Wisconsin's Vibrant Cranberry Capital Is A Riverside Retreat With Scenic Views And Iconic Festivals

Cranberries — those tart, crimson fruits most Americans eat in jelly form during one holiday per year or drink as sour-sweet cocktails to fight inflammation – are one of the few commercially grown crops indigenous to North America. While they're grown in wet, marshy fields from Canada down the East Coast and into the Great Lakes regions, the heart of cranberry country is Wisconsin, with one charming city, Wisconsin Rapids, known for its cranberry bogs as well as its riverside vibe and annual festival celebrating the iconic little fruit.

New England's Cape Cod is known for its cranberry bogs and scenic outdoor escapes, but Wisconsin is the cranberry capital of the world, producing more than half the entire globe's supply across about 180,000 acres  — the Wisconsin Rapids area alone produces 30%. Native to Wisconsin, cranberries grow on vines in marshy sand. They blossom with delicate pink flowers in late June, and as the summer wears on, berries appear and slowly deepen in color. By late September, they're a vibrant scarlet and ready to harvest. Historically, the Ho-Chunk tribe (formerly called Winnebago) harvested the wild cranberries, using them in topical ointments and for dyeing textiles, as well as drying them with meat and fish to use as winter food supplies.

Wisconsin Rapids, ostensibly the center of the state, is 55 miles south of Wausau, a beautiful, artsy, waterfront town with state parks further up the Wisconsin River, and about 100 miles west of the largest local airport, Dane County Regional Airport in Madison. Although there aren't many rapids since the river was dammed, the city prides itself on the local cranberry economy and is the gateway to the 50-mile Cranberry Highway that winds through cranberry bogs all the way to Warrens.

Every June, Wisconsin Rapids celebrates the first cranberry blossoms of the season with a festival of new beginnings featuring live music, a parade, carnival rides, movies in the park, and plenty of vendors offering everything from art to baked goods. Cranberry harvest runs from late September through October, which is also a great time to visit Wisconsin because you can take some epic drives to see the fall foliage. Even in the summer, you can tour the bogs at Rooted in Red, the century-old Dempze Family cranberry farm that offers wagon-led property tours. There's also a harvest immersion experience where you can stand in the bog and have professional photos taken while learning about cranberry farming. Spots fill up fast, so be sure to reserve yours in advance.

If you're heading to Wisconsin Rapids to delight in the cranberries, there are charming spots to stay, including Le Chateau The Manor Bed & Breakfast, a Queen Anne Victorian home built in 1889 right on the banks of the river. Have a homemade breakfast in the mornings with other guests and go fishing right off the riverbank.

Next door, you can rent out Wisconsin Rapids' mini replica of the White House, the largest historic mansion in town. Built in 1902, the five-bedroom manse once hosted celebrities like Louis B. Armstrong and Susan B. Anthony. Today, it's been restored as a short-term rental utilizing heirloom wood and original fireplaces, updated with modern amenities and spacious common areas like the library, parlor room, and billiards room, all of which are lushly decorated.

Wisconsin has a dining tradition called "supper clubs," dark, diner-like restaurants that began primarily as roadhouse taverns, often abutting lakes or woods in non-residential areas. They evolved into gangster hideaways and speakeasies during Prohibition and have undergone a renaissance, with at least 250 currently operating throughout Wisconsin. They're known for steaks, salad bars, relish trays, brandy old fashioneds, fish fry Fridays, and live jazz and piano in the evenings. Wisconsin Rapids has at least two supper clubs south of town: The Branding Iron and the Lake Aire, both featuring classic supper fare like prime rib, wedge salads, and the quintessential Friday fish fry.

Other spots to eat in Wisconsin Rapids include Jennings & Co., a pub serving classic American fare and notable burgers right across the street from the river, and Anchor Bar and Grill, a riverfront restaurant and bar where you can dock your boat. You can taste wine and choose from a wide selection of craft beers and small bites at Aaron's Wines and Steins, a small spot near the river. And no trip to Wisconsin is complete without a brewery visit. 2 Doors Down Brewing Co. is in downtown Wisconsin Rapids, with both the brewery and its taproom full of seasonal beers and pizza all on the same block. If you feel like shopping while you stroll downtown, check out the Trading Post, a local consignment mall.

About 10 miles south of downtown, you can also visit historic Point Basse, a vintage homestead on the Wisconsin River that became a stopover for 19th-century travelers and now offers tours. Point Basse also hosts an annual Pioneer Festival each June, where you can watch people reenact the crafts and sports of the pioneer-era Midwest.