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January 7, 2015 This newsletter is brought to you by Rice Lake, Wisconsin A year of best placesHere are the choicest spots to be during each month of the calendar.
Wouldn't it be great to spend a year enjoying yourself in the 12 best possible places? Broadcast journalist Charles Kuralt once gave himself that dream assignment: Spend one month apiece in your favorite places in the United States, "at just the right time of the year.'' He devoted July to Ely, the northern-Minnesota gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area. I could spend all 12 months right here, in the western Great Lakes. Here are the places I'd pick. Best bets for the weekendSculptors and sportsmen give three cheers for a cold snap.
Now the cold descends, which is great for all of the ice- and snow-sculpting competitions that are coming up, and also for the Superior Ice Project, going ahead for another try in the Twin Ports despite an epic collapse last year. A freeze also forces bald eagles to congregate around open water below dams, which is good for eagle-watching festivals — this weekend, in Clinton, Iowa, and Rock Island, Ill. Northwest of the Twin Cities in Monticello, watch the feeding of a much, much noisier bird — the trumpeter swan. Hundreds of them show up every day, creating quite a spectacle on the banks of the Mississippi. In the Twin Cities, try out all of the cool "s" sports at Winter 4Play at Fort Snelling: snowshoeing, skiing, skijoring, sauna-sitting and s'mores, plus a snowball "event" that requires 200 people. There's one winter sport that doesn't really depend on fresh snow or ice. Have you seen all of the fat bikes gliding around? They're popular, but pricey. But more and more bike shops rent them, including Decorah Bicycles in Iowa, $25 for four hours (ride Dunning's Spring Park or the Trout Run Trail); Backyard Bikes in La Grange, Wis., $45-$50 (ride the John Muir trails); and Continental Ski in Duluth, $65-$95 (ride the Duluth Traverse). And watch for free demos. There are fun things to do indoors, too. We like the free International Festival in Madison, a global bazaar of dancers, singers, puppeteers and storytellers. In St. Paul, the Como Park Conservatory Winter Flower Show starts Saturday. Craving warm air but can't afford to go far? Take the kids to a hotel with an indoor water park. And if you want to get away but not go outside, pick one of a dozen cozy inns where you can shop, eat and be entertained all under one roof. Next weekendFly a kite, spot an eagle or look for penguin eggs.
Lake Harriet Kite Festival in Minneapolis. In addition to kite-flying, this event on popular Lake Harriet includes horse-drawn wagon rides, kids' ice fishing, arts, music and roasted marshmallows. Jan. 16. Bald Eagle Watching Days in Prairie du Sac, Wis. This town along the Wisconsin River, next to a hydroelectric plant, offers guided bus tours, live birds of prey programs and kids' activities. Jan. 15-16. Janboree in Waukesha, Wis. The festival in this Milwaukee suburb includes Friday-night fireworks, ice sculpting, trolley rides, a penguin-egg hunt and tobogganing on the lighted run in Lowell Park. Jan. 15-17. Winterfest in Mackinaw City, Mich. There's a snow-sculpting competition, sleigh rides, a poker walk and outhouse races. Jan. 14-17. For more events, see our Events Calendar. (A word from our sponsor) Relishing winter in Wisconsin's Blue Hills
When snow falls and lakes freeze, Wisconsin's Blue Hills become a playground for winter sports. Go snowmobiling on more than 300 miles of groomed trails or cross-country skiing on the 65 kilometers of trails around Rice Lake, in the center of forested uplands dotted with lakes. At Christie Mountain, go tubing or take a $2 skiing or snowboarding lesson. And snowshoeing is fantastic on the famous Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Off the trail, tour Valkyrie Brewery or test your wits in the Tactical Escape 101 rooms. When to go? This weekend is Jack Frost Fest nearby, and ice-fishing is free next weekend. In February, stay at one of Rice Lake's many resorts and hotels and get a free shuttle to the Birkie ski race. But any time is a good time to play around Rice Lake. You'll love its friendly nature!
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