a notch with jet boat rentals or duck tours, amphibious vehicles that travel from the road straight into the water.


Sheboygan

Located between Lake Michigan and the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Sheboygan County is one of the leading golf destinations in the country.

Several courses, including four Pete Dye-designed layouts at Destination Kohler; the Autumn Ridge Golf Club and Banquet Facility; Sheboygan Town and Country Club; and the Bull Golf Club at Pinehurst Farms, allow delegates to head straight from the meeting to the links.

"Our golf courses are phenomenal," says Denny Moyer, manager of the Sheboygan CVB. "We've hosted the PGA tour before, and we're planning to host the U.S. Men's Senior Open. This is the place to be for golf."

Unique indoor diversions include the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in downtown Sheboygan. Encompassing three landmark buildings, the facility features dramatic architecture and showcases contemporary art and performing arts, while offering meeting and event space within the center and the gardens. The most popular exhibit, however, isn't in the galleries; it's the center's six public restrooms that were each designed by contemporary American artists, including Ann Agee and Merrill Mason. The fact that the bathrooms were chosen as their canvas is no accident; the Kohler company manufactures kitchen and bath fixtures in the nearby town of Kohler, where another top draw is its Kohler Waters Spa next to The American Club, a standout meetings property that is Wisconsin's only AAA Five Diamond hotel.

Kohler Waters Spa has earned the No. 1 spot for treatments and services by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, thanks to luxuries such as the Evening Bath Ritual, where an attendant prepares your bath, sets the mood with candlelight and leaves you with wine, champagne or tea to unwind before bed.

Another top group property, Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center, gives delegates a different kind of water experience, with a setting along the beaches of Lake Michigan and a large indoor water park.


Green Bay/Door County

Looking for a little action or a little quiet time? The eastern coastal area encompassing Green Bay and Door County has your ticket. Pick a venue full of football fever in Packer Country or kick back and enjoy the scenic beauty of Door County.

Football and the Green Bay Packers are tops in this town, and the team's legendary, fanatical following is proof enough. Lambeau Field, the Packers' home turf, recently wrapped up a $300 million renovation and is now a year-round attraction and group venue option, complete with a two-story pro shop, stadium tours, a cafe, the Packers Hall of Fame, and meeting space.

"It gives planners an opportunity to do something different," says Kari Sliva, president and CEO of the Packer Country Visitor and Convention Bureau. "A lot of planners will use the KI Convention Center for their meetings and then hold off-site events at the stadium."

Meanwhile, groups can look forward to new shops, restaurants and amenities that are coming online as part of a revitalization of the downtown riverfront area.

In Door County, the outdoors is always an integral part of a visit, but the destination also has its share of indoor lures. Located on a peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, Door County has more than 300 miles of scenic shoreline and plenty of quaint small towns, hence its nickname, "Cape Cod of the Midwest."

Groups can visit the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, just one of 10 lighthouses in the area, arrange sunset sailing trips or take in some of the many art galleries scattered throughout the area.

Another experience of the arts—and the outdoors—awaits attendees at the new state-of-the-art outdoor theater of the Peninsula Players, which presents productions during the summer.

For an authentic treat, planners can arrange a Door County Fish Boil.

"Fish boils are an historic way to prepare food here in Door County," says Jon Jarosh, marketing director for the Door County CVB. "It's a very unique tradition, it's delicious, and it's a great excuse to eat melted butter."

Once an efficient way to feed loggers in the 1800s, the fish boil has become a hot attraction in the last few decades. The recipe includes freshly caught local whitefish, baby red potatoes and onions, which are cooked in a giant kettle over an open flame. With thousands of acres of cherry orchards in Door County, the grand finale is no surprise: homemade cherry pie.


Fox Cities

The Fox Cities region in east central Wisconsin comprises 18 communities, all located along the Fox River.

The area hosts regional and national tournaments for nearly any sport imaginable, from the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Tourney to the U.S. Curling Championships, but the ultimate sport in the Fox Cities is shopping. The Fox River Mall is the second-largest in the state, with 180 retail shops, and the downtown areas of Appleton and Neenah feature a mix of eclectic boutiques and antique shops.

The area also offers unique ways to enjoy history, such as the historic tavern tour in Menasha, where a few dollars at each stop will net you some cold brew and wild tales.

Spotlighting the picturesque countryside, Homestead Meadows Farm provides another unique experience in the region. The renovated farmstead hosts an array of events for groups of up to 2,000. One option is a traditional "spanfarkel," otherwise known as a pig roast. If a whole pig is a bit too much, attendees can opt for a brat or steak fry, or go whole hog for a five-course meal with wine.

Delegates should also visit the Outagamie County Museum and Houdini Historic Center in Appleton. Harry Houdini spent much of his childhood in Appleton, and visitors can learn more about the town's favorite son through hands-on activities that show just how the famed magician performed some of his tricks.


Lake Winnebago

The cities of Oshkosh and Fond du Lac lie along the shores of the state's largest inland lake, where outdoor activities are plentiful, from fishing and boat tours to hiking and biking, as well as some other intriguing options.

In Fond du Lac, visitors can get kissed by a llama at the Pleasure Valley Llama Farm, or explore hidden passages in the historic Octagon House, featured on the History Channel. A popular attraction among groups is the Galloway House and Village, a posh, 30-room Victorian mansion with an authentic 1800s-era village on the grounds. The mansion is available for meetings and events.

In Oshkosh, a host of team-building exercises are available for groups. Attendees can discover new leadership and communication skills with a corporate session at Cedar Ridge Ranch, where participants solve problems while learning the finely tuned skill of horse training. At the YMCA, a comprehensive challenge program involves adventure games, a climbing wall, a mock mine field, an obstacle course, and much more. After a day of challenges, groups can enjoy a reception at the Paine Art Center and Gardens, located in an historic Tudor Revival mansion that is surrounded by three acres of gardens.


Lake Geneva

Along the southern edge of Wisconsin is Lake Geneva, a resort escape that has been welcoming visitors since the late 19th century. For nature enthusiasts, the destination is a dream, with its sparkling lake and activities such as swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing, plus biking and golfing.

Seasonal narrated cruises on the lake are available, and one of the most memorable ways to take in the pretty setting is via Lake Geneva Cruise Lines, which offers dinner cruises and receptions for groups.

During the fall months, another enjoyable excursion is a visit to the Apple Barn Orchard and Winery for fresh apples and pumpkins, and groups can also take a winery tour and head home with a bottle of fruit wine.

Boutique shops and dozens of restaurants round out the experience in Lake Geneva, and the resorts themselves are star attractions for groups, with options such as the Grand Geneva Resort and the Abbey Resort, both of which recently finished renovations, as well as the Lake Lawn Resort, which is undergoing a $390 million expansion.

"[Planners] will be pleasantly surprised at the renovations and updates we've made all over," says George Hennerley, executive vice president of the Lake Geneva Area CVB.


La Crosse and Central Wisconsin

From La Crosse, located along the Mississippi River in the western part of the state, to the central destinations of Wausau and Stevens Point, nature, history and shopping are top draws for groups, but the area has a few surprises as well.

Downtown La Crosse is the largest historic area in the state, and it has also been declared fun and vibrant by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, which ranked the city No. 16 in its recent "50 Smart Places to Live" listing.

Planners should incorporate downtime for shopping in the historic district, and they can arrange group tours at the City Brewery or an outing aboard a paddle wheeler on the river.

The area is developing more outdoor-themed activities for groups, according to Dave Clements, executive director of the La Crosse Area CVB.

"We're looking at more off-site activities like kayaking and other sports, since the La Crosse, Black and Mississippi rivers all come together [here]," he says.

Wausau sits in the center of the state in Marathon County, where the main export isn't cheese; it's ginseng. The county produces 95 percent of the ginseng that the U.S. exports, giving it the nickname, "Ginseng Capital of the World." Groups can tour ginseng operations, and afterward, head to Hsu's Ginseng Enterprises for a take-home order of the prized root.

Between all the forests, hills and lakes in the region, there's also plenty to do outdoors, including kayaking at Whitewater Park and hitting the slopes at Granite Peak Ski Area.

Nearby in Stevens Point, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are favorite pastimes, and a tour of Stevens Point Brewery, one of the county's oldest, is always a hit with groups.

Down the road in Wisconsin Rapids, a tour of Glacial Lake Cranberries proves that Wisconsin is certainly a bountiful land of plenty; the state produces more than half of the nation's annual crop of cranberries.