Being a Tourist in Central Wisconsin
Adventuring and stepping out of your comfort zone isn’t always about planning an international trip or going on a multi state road trip. Sometimes, it’s about spending a weekend a couple hours away from wherever you call home. Two weeks ago I was beginning to feel small in the town I live in- seeing the same people, taking the same routes, and getting stuck in my daily routine.
Touristing in Wausau, Wisconsin
Last summer, Syd had mentioned that her and some friends had discovered a rodeo in Merrill, Wisconsin and they had an absolute blast. We decided to schedule that weekend to explore the area and see what the rodeo was all about. On Saturday morning, we started out with some fabulous farmer’s market coffees, explored downtown Wausau (which I usually drive right through, minus the Starbucks pitstops on my way to visit family), and ate at a Mexican restaurant- I was really craving some margaritas and guacamole.
Farmer’s Market
The air was crisp with the dewey smell of fresh rain. There’s just something about stepping out of the vehicle and seeing all the canopy tents lined up and filled with fresh produce, coffees, pastries, and other specialty goods that entrepreneurs fill their lives with.
Syd and I stopped at a coffee booth first and made our way through all of the tents. Rhubarb, cut flower bouquets, snap peas, plants, baked goods, canned salsas and so much more filled the tables. It had been a couple years since I was at a farmer’s market in my college town. It was so nostalgic to be back and to stop in and chat with various vendors. Syd ended up dropping her coffee while talking to a lady that decorates cookies. (not out of character for her lol), we continued on our journey through the maze of tents and made our way back to another coffee booth before we left.
Downtown
After we carefully maneuvered through the parking lot, we made our way through town to visit some local shops in downtown Wausau. I spotted an umbrella display that was draped over one of the main streets. We stopped into The Local, a shop that curates collections of home decor, apparel, and gifts from Midwest locals to share their stories and inspire US. We headed down the street a little ways and stopped in to Evolutions in Design. They are a full service floral shop with a quirky twist of products to explore. They take pride in changing displays in the store bi-weekly to keep their customers coming back for a new experience. Before we headed to our lunch spot, we made a quick stop at Sugar and Spice. This little baked goods and coffee shop is so heartwarming when you first walk in and the cheesecake bites, OH MY… they are DELICIOUS.
La Taqueria
For weeks, I was craving chips and guacamole paired with a refreshing margarita. I knew that Syd knew of some great Mexican restaurants in her area, so we went to La Taqueria. I ordered chicken tacos, guacamole, and a strawberry margarita and Syd ordered chorizo tacos, queso, and a cucumber margarita. We spent quite a while there indulging in the flavorful food and soaking up the rays out on their colorful patio.
Soaking Up The Summer Sun
Our tummies were full and the sun was shining after we finished our lunch. We headed back to Syd’s house, set up some lawn chairs, and cracked some cold ones. Her dog Maple was adamant on playing frisbee until she destroyed the toy. We caught up and talked about summer plans, friendships, jobs, family and pretty much everything possible while listening to some tunes.
Merrill Rodeo
The time came for us to make our way over to the Merrill fairgrounds. Before all of the festivities began, we spent some time walking around the booths and then found our seats. The show was dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness, all of the candidates for rodeo queen were dressed in pink and even had their horses decorated too. It was a little bit gloomy and windy, but that didn’t take away from the liveliness of the crowd or the performances. There were jokes, mini battles between the announcer and rodeo clown too. Towards the end of the evening, we took a walk to grab some dinner, we split some cheese curds and each got a pulled pork sandwich. We were originally going to stay for the live band and party at the end of the night but we were getting a little chilled and the fresh air and wind got the best of us so we made our way home.
Sunday Morning
The next morning, we slowly got ourselves ready for a new day. We took a short drive to downtown Merrill where a new coffee shop had recently opened, Auntie Ray’s Coffee House. It’s located in a small narrow space, as you walk in following the counter, the giant menu on the back wall guides you to the register. They have a wide variety of beverages for all ages, breakfast and lunch options that are also age inclusive. Syd ordered an iced mocha and sausage, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich. I ordered my favorite honey lavender latte with a yogurt bowl that had strawberry yogurt, strawberries, granola and honey. It was a great way to end my weekend as a tourist in central Wisconsin.
One thing that is incredibly nostalgic for me is to pack up and JUST visit a new area, even if it is just for a day or two. I had the opportunity to visit my friend Syd earlier this month and be a tourist again. Typically, I only spend time with her for one weekend each year at the Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament in Oshkosh, Wisconsin (which I will more than likely write about later this summer).
