Discover Ozaukee

Ozaukee combines Lake Michigan shorelines, rivers, woodland trails and an unusually diverse range of cultural attractions. Those looking for a vacation rental or holiday home as a base can therefore tailor their trip to different interests: with long walks through the landscape, excursions to the water, historic sites or museum visits. The region is especially vivid where nature and history stand side by side.

Between Shorelines, Forest and Long Trails

The Ozaukee Interurban Trail is a 30-mile paved path that stretches across the entire length of Ozaukee County. It also connects historic town centers with natural landscapes. This makes it a distinctive way to get to know the different sides of the region over a longer route. Take its length into account when planning your day and choose your accommodation so that your preferred attractions fit well with your personal travel pace.

On Lake Michigan, Lion’s Den Gorge Nature Preserve features one of the last undeveloped stretches of bluff land along the lake. Stairs lead down to the shoreline. During the peak of the spring migration, more than 20 warbler species can be found in the preserve within a short walk of the parking area. Anyone looking to combine wildlife observation with impressive shoreline scenery will find a clear focus for the day’s itinerary here.

Harrington Beach State Park also offers a variety of landscape experiences. The park includes more than a mile of beach on Lake Michigan, a mile of shoreline and seven miles of hiking trails. Hawthorne Hills Park, by contrast, consists largely of 57.1 acres of undeveloped woodland; hiking trails run through the eastern part of the grounds. For days by the river, Tendick Nature Park has a canoe and kayak launch on the Milwaukee River. River Oaks Park also has a canoe and kayak launch, while Ehlers Park has approximately 2,200 feet of shoreline along the Milwaukee River. Its shoreline is used as an access point by canoe and kayak groups taking part in the annual “Canoe Runs.”

History, Art and Special Excursions

Ozaukee is also well suited to a vacation filled with cultural discoveries. Covered Bridge Park contains Wisconsin’s last original covered wooden bridge, built in 1876. Pioneer Village is a living history museum. A road leads to the parking area; from there, gravel paths run through the entire village. The Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts focuses on preserving fiber art. Cedarburg Art Museum has an accessible entrance for wheelchair users at the back, leading to the ground-floor galleries and the museum shop.

Further historical highlights include Stony Hill School, a stone one-room schoolhouse where Bernard Cigrand taught and recognized the very first Flag Day celebration in 1885, as well as the 1860 Light Station. It includes the lighthouse with its lantern room and the lighthouse keeper’s living quarters. The tours include a climb to the lantern room, which contains a reproduction of a fourth-order Fresnel lens. The museum on the ground floor has an accessible entrance. Visitors can also walk along the 0.5-mile breakwater and stand beneath the arches of the lighthouse.

Culinary interests can also be incorporated into your plans: The guided tour of Cedar Creek Winery includes a tasting of several wines. Your choice of accommodation can therefore depend on whether you prefer waterside paths, forests and hiking, museums and historic sites, or a combination of several types of vacation days.

Places to Consider for Further Selection

For a more specific choice of location, you can also view the pages for Cedarburg, Port Washington, Grafton, Mequon, Belgium and Saukville. Above all, compare which landscapes and experiences you want to be the focus of your trip.

For the broader travel overview: Wisconsin.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Green County, Rock.