The 5 Most Romantic Weekend Activities In New Glarus, Wisconsin's 'Little Switzerland,' According To Reviews

Many couples have realized that a well-planned trip can rekindle lost intimacy and romance. While sunny beach towns remain popular romantic destinations, some are waking up to the quaint, old-school charm of alpine destinations. Of these, none is more fairytale-like than Switzerland. With towering, snow-clad mountains, lush fields, and cozy chalets, it's no surprise that couples swoon over Switzerland's most romantic towns. But what if you could find a slice of Switzerland closer to home? Say, in Wisconsin?

A hop, skip, and jump away from Madison lies New Glarus, known as America's Little Switzerland and offering quaint chalets, beer, and boutiques. A quick look around town will show you exactly how New Glarus earned that nickname. Formed by settlers from the Swiss village of Glarus in 1845, New Glarus carefully mimics its namesake in its architecture, aesthetics, and culture. Buildings in downtown New Glarus are required to follow a traditional alpine chalet architectural style — leading to a pleasantly uniform aesthetic of overhanging gabled roofs, walls made of wood or stone, and flowers blooming in window boxes.

With its European setting, New Glarus is often considered a fun day trip from Madison, Wisconsin's happy, lake-loving city with lively markets and shops, around 26 miles away. However, that very aesthetic also makes it an ideal romantic weekend destination. Couples planning a getaway can take advantage of this homegrown Swiss settlement to enjoy Europe in America, complete with wine and beer tours, Swiss cheese platters, romantic chalet stays, and more. We've looked through travelers' videos, local guides and blogs, reviews, and editorial content to curate this list of the most romantic activities in New Glarus for couples to enjoy over a romantic weekend.

While bar dates and movie nights may be some of the most common ways to spend time with your significant other in a city, a small town offers a cozier setting. Couples spending the weekend in New Glarus can enjoy a casual breakfast at one of two long-time New Glarus bakeries and cafes: Fat Cat Coffee Works and New Glarus Bakery.

At Fat Cat Coffee Works, breakfast is a busy time. You walk in, place and pay for your order at the counter, and choose your table amidst the noise of the cash register and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The shop features small tables by the windows, outdoor seating, and two loft seating areas for a more intimate setting. On the wall sits a framed photo of a fat tabby cat, possibly the inspiration behind the cafe's name. Fat Cat Coffee Works is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and has an all-day breakfast and lunch menu, with toasts, sandwiches, burritos, and more — all accompanied by a cup of fresh, locally sourced Ancora coffee. Occasionally, the cafe even leans into its cozy and romantic vibe by organizing special date night events — like their Valentine's Day Card Making Event held in 2025.

For dessert, head over to New Glarus Bakery, a known breakfast place thanks to its mission of sourcing local, high-quality ingredients and following traditional European baking techniques. This pastry shop has been the favorite destination for authentic Swiss and American desserts like nut horns, butter cookies, and more since 1910, making it a cute breakfast date spot with visitors coming in even from nearby towns. One reviewer on Tripadvisor mentions that she and her husband regularly ride into town just to visit the bakery.

New Glarus isn't just known for being one of the most stunning European-looking cities in America; it's also noted for another Swiss staple: beer. Established in 1993, the town's most prominent landmark — the New Glarus Brewing Company — has become somewhat famous among beer enthusiasts, especially since it only distributes its wares within Wisconsin. While the Hilltop Brewery is currently closed to the public because of an expansion plan, the company's original Riverside facility remains open for self-guided tours and beer tasting.

Couples visiting New Glarus can opt for a self-guided tour or the group Hard Hat tour. The self-guided tours open with a short video explaining the company's history before moving through the facility to see how the beer is made. The highlight is at the end of the tour, when you walk into the tasting room. Here, you can purchase and enjoy a variety of craft beers, like the company's famous Spotted Cow ale or a more fruity Belgian Red, and you can even keep the glass as a souvenir.

If beer isn't your drink of choice, you can check out Bailey's Run Vineyard and Winery for wine tasting instead. The tour begins at the bar, where a bartender guides you through the wine catalog and helps you select the ones you want to try. After choosiing your drinks, you can sit on the outdoor patio and enjoy the view of the valley below while sipping your wine and nibbling on small bites of cheese or meat. According to Tripadvisor, Bailey's Run Vineyard and Winery and the New Glarus Brewing Company are the most popular destinations for couples in town.

Cheese tasting is a charming and relatively inexpensive way to spend the evening. Just buy some cheese blocks and wine, and spend time together debating the merits of each wedge. It's fun, cozy, and intimate — perfect for date night. While New Glarus isn't the "Swiss Cheese Capital of the USA" like nearby Monroe, you can still take your dates to another level with Chalet Cheese Haus and Edelweiss Cheese Shop.

A popular stop at some local Wisconsin cheese tours, Chalet Cheese Haus is the New Glarus retail branch of Chalet Cheese Cooperative, established in 1885 to bring authentic Swiss cheese-making techniques to Wisconsin. It's known for its artisanal cheeses, ranging from the nation's only Limburger cheese to Swiss and Pannaro. As one reviewer on Google summarized, "All of the great, high-quality Wisconsin cheeses ... you could possibly need in one charming shop!" Not only is its selection of cheeses vast, but the store itself has an old-world look. "You know from the decor and the product offering that you are 'going back in time' and keeping traditions alive," says Mary Goeke, Chalet Cheese Haus's store manager (via Monroe Times).

Edelweiss Cheese Shop — rated 4.5 on Google — has over 100 artisanal cheeses. The shop itself is a long, narrow space lined by rows of shelves offering various types of cheese. As soon as you enter, there's a small table with samples for visitors to try out, and the owners are also willing to cut samples out of the larger blocks. Elevate the standard cheese tasting date by building your own platter of unique cheeses from Edelweiss Cheese Shop and Chalet Cheese Haus. Pro tip: pair your cheese platter with wine from Bailey's Run Vineyard and Winery.

New Glarus' beauty doesn't just lie in its architecture — the town is also located on one end of a popular Green County rail trail and has access to a small state park right outside town. For couples who enjoy spending time outdoors or fancy a picnic, the trails in New Glarus can be a great way to enjoy the greenery and natural beauty of the town.

One of the more popular hiking destinations in New Glarus is the New Glarus Woods State Park, on the southern edge of town. It has around 8 miles of hiking trails — from short loops to longer trails covering a few miles. The trails run through prairies, meadows, and forested areas, and have unique attractions and wildlife along the way. 

For the more athletically inclined, a short connecting trail from the park leads to the Sugar River State Trail, a 24-mile trail connecting New Glarus to the charming city of Brodhead, with camping and natural beauty. While walking and running are allowed here, it's far more popular among cyclists. The trailhead is just across the road from the New Glarus Brewing Company, following a paved road for a short stretch. Past that, the paved road turns into a crushed limestone path, characteristic of rail trails in this part of Wisconsin. The trail follows a route through overhanging trees and wildflower-ringed fields, occasionally intersecting with the Sugar River. As one Tripadvisor reviewer on a biking date with his girlfriend explained, the relatively flat ride makes it an easy "scenic trip" through the Wisconsin countryside.

While planning the perfect date night can be stressful, a tried and tested idea is the simple dinner date. As long as you find the perfect location, with great food and an interesting ambiance, dinner dates are one of the easiest date ideas to pull off. Luckily, New Glarus has two well-rated establishments for the perfect dinner date: Puempel's Olde Tavern and Glarner Stube.

Puempel's Olde Tavern, established in 1893, is a longstanding local favorite. With dark wood panels and a cozy, dimly lit atmosphere, Puempel's has become synonymous with New Glarus's Swiss heritage. "You walk in and feel like you've stepped back in time," says one visitor on Tripadvisor. "The bar, the floors, the walls, and even the ceiling are all like they were 110 years ago." All the regular Wisconsin brews are available on tap, and the menu consists of standard Swiss fare like bratwursts, sandwiches, and cheese platters.

Another New Glarus staple is Glarner Stube, serving authentic Swiss and German food downtown and popular as a date-night spot. The gabled roof and dark paneling give the restaurant its cozy atmosphere, and visitors particularly highlight the friendly staff and great food. "Glarner Stube is one of those places that grabs you the moment you walk in. You're greeted by a nostalgic old‑school bar, the kind that makes you feel like you've stepped into a cozy European time capsule," claims one reviewer on Google. Another reviewer on Tripadvisor highlights the large portions and suggests splitting them with a date. With its quaint, Old World look and array of delicious dishes, Glarner Stube offers a laid-back date night choice in New Glarus.

We looked through reviews from visitors on sites like Tripadvisor, Yelp, and Google, first-hand accounts from locals and visitors on their blogs, YouTube guides, and articles by publications like the New York Times, World Architects, Monroe Times, and Midwest Living to come up with a list of romantic activities in New Glarus. We prioritized establishments that had a more romantic or cozy setting and good reviews from couples on websites like Tripadvisor or Google. We then cross-referenced them with information from the businesses' official websites and their social media accounts to provide accurate recommendations on which establishments to visit on your romantic weekend trip to New Glarus.

While the activities on this list aren't exhaustive or limited to couples, they can be used to form the basis of a romantic weekend itinerary in New Glarus. To really complement the romantic vibe, we also recommend staying at Chalet Landhaus Inn — an inn built in the traditional Swiss architectural style, with wood paneling, sloped roofs, and window boxes filled with flowers.