101 Things to Do This Summer in the Chippewa Valley

V1 Staff

Fairfax Pool, Eau Claire
Fairfax Pool, Eau Claire (Photo: Andrea Paulseth)

The Chippewa Valley is bursting with cool stuff going on all summer long. Think you can do it all?

1. Grab some fresh produce at a local farmers market

2. Relax by the waves at Big Falls

3. Go to the U.S. National Kubb Championship or just play it in your backyard

4. Make the drive to a nearby pizza farm

5. Try out the new zip line at Action City

6. Join a sand volleyball league

7. Go berry-picking

8. Catch the blues under the bandshell at Tuesday Night Blues in Owen Park

9. Find the perfect fishing spot along the Chippewa River

10. Walk through the woods and take in all the art and music at the Eaux Claires festival

11. Gaze at the night sky at the Hobbs Observatory

12. Watch the Ski Sprites defy gravity on water skis on Lake Altoona

13. Bring a blanket and catch a movie at UWEC’s outdoor Summer Cinema Series

14. Stop by the legendary Olson’s Ice Cream for a scoop of some of the best

15. Stroll through the Eau Claire Sculpture Tour and vote for your favorites

16. Eat a cheese curd

17. Find the Summer Snow stand around town and cool off with some shaved ice

18. Pop on a cowboy hat and some cutoffs and catch Country Jam

19. Rent a kayak and spend a day on the water

20. Feast your eyes on the sidewalk art at Chalkfest

21. Have a beer and cheer on the Eau Claire Express at a home game at Carson Park

22. Take part in a 5k or a run/walk for charity

23. Put your mightiest sailing team together and compete at the Half Moon Dragon Boat Festival

24. Walk, jog, or bike the Chippewa River State Trail

25. Volunteer or do some highway cleanup

26. Sniff out bargains at a local rummage sale or host one of your own

27. Get a great view of Lake Wissota from the rooftop patio at The View

28. Fall in love with local music at the Sounds Like Summer Concert Series

29. Drive by all the sunflowers planted along Hwy 85

30. Tube down the Chippewa River or take it to the next level at FATFAR

31. Take a tour of a local brewery

32. Enjoy a good old fashioned Friday fish fry

33. Check out summer programming at local libraries

UWEC Summer Cinema Series, Photo: Leslie Duffy
UWEC Summer Cinema Series, Photo: Leslie Duffy

34. Scarf down a burger and some curds at LaGrander’s Drive In

35. Plant a garden or register for a plot at a nearby  community garden

36. Watch the Ludington Guard Band perform in Wilson Park in Menomonie

37. Cool off at the splash pad at Irvine Park

38. Headbang to rock legends at Rock Fest

39. Have a good time, but go easy at Bean and Bacon Days in Augusta

40. Stop by a local food truck if you see one around

41. Find your favorite weekend brunch spot

42. See a movie on the cheap ($0.25) at Micon Cinemas’ Summer Kids Shows

43. Cheers beers at the Leinenkugel Family Reunion

44. Try the VR helmets and go to a new dimension at The District Co. or just play checkers

45. Spend your days at the Fairfax Pool, Wakanda Waterpark, or Bernard F. Willy Community Pool, but don’t forget sunscreen

46. Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the wondrous Eleva Broiler Festival

47. Enjoy nature while actually learning something at the Beaver Creek Reserve

48. Pack up a tent and go camping at Coon Fork Lake County Park for the weekend

49. Squeeze into a tiny train car and ride the Chippewa Valley Railroad in Carson Park

50. Enjoy a beer (or a root beer!) on the patio at Lazy Monk Brewing

51. Hike across the High Bridge in downtown Eau Claire and peek at the water far below

52. Explore the natural beauty of Dunn County on the Red Cedar State Trail

53. Explore the newly built Riverfront Park in downtown Chippewa Falls

54. Get some shade under the trees at Owen Park.

55. Explore the UW-Eau Claire campus and find Little Niagara

56. Pick ‘n pluck your way to bluegrass nirvana at the Blue Ox Music Festival

57. Snap a selfie with Paul Bunyan and Babe and visit the logging camp museum

58. Smell the sawdust at the U.S. Open Chainsaw Sculpture Championship

59. Bring the kiddos to the first-ever Family Day in Downtown on July 8

60. Check out the brand new pavilion at the Menomonie Farmers Market

61. Spread out a blanket on the field at Carson Park to watch the July 4 fireworks

62. Pedal the Old Abe Trail and find the monument to the legendary bird

63. Catch an Eau Claire Municipal Band concert on Wednesday nights in Owen Park

64. Walk the midway and win a giant stuffed animal at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair

65. Enjoy a gourmet meal in a unique setting during the Grand Evening on the Bridge

66. Work up a sweat by riding your bike off-road at Lowes Creek County Park

Phoenix Park, Eau Claire (Image: Andrea Paulseth)
Phoenix Park, Eau Claire (Image: Andrea Paulseth)

67. Explore the growing number of art galleries in downtown Eau Claire

68. Create your own artistic masterwork at Cheers Pablo or the Paint Shack

69. Find your inner peace with an outdoor yoga class

70. Peruse the Artist’s Market at Phoenix Park on Saturday mornings

71. Climb the stone tower overlooking Elk Mound and find out what’s really up here

72. Get out your clubs and hit the links on one of the Chippewa Valley’s many golf courses

73. Head “up north” for a weekend getaway on one of Wisconsin’s thousands of lakes

74. Visit the Caddie Woodlawn Museum, just a few miles south of Menomonie

75. Try Eau Claire’s Putnam Trail for an easy, relatively tick-free hike

76. Zip down a waterslide or two at Chaos Waterpark

77. Frolf a few holes or all 36 of ‘em at Tower Ridge

78. Find a good spot to watch all 65 floats in Chippewa Falls’ Pure Water Days Parade

79. Hear the engines roar at the Big Rig Truck Show

80. Take to the skies at the Menomonie Airfest & Autorama

81. Roll over to Cadott to see Blake Shelton at Country Fest

82. Climb the 60-foot-tall Hoffman Hills observation tower

83. Cop a scoop of something sweet at the newly opened Ramone’s Ice Cream Parlor

84. Do some waterborne yoga on a paddleboard with Floating Bliss Yoga

85. Leave your friends in the dust at Action City’s new outdoor go-kart track

86. Sample tons of local restaurants in Phoenix Park at Taste Of The Valley

87. Find your new favorite book at a Little Free Library or pass one on

88. Take a historic mansion tour at Wilson Place, Cook-Rutledge, or Schlegelmilch

89. Host a block party in your neighborhood

90. Take a spin on the Tilt-A-Whirl at Cinder City Days in Altoona

91. Pack a picnic with your sweetheart and head to your favorite park

92. See if you can keep up at the Firecracker bike race at Lowes Creek

93. Check out all the cool stuff on the Children’s Museum of Eau Claire’s summer program

94. Eat dinner by the sunset at one of tons of Valley restaurants with outdoor patios

95. Laugh mightily at a Clear Water Comedy standup show on Thursday nights

96. Feel the thrill of the races at Red Cedar Speedway in Menomonie

97. Follow along with the Timber Trails audio tour of the whole Chippewa Valley

98. Travel back in time to early baseball with the Menomonie Blue Caps playing 1860s-style

99. Mingle with life-sized dinosaurs at Jurassic Quest

100. Make your way to Chetek and see a blockbuster at the Stardust Twin Drive-In Theater

101. Enjoy a frosty malt watch and pedal tractor pull at the Eau Claire County Fair