Go al fresco this season at one of Wisconsin’s unique outdoor dining establishments. Whether you seek seafood with a side of sunset or burgers at a drive-in, discover dining destinations for all tastes. Here’s to fresh-air eating.
Dine alongside scenic sunset views on Lake Como (Walworth County)
Toast the setting sun on Wisconsin’s Lake Como with a visit to The Getaway.This fine-dining restaurant in the Lake Geneva area offers views just as fine as the food. It’s perfectly located to watch the sun sink below Lake Como.Be sure to reserve an outdoor table on the expansive patio.
The Getaway is known for its authentic Italian dishes, seafood bites, savory prime rib and colorful history. The hotel the restaurant is in was a favorite getaway for well-known gangsters.Start your meal with an appetizer before enjoying the main course with a side of sunset.
Check out the Lake Geneva Cruise Line for another dining option with a view. Choose from several dinner cruises aboard a boat with good company, a great meal and maybe a little dancing on the deck.Options include a luncheon cruise, a Sunday brunch buffet, supper club dinners and jazz dinners.
Drive into these summer dining spots
Dine al fresco style with a visit to a drive-in restaurant this summer.You’ll discover these seasonal diners in all stretches of the state.
Make sure to visit the Milltown Drive In if you’re cruising through northwest Wisconsin. Located in Polk County, the retro drive-in has been welcoming guests since 1956 with uncomplicated, yet delicious food. Find your summertime bliss with a hand-packed, never frozen burger paired with a homemade root beer float.
It’s a short drive from Milltown to Interstate Park for pre- or post-meal hiking. You’ll catch stunning views of the St. Croix River surrounded by deep-sided gorges in Wisconsin’s oldest state park, which celebrates its 125th anniversary this year.
Find a day trip-worthy drive-in with a trip to Cedarburg. Wayne’s Drive-In welcomes summer memory makers to enjoy hot food and cold ice cream. Dine outside this unique 12-sided building, known as a dodecagon, or enjoy the classic diner ambiance of checkerboard floors and plush booths on the inside. Visit on Thursdays through the end of September to check out vintage cars showing up for the weekly Cruise Nights.
Pizza on the farm in Buffalo County
Wisconsin’s Mississippi River Valley is home to a can’t-miss seasonal dining experience — a pizza farm!The Stone Barn in Nelson is one of several beloved pizza farms along the Wisconsin Great River Road.
Visit Friday through Sunday for scratch-made pizza in an outdoor farm setting.Grab a table or throw out a blanket to enjoy these thin-crust works of art.The Stone Barn crafts creative specialty pizzas like a heat-infused Southwest pizza or a Greek pizza with locally raised lamb.A weekly special also highlights local, in-season vegetables for the freshest flavors.
Stay the night in a French-inspired setting at Hotel de Ville.The hotel is located in the Mississippi River town of Alma and full of European flair, from the décor and antiques to the manicured gardens.Add one last unexpected activity to your itinerary at Castlerock Museum.Be amazed at an eye-catching collection of antique arms and armor dating back to the time of feudal knights, Vikings and even ancient Romans.
Start your summer getaway at TravelWisconsin.com
