Appleton: Houdini, History, and Trails Along the Fox River

As a destination on the Fox River, Appleton brings together history, outdoor activities, and music. Reasons to stay here include Houdini artifacts at the History Museum at the Castle, a self-guided route through downtown, trails for walking, running, and cycling, and interactive exhibit themes. This lets you tailor your trip to different interests. When looking for a vacation rental, it helps to start by considering which of these sides of Appleton you want to shape your stay.

Culture and Exhibits

The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton preserves handcuffs, lock picks, keys, tools, and a straitjacket used by Houdini. The collection gives the Houdini theme a tangible, hands-on dimension and offers history enthusiasts a distinctive point of interest.

Interactive exhibit themes offer other distinctive experiences. “Power Up” brings concepts related to energy and sustainability to life through collaboration, problem-solving, and playful participation. The interactive mural “The Story of the Land Where We Stand” explores the land and culture of the Menominee. For a family trip, you can consider whether your group is more interested in energy and sustainability issues or in the land and culture of the Menominee.

Self-Guided Downtown Route and Active Trail Adventures

The self-guided Fox Trot Trail runs 2.2 miles through downtown Appleton and includes 16 stops exploring the history of downtown and the Fox River. It begins at Houdini Plaza and ends at Jones Park. Its length and number of stops provide different kinds of guidance: the 2.2 miles describe the route’s scope, while the 16 stops structure its historical focus. The named endpoints also help orient you as you explore downtown.

The Loop the Lake Trail and the Trestle trails offer a different range of activities: you can explore Appleton on both by walking, running, or cycling. The activities on offer therefore differ: the Fox Trot Trail focuses on historic stops, while the other two trails let you choose among three ways to get around. Consider whether you would prefer to plan a self-guided history route or walking, running, or cycling during your stay.

Music as Another Reason to Visit

The Mile of Music Festival takes place in Appleton and features more than 700 musical performances. Music thus adds another reason to visit alongside the museum and trail experiences. If you’re considering the festival for your trip, check the dates and current program in advance: the program and scale may change.

If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Appleton, the activities you want to fit into each day can help guide your choice of location: would you like to focus on local history, trail activities, or music? This can help you assess Appleton in light of your personal travel interests.

Discover more destinations: Kaukauna, Little Chute, Kimberly, Hortonville.

For the broader travel overview: Outagamie.