From the highest flying planes at the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh to the deepest waters at the Wisconsin Dells, these types of popular tourist attractions bring in billions of dollars each year.
According to the latest data from the Wisconsin Department of Tourismin 2021, 102.3 million guest trips occurred in Wisconsin, and tourism generated a total economic impact of $20.9 billion.
“We see that Wisconsin is currently a very popular state for vacation destinations in the Midwest and across the countrysaid Anne Sayers, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. “We know it’s about our hospitality, spirited celebrations and the depth and diversity of all we offer.”
After slowing down during the pandemic, Wisconsinites and tourists alike are taking to highways, bypasses and airways.
Which brings us to the question about Wisconsin Public Radio WHYsconsin asked: What is the most popular place to visit in Wisconsin?
Officially, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism does not track visitation to destinations or communities, Sayers says, because individual places and attractions do. So, off the record, here are just a few of the most popular attractions to visit in Wisconsin, based on information shared with the state Department of Tourism and a list of highly rated places from Tripadvisor.
EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh
The EAA AirVenture host in Oshkosh rewrites the record books. In 2022, approximately 650,000 people visited Oshkosh from around the world. This colossal sum exceeded all previous attendance records.
“I like to call it the aviation family reunion,” said Dick Knapinski, EAA director of communications. “It is truly a meeting during which you can learn about the history of aviation, its current state and its future in one place.”
EAA AirVenture is the world’s largest aviation convention, where approximately 10,000 aircraft will be presented and flown during this seven-day event.
The event boasts many attractions, from air shows in daylight and at night with the participation of aerobatic performers to displays of former military aircraft. The exhibition also presents historic and state-of-the-art demonstration aircraft, home-built aircraft and ultralight aircraft.
“It doesn’t matter what you fly or what you like to fly, it’s going to be here,” Knapinski said.
The air show began in 1953 and continues today Timmerman Airport in Milwaukeethen moved to Rockford, Illinois between 1959 and 1969 before we visited Oshkosh. EAA chose Oshkosh for many reasons. Firstly Wittman Regional Airport at Oshkosh has two long runways that do not overlap, unlike many other airports where the runways must intersect to preserve land space.
The Wittman layout also offers plenty of space for parking planes, cars and everything related to organizing a gigantic event. During peak hours, planes take off and land every 10-12 seconds.
Due to the huge number of arriving and departing planes, Wittman becomes the world’s busiest airport for a week. It’s busier than O’Hare in Chicago, busier than Hartsfield in Atlanta and even busier than JFK in New York, Knapinski said.
“It’s like the ultimate aviation geek show,” Knapinski said.
Wisconsin Dells
What would Wisconsin tourism be without Wisconsin Dells? With more than 4 million visitors every year, Wisconsin Dells is the holy grail of tourist attractions in Wisconsin.
“Wisconsin Dells is in the business of making memories,” Leah Hauck-Mills, communications manager for the Wisconsin Dells Visitor and Convention Bureau, said by email. “We have welcomed guests at every stage of life – from newlyweds to empty nesters – capturing all of life’s most important moments in between.”
In 1856, Wisconsin Dells welcomed its first tourists. These tourists arrived by train for a wooden rowboat tour on the Wisconsin River.
Today, Wisconsin Dells welcomes millions of visitors each year on slides, rides and, of course, boat tours on the Wisconsin River.
“This natural beauty, combined with innovative attractions and classic businesses that have stood the test of time, makes us a vacation destination for many, no matter what type of vacation they are looking for,” Hauck-Mills said.
Hauck-Mills said Wisconsin Dells has grown in popularity as car travel has evolved. As road trips have evolved, so has Wisconsin Dells. One go-kart track turned into dozens of tracks, one concrete waterslide turned into miles of slides, a few thousand gallons of water turned into millions of gallons, and a five-mile stretch of sandstone cliffs became the iconic backdrop of the Wisconsin Dells.
“The convenient location in the Midwest made it easy to go for family fun,” Hauck-Mills said. “There was no other community that excelled in entertainment, with go-karts, water slides and fudges on every corner.”
Taliesin in spring green
Spring Green is located about 55 miles west of Madison and is the hometown of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Wright House, known as Taliesinhighlights the entire period of his career from 1896 to 1959.
“Taliesin is Wright’s autobiography written in wood and stone,” Susan Kennedy, communications manager for the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center, said by email. “It was a living laboratory for learning by doing, and he and his students experimented with new techniques in architecture and building materials.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the number of Taliesin tours reached pre-pandemic levels in the summer of 2022. In 2022, they were visited by over 24,000 people.
Tourists arriving at Taliesin are greeted by an 800-acre estate that includes two houses, a school, a barn, a windmill and a restaurant. Each location provides a personal and comprehensive look at Wright’s architectural achievements.
The restaurant, the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center at Riverview Terrace, is the only restaurant designed by Wright in the world. This building was to serve not only as a restaurant, but also as a meeting place for potential customers. It is now the “gateway to Taliesin” with a curated gift shop, café and place where visitors check in for tours.
Taliesin is a National Historic Landmark and the only public UNESCO site in Wisconsin.
This story was inspired by a question posed to WHYsconsin. Ask a question below or at wpr.org/WHYsconsin and we could answer them.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
