Wisconsin Offers a Wealth of Activities for People of all Abilities
If kayaking, cross-country skiing or watching waterfalls is on your must-do list, Wisconsin has made these – and nearly all other- vacation activities accessible to everyone.
Accessible equipment and infrastructure that goes well beyond ramps and elevators has been put in place at attractions across the state, making them welcoming to visitors with mobility, vision or hearing needs, as well as those with varied intellectual and sensory abilities. So no matter if it's indoor or outdoor activities you have planned, everyone can experience Wisconsin's most beloved attractions together.
GO TO THE BEACH
In Milwaukee, a 100-foot-long, eight-foot-wide ramp goes from the street to Bradford Beach, and a portable nonslip mat creates a path through the sand right up to the water. So dip your toes in and be ready to squeal – Lake Michigan water is usually cold! Take part in the beach's city vibe and grab a bite to eat at The Dock or a sweet treat at Moosa's Custard Stand.
Special beach wheelchairs, with large inflatable tires that easily roll over sand, can be borrowed at Bradford and several state parks, including Kohler-Andrae, Whitefish Dunes, Big Bay, Buckhorn or Harrington Beach.
EXPLORE NATURE
The scenic trails in Wisconsin's parks are easy to navigate on wheels. One of the newest upgrades is at Door County's Peninsula State Park. An 850-foot-long accessible ramp winds through the trees until it reaches the upper observation deck of Eagle Tower, perched 253-feet above Green Bay. Take a scenic group selfie or simply gaze out at the expansive views of the park's green foliage, the sandy shoreline and a few small surrounding islands. It's one of Door County’s most popular attractions and a prime spot for watching the sky change colors during sunset.
You'll be treated to the spa-like sound of cascading water fi you go "waterfalling" on the Doughboys Trail at Copper Falls State Park in the far northern town of Mellen. Accessible parking spaces at the start of the trail provide easy access to a half-mile-long accessible path through deep river gorges and giant pine, cedar and hemlock trees. Pause at the overlook of Brownstone Falls and be mesmerized by the water crashing down the rocks. Traverse the wooden footbridge, graded for wheelchair use, until you reach Copper Falls, where another soothing waterfall and more leafy views await.
The half-mile Trail of Reflections at Schmeeckle Reserve, next to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, was designed for people with mobility concerns. Spring is peak season, when a chorus of wood frogs and spring peepers sing, especially around sunset. During the day, student staffers can answer questions about the reserve, or you can learn from the educational signage along the crushed-granite loop. Pack a pair of binoculars for the bird-viewing lookout areas.
Being outdoors is scientifically proven to improve mental health, so even just a scenic route through green landscapes or shimmering lake waters can be a nice respite and day out. Multiple state parks have flat paths, including Kohler-Andrae, High Cliff, Big Bay and Hartman Creek, as well as Kettle Moraine State Forest, Dells of the Eau Claire County Park and Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve.
Sitting at the water's edge is a pleasant way to connect with nature too. At multiple locations statewide, the longtime volunteer program Fishing Has No Boundaries gears people up with adaptive equipment. So cast a line into the water from either the pier or a boat, and see who in your group can catch the big- gest largemouth bass or walleye.
Nature lovers of all ages and abilities find glee in a cruise down the wide ramp past a forest of pine trees into a small treehouse at Monk Botanical Gardens in Wausau. Perhaps bring a book to read while sitting in a nook or peek out at the tranquil pond and chirping birds.
ENCOUNTER ANIMALS
Just outside Appleton, more than 200 butterflies flutter around a flat, low-grass, butterfly-shaped maze at the Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin. The kaleidoscope of colors includes blooming prairie flowers.
Bigger animals, such as bison, white-tailed deer, bald eagles and sandhill cranes, meander around the flat marshy land in the Sandhill State Wildlife Area, 25 miles south of Marshfield. Play I Spy with the kids in this safari-like setting, as you watch for animals along the 14-mile slow driving trail.
TAKE IN AN EXHIBIT
Wisconsin's biggest museums now have sensory-friendly rooms or exhibits. Sign language interpreters, open captions and noise-reduction headphones can be used while exploring the natural and human history exhibits at Milwaukee Public Museum.
Walk quietly through the museum's Puelicher Butterfly Wing, watching in wonder and awe as more than 70 types of butterflies flutter around you. Before visiting, download the museum's free app, MPM Al In, which helps visitors with autism and disabilities plan their visit.
An elevator provides access to all levels of the beautiful and iconic Pabst Mansion in downtown Milwaukee. The 60-minute tours tell the interesting history of the late-19th century building and its former owner, Captain Frederick Pabst, for whom Milwaukee's famous Pabst Beer was named.
Visitors to the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau don't simply view the art, they experience it, and in some cases, make it themselves. The museum has earned national awards for its barrier-free approach to art, which includes multisensory guided tours for the blind and visually impaired using touchable sculptures and touch tables. Monthly art programs for people with memory loss engage participants and spark conversation.
GET ACTIVE
Everyone can ski together at Minocqua Winter Park, an official Central Cross-Country Ski Association Opportunity Center. In winter, the park — where competitive cross-country skiers train — offers an adaptive sit-down ski for use, allowing everyone the opportunity to venture out onto the flat, snow-covered trails. Feel the need for speed? Ski downhill or snowboard at Alpine Valley Ski Resort near East Troy using modified equipment. The Southeastern Wisconsin Adaptive Ski Program (SEWASP) gives lessons at the resort on Thursday nights between January and mid-March.
Winter sports are fun, but summers on Wisconsin's lakes and rivers are legendary. Adaptive kayaks, which provide more support and stability than a typical kayak, are available at many state parks, including Buckhorn, Devil's Lake, Perrot, Mirror Lake and Council Grounds. Breathe deeply and enjoy the quiet as you paddle with your fellow kayakers through pretty, tree-lined waters.
More accessible water landings are popping up along the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, between Green Bay and Prairie Du Chien, thanks to the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway. Equipment like dual handrails, wheelchair-high bench seats and rollers that slide canoes or kayaks completely out of the water help ease water entry and exit.
As the famous song says, sailing takes you away. Get that free feeling of being on the water as the wind blows through your hair on the fun, adaptive sailing lessons or outings from Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan (SEAS). Stable boat seating makes it safe to sail even if the boat moves through the water at an angle. A lift on their dock can help people with limited mobility get in and out of the boats.
EXPERIENCE A SHOW
A new accessible amphitheater at Presque Isle Point on the Apostle Island National Lakeshore's Stockton Island is a gathering space amid a tapestry of trees for educational programs or live events. Visitors with mobility challenges can confidently move between the raised-deck amphitheater, the island's accessible camping site and the dock on gently sloping ramps.
Big theater productions, including Broadway shows, are enhanced with sign language interpreters, assisted listening devices and braille programs at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee. Two miles away, wheelchair space is set aside on the floor and balcony levels of the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino's Northern Lights Theater, allowing everyone to rock with their well-known musical acts and laugh at their comedy shows.
Where art thou? Watching classic Shakespeare plays at the American Players Theatre in Spring Green. The famous outdoor amphitheater nestled in the trees has both assisted listening devices and wheelchair-accessible seating at both of their two stages.
Wisconsin's fun is open to everyone. Come on in!
