Tomah: Water, Recreation and History

Tomah offers a variety of ways to shape your stay: get active on the Tomah Recreation Trail, enjoy water sports on Lake Tomah, explore local history, or visit parks, music events and a seasonal market. There are also activities for children and families. When looking for a vacation rental in Tomah, consider which of these experiences you would like to make the focus of your trip.

Recreation, Water and Parks

The Tomah Recreation Trail offers opportunities for walking, cycling, roller skating and running. It runs for about six miles through Tomah and partly follows sidewalks.

Lake Tomah offers opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, boating and fishing. The range of activities spans everything from paddling to motorized water sports and fishing. There are also two boat ramps and an accessible pier at the lake. If you want to include water activities in your vacation, you can make them one of the priorities when choosing your destination.

Rotary Plaza in Winnebago Park includes an accessible area with picnic spots and public restrooms, as well as an All-Inclusive Music Park. Children of all ages can play the instruments there. Tomah also has a large park featuring the Winnebago Wonderland playground. Together, these places offer different ways to spend time outdoors and enjoy activities with children.

Places with Local History

The Tomah Historical Museum displays the Frank King Collection, featuring the nationally syndicated comic strip “Gasoline Alley.” The museum offers insight into the comic strip and its collection. If you are interested in local history and comics, you can include a visit as a cultural highlight of your stay.

The Little Red School House was originally called Watermill School and was built in 1864. It first stood five miles northeast of Tomah on County Road G. It was among the first schools in the area to provide free textbooks, beginning in 1912; an entrance was added in 1914. After closing in 1965, the schoolhouse was acquired by the city and moved to its present location in Gillett Park in Tomah, where it was established as a museum. Its story encompasses both the early days of schooling and the building’s later move.

Summer Music and Market

Downtown Thursday Nights (DTN) has been a six-week, family-friendly summer street concert series in Tomah since 2019, featuring nationally touring bands. Americana Music in the Park is also held every summer in Gillett Park. If you would like to plan music events into your trip, you’ll find two different concert offerings here: a street concert series and a summer music event in the park.

The Tomah Farmers Market takes place in Gillett Park from May through October. Local vendors sell vegetables, fruit, plants, jams, preserved fruit and vegetables, cakes, bread, cut flowers, herbs and spices, as well as arts and crafts and jewelry. The offerings combine food with plants, flowers and handmade goods. The market’s stated dates offer a useful guide when planning a visit, and the selection extends beyond fresh produce.

If you’d like to explore more places, you can also find Sparta and Kendall here.

For the broader travel overview: Monroe.