101 Things to Do This Summer in the Chippewa Valley
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
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
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