I know Laverne and Shirley are long gone (at least off of the TV) but the adult beverages are still prominent in the land of cheese, beer and wine and that land is Fish Creek, Wisconsin in Door County.   Visitors to this part of Wisconsin get to enjoy water sports on Lake Michigan in the summer, take snowmobile tours and sled rides in the winter and enjoy harvest time of the fall.  Fall is the time when orchards and vineyards are harvested of their bountiful fruits.

  When coming to the Fish Creek area in Door County, one can find lodging fairly easily and call it home base while each day consists of branching out and exploring the local sites and sounds.  Fish Creek is a small town that is over 150 years old and began as a fishing village teaming with lumberjacks and farmers.  With hard work ethic embraced by those of the past, calling it a day and enjoying a beer or flask of wine was probably pretty normal. 

Today in Door County there is only one brewery that calls this place home and they enjoy making craft brews both seasonal and flagship beers.  Their variations include IPA, wheat, copper ale, blonde, porter and a fall time favorite; pumpkin ale with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon.  Since the microbrew revolution in the 90’s breweries have been pairing food with beer and providing that in their restaurants.  Ribs, locally caught fish and pasta all pair very well with the beer variations previously mentioned. 

This region is also home to vineyards and therefore wineries especially with the prominent existence of fruit orchards.  As with beer and food pairings, wine and food definitely go together.  The local wine produced in Door County boasts of light tanins made to allow the palate to taste the fare.  With that being said, wine bars allow the customer to taste local wine with local food.

Fish Creek, Wisconsin in Door County provides fun, activity and good fare and drink to those who arrive weary and tired.

Fish Creek by random letters

Door County Wine by luvautumntime

Wisconsin Beer by Jessica DeWinter

 

               

Hey, Thanks for stopping by! If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

My very first time eating lobster was when I was 14 and traveling up the east coast from Georgia with my family to go pickup my brother who had just finished hiking the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine (that’s 2,175 miles) back in 1986.  Once we had left the northeast urban areas of New York and Boston, the road became surrounded with fur trees and less buildings.  I can remember breaking out onto the coast and seeing the craggy cliffs and lobster traps floating in the turbulent surf down below thus beginning my love affair with lobster (the other really good white meat).

Now, my first taste of lobster came when we arrived in Bar Harbor and went straight down to the warf.  You chose which lobster you wanted and in a matter of minutes, it was served to you with butter and lemon.   The meal was “wicked good” as they say up there.  What a way to experience my first impression of lobster and the beautiful state of Maine.

Bar Harbor is quite a ways up the coast once entering the state and you don’t have to go that far to experience fresh lobster and the Maine coastal lifestyle.  Just about an hour northeast of Boston is the town of Ogunquit, Maine.  Ogunquit is a quaint artist community with lots of festivals and seasonal celebrations therefore the artistry gets into the food.

Lobster can dressed up or down when it comes to presentation and taste.  Combining old world traditional cuisine with the fresh seafood available creates dinner entrees that are full of flavors and aromas.  Entrees and side dishes involving prosciutto, foie gras, garlic and herbs just to name a few definitely are a result of inspiration and just plain fresh ingredients.  Guests and visitors to Ogunquit have quaint logding options with exceptional in-house dining so plan your trip today!  Ogunquit hosts many styles of restaurants to suit everyone’s taste buds and affordability. 

When mentioning lobster being dressed down, Ogunquit offers the less sophisticated palate plenty of choices.  You can get lobster stew, lobster roll, broiled lobster, lobster saute, baked lobster, and even lobster salad.  Finding the quaint eating establishments has always been my favorite challenge when looking for good quality food and service.   

If you are thinking of going to Maine for a lobster filled vacation and take in the Atlantic breezes then don’t hesitate to check out the coastal town of Ogunquit, Maine.

Maine Lobster by man pikin

Ogunquit, Maine Coastline by scott.labrake

 

   

 

    

Williamsburg, Virginia is a great place to take the whole family due to several things.  Those reasons being Busch Gardens Amusement Park, Colonial Williamsburg, and the neighboring historic towns of Jamestown and Yorktown.  This is where America was born over 200 years ago after the Revolutionary War.

Now, every child loves amusement parks especially for the rides.  Busch Gardens of Williamsburg has been nominated the world’s “most beautiful theme park” for 17 straight years.  There are over 50 exhilarating rides to go on with one being called “Griffon”.  It is the world’s tallest floorless dive coaster that drops over 200 feet straight down and gets up to 70 mph!  Roller coasters were not made to do that when I was a kid.  Besides the rides, there are shows, animal attractions, historical and educational resources and dining options just to name a few.  Adults (ages 10 and up) can have fun in the park for about $60/day per person and any child ages 3 to 9 get in for about $50 for the day.  Be sure to check out Busch Gardens during your stay in Williamsburg!

 

Your trip to Williamsburg is probably based on the amount of history there is to learn.  The Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area is a must see for all of you history buffs.  Williamsburg, VA is also known as “Revolutionary City” and rightly so due to the birth of America after the Revolutionary War ended in 1783 when we gained independence from the British.  The Historic Area has museums, shops, educational learning resources, and real-life recreations and dramatizations of historical events.  A definite must visit for any family wanting to learn about our historic past as the United States of America.The neighboring towns of Jamestown and Yorktown help Williamsburg make up the triangle of Virginia and are equally as important in the makeup of our nation.  In Jamestown, archaeologists are currently digging for the town’s remains ranging from coins to building materials which will shed light on what actually existed in the area.  In historic Yorktown, visitors will find re-enactments of the way life was in early America post Revolutionary War.  Take a guided tour of the Yorktown Battlefield and relive the massive battle that took place. 

With all of the history to be experienced and learned, one needs to have a home base from which to take daily adventures.  Williamsburg is the perfect place to be due to its’ location being in the center of all the attractions and historical landmarks.  There are vacation packages available for anytime of the year.  Don’t hesitate to make a family trip to Williamsburg, Virginia and experience the past coming alive.   

 

 

 

Pictures provided by:

Busch Gardens by marada

Colonial Home in Williamsburg, VA by rodeomilano

Jamestown ship by buhny 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuscany is “all the rave” to most people I would think and I don’t doubt that being that I haven’t been yet.  I did get to explore parts of Italy a few years ago on my Honeymoon like Venice, Verona and Milan but I haven’t made it to the Piedmont region.  I’m sure the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” brought some extra attention to the region as well.  The idea of that beautiful region being surrounded by the Mediterranean sounds like a “mini- Italy” and it is – it is called the island of Elba.

Many come to Elba as a tourist and guest of the island.  Obviously, a travel guide would be very helpful to take advantage of the island’s attractions and activities.  The town of Capoliveri attracts lots of attention and therefore offers quite the nightlife.  One place in particular is called “Sugar Reef “which is a live jazz venue and bar.  There is a slight dress code and the drinks are a bit inflated in price but the view and ambiance is quite enticing.  One other place to check out would be Il Tinello at Marina di Campo which also offers live music and coastal Tuscan cuisine.    

The Island of Elba lies just over 6 miles off of the Italian mainland and is the largest island in Tuscany while also being the 3^rd largest island of Italy.  Most of the island’s occupants dwell in the villages by the water where fishing and coastal activities abound.   As you can probably imagine, fresh Italian seafood combined with Tuscan cuisine sounds out of this world.

The town of Cape St. Andrea on Elba Island is also one to not miss visiting.  One can find lodging rather easily and with style.  From boutique hotels to moderate rooms for rent, Cape St. Andrea offers the guest a full experience of Tuscany by the Sea.  Diving is a popular activity on this part of the island offering sights of sunfish and lobster accompanied by colorful “gorgonian” or sea coral. 

Whatever port of Elba Island that you come to will not disappoint you in the slightest.  Fresh seafood and wine along with quaint lodging options and local music make for a great way to pass time in my book.  If you want to combine a Tuscany feel with a Mediterranean island then plan a trip to Isola d’Elba, the island of Tuscany. 

 Elba Seafood by Rnout

 Elba Town by rauchdickson

 Day in Elba by Lochinvar1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have never made it to Wisconsin but the more I hear about this state I should plan a trip sooner than later.  Sitting on the banks of the mighty Lake Michigan just north of Green Bay by about an hour is Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.  Every season is a good reason to visit here.

With winter vastly approaching, the state of Wisconsin definitely feels the cold and chill in the air especially being near the lake.  Winter activities like skiing, snow-shoeing, ice-skating and sledding are all very prominent in these neck of the woods.  Of course, the Green Bay Packers make for a good time if you can weather “the weather”.  I have always enjoyed watching the Packers play in the snow on TV just to wonder how they keep hold of the football.  You can definitely find respite indoors and curl up in front of a nice cozy fire and enjoy a hot chocolate or latte at the local cafe or at one of the many quaint bed and breakfasts that can be found in the area. 

Once the snow and ice start to disappear in spring, the locals remain outside to enjoy the blooming of the local flora and the visitors take in walking tours to learn about Sturgeon Bay’s history.  Throughout the town one can see shipyards dotting the coastline and lighthouses to explore.  

Summertime is a great time to visit Sturgeon Bay especially if you enjoy being out on the water either fishing, swimming, sailing or kayaking.  From horse-back riding to going on bike tours and riding the ferry, there is much to do in Wisconsin’s Sturgeon Bay.

Fall time is beautiful with the leaves changing color and the slight nip in the air.  Enjoying farmer’s markets and outdoor fruit stands are a local passtime here in Door County’s Sturgeon Bay.  Taking walks through leaf covered trails make for a nice outing before the wintry snow starts.  Fall is also time to harvest the grapes (the kind you drink, of course).  Check out and visit Wisconsin’s local wineries and sample their fruits of labor.

So, if you happen to be traveling on business or pleasure to Green Bay, be sure to make some time to travel a little further north to Sturgeon Bay for the day or two and explore this little coastal town. 

Sturgeon Bay Lighthouse by insipidlife

Door County Kayaking by Teecycle Tim