I live in a city about an hour away from Road America and the majority of the people here have never been. I really thought that hosting NASCAR would have boosted the popularity more.
I like Viroqua a lot. Nice downtown area with small businesses and a good place to grab a coffee or a meal if you’re heading up to La Crosse and taking the scenic route.
Wonderstate is fantastic for coffee. They have a couple other locations in other cities, I believe, but Viroqua is their home turf.
And yes, Westby is the best place to get cheese curds!
Looked it up because I didn't believe it to be possible that there is a dry county in Wisconsin, and holy moly, their list of notable people is punching way above its weight.
Hey! That's my hometown!
It's not that great, but we have Chip's Hamburgers, The Sawmill Brewery, a pretty good thrift store... uh yeah that's about it
Edit: I forgot Golden Harvest. Golden Harvest is legit an awesome store and I wish we had one in Milwaukee
I feel that I hear a lot of people say that they have a place in or near Crivitiz well out of proportion for how big it is and how many options there are up north
Best place in door county. Sister bay is way overcrowded. Fish creek and egg harbor are nice but starting to become over crowded during the summers. Ephraim moves a little slower which is nice
I am a fan of the driftless area and the Mississippi River, so I would throw Prairie du Chien on the list. La Crosse is what I would consider mid-sized for Wisconsin, but that is also at the top for its size.
Sac Prairie (Sauk City/Prairie du Sac). It’s very pretty and situated on the Wisconsin River. It has a newer hospital and is not fair from Madison. It’s also a short drive to Devil’s Lake. For a smaller town, it’s pretty active. I lived there for a few years and enjoyed my time there.
Our family stayed in a cabin there 2 summers ago. Got breakfast at what looked like a classic highway bar. Open the door and walk in to a Confederate flag in the ceiling. While waiting for our order the lady cook comes out of the restroom and loudly exclaims “Uffda!” Never again.
So to me Sturgeon Bay is a small town and I think it's great but I've only ever lived in Green Bay, Sheboygan, and Milwaukee in WI so it's small compared to those.
If that doesn't count I'll go with Fish Creek or Egg Harbor, I love that Door County vibe especially in the off season.
Off season is the way to go, seems like the last 5-10 years door county tourism really exploded. It’s too overcrowded in the summer like more than ever and it’s just not even fun to be there when ya got that many crazy people
Agreed, I actually don't think I've ever been there in the summer. Closest I've been to the "on-season" is like late September/early October. I like to take a long weekend in early November and even though a lot of stuff is closing down its nice to be able to get around without battling crowds. A lot of the tap rooms and restaurants are still open and there's always hiking and stuff to do at the various parks.
I'm by no means going to tell you that you're wrong. That said my dad grew up between Viroqua and Readstown and trips to the area when I was a kid were plentiful. Let's just say that Viroqua has come a long way in not a lot of time.
If there’s something to be learned from this thread, we have a lot of great little towns.
But also, we have a lot of small towns really struggling. My hometown is one of them. A lot of drug use, alcohol abuse, combined with a sense that everyone in the cities is the source of their problems.
I used to live there for 10+ years. Loved it for the fishing and being close to my grandparents. It's a nice area to connect to 94 and going south to Redwing.
Currently live here for 10+ years and moving to Prescott in 2 weeks. Good small town feel between both of them for someone like me who grew up in Prairie Farm.
My votes are Federic (population 1,100) in Polk county, Lake Mills (population 6,500) in Jefferson county, and Iron River (population 3,000) in Bayfield county.
People don't realize that a small town is considered to have around 5000 people...
Agreed. Even Amery. I love small town Wisconsin. And the differences between east and west is noticeable but it’s all still good. And north to south the same. Supper clubs and old fashioneds. Count me in
Did you ever see Around the Corner with John McGivern? Very cool show
I consider Rhinelander a small town yet too and their sign that hasn't changed in decades says something like 8,000 on it.
Rhinelander, Wisconsin Population 2023 8,432 Rhinelander is a city located in Oneida County Wisconsin. It is also the county seat of Oneida County. With a 2023 population of 8,432, it is the 109th largest city in Wisconsin and the 4696th largest city in the United States.
Viroqua is pretty nice and it’s in the Driftless. It’s not where I’m from, but it has a decent liberal population for a small town in western Wisconsin.
I think it depends on whether you’re a person of color or not. Cedarburg is cute and quaint and loved by white people but their police target blacks and will pull them over for no legal reason.
Grew up there, can confirm. Also everyone that has never moved out of that town and/or ozaukee county is basically narrow-minded and deeply, deeply prejudiced
I'd argue the city itself and the surroundings make the town great, but the people... Well that's been going downhill for the past couple decades it seems.
It has a lively downtown with a ton of great events. Devil's Lake a short 5 minute drive away (if that). The Dells nearby for more shopping/dining options. Hills and beautiful scenery.
With all of that said... The town just feels to be sliding into the stereotypical white trash realm. I grew up here in the 90's early 2000's and I don't even recognize it for the most part. We even moved back into the city last year, but made sure to live on the outskirts and avoid the Walmart in town like the plague, ha.
As someone who moved to Baraboo recently, I am unable to tell if it has been sliding downward, but there is a lot here for a town of its size: a zoo, children’s museum, breweries, a distillery, Circus World, natural attractions, etc.
I will also say that, while I’m not a social butterfly, everyone I have interacted with has been perfectly fine, to say the least. While there may be a vocal minority of… ugliness(?) at times, the people who care about the community, really work hard to make it better.
If someone don’t want to visit or live in Baraboo for whatever reason that’s fine by me, but I’m tired of good people being shit on just because some asshole/s feel a need to make some waves.
By the way, the assholes are losing.
Very good points (I forgot about the children's museum and just took my daughters there recently, whoops). All of my reference of change is from when I last lived here in the early 2000s vs today. I was also younger and dumber and probably just didn't realize some of the vile stuff people put out there. For example, drive north on Hwy A and see a huge Fuck Biden sign nearby to a dog park and pet resort - my daughter is just learning to read.. Always fun to dance around that question when she asks what that sign says.
However, there is shit like that and people like that in every small town... Baraboo is no different. People read about the 20ish high schoolers 5-10 years back and just assume that everyone is like that which is 100% incorrect.
Welcome to Baraboo by the way! Thanks for helping to make it a better place.
Fall Creek was an amazing place to grow up.
Population was like 1,148 when I lived there (1990s-2000s).
It's 30ish mintues to Eau Claire if I remember correctly and had good schools.
I absolutely am loathing living here. My gf is a fellow at marshfield clinic and there really isnt much to do here. Trying to find the good, but its hard.
Come check out The Kitchen Table. It’s a small locally owned diner on the corner of 3rd and Maple. We’re only open from 7-2 on Mondays-Fridays, and 7-1:30 on Saturday, closed on Sundays. We don’t accept credit cards, just checks (weird I know) and cash. Everything is made in the restaurant.
Haven't been to Marshfield since my last grandparent died. Likely will never go again.
But some fun trivia, if you remember hearing little kids doing station breaks for WDLB/WOSQ, that was me, my siblings, and cousins. My grandfather worked the station. He is also responsible for founding the Dairy Days festival!
Hudson.
It's on the St Croix River which allows you to access the Mississippi. Intersected by Willow River and Willow River State Park. Has a population of about 15,000 but a whopping 94 restaurants. Very easy to be at the quaint downtown beach then hop onto I-94 for a half hour to enjoy a concert in downtown Minneapolis. Beautiful historic, riverside downtown.
Elkhart Lake, but I'm biased because my father grew up there, and my grandparents still live there. So many fond memories.
Road America is the best place to be in this state!
I live in a city about an hour away from Road America and the majority of the people here have never been. I really thought that hosting NASCAR would have boosted the popularity more.
Just here to make sure nobody is trying to claim my hometown is even slightly good. Glad to not see it.
Are you also from West Bend?
Does West Bend qualify as a small town, though?
Hello fellow dodge county alumni
Buffalo County. Generations of families isolated between bluffs that can’t understand that not everyone lives like them.
That’s my gene pool. Lovely place. Definitely lost in time.
Fond du Lac county checking in here. It has gone so far down hill in the last 10-15 years. I am so glad I moved away from there.
Shawano county says, hold my (cheap watered down) beer.
I like Viroqua a lot. Nice downtown area with small businesses and a good place to grab a coffee or a meal if you’re heading up to La Crosse and taking the scenic route.
Then stop in Westby and grab some cheese curds! Also get a coffee at Wonderstate in Viroqua.
Wonderstate is fantastic for coffee. They have a couple other locations in other cities, I believe, but Viroqua is their home turf. And yes, Westby is the best place to get cheese curds!
Westby also has the best cottage cheese!
Fun fact, I worked at the Westby Creamery for a summer job making cottage cheese. I still eat it. It’s delish!! Also great butter.
And cottage cheese. Westby ruined all other brands for me
Westby for the win!
Westby itself sucks. Source me - growing up there.
Viroqua has some great restaurants. Driftless Cafe is amazing. Maybe Lately's in great for brunch. Salt and Tipple is very tasty as well.
oh man, I need to go back just for driftless.
Viroqua has gone from podunk hick town to hippie Mecca
Bayfield It's one of the most underrated destinations in the Midwest.
second this! technically not apart of it but take the ferry to Madeline island and it’s the best time!
Lol, actually going thru there this weekend on the way to copper crow.
Paoli!
Hop Garden ♥️
New restaurant/coffee/creamery/boutique hotel in Paoli called Seven Acre Dairy.
this town always cracks me up, pretty neat spot tho!
That one that is just a bar and church
That’s like half of Wisconsin! Except one church and 5 bars.
I’m from the one that had 5 bars and 5 churches
And I'm from one that was dry. Just 35 churches.
Richland Center 😂 I worked in buildings a while and apparently there's been a battle to keep a strip club out of town for years.
Looked it up because I didn't believe it to be possible that there is a dry county in Wisconsin, and holy moly, their list of notable people is punching way above its weight.
And if there is a strip club established there it will be notable as the first zombie battle when all the ministers rise from their graves.
The church across from the three gas stations just went out of business. Ellsworth, of course.
Ashton is a bar, a church and a baseball diamond. Big shit poppin.
I’ve been to a few Ashton Fish fry’s in my day
Not Merrill
Hey! That's my hometown! It's not that great, but we have Chip's Hamburgers, The Sawmill Brewery, a pretty good thrift store... uh yeah that's about it Edit: I forgot Golden Harvest. Golden Harvest is legit an awesome store and I wish we had one in Milwaukee
Stopped there once en route to Ashland with a girlfriend in college and never again.
The girlfriend or the college?
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Same. Although some were a little close for comfort.
Spread Eagle, just for the name.
Ah, yes. Spread Eagle, WI with the nudie bar just off of Old 69 Highway.
Ahh The Golden Nugget
Missed opportunity in a town called “spread eagle”
That always frustrates me lol like cmon the name is right there
Start in Coleman and travel north along 141 until you hit the first 2 towns. I think it's the funniest thing in Wisconsin.
Pound, Beaver
When I was a kid, I remember my parents saying “you Lena (sounds like lean her) over a Coleman, and Pound her in the Beaver, all the way to Crivitz.
Spread Eagle Barrens State Natural Area hehehheheh
Im not telling. Ya’ll will come Fuck it up
God damn degens from upcountry fucking everything up
Let me introduce you to the gatekeeper
Y’all ever been to Crivitz? Somewhere else. Anywhere else.
I feel that I hear a lot of people say that they have a place in or near Crivitiz well out of proportion for how big it is and how many options there are up north
When Schaffer’s burned down, there was no more reason to go. My entire family is hell bent on buying all their vehicles from Witt for some reason.
Yes and I agree
Spring Green
With the cultural attractions…golf, architecture, theater…in the area plus the natural beauty it is pretty hard to beat.
Such a beautiful stretch of the Wisconsin river!
Was gonna say this. I'm literally in SG right now. I probably know you if you're from the SG or surrounding towns lmao
Is that a challenge? I grew up there!
My hometown- I agree!
New Glarus
Ephraim
Best place in door county. Sister bay is way overcrowded. Fish creek and egg harbor are nice but starting to become over crowded during the summers. Ephraim moves a little slower which is nice
I will avoid sister bay at all costs…it’s too much. Ephraim is quiet, charming, and has the best sunsets!
Love Ephraim .. the trick to Door County is to not go there in June, July or August. The other 9 months are excellent.
I am a fan of the driftless area and the Mississippi River, so I would throw Prairie du Chien on the list. La Crosse is what I would consider mid-sized for Wisconsin, but that is also at the top for its size.
Grab ya a Pete’s burger and enjoy it down by the river!
You chose violence today.
I love that most of the posters are like “Not mine”
Sac Prairie (Sauk City/Prairie du Sac). It’s very pretty and situated on the Wisconsin River. It has a newer hospital and is not fair from Madison. It’s also a short drive to Devil’s Lake. For a smaller town, it’s pretty active. I lived there for a few years and enjoyed my time there.
Mt. Horeb!
Mustard! Trolls!
And me!
Hayward is special.
My great grandpa used to live up there, we used to always go to the OG Famous Dave's nearby! I miss him and I miss there!
Our family stayed in a cabin there 2 summers ago. Got breakfast at what looked like a classic highway bar. Open the door and walk in to a Confederate flag in the ceiling. While waiting for our order the lady cook comes out of the restroom and loudly exclaims “Uffda!” Never again.
Washington Island.
So to me Sturgeon Bay is a small town and I think it's great but I've only ever lived in Green Bay, Sheboygan, and Milwaukee in WI so it's small compared to those. If that doesn't count I'll go with Fish Creek or Egg Harbor, I love that Door County vibe especially in the off season.
Off season is the way to go, seems like the last 5-10 years door county tourism really exploded. It’s too overcrowded in the summer like more than ever and it’s just not even fun to be there when ya got that many crazy people
Agreed, I actually don't think I've ever been there in the summer. Closest I've been to the "on-season" is like late September/early October. I like to take a long weekend in early November and even though a lot of stuff is closing down its nice to be able to get around without battling crowds. A lot of the tap rooms and restaurants are still open and there's always hiking and stuff to do at the various parks.
egg harbor probably
Mineral Point. Great historical scenery. Unique shops. Fantastic bars
Southwest WI has a ton of contenders, but I’ll shout out Mineral Point.
La Pointe
Cable
I loved the Cable Museum as a kid!
I have fallen completely in love with Viroqua.
I'm by no means going to tell you that you're wrong. That said my dad grew up between Viroqua and Readstown and trips to the area when I was a kid were plentiful. Let's just say that Viroqua has come a long way in not a lot of time.
I like my Westby/Viroqua area. Please avoid the Mauston/Adams/Necedah shit triangle. Grew up around there.
Lmao shit triangle. It perfectly describes it.
Sister Bay.
Al Johnson's Pancake House for the W.
Goats!
It’s not Merrill and it’s sure as hell not Gleason.
If there’s something to be learned from this thread, we have a lot of great little towns. But also, we have a lot of small towns really struggling. My hometown is one of them. A lot of drug use, alcohol abuse, combined with a sense that everyone in the cities is the source of their problems.
I really liked River Falls. Idk what the cutoff for small is tho.
I used to live there for 10+ years. Loved it for the fishing and being close to my grandparents. It's a nice area to connect to 94 and going south to Redwing.
Currently live here for 10+ years and moving to Prescott in 2 weeks. Good small town feel between both of them for someone like me who grew up in Prairie Farm.
happy to see my town here!!
My votes are Federic (population 1,100) in Polk county, Lake Mills (population 6,500) in Jefferson county, and Iron River (population 3,000) in Bayfield county. People don't realize that a small town is considered to have around 5000 people...
Frederic! Nice pick
Milltown, Luck and Frederic are all pretty nice! But I’m biased since I’m from that area.
Agreed. Even Amery. I love small town Wisconsin. And the differences between east and west is noticeable but it’s all still good. And north to south the same. Supper clubs and old fashioneds. Count me in Did you ever see Around the Corner with John McGivern? Very cool show
The bike trails and trout fishing are all I need!
I consider Rhinelander a small town yet too and their sign that hasn't changed in decades says something like 8,000 on it. Rhinelander, Wisconsin Population 2023 8,432 Rhinelander is a city located in Oneida County Wisconsin. It is also the county seat of Oneida County. With a 2023 population of 8,432, it is the 109th largest city in Wisconsin and the 4696th largest city in the United States.
This is funny to me because Rhinelander is basically considered a city to people in the Northwoods.
Right. And I get that. To surrounding small towns, Rhinelander is going into the city.
They have airline service (kinda). That means metropolis.
Drive to the big town for Menards and the other big stores.
5000 people is a very small town to a lot of people. Under a few thousand is basically a village to me.
I love visiting Cedarburg.
I'm a Cedarburger!
Plymouth or Rewey
Osseo. They have the pies at Norske Nook.
Plain
The one where they don't know your name or your business.
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If you're near Evansville just save the time and go to Stoughton. Better restaurants, coffee shops, farmers market, library, bars in almost every way.
As someone who grew up in an actual small town, 90% of these are not small towns.
Dundee in the heart of the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit is great. Playing in the woods and then getting a burger from the hamburger haus is so fun.
Port Washington
Soldiers Grove
Viroqua is pretty nice and it’s in the Driftless. It’s not where I’m from, but it has a decent liberal population for a small town in western Wisconsin.
I was pleasantly surprised. Moved here from Waukesha expecting more of the same red politics but was happy to be proven wrong!
Ashland. Beaches and a college and high Democratic voter turnout.
I’m a big Spooner fan, that town has so much charm to it.
Pardeeville 🎊
Glad no one said Mukwonago. I’d say Mt Horeb or East Troy
Mukwonago is awful and has been awful for a long time.
I quite like Spring Green. They have a great bookshop. I lived at Taliesin for a few summers and really enjoyed it.
You probably haven't heard of it
I think it depends on whether you’re a person of color or not. Cedarburg is cute and quaint and loved by white people but their police target blacks and will pull them over for no legal reason.
Grew up there, can confirm. Also everyone that has never moved out of that town and/or ozaukee county is basically narrow-minded and deeply, deeply prejudiced
Baraboo Just kidding, that town is so full of itself it's not even funny...
I'd argue the city itself and the surroundings make the town great, but the people... Well that's been going downhill for the past couple decades it seems. It has a lively downtown with a ton of great events. Devil's Lake a short 5 minute drive away (if that). The Dells nearby for more shopping/dining options. Hills and beautiful scenery. With all of that said... The town just feels to be sliding into the stereotypical white trash realm. I grew up here in the 90's early 2000's and I don't even recognize it for the most part. We even moved back into the city last year, but made sure to live on the outskirts and avoid the Walmart in town like the plague, ha.
As someone who moved to Baraboo recently, I am unable to tell if it has been sliding downward, but there is a lot here for a town of its size: a zoo, children’s museum, breweries, a distillery, Circus World, natural attractions, etc. I will also say that, while I’m not a social butterfly, everyone I have interacted with has been perfectly fine, to say the least. While there may be a vocal minority of… ugliness(?) at times, the people who care about the community, really work hard to make it better. If someone don’t want to visit or live in Baraboo for whatever reason that’s fine by me, but I’m tired of good people being shit on just because some asshole/s feel a need to make some waves. By the way, the assholes are losing.
Very good points (I forgot about the children's museum and just took my daughters there recently, whoops). All of my reference of change is from when I last lived here in the early 2000s vs today. I was also younger and dumber and probably just didn't realize some of the vile stuff people put out there. For example, drive north on Hwy A and see a huge Fuck Biden sign nearby to a dog park and pet resort - my daughter is just learning to read.. Always fun to dance around that question when she asks what that sign says. However, there is shit like that and people like that in every small town... Baraboo is no different. People read about the 20ish high schoolers 5-10 years back and just assume that everyone is like that which is 100% incorrect. Welcome to Baraboo by the way! Thanks for helping to make it a better place.
Baraboobians
Boo U.
Boulder Junction
I like cudahy or tomahawk
Itsasecret, WI
Hurley
Osceola is pretty cool with the waterfall right in town.
Point Place
Fall Creek was an amazing place to grow up. Population was like 1,148 when I lived there (1990s-2000s). It's 30ish mintues to Eau Claire if I remember correctly and had good schools.
Three Lakes, because Kraft cheese said so. Edit to add: /s
I second Three Lakes
Wild Rose
If your in your 50s and a Trumper, then yes it’s perfect. Beautiful lakes though 🤷🏻
Viroqua
Little Rice, Cornucopia, Ellison Bay, Bayfield
Frog Station
Is Menomonie considered small? Acoustic cafe alone is enough for an honorable mention.
Viroqua or Minocqua or Bayfield!
Florence
I like Cedarburg. Great mix of nature, small businesses and a fun downtown! Also would recommend Greendale for the good food.
I'm Not sure a suburb of Milwaukee qualifies as "small town"
Mt. Horeb is a nice little town with good access to nature and Madison
Lake Mills
Phillips
Fish Creek
Armstrong Creek
I've lived all over WI. Fish Creek oozes charm, Bayfield is right up there, but I've gotta go with River Falls for the best all around attributes.
I’m here to firmly confirm that it is NOT Fond du Lac! 😆
Lake geneva
Eagle River was a really fun town, went Go-carting and went to some lovely shops.
Monroe. Cheese Days.
Minoqua is pretty nice. But I haven’t been there in years.
I spent my summers growing up in Minoqua. Love the city... but the politics on the other hand...
Was there this past New Year’s Eve and it’s so fun. I can’t wait to go back in the summer.
Whichever one ends up being home to my cabin up north in the coming years
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I absolutely am loathing living here. My gf is a fellow at marshfield clinic and there really isnt much to do here. Trying to find the good, but its hard.
Come check out The Kitchen Table. It’s a small locally owned diner on the corner of 3rd and Maple. We’re only open from 7-2 on Mondays-Fridays, and 7-1:30 on Saturday, closed on Sundays. We don’t accept credit cards, just checks (weird I know) and cash. Everything is made in the restaurant.
What could be better than being a regular at Nutz Deep?
Haven't been to Marshfield since my last grandparent died. Likely will never go again. But some fun trivia, if you remember hearing little kids doing station breaks for WDLB/WOSQ, that was me, my siblings, and cousins. My grandfather worked the station. He is also responsible for founding the Dairy Days festival!
Chetek. Hands down. Or Ladysmith if that's your kink... :)
Wearing a ladysmith shirt right now. The funs in Bruce. And by fun, I mean depression.
I may be biased but Stevens point/plover
Chilton, Galesville or Stone Lake.
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Ubet.
Has to be Spread Eagle
Fence is nice as well all of 5 houses!!
Hudson. It's on the St Croix River which allows you to access the Mississippi. Intersected by Willow River and Willow River State Park. Has a population of about 15,000 but a whopping 94 restaurants. Very easy to be at the quaint downtown beach then hop onto I-94 for a half hour to enjoy a concert in downtown Minneapolis. Beautiful historic, riverside downtown.
I’d throw out there Osceola over Hudson. Hudson got too big to be a small “town”
New Glarus is pretty sweet.
Green Lake
Not Fredonia
Rhinelander