Road trip along Wisconsin's Cranberry Highway

Wisconsin farm Glacial Lake Cranberries has been producing cranberries since 1873, when John B. Arpin, a prominent area lumberman, acquired the land. Its vast 6,000 acres are located on what was once the north shore of old Glacial Lake, a large body of water that disappeared thousands of years ago, leaving behind a high water table, sand, and acidic soil—ideal conditions for growing cranberries.

At Rubi Reds, a charming cranberry and specialty food market located in downtown Wisconsin Rapids, whole cranberries are sold by the pound. Popular items include sweetened and dried cranberries, chocolate-covered cranberries, cranberry wild rice brats, cranberry pancake syrup, and a selection of cranberry wines sourced from various Wisconsin-based wineries.

When logging operations had cut the most usable and profitable timber, Arpin invested in cranberry agriculture. In 1889, he built this three-story mansion with its grand wrap-around porch for his wife Clarice, and named it Le Chateau. Today the mansion is the charming Le Chateau Bed and Breakfast, and an excellent place to spend the night while you explore cranberry country.

While cranberries might be king, no visit to central Wisconsin is complete without cheese. Dairy State Cheese Company offers more than 200 different types and styles of Wisconsin cheese, and visitors can view master cheese makers in action from two large observation windows.