The Bottoms are the tops in Menomonie. See what we did there?

Half the fun the Bottoms offers is in finding it. When you do make your way through the winding dirt trails wide enough for a single car, and slither through the beat-down path, you find yourself in a virtual oasis. It’s got an extensive beach full of rocks and chilly water to cool you down in the heat. Make sure to bring a towel and some tunes and you’re sure to have a blast.

1. Tubing the Red Cedar

Nothing better than spending a lazy, sunny day floating down the Red Cedar River with a few friends. The trip from the Menomonie drop-off at Riverside Park to Irvington Campground takes anywhere from 2 to 5 hours, depending on the water’s height, which way the wind is blowing, and how many beers you have in tow. Bring your own tube or rent one from Canon Tube for a reasonable price.

2. Wakanda Park

Fear the open water? Grab your swimsuit, some sunscreen, and your iPod and head to Wakanda Waterpark, where at any time there are at least six lifeguards on duty to guard your life. For just five bucks you can spend the whole day in the pool, play volleyball, or catch some serious rays. If you are less than fond of children, you may want to reconsider: they flock to the waterpark in droves. Or just bring earplugs.

3. The Bottoms

Half the fun the Bottoms offers is in finding it. When you do make your way through the winding dirt trails wide enough for a single car, and slither through the beat-down path, you find yourself in a virtual oasis. It’s got an extensive beach full of rocks and chilly water to cool you down in the heat. Make sure to bring a towel and some tunes and you’re sure to have a blast. Here's a set of directions you can try.

4. Devil's Punchbowl & Tripp Falls

The Devil’s Punchbowl is a surreal geological rarity outside Menomonie. The bowl is a sandstone hollow circle where water trickles down. There have been multiple instances of reported supernatural activities – if you believe in that sort of thing – including gnomes. Gnomes and summer – classic. Tripp Falls is located a few minutes away (near where 410th St. meets 490th Ave.), and is an enclave of waterfalls. You can bike along the Red Cedar Trail to reach both of these destinations.

5. Hoffman Hills

With more than 707 acres of preserved wetlands, wooded hills, and prairie, you can be a total pushover or a super-athlete whilst hiking in Hoffman Hills. In the center of this haven there is a 60-foot-high observation tower – the highest point in Dunn County, y'all!