It’s All Charm and No Hassle in Sheboygan!

Located halfway between Green Bay and Milwaukee, Sheboygan is both a waypoint and a great opportunity to unwind. Shrouded in mystery, the city’s name comes from the Chippewa language and may refer to the way the Sheboygan river pierces the land, or possibly to a great underground noise that was said to be heard at the river’s mouth. Europeans settled its shore with the fur trade, and today it offers just enough big city style and influence at just the right small-town pace to keep you both relaxed and entertained during your time here. It’s a goldilocks town, not too big, not too small, and it’s yours to explore.

Travel Towards Adventure

Plan some time on the water! Rent a kayak or paddleboard and explore both the river and the lake, or book yourself an expedition on a charter fishing boat and land yourself some dinner.

If dry land is more your speed, visit nearby Kohler-Andrae State Park, or Ellwood H. May Environmental park for a bit of hiking or exploring. With ski and snowshoe rentals available, you can explore either park in any season.

Can’t decide between surf and shore? A walk the on the breakwater out to Sheboygan’s lighthouse is always a pleasing summer treat. Indulge yourself.

View the Past and the Present

Those with an artistic palate should check out the John Michael Kohler Arts Center (and yes, this is the Kohler of faucets and fixtures for the bathroom—their design center and factory is in the nearby town of Kohler). The washrooms at the arts center are world famous, and the art is fresh and surprising.

For a lesson in local history there are quite a few options. Visit the Sheboygan County Historical Museum, which changes its displays with the changing of the seasons. Take a stroll through the recovered shipwreck of the lumber transport Lottie Cooper, sunk in 1894. Or, for a look farther back in time, walk the Indian Mound Park trails where sacred burial mounds have stood for over a millennium.

Opportunities to Unwind

You’re in the right place. Take a relaxing meander along the Riverfront Boardwalk and stop in at one of the repurposed original fisherman’s shanties for a pint of beer or ice cream (whichever is needed most). Tour a local winery or brewery. Refuel at a local restaurant. And if all else fails, you can always spend the day simply lounging in your hotel room, whether it be in a cozy bed and breakfast or a luxurious resort.

And for the Kids?

No worries. Sheboygan has you covered. Take the kids to Bookworm Gardens, a whimsical botanic garden inspired by children’s literature and a perfect place for kids to interact with both nature and imagination. Let them burn off some energy at the interactive Above and Beyond Children’s Museum where touching is definitely encouraged. There’s even a stop for your future astronauts to see live science shows and actual NASA artifacts at Spaceport Sheboygan, if you can get them out of the Cosmic Bounce room that is.

Whether you simply stop in for a quick recharge between big cities or stay a while and take in all the sights, you’ll appreciate Sheboygan’s just right, Goldilocks feel. Spend a bit of time here and you’ll see that middle of the road doesn’t have to mean boring.

For more travel information about Sheboygan, Wisconsin,  please contact this tourism resource:

Sheboygan Visitor Center
621 S Eighth Street
Sheboygan, WI 53081
(920) 547-2641 | toll free: (800) 457-9497

https://visitsheboygan.com/