Well hellooo! It's not every day that I see a thread asking about vacation tips in my neck of the woods!
Cheese? You must visit Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha! Tons of free samples. I highly recommend the VERY fresh Malcore's cheese curds. I love the plain ones and the "spicy" ones (they really aren't as spicy as they look). The goat cheese curds (not Malcore's brand) are also pretty yummy.
Restaurants to try in Racine:
- Olde Madrid - Spanish/Mediterranean cuisine (tapas and paella) - make sure to get Maria's Beef Stew. DH and I also love the Seafood Gumbo, Catalan Scallops, Duck Croquetas, and the Goat Cheese tapa (can't remember the name). We enjoy the tapas more than the paella, but the paella is really good, too! I also highly recommend the flan, flourless chocolate cake, and cheesecakes (all homemade and flavors change regularly).
- Salute - homemade Italian food. DH and I always order the Rigatoni alla Vodka, but we also like the Gnocchi with tomato sauce and thin crust pizza. The pasta is all handmade. The bread they serve pre-meal is always very fresh. Usually, a waiter will offer a free shot of Sambuca post-meal. If you've never had it, just give it a shot. (Pun intended!)
- Corner House - A great place for celebrations, this is kind of like an old-school supper club. It's pricey. Highly recommend the Prime Rib and Steak entrees, as well as the french onion soup and Brandy Ice dessert (for adults).
- O&H Bakery - I think the Durand Ave. location is the better one, but the one on Washington is alright, too. They are famous for their Kringle. I think the Cream Cheese and Almond flavors are best, but they're all pretty good, to be honest. O&H is also well known for their Carrot Cake.
- Sticky Rice - yummy Thai food at reasonable prices.
IDK if you want to venture into Kenosha, but in case you do... I'd highly recommend visiting the public and Civil War Museums (they're right next to each other). While you're there, spend some time walking around the harbor - it's beautiful. Some fun places for snacks downtown are Scoops and Sandy's Popper. For coffee, check out Common Grounds or The Buzz. I HIGHLY recommend having breakfast at Frank's Diner downtown. It is always busy, but it is DEFINITELY worth the wait for Garbage Plates (I know that doesn't sound appealing, but please trust me). On the weekends, we have an awesome Harbor Market. If you walk a little futher past the harbor, you'll eventually run into Kemper Center. It's a historic building and attached to the Durkee Mansion. They sometimes are open to the public/have tours, so you could check into that. I usually walk through at Christmas, and it's fascinating at that time. Finally, I'd also recommend La Fogata for Mexican food (it's not authentic, but it's delicious). Some other interesting spots away from the lake would be Petrifying Springs Park for a fun nature walk - follow the walkway into the woods and circle through the park - it will take about an hour if you don't stop. It's gorgeous. My mom and I just had a momma deer come practically right up to us - it scared us a little bit, but what a story! Tenuta's Italian Grocery Store is not to be missed either. It's a Kenosha institution. My in-laws who live in MKE just LOVE going there. Finally, Kenosha has an amazing outlet mall. We always bring out-of-towners there. If you enjoy Japanese food, you might really enjoy Honada - it's a gem. And YES to the Bristol Renaissance Faire! It's only open on some weekends during the summer - plan accordingly! I think if you love museums, you'll have a ball - it's a living one.
Milwaukee... I definitely second going to the zoo - it's great. I am an avid shopper and very much enjoy Mayfair Mall. Bayshore Mall is also beautiful - but outdoors. The Milwaukee Public Market is super fun, as is all of the Third Ward. Try to get to a Brewers game if you can, as well as some kind of festival - in the summer, there is always something going on. I haven't been to the museums in decades, so I can't speak to that. I can't speak much to breweries either, since I don't drink much. An afternoon at Bradford Beach might be fun, but parking is a nightmare. Construction is honestly a nightmare in MKE right now, so good luck in general... the Zoo Interchange has been under construction the entire time I have known my husband, and it is STILL a mess.
Ooh, I thought of one more thing - there are some cool boat tours, too.
Restaurants to try in MKE:
- Kopp's - if for nothing else, frozen custard - the BEST. Check out their flavor forecast online and see which days appeal to you most and go for it! Seriously, it would be a real shame if you didn't get there. The best Kopp's, in my opinion, is in Greenfield. They have a spacious outdoor seating area.
- Barnacle Bud's - It is not easy to find, and you'll think you're not going the right way when you drive there, because it's pretty much hidden. I brought my dad there last year and he LOVED it. It's an outdoor restaurant right on the river, next to a Skipper Bud's. You'll see countless boats go by. They have the BEST fried fish baskets. Their crab cakes and Key Lime Pie are super yummy, too.
- Benelux or Cafe Hollander - very similar restaurants - see which area works for you
- Le Reve - If you enjoy French cuisine, you HAVE to try it.
- Honeypie - The BEST pies ever for dessert.
- Colectivo Coffee - Not to eat at but a great place to have some local coffee.
- Sobelman's and/or AJ Bombers - both of these are great burger places and they were on Food Wars. I can't remember who won - I think they're both great, though.
- Bel Aire Cantina - serious hipster Mexican food - it's not for everyone but if you're into interesting, adventurous flavors, you might love it. Lots of locations around MKE...
- Thainamite - Newer in the Tosa (Wauwatosa) area but I think there's another location. My in-laws LOVE this place and go there all the time.
I'll see if I can think of anything else for you. I hope that was helpful. I have out-of-town guests visiting frequently, and this is pretty much what I recommend to them.
