1st Place: Phoenix Park
2nd Place: Farmers market
3rd Place: Leinenkugel’s Brewery
 
The incredible popularity of Phoenix Park makes we wonder if Eau Claire should be paid tons of money for designing parks in other cities. It’s only a few years old, yet if you ask someone to list things that define Eau Claire, it’s in the top three. It’s the place where we love to show off to guests how awesome and progressive our city is, and likewise where they hold the downtown farmers market and numerous summer concerts and festivals. One of the few things outsiders will recognize about the Chippewa Valley (besides Menards) is Leinenkugel’s Brewery in Chippewa Falls, which is a fantastic little tour worth centering a day trip around. – Trevor Kupfer

Up-and-Comer: The increasing popularity of wine tours stands to help eighth place finisher Autumn Harvest Winery in Chippewa Falls.