Looking for the most scenic drives in Wisconsin? I’ve listed the best below!
At first, I only knew Wisconsin for its cheese and beer, but after visiting this state, I now remember it as nature’s favorite playground.
It’s rare to find a place where you can see breathtaking waterfalls, lush mountains, and serene lakes just minutes away from each other.
If you truly want to immerse yourself in this state’s diverse and vast natural beauty, there’s no better way to do so than to take the scenic drives in Wisconsin.
So, every time I travel Wisconsin, I never fail to rent a car for my stay.
Buckle up as I’ll share how I experienced the wonders of the Badget State from the comfort of my car!
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Table of Contents
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Overview: Most Scenic Drives in Wisconsin
- Door County Coastal Byway
- Rustic Roads
- Great Lakes Circle Tour
1. Door County Coastal Byway
Departing from: Sturgeon Bay
Ends in: Sturgeon Bay
When I was trying to look for scenic drives in Wisconsin map, the Door County Coastal Byway immediately caught my attention.
This byway has a nearly continuous elliptical loop that spans 66 miles.
With most of its tracks running along the coastline of Green Bay and Lake Michigan, I knew that driving through this byway would be unforgettable.
After we drove through its entire loop, this scenic driveway instantly became one of my favorite Wisconsin road trips.
Driving through the Door County Coastal byway was nothing short of an adventure.
Apart from spending most of the drive surrounded by lush trees and expansive bodies of water, I was pleasantly surprised by all the Door County landmarks we came across!
We stopped for an hour to visit the iconic Cana Island Lighthouse up close.
Despite not having the right outfit, we also hiked short trails in Cave Point County Park (which has mesmerizing ancient caves on top of cliffs) and Peninsula State Park.
We only planned to spend 2 to 3 hours driving through this byway.
But there were so many tempting attractions that we unexpectedly spent the entire day exploring the area!
2. Great River Road
Departing from: Twin Cities
Ends in: Maiden Rock, WI
I highly recommend a road trip on the Great River Road if you’re still brainstorming Wisconsin vacation ideas.
My partner and I spent 3 days leisurely driving through this road and exploring its nearby attractions.
And if asked to do it all over again, I totally would!
The Great River Road, which spans 250 miles, follows the Mississippi River through Wisconsin’s Driftless Area.
It passes through over 33 historic river towns, offers plenty of recreational activities, and is a must-see during fall!
With many options, it took a lot of work to pick which towns to stop along the Great River Road.
But we eventually chose to visit 7 towns, including La Crosse, Stockholm, Alma, Trempealeau, and Pepin.
Although each town wasn’t too far away, they had different vibes.
Stockholm was brimming with cute little shops and galleries, while Trempealeau’s orchard markets had some of the sweetest apples.
And considering the dozens of things to do in LaCrosse, unsurprisingly– this town was our longest stopover.
On the second day of our Great River road trip, we also dropped by the Stevens Point area, where we found Boy Scout Lane and Bloody Bride Bridge, two of the most haunted places in Wisconsin.
But we’re a bit of a scaredy cat if I say so myself, so not so long after, we moved on to visit Stevens Point Brewery, one of the best breweries in Wisconsin, before following the road again!
Don’t worry– we didn’t need to sleep in our car during this road trip (although you absolutely can).
We booked a hotel in the town we were in during sunset each night. So yes, anybody can take on this byway road trip!
After we completed this road trip in 3 days, we drove north to visit Big Falls County Park.
If walking through the pines, exploring the wild rivers, and being mesmerized by waterfalls sound good to you, checking out this park is one of the top things to do in Eau Claire!
3. Lake Superior Scenic Byway
Departing from: Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge
Ends in: County Road H junction
The Lake Superior Scenic Byway is an amazing drive in Wisconsin if you want to truly experience its natural beauty.
Unlike driving through Great River Road, which I would likely describe as a “bustling” trip, driving through the Lake Superior Scenic Byway is a relatively calm, serene, and peaceful experience.
Following the shoreline of Bayfield Peninsula through the rugged beauty of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, this byway gradually unfolds the majestic view of Lake Superior.
One of the major stops you’ll make on the road (and my favorite) is The Apostle Islands. You can easily explore fruit farms and orchards, museums, shops, and galleries there.
You can take water taxis or shuttles to the islands, but we kayaked our way to them, which was an unforgettable experience in itself!
Although not exactly along the path, I also highly recommend visiting Pattison State Park, where you can hike the trail to Big Manitou Falls, one of the best waterfalls in Wisconsin.
This is another example of the best memorable outdoor things to do in Wisconsin!
4. Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive
Departing from: Near Elkhart Lake
Ends in: Whitewater Lake
Last year, when we tried pretty much all the fun things to do in Minocqua, we decided to look up other places to vacation in Wisconsin.
After hours of research, we decided to visit Milwaukee City, where a tour guide immediately suggested exploring scenic driveways nearby.
Specifically, he mentioned trying the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, one of the most locally known day trips from Milwaukee.
And, exactly as expected, scenic drives in southern Wisconsin do not disappoint.
The route of Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive starts from Elkhart Lake, one of my go-to places for winter getaways in Wisconsin, and its span reaches Whitewater Lake, 115 miles to the south.
You’ll find numerous spots to hike, picnic, camp, and even swim throughout the road!
Considering that we traveled during the “color peak” of that year’s fall, truly, the entire ride was an endless color shadow.
What can you expect from the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive besides the visuals? Immense geographical and cultural significance.
We visited the Ice Age Visitor Center along the road to learn about the area’s world-renowned landforms caused by the impact of the last Ice Age’s glaciers.
As an all-time fall lover, I also just had to visit the Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, where I saw the migrating birds dance with the colorful hues of fall of the surrounding forest.
If you’re visiting Elkhart Lake in October (specifically the first week), I highly recommend joining Al & Al’s Oktoberfest in Sheboygan City.
It’s truly one of the best things to do in Sheboygan, especially if you love music.
5. Rustic Roads
Most locals would agree that Rustic Roads are some of the best routes to hit to enjoy Wisconsin roadside attractions.
While all of the 124 Rustic Roads are unique in their way, they are all:
- Bordered by outstanding natural beauty, such as rugged terrain, diverse wildlife, and vegetation.
- Generally, it is lightly traveled by cars, giving safe access to bikers, hikers, and cars.
Yup– the Rustic Roads program was pretty much created exactly to make it easier for locals and travelers like us to enjoy scenic drives.
Any of them would give you a fun driving experience.
Now, researching and comparing over 100 roads would be an overkill for most of you.
Let me share the top two Rustic Roads we drove through (we tried over 5).
The first is Rustic Road 58 in the Driftless Area, a short 9.6-mile road that passes through the scenic Northwoods lakes.
And, last but the most impressive of the two (IMO) is the 12-mile Rustic Road 60, which would drive you through the heart of the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest.
6. Lower Wisconsin River Road
Departing from: Lodi, WI
Ends in: Bridgeport
Driving through Scenic Highway 60, AKA the Lower Wisconsin River Road, was also one of our best scenic Wisconsin road trips.
This road’s 100-mile trip resembles perfect, dreamlike road trips in movies, as it winds down to the stunning views of the Mississippi River Valley.
The breathtaking beauty of hills, waters, and sandstone formations is seen every mile.
You can enjoy this road trip without leaving the car if that’s the vibe you prefer. Turn up your favorite playlist and relish some road snacks with your loved ones!
But, if you’re open to adding a bit of adventure to your road trip, check out attractions near the area.
This road leads to three major tourist attractions: Ferry Bluff State Natural Area, Wyalusing State Park, and Tower Hill State Park.
Each showcases vibrant foliage in the fall, an icy wonderland during winter, and blooming flowers in spring.
For summer, you can already imagine that these attractions’ warmer months are the peak season.
7. Great Lakes Circle Tour
Departing from: Kenosha City
Ends in: Superior City
Are you familiar with the Great Lakes Circle Tour project?
It’s a continuous route spans eight states and parts of Canada and encircles all five Great Lakes.
Of course, if you’re a daredevil willing to take a nine-day, 2,500-mile drive, completing this entire tour would be an epic adventure.
But if you want to experience a more straightforward, shorter, and cheaper version of this trip as we did, you can complete the portion of Wisconsin (and a little bit of Michigan).
To be more specific, follow the coastlines of Lake Michigan within the Wisconsin state and drive through the M-28 highway in Michigan to enjoy the Lake Superior coastline.
Don’t worry. It takes no time to drive to Wisconsin again, even if you reach from Michigan.
By following this route, you can also automatically experience driving through the Door County Coastal Byway and the Wisconsin Lake Michigan Scenic Byway, which have their entries in this blog post.
The Great Lakes Circle Tour is one of the best scenic drives in Wisconsin.
8. Cranberry Highway
Departing from: Wisconsin Rapids
Ends in: Warrens
Cranberry Highway is one of the most scenic roads in Wisconsin.
As the name suggests, it curls past a red sea of century-old cranberry beds (when you visit during the right season).
It was around mid-October when we drove past this highway.
Since it was fall and the cranberry harvesting season, the entire 50-mile drive through the cranberry highway was scenic, with red, orange, and yellow colors wrapping our view from the ground up!
This highway offers few recreational activities besides visiting the Warrens’ Cranberry Discovery Center and Wisconsin’s Sandhill Wildlife Area.
But when it comes to simply enjoying the view with your car windows down, feeling the fresh autumn air, and the smell of cranberries, this highway is one of the best scenic drives in Wisconsin!
9. Marinette County’s Waterfall Tour
Departing from: Veteran’s Park
Ends in: LaSalle Falls
Route tip: Plot in the locations of 15 Marinette waterfalls into your GPS and follow along the road that connects them together.
This 125-mile drive is more than just your average autumn wonder.
It passes through over a dozen waterfalls in the area, which are also some of the best waterfalls in northeast Wisconsin.
So, if you love waterfalls as much as I do, you’ll regret missing out on driving this road!
Not only is the scenery throughout this drive just as scenic as the rest of the drives mentioned.
But whenever you’re ready for an adventure, you’re sure to be within minutes from a visit-worthy waterfall, wherever you may be on the road!
Oh, and don’t forget to bring binoculars. After all, this route is one of Wisconsin’s best locations to birdwatch.
10. Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Scenic Byway
Departing from: Vilas
Ends in: Oneida (via WI-55 and US-45)
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Scenic Byway, more commonly known as the Nicolet-Wolf River Scenic Byway is one of the best byways in Wisconsin.
If I were to describe this byway in one phrase, it would be a “one-stop” ride.
By that, I mean this 145-mile route has something for everyone!
The first thing worth noting about this byway is that it passes through the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
That means you’ll have up-close scenic views of tranquil wilderness, vast forests, and plenty of opportunities to hike, bike, or simply watch birds!
Apart from lush forests, though, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Scenic Byway still has plenty to offer.
Its nearby lakes are perfect for watersports, such as canoeing and kayaking during the warmer months.
And they transform into a dreamy ski resort-like destination in the winter.
If you love to camp like I do, consider visiting the Copper Falls State Park and/or the Peshtigo River State Forest within the area.
These sites have that far-away-from-society vibe, making them the perfect campground if you want a “reset” from work, tech, or life.
My final thoughts about scenic drives in Wisconsin
With its diverse landscapes, unique geographical history, and support for Rustic roads, it’s no surprise that the best way to explore Wisconsin is to go on road trips.
Although driving through a byway might sound relatively laid-back (or, as some might say, “boring”), it isn’t if you plan your routes and activities well enough.
Driving through Wisconsin is like taking a micro-vacation inside your actual vacation itself.
You’ll be able to explore various destinations, views, history, and even different cultures, so if you’re always interested in enriching experiences, consider trying one or several scenic drives in Wisconsin.
Remember, the routes I mentioned above are simply suggestions based on my experience.
Feel free to personalize your journey by taking the most byways that resonate with you!
Hola! I’m Paulina, a seasoned travelette who crossed the Atlantic Ocean by Boat HitchHiking. On my blog, find expert insights for an extraordinary holiday through outdoor and sustainable travel like hiking, cycling, and sailing. Let’s embark on unforgettable journeys together! 🌍🚀
