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All United States Wisconsin

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Wisconsin

152 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Wisconsin

Updated May 2, 2023

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Cities

Top Cities
Milwaukee
Madison
Baraboo
Chatty Belle
Neillsville
Mars Cheese Castle
Kenosha
Rock in the House
Fountain City
All Cities
  1. Baraboo
  2. Chippewa Falls
  3. Fountain City
  4. Green Bay
  5. Hayward
  6. Kaukauna
  7. Kenosha
  8. Lake Geneva
  9. Laona
  10. Madison
  11. Manitowoc
  12. Milwaukee
  13. Neillsville
  14. Peshtigo
  15. Rhinelander
  16. Sheboygan
  17. Sparta
  18. Washington
  19. Wauwatosa
  20. Wisconsin Dells
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories
Lists

Unusual Attractions in Wisconsin

One of many automated music machines.

Spring Green, Wisconsin

House on the Rock

A bizarre house filled with an astounding array of collections.

Madison, Wisconsin

Dapper Cadaver

"Looks so real, it's scary!"
Apostle Island Caves

La Pointe, Wisconsin

Apostle Island Sea Caves

These Great Lakes sea caves accessible by boat in the summer turn into temples of ice reachable by foot in the winter.
The Forevertron by Doc Evermor.

Sumpter, Wisconsin

Dr. Evermor's Forevertron

"World's largest scrap metal sculpture" stands in an outdoor sculpture garden in the middle of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

American Science & Surplus

Robots, lasers, and whoopee cushions, oh my!
Cave of the Mounds

Blue Mounds, Wisconsin

Cave of the Mounds

This cave holds a surprisingly colorful variety of geological oddities.
FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard

Sparta, Wisconsin

FAST Fiberglass Mold Graveyard

These molds for fiberglass statues have formed an eerie, accidental sculpture park.
Schoolhouse Beach

Washington Island, Wisconsin

Schoolhouse Beach

This pebble beach is so beautiful that taking its rocks is against the law.
See All 152 Things To Do in Wisconsin

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Wisconsin

Mars Cheese Castle

Kenosha, Wisconsin

Mars Cheese Castle

Wisconsin's most celebrated export gets the royal treatment on I-94.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Safe House

A place to eat for on-the-run agents and espionage enthusiasts.
Goats with sign

Sister Bay, Wisconsin

Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant

Restaurant in Northern Wisconsin comes with a unique feature: a grassy roof covered in living goats.
That's a lot of mustard.

Middleton, Wisconsin

National Mustard Museum

More than 5,000 contemporary and "historic" mustards from around the world.
See all 10 Places to Eat in Wisconsin
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

18 Mini Golf Courses You Should Go Out of Your Way to Play

Adventures filled with oversized characters, obstacles, and castles await—all you need to join is a putter and a ball. Yes, we're talking about miniature golf, the Lilliputian game with a big imagination. Since 2012, we—Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman—have been documenting the world of mini golf on our website A Couple of Putts. After putting our way through more than 300 courses, we’ve stumbled into becoming experts who design, build, and consult on all things miniature golf. With our keen eye for elements that make courses distinctive and magical destinations, we’ve created this world tour to showcase some of our personal favorites, as well as a few courses on our “must play” list. In keeping with the theme, here are 18 unique courses that span the globe. This wild assortment of putting places offer unique ways to interact with the past and present. Putt when ready!

View Itinerary
The courses may be miniature, but the spectacle is gigantic.

Explore Wisconsin

Museums And Collections 20
Collections 14
Architectural Oddities 13
Sculptures 12
Outsider Art 11
Statues 10
Art 9
Outsider Architecture 8
Ecosystems 8
Sculpture Gardens 7
Geology 7
Roadside Attractions 7
Unique Restaurants & Bars 4

Wisconsin Leaderboard

Places Added

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    michelle
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  2. D
    DenverApplehans
    3
  3. Avatar image for Emma Kumer
    Emma Kumer
    3
  4. C
    crystal korth
    2
  5. Avatar image for Rebekah Otto
    Rebekah Otto
    2
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Wisconsin.

Places Edited

  1. Avatar image for Collector of Experiences
    Collector of Experiences
    33
  2. Avatar image for Rachel
    Rachel
    20
  3. M
    Martin
    19
  4. Avatar image for mocchiatto
    mocchiatto
    15
  5. Avatar image for Molly McBride Jacobson
    Molly McBride Jacobson
    10

Places Visited

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    elvis4444
    64
  2. C
    collinqburke
    58
  3. T
    thomet2001
    56
  4. R
    RKF1
    56
  5. A
    Amandala
    52

Recent Wisconsin Activity

  • L

    lindseyparkerfnp

    wants to go to Dapper Cadaver

  • Avatar image for aaronguzzo

    aaronguzzo

    wants to go to House on the Rock

  • S

    Suzan

    wants to go to House on the Rock

  • W

    wynlionheart

    wants to go to Circus World Museum

  • W

    wynlionheart

    wants to go to International Crane Foundation

Stories About Wisconsin

However long this snowman effigy, known as the Bӧӧgg, takes to burn will determine the remaining length of winter.

To Banish Winter in This Tiny Wisconsin Town, Burn a Swiss Snowman

The burning of the Bӧӧgg is like a fiery version of Groundhog’s Day, but with fireworks and sausages.
by Tea Krulos
May 2, 2023
A member of the Milwaukee Krampus Eigenheit was one of dozens of furry, horned menaces swatting onlookers with switches during the annual Milwaukee Krampusnacht.

Krampus Is the Christmas Icon We Need—And Maybe the One We Deserve

At Milwaukee’s Krampusnacht, we go in search of the essence of Santa’s unholy enforcer.
by Gemma Tarlach
December 9, 2022
While details of its appearance vary over time and across geography, the Wendigo is always a symbol of hunger and desperation during the coldest season. And Winter is coming.

Beware the Wendigo, the Frostbitten Flesheater of North America’s Chilly Heartland

This terrifying creature has evolved over millennia—but never lost the need to feed.
by J.W. Ocker
October 12, 2022

Podcast: The House on the Rock

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
June 24, 2022
Lake Superior batters a Minnesota shoreline.

Are the Great Lakes Really Inland Seas?

Well, yes. And no. Actually, it depends on where you stand, in more ways than one.
by Gemma Tarlach
April 27, 2022
Hiker Emily Ford borrowed her friend's dog, a retired sled dog named Diggins, on her grueling hike on Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail.

6 Groundbreaking Women You Didn’t Learn About in History Class

Meet the painter, the pilot, the author, and other "firsts" who paved the way.
by Sarah Durn
March 15, 2022
The red room at the House on the Rock.

Podcast: The House on the Rock

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
November 8, 2021
Blue Moon’s flavor dances on the tip of your tongue, taunting you into another guess, at turns familiar and elusive.

The Enduring Midwestern Mystery of Blue Moon Ice Cream

And how—to the best of our ability—to make it at home.
by Luke Fater
August 30, 2021

Lists Featuring Wisconsin

Blue Sky Mausoleum.
Darwin Martin House Complex.
Skylights on the exterior porch made of red cypress.
A restored Wright house on the Burnham Block.

A 12-Stop Road Trip of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Most Surprising Designs

A UFO-inspired church, a futurist gas station, and more deep cuts.

12

Including Blue Sky Mausoleum, The Darwin D. Martin House, and Kentuck Knob

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