Kona is the best part of my life. We go on many adventures together and LOTS of walks! Most days, we roam around our neighborhood, but we love to jump in the car and visit other spots in the area for a change of pace. Here are a few of my favorite dog walking spots in Milwaukee. This list is a two-parter, you can find the first part here. 7 Bridges Trail in Grant Park Back to the south side of Milwaukee, Seven Bridges Trail was new for Kona and I in 2023, but we loved it. The trail is located right along the shore of Lake Michigan and we love a beach (even in the snow). There are numerous foot bridges (seven), stone paths, and creeks along the route. I cannot wait to take her here in the summer and fully enjoy the lakefront. Estabrook Park Located in Shorewood, Estabrook is one of my all-time favorite spots to take my pup. Not only is the trail located along the water, but there is a beer garden! There is also a dog park, but Kona doesn't get along well with other dogs, so we typically don't hang out there. Estabrook contains another section of the Oak Leaf trail with paths of pavement, gravel, and mud. There are always people fishing in the river and the greenery surrounding is beautiful. Lakeshore State Park In my opinion, this is a park that does not get enough love in Milwaukee. Lakeshore State Park is located right in downtown Milwaukee, practically in the middle of the city. Once you are inside of the park, it feels like an urban oasis. The park connects to both Hank Aaron State Trail and Oak Leaf Trail and it is almost entirely surrounded by water. There is a small beach with plenty of benches to relax and take in the sights of the city landscape. The trail is paved and it runs through the well-maintained prairie restoration area. Menomonee River Parkway So this technically is not a park, but it is a trail that we frequent often. There are several sections to the Menomonee River Parkway, but the section in Menomonee Falls is one of our favorites. The parkway follows along the Menomonee River for about 2 miles and includes a footbridge, a waterfall, and several natural areas. The parkway is quite busy so I like to take Kona here earlier in the morning to beat the crowds. There's also room for fishing and a paddle launch if you're looking for a little adventure.

I've visited Appleton a few times over the years, but this trip gave me the chance to spend more time exploring everything downtown has to offer. With local restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and plenty of entertainment packed into a walkable area, it's an easy destination for a Wisconsin weekend getaway. If you're planning a visit, here are some of my favorite things to do in Downtown Appleton. Activities We arrived in Appleton early Saturday morning so we could catch the Downtown Appleton Farm Market, and it was well worth setting the alarm for. A stretch of College Avenue is closed to traffic and transformed into a bustling market filled with local farmers, food vendors, artists, makers, and small businesses. We walked the entire market three times and still managed to discover something new each pass. Some of our favorite farmers market finds included a wine tasting with Hammen Family Orchard and Winery and a stop at the beer garden hosted by McFleshman's Brewery. We also tried the famous egg rolls that everyone seemed to be talking about—the line was long, but they were absolutely worth the wait. We couldn't resist picking up a few treats from a vendor selling adorable dog cookies, and there were plenty of other vendors offering fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, cheese, baked goods, and handmade items. I can't stress enough how big the Downtown Appleton Farm Market is. You could easily spend an entire morning there, and honestly, it's worth the drive on its own. After the market, we headed over to the History Museum at the Castle, which is conveniently located right off College Avenue. Did you know Appleton is the hometown of Houdini? The museum features an entire exhibit dedicated to his life and career, complete with interactive displays where you can try a few of his famous tricks yourself. Another floor focuses on the history of Appleton and Wisconsin as a whole. We learned about products that originated in the area, notable people from the region, and how the community continues to evolve. I'm not usually a museum person, but I genuinely enjoyed this stop and learned a lot. One of our favorite unexpected finds was Player 2 Arcade Bar. We grabbed a handful of tokens and spent some time playing pinball, Guitar Hero, Super Mario, and other classic games. It was such a fun way to spend part of the afternoon. Food & Drink Of course, we couldn't survive on egg rolls alone, so we made a few additional food and drink stops throughout downtown. First up was Commodore Club, which was exactly the vibe we were looking for. One side operates as a cozy café while the other is a stylish cocktail lounge. The atmosphere was inviting, and the craft cocktails were excellent. Next, we stopped at Bazil's Pub after multiple people told us to try their cheese curds. We ordered a basket to share along with a BLT wrap and grabbed a table on the patio. The cheese curds were tossed in their signature garlic bazil sauce, which was unlike anything I've had before and definitely worth trying. By mid-afternoon, we needed a little pick-me-up, so we stopped into Bona Fide Juicery. Kailagh ordered a strawberry matcha, and we both loved the bright, welcoming space. Whether you're looking for coffee, smoothies, juices, matcha, or a lighter meal, this is a great downtown stop. Before calling it a day, we treated ourselves to dessert at Legendairy Cookies N Creamery. Their build-your-own ice cream sandwiches were such a fun concept. We picked our cookies, chose our ice cream flavor, added toppings, and ended up with one of our favorite treats of the trip. I honestly need them to open a Milwaukee-area location. Shopping Downtown Appleton is an ideal destination for a girls' day or weekend getaway, especially if you love shopping. Since everything is so walkable, we spent a few hours wandering up and down College Avenue and popping into nearly every store that caught our eye. One of my favorite finds was Eco Candle Co. The shop is filled with candles, incense, bath products, and gift items, and I could have spent hours smelling everything. I ended up picking up a few gifts for an upcoming birthday and had a hard time narrowing down my choices. We also loved Blue Moon Emporium, which carries a wide variety of locally made products, home décor, clothing, artwork, and gifts. Kailagh and I both left with a few purchases because there were so many unique items you don't typically see elsewhere. Finally, we visited several clothing boutiques, including Beatnik Betty's Resale Boutique, Olive and Rose, and Sugar Rushlow Boutique. Each shop had its own style and personality, and we were impressed by both the selection and the prices. Whether you're looking for a statement piece, everyday basics, or something vintage-inspired, downtown Appleton has plenty of options. After spending a full day exploring, it's easy to see why so many people love Downtown Appleton. Between the incredible farm market, locally owned shops, great restaurants, unique attractions, and walkable downtown, there's something for just about everyone. Whether you're planning a day trip or a weekend getaway, Appleton is a destination that's well worth the visit. We barely scratched the surface during our time there, and I already have a list of places I want to check out on our next trip back.

I’ve been on a mission to find the best deep fried cheese curds in Wisconsin for over four years. I have eaten curds at over 200 different places. I’m not sure if I have found the best in the state yet but I have found some very good contenders. However, I can confidently say that I have tried all of best deep fried curds in the City of Milwaukee. This is the ultimate list. Dairyland I love Dairyland. I discovered them when they were a food truck at Zocalo Park and became obsessed. Their burgers are top tier. Their chicken sandwiches are drool-worthy. But their cheese curds? Some of the best in Milwaukee. I know you are probably thinking “well they didn’t win best curds in Milwaukee” – and you’re right. But I whole-heartedly believe that they did not win because not enough people have tried their curds. The curds are battered and made with Clock Shadow Creamery cheese. This is your sign to go to Redbar and order them with a side of their homemade ranch. If you try them and hate them, you’re wrong. Black Sheep These curds are a delightful surprise. They are made with pancake batter, topped with powdered sugar, and served with syrup. Sounds weird, right? It is. Oddly enough, it works. Black Sheep has an awesome menu overall, but their curds deserve to be recognized on this list. They are also made with cheese from Clock Shadow Creamery and they are absolutely some of the best in Milwaukee. Camino Camino has two locations – Milwaukee and West Allis. This is a list for the City of Milwaukee so we will focus on that location. Camino is known for a lot of things – their wings, their burgers, and their handmade perogies. Which are all delicious… but don’t sleep on their curds. They are also made with Clock Shadow Creamery cheese and served with Russian Dressing. The dressing is a bit different, but it pairs very well with the cheese curds. Lakefront Brewery You didn’t actually think I was going to leave out Lakefront Brewery, did you? They have been rated top curds in MKE for years and years. There’s a reason: they are delicious. Unshockingly, they are also made with Clock Shadow Creamery cheese curds. They are made with Lakefront’s homemade beer batter and served with some of the best ranch in the city. Every Thursday, Lakefront offers a unique curd flavor: pizza, chocolate covered strawberry, jalapeno… the list goes on. Lakefront Brewery is a Milwaukee staple and their cheese curds are no exception. Heirloom Heirloom began as a a farm to table food truck but they opened a location in Bay View and they make amazing food. I absolutely could not leave them off of this list. CLOCKSHADOW CHEESE battered perfectly. Somehow, these babies are always gigantic. They are served with a drool-worthy jalapeno ranch AND a tomato jam on the side. The people that run this truck are just as wonderful as the cheese curds they serve. These are a must-have in Milwaukee. Who’s on Third Who’s on Third serves battered curds using Lakefront Brewery Riverwest Stein. The cheese curds melt in your mouth. The cheese pull is magnificent. They are served with ranch, marinara, AND Who’s Sauce (fricken delish). Although I’m a ranch girl through and through, I love a unique sauce and I love a variety of sauces even more. Crafty Cow In a turn of events, Crafty Cow uses Ellsworth Creamery cheese in their curds! Ellsworth actually has an entire festival where vendors make tons of unique dishes with curds. I’ve attended. It’s magical. I digress… the curds at Crafty Cow are so tasty. They are served in a big metal bowl and I very much appreciate the portion size. They batter is extremely light and the cheese is super stretchy AND super melty. It’s the perfect combination. They are served with homemade ranch which I love so very much. O’lydia’s I stopped by O’lydia’s on a total whim for my birthday a few years back. It was a completely random choice on my end and it resulted in so much delicious food. They use Clock Shadow cheese curds which makes total sense … they are practically neighbors. These curds are served with a spicy pineapple sauce. Weird? Yes. Delicious? Also yes. The sauce is extremely flavorful and pairs so well with the cheese. These curds are breaded and I like them a lot, which says something because I tend to gravitate towards batter. On Tap The curds at On Tap were eaten on a whim, too, and boy did they make me happy. I’m not sure what cheese they use, but I know that their beer batter is made with Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. It is so light and crispy and the cheese pull is phenomenal. These are also served with homemade ranch and it passed the thick test. On Tap is newer to the scene but they know what they’re doing. A restaurant that knows how to make good curds is a stellar spot in my book.