Nestled along the shores of Lake Michigan about one hour north of Milwaukee is the bustling town of Sheboygan, home to world-class fishing, gnarly Midwest surfing, close-knit community charm and the proud title owner of “Bratwurst Capital of the World.” From where to stay and dine to the town’s top activities, here’s how to spend a weekend in Sheboygan.
Fabulous Sheboygan Stays:
Blue Harbor Resort is perfect for a romantic getaway or fun with the whole family. One of few resorts steps from the shores of Lake Michigan, the resort offers sweeping views and beautiful sunrises. Enjoy the 54,000-sq.-ft. indoor Breaker Bay waterpark with areas like a toddler tide, lazy river, hot tubs, waterslide, a surf simulator, private cabanas and much more. Blue Harbor Resort gives off all the seaside resort vibes, and guests can enjoy cozy outdoor seating to soak up the lake breeze and evening bonfires. There are myriad lodging options from resort suites and two- to four-bedroom villas to condos as well as four onsite dining options and a full-service spa.
Camping in a tent or glamping in an RV, Kohler-Andrae State Park on the shores of Lake Michigan is a great way to explore one of the last natural preserves along this Great Lakes shore. Enjoy miles of beach and hiking trails, sand dunes and gorgeous sunrises along the shore. Stop in at the Sanderling Nature Center to learn more about this Sheboygan state park and the surrounding area. Wisconsin State Park passes are required, and advanced reservations for camping are highly recommended.
Not technically in Sheboygan, but just minutes down the road in the village of Kohler, is The American Club, the Midwest’s only AAA Five Diamond Resort Hotel. This luxurious English Tudor-style resort is a dreamy escape with impeccable guest service, and lush gardens for relaxation and is oozing with history and prestige. Read FabWI’s full resort recap here.
Fabulous Explorations:
Above & Beyond Children’s Museum
This museum truly is above and beyond with 10,000 square feet and three floors of interactive play areas and exhibits. Celebrating 30 years, imaginations run wild in the unique and creative spaces including the mystical glow room, tree house, fire education area with part of a retired fire truck, Port of Sheboygan where kids can “drive” a boat and a theater area full of costumes and puppets for putting on the perfect play. Above & Beyond Children’s Museum has a sensory area for children who might need to step back and take a break from the other exhibits as well as a toddler barnyard for ages 4 and under. There is also an ADA-accessible outdoor purple octopus playground full of areas to climb, a nest swing, surfboards and much more. Summer on the playground includes drama and summer camps as well as music events. New in 2023, an interactive display that will feature various cultures from around the world; the first will be Hmong, slated to open in June.
Spend the day with Johnny Appleseed, Three Billy Goats Gruff and Winnie the Pooh at Bookworm Gardens. This playful botanical garden is home to more than 70 whimsical gardens designed and inspired by children’s literature. Its mission is to inspire the love of books and nature in the young and young at heart. Bookworm Gardens is open from early May through the end of October and hosts a series of events throughout the season.
John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Located in Downtown Sheboygan, John Michael Kohler Arts Center is a contemporary art museum and performing arts complex. The center contains eight galleries, performance spaces, a café, a shop and a drop-in art-making studio. It hosts various programs on dance, music and film as well as a weekly summer concert series, community classes and more than 10 original exhibitions featuring the work of self-taught and contemporary artists. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Art Preserve – John Michael Kohler Arts Center
A few miles from John Michael Kohler Arts Center is the experimental space of the Art Preserve, designed to house the center’s collection of over 35 artist-built environments. Admission is free, and we love the Art Center’s conviction that “significant, original and compelling works of art are created everywhere, by people with a broad spectrum of life experiences.”
Fabulous Food & Drink:
Serving up award-winning bratwurst since 1941, stop in and grab some goodies to go at Meisfeld’s Triangle Market. Chock full of brats, burgers, Wisconsin cheese, smoked meats, Sheboygan hard rolls and everything in between, this is a great addition to your weekend trip. Chances are the outside brat stand is open to enjoy one of the 25 unique flavors.
Harry’s Diner on Calumet Ave is a classic 1950’s diner complete with checkered floors, vinyl booths and poodle skirt-wearing staff, serving up delicious eats and fun sock-hop vibes. Omelets, skillets, breakfast burritos, and biscuits and gravy are all popular favorites, or try The Elvis, which consists of two French toasts or pancakes topped with peanut butter, bananas, whipped cream and Cap’n Crunch cereal. Ask about the specials – we enjoyed the Marsala beef omelet. As Harry would say, “It’s like dinner for breakfast.” Enjoy Harry’s blend of local organic Torke coffee and get your photo taken with the life-size Elvis. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Located in the downtown area, Whisk Bakery & Café is the perfect spot to grab a coffee and a treat before starting the day exploring the area. Whisk offers 100 percent gluten-free treats and hand-crafted coffee. The bakery prides itself on supporting those with specific dietary needs including paleo, vegan and keto.
Great beer, a cool open-concept space and a sense a community combines at Sheboygan’s only brewery, 3 Sheeps Brewing Company. 3 Sheeps recently celebrated 11 years in the neighborhood and it is a popular family- and dog-friendly spot for locals and visitors alike. Beer enthusiasts will find seven year-round beers, a rotating seasonal and, according to owner Grant Pauly, about 115 or so one-offs. “We are always piloting something new and tasty,” says Pauly, who turned a hobby into his full-time passion now employing over 40 people and trying to use as much Wisconsin product as possible. They also make their own root beer and five flavors of hard seltzers. The brewery offers trivia on Wednesdays, live music on Fridays and tours of the facility on Saturdays, as well as yard games and a full-size bocce ball court. Plus, a dollar from every pilsner goes to a different charity every month. There’s no food served, but guests are welcome to bring in outside food and a few bagged snacks are available.
Located along the banks of the Sheboygan River in the South Pier District, Harry’s Prohibition Bistro is a 1920’s-era eatery serving up great Italian food and Old World charm. The heart of the menu is the authentic wood-fired 12-in. Neapolitan pizza, made with the freshest ingredients around. Guests can choose from classic pizza flavors like Margherita, four cheese and vegetable or enjoy bold flavors like Marsala beef, truffle with portabella mushroom, hot-and-spicy soppressata, or a unique walnut pizza made with fontina cheese and whipped creamed cheese.
Enjoy lunch, dinner or cocktails at the Black Pig on 8th Street in Sheboygan. Black Pig prides itself on made-from-scratch menu items sourcing as much as possible from local Wisconsin farms. Check out unique dishes like the white truffle and black pepper bacon fries, shellfish rangoons and the Moroccan eggplant roulade. Complete your meal with a wide selection of whiskey, wine or craft cocktails.
Additional Sheboygan Fun:
-Bring your fishing poles and cast away in the shadows of the Sheboygan Breakwater Lighthouse at the end of North Pier or charter a boat for a day of “reel” fun. Click here for water rental options.
-Check out Vollrath Park, Wisconsin’s oldest disc golf course, on Lake Michigan.
-Visit the ruins of the three-masted schooner, Lottie Cooper, which met its demise in an 1896 storm off the Sheboygan Coast. The wreckage is on display at the town marina.
-Down the road in the town of Kohler, stop by Blind Horse Restaurant and Winery. Check out the 1881 brick farmhouse turned restaurant, winery and spacious outdoor patio, and Granary Bourbon Bar inside a gorgeous early 1900’s barn with original hand-hewn beams and floors.
-There is plenty of water fun to be had in Sheboygan. From surf lessons and kayaking to stand-up paddle boarding and fishing, water activities abound in the area. It is considered the “Malibu of the Midwest” by surfers! For more information on rentals, visit eossurf.com.
A couple of other neat places to check out are Gosse’s Northwestern House (great brats, steak sandwiches, and tortes) and a locally owned bookstore WordHaven BookHouse downtown.