Outdoor Cooking Made Easy The outdoor kitchen trend continues this year, with BBQs and grills that maximize space, but can handle more than your average steaks, hot dogs and burgers. Spills and stains from grilling are not a challenge for Trex composite decking, thanks to its high-performance shell technology. For more information, visit www.trex.com |
Create Comfortable and Convenient Spaces Utilize under-deck storage to create outdoor living space with high style and high function. Use mixed materials such as composite decking and stone to complement the home’s exterior. Also on trend, comfortable seating spaces anchored by a fire pit to warm up cool evenings and conversations. For more information, visit: www.trex.com |
Inspire creativity with color With 18 color options inspired by the great outdoors, high-performance Trex decking features an unbeatable combination of durability and long-lasting good looks. Trex Transcend is inspired by tropical hardwood and designed with realistic wood-grain patterns that create a premium look. For more information, visit: www.trex.com |
Redesign Outdoor Entertaining Outdoor living means many different things to different people. Whether dining al fresco with friends, lounging or watching a favorite sporting event, Trex composite decking offers all the enjoyment of outdoor living without all the time-consuming maintenance. Trex Transcend® decking in Havana Gold and Spiced Rum are shown here along with Trex outdoor storage, both made of high-performance composite materials for durability and lasting beauty. For more information, visit: www.trex.com |
Design with Style and Sustainability Trex decking colors can be combined to create interesting conversation spaces that are high on design, but low on maintenance. This space is designed using Trex Transcend in 3 alternating colors to create a pattern that beautifully frames the multi-tiered water feature behind this home. For more information, visit: www.trex.com |
Create Hassle-free Shaded Spaces A Trex® Pergola™ is added to this deck to offer a shady, sturdy retreat that won't crack, rot or chalk. The pergola coordinates perfectly with Trex® railing. To create comfortable seating spaces that are both durable and beautiful, benches are made from the same weather-resistant, low-maintenance Trex material. For more information, visit: www.trex.com |
High Style, Low Maintenance Decks Trex® composite decking shown here in Trex Transcend® Spiced Rum offers superior durability, luxurious looks and decades of splinter-free fun. The deep, rich color of the deck, with realistic striations and an authentic wood grain, creates a beautiful contrast against the defined trim lines and bright colors of the home. For more information, visit: www.trex.com
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8 Great-Outdoors Adventures in Wisconsin |
Bike the Elroy-Sparta State Trail Wisconsin has the distinction of being home to the first rails-to-trails conversion in the country, the Elroy-Sparta State Trail. Aptly traveling through the Bicycling Capital of America, this bike trail includes three old rail tunnels, including one more than three-quarters of a mile long! Plan your trip with suggested rentals, dining stops and lodging along this relatively level 32-mile route through five small towns in Wisconsin’s gorgeous Driftless Area. |
Hit the Beaches on Lake Michigan Think you need to travel to the Atlantic or Pacific to enjoy an ocean or beachside vacation? Think again! Wisconsin is home to a number of beaches along its Great Lakes shorelines, meaning you can hit the coast without leaving the Midwest! The priceless views at Kohler-Andrae State Park include majestic sand dunes, miles of golden beach and the shimmering blue waters of Lake Michigan. You’ll find more ocean-esque beaches (minus the sharks) all along Wisconsin’s Great Lakes coasts. |
ATV Through the Wisconsin Northwoods Be a daredevil for a day and zoom through Wisconsin’s vast Northwoods with an all-terrain vehicle from Runamuk Rides in Hayward. With guides, trailside assistance and even driving service available, there’s no reason for newbies to be wary. For more suggested trails and motorsports rentals, take a look at the complete beginner’s guide to ATV-ing in Wisconsin. |
Try Tubing in Wisconsin Rivers More than 30,000 miles of rivers and streams crisscross the state, creating the ultimate lazy river for tubing in Wisconsin. Kick back on a raft or inner tube and let the water do the work as you take in the sights and share some laughs! Wisconsin’s Apple River, located near the Minnesota border, offers tubing access at the Apple River Hideaway, Float Rite Park and River’s Edge. But you’ll discover more great tubing all over the state! |
Chase Waterfalls in Marinette County Marinette County bills itself as the waterfall capital of Wisconsin, and you can tour about a dozen of these roaring wonders along the Pike, Thunder, Peshtigo and Menominee rivers in northeastern Wisconsin. A county park just a half-mile south of the town of Amberg offers an easy-access stop at Dave’s Falls, a classic Northwoods waterfall. You can wade right into the Pike River for a closer look at the upper and lower falls, a short walk from the parking lot. Check out more picnic-perfect, easy-access waterfalls throughout Wisconsin! |
Camp Cliffside in Southwestern Wisconsin At Wyalusing State Park, you can pitch your tent 500 feet above the lush valley where the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers meet. One of the state’s oldest and most popular camping traditions, the park is located in the dramatically rugged Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin. In addition to more than a hundred campsites at Wyalusing, you’ll find hiking, biking and canoe trails, Native American burial mounds and scenic overlooks galore. Find more Wisconsin state parks that offer camping with a view! |
Go Kayaking Up North in Wisconsin With two Great Lakes and the Mississippi River forming its borders, as well as more than 15,000 inland lakes, Wisconsin is a mecca for kayaking and canoeing. Head “Up North” to try Hawk’s Nest Outfitters in Manitowish Waters, which offers guide service, full and partial outfitting, and even camping on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage and several rivers. You can’t go wrong with a million acres of Wisconsin waters – from sea caves to whitewater rivers and tranquil streams. Browse more paddling outfitters across the state to find your fun! |
Explore Devil’s Lake State Park Wisconsin’s largest and most visited state park, Devil’s Lake, is perhaps best known for the 500-foot quartzite cliffs that tower over its glacier-formed lake. Balanced Rock (pictured) is just one of several stunning formations that date back to the last ice age. The 9,217-acre park is a hiker’s dream, with nearly 30 miles of trails ranging from paved paths to bluff-top hikes. Explore Devil’s Lake and more natural treasures in the Baraboo Hills with these scenic wonders! |
Sky Scraping in ChicagoEven the tallest skyscrapers can’t give Windy City visitors the sweeping, above-it-all views seen on a trip with Chicago Helicopter Experience. Riders soar over the sprawling parks lining Lake Michigan and past glass-encased skyscrapers reflecting the peach and copper sunset. On twilight tours ($178 per person), headphones and a microphone allow passengers to ask questions as the pilot-turned-tour-guide points out landmarks like Soldier Field and the Museum Campus. |
The Secrets of Dramatic Floral ArrangementsPulling from buckets of blushing hydrangeas and softly drooping raspberry foliage, 20 eager students quickly cover long tables with bits of stems and leaves. Their teacher, Jackie Reisenauer of the Twin Cities floral-styling firm Munster Rose, offers general advice—arrangements shouldn’t be more than twice as high as a vase, for instance—but her biggest tip is just to relax. By playing around, you’ll discover how each cutting interacts with the ones around it. |
La Vida Local: Life Lessons on an Illinois FarmAs the sun begins its summer slide, casting deep shadows across the interstate, my stomach growls emphatically. I fantasize out loud about the roast chicken waiting for us at Kinnikinnick Farm. Cue my daughter: “Please don’t say it’s one of their chickens.” When you tell your 6-year-old about camping in the country, you talk a lot about feeding hens and pigs. You avoid the bit about eating them. We’re miles away still, but Kinnikinnick has forced my hand. I plunge into the truth with a big, fat smile. |
Garden Tour: Healing NatureHeart surgeon Larry Jacobs had trouble with the adage “Physician heal thyself.” He was so busy helping others that he had little time for himself. That started changing the day he read a newspaper story about Sabrena Schweyer and Samuel Salsbury’s garden sanctuaries that introduce clients to the life-changing power of Mother Nature. |
