<p>We have been invited to a family gathering in Milwaukee next August. We are considering combining the trip with a short vacation in a non-urban area–either in the woods near a smaller lake or on Lake Michigan. We do not drive so we would depend on airports and/or Greyhound buses ( do not like flying in very small commuter planes) and could not bring camping equipment or linens, food etc.with us. We enjoy hiking,rowing, canoeing, or just being “in the country” with access to some swimming if possible. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>A “second” for Oconomowoc…which is on a lake and very close to Milwaukee (some even commute to Milwaukee from there.)</p>
<p>Lake Geneva, between Milw and Chicago, still has some nice resorts.</p>
<p>If money is no object, the American Club in Kohler WI is a spectacular resort.</p>
<p>Green Lake, near Oshkosh, may be accessible by bus.</p>
<p>There’s LOTS going on in Milwaukee during the summer. If you’ve never been there before, you may find you just want to stay in the city. Great zoo, art museum, history museum, new ball park, usually a festival or two on the lakefront every week during the summer.</p>
<p>Lake Geneva is do-able without a car. Fish Creek in Door County is also a nice, walkable town, although the swimming is not great. I’m not a big fan of Oconomowoc, but the lake is nice. There are literally hundreds of resort spots in Wisconsin, and some of them are family secrets. I hope you’ll ask your relatives for their suggestions.</p>
<p>You would probably need to fly in and out of Milwaukee to avoid the smaller airplanes. Also, remember that the first three weeks of August are the most popular for many resorts, especially in Door County.</p>
<p>Chicago. 90 miles away, and one of the top ten destinations in the US. Easy to get to, and easy to get around once you’re there by public transit. And you can easily get back to Milwaukee for a flight home if you want.</p>
<p>Thanks for all your responses–since we’ll be in New York City this summer when we’re not in Milwaukee, we definitely want a place with “trees and stuff” and don’t really care if there’s not much going on as long as there’s fresh air, scenic walks, a little boating and swimming perhaps–we’re a family that vacations with books. I got the Wisconsin idea because way back my college roommate was from Illinois and I remember her telling me that her family always vacationed in Wisconsin and it was “pretty” there. We haven’t seen much of the Midwest.</p>
<p>I’ve already contacted some inns in Door County and Oconomowoc and will follow up some other recommendations. I know we can get to Green Bay by Greyhound and from there maybe we can explore some of that “north” tsdad referred to. My next step will be to order the Greyhound national schedule book and see where we can actually get to.</p>
<p>Did the segway tour in Chicago (<a href=“http://www.citysegwaytours.com)%5B/url%5D”>www.citysegwaytours.com)</a>. Sooo much fun. I would do it again. From Milwaukee, you could take Amtrak or Megabus to Chicago. About a half hour west of Milwaukee is an area called Lake Country. Some of the lakes to look at are Nagawicka, Pewaukee, Oconomowoc, Lac La Belle, Fowler, Upper/Lower Nemahbin, Upper/Lower Nashotah, Beaver. Great hiking at Lapham Peak State Park or along the Ice Age Trail.</p>