Updated April 10, 2026
It occurred to me that I've documented so many travel destinations, but never of my own backyard - which is a huge tourist destination! During the summer peak season our population quadruples with visitors from all over the world.
And little wonder. In my county alone we have 41,000 acres of forest teeming with wildlife and 1318 lakes covering roughly 93,889 acres. We're home to one of the largest collections of freshwater lakes in the world, teeming with musky, northern pike, walleye, large and smallmouth bass, rock bass, crappie, perch, bluegills, sunfish.
Our entire Northwoods WI economy is geared toward tourism.
The little town I live in is officially listed as the "Musky Capitol of the World" due to the number of trophy musky that have come out of our lakes.
My niece with a musky she caught
There's so much to see and do up here that it would take a 30 day itinerary to fit it all in. So instead I'm going to list attractions and dining by towns and you can choose to make your own itinerary based on what would interest you.
You definitely need a car up here to get around as I am in the boonies and we have no public transportation up here, not even Uber.
If you're flying in commercially, you'll likely land at either Milwaukee's Mitchell Field or Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
From Mitchell Field you'd have approximately a 5 hour drive north. From O'Hare you'll have a 6 to 8 hour drive north, depending on traffic. Of course, if you're lucky enough to own a private jet[or plane you can fly into Lakeland Airport.
Lakeland Airport is located in Woodruff, Wisconsin, which is situated in Vilas County. It is near the town of Arbor Vitae and the city of Minocqua.
All of the towns in my neck of the woods are small. They consist primarily of Minocqua, Woodruff, Arbor Vitae, Boulder Junction and Eagle River, which is the county seat.
Minocqua, Woodruff and Arbor Vitae basically look like one town as they butt up to one another. (Arbor Vitae and Woodruff share the same zip code.) Boulder Junction is 15 miles north of Minocqua. It's the little town I live in.
The largest city near us is Wausau, which is about 2 hours south of me and south of the city of Rhinelander.
If you're driving north, it's pretty hard to miss the Northwoods as Hwy. 51 is the main drag (and only drag) that will bring you into Minocqua. Once you've crossed the bridge, you're officially in Minocqua.
We'll start with my little town of Boulder Junction. Population 230.
Our town is so small we don't even have a traffic light - and that's just the way we like it.
I doubt the deer (including a herd of rare albino deer) we share our main street with read traffic signs anyway.
Our herd of albino deer
Yet as small as Boulder is, we're on our game when it comes to things to see and do in any season of the year.
Marty the Musky welcomes visitors to Boulder Junction
We're known as the Musky Capital of the World due to the big lunkers people pull out of our waters and it's expected the next world record musky will come out of one of Boulder's 194 glacial lakes, 10 of which lie within Boulder's 'city' limits itself.
Musky aren't the only thing Boulder is noted for. Every spring, summer and fall bicyclists descend on our town to ride our magnificent bike trail. You'll find far more bicyclists on our streets than you will cars!
The best way to see Boulder Junction and the surrounding area is on two wheels.
The Heart of Vilas County Bike Trail offers riders more than 52 miles of paved trails that connects St. Germain, Sayner, Boulder Junction, Manitowish Waters and Mercer.
This spectacular trail, recognized as a National Recreation Trail, winds through the Northern Highland American Legion Forest and along crystal clear lakes and rivers.
Along the trail are many scenic rest areas with picnic spots and restrooms. There are 20 different parking areas to choose where to start your ride. You will also find swimming spots for a quick cool down in the summer months, and walking trails if you want a break from two wheels.
There are several campgrounds along the trail as well as many motels and resorts on or easily accessible to the trail. From the Heart of Vilas Bike Trail, you can ride right up to a restaurant for a great meal or a quick snack.
The trail system features smooth pavement suitable for all types of riders - from flat-to-rolling terrain and manageable hills, to multiple scenic bridges. Bring your sense of adventure and Bike the Heart!
No, you don't have to bike all 52 miles of the trail or even 15 miles of the trail to Manitowish Waters!
Bike only as far and long as you want to.
If you didn't want to bring your own bike(s) along, you can rent bicycles from Coontail.
Coontail is located right at the intersection of Hwy. M and Boulder's main street on your right if you're coming from Hwy. 51.
Want to spend the day near or on the water? We have some of the best beaches in the entire county.
Ride the Crystal Lake Trail to Crystal Lake and the popular Crystal Lake Beach.
The Crystal Lake Trail runs between downtown Boulder Junction (where it connects with the Manitowish Waters Bike Trail) and the Crystal Lake Campground in northern Wisconsin, passing Trout Lake along the way. The fully-paved trail offers an ideal ride for touring bikes as well as groups riding with younger children. There are lots of places to stop along the way to view the many lakes and some of the largest white pines in the Northwoods. The trail has several scenic bridges and crosses over the the Manitowish River. At the trail's eastern endpoint, it connects with the Plum Lake Trail.
Crystal Lake Beach
It's named Crystal Lake because the water is so clear you can see the bottom of the lake several hundred feet from shore.
Nichols Beach Park & Beach: Located near Boulder Junction, this family-friendly area is known for its shallow
water and gentle entry, making it ideal for kids.
North Trout Lake Park & Beach: Located south of Boulder Junction, this lake is the largest around Boulder Junction and offers scenic spots along the shoreline.
During the summer you'll find our lakes dotted with fishing boats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, windsurfers, water skiers, and the like.
Some of the best canoeing and kayaking is right on my 3 lake chain - Upper, Middle and Lower Gresham.
The creek starts right in front of my sister's place, you have to canoe through the culvert that runs under Hwy. 51 (above) to get to nearly unpopulated Middle Gresham. At Middle Gresham not only will you find a state small public campground on an island but fishing is phenomenal.
While paddling down the creek you'll see wildlife, like blue herons, turtles, bald eagles, and even the dams our beavers have built.
Yes, we have Internet, WiFi and indoor plumbing. Even our beavers have satellite TV!!
Need a place for your little ones to burn off some excess energy or your teens to skateboard and play other sports? We just built a beautiful new community park that's FREE for everyone to use!
My great nieces and nephews LOVE this park! (As you can see in the video below)
There's a big playground with lots of fun equipment, a basketball court, tennis and pickleball courts, a baseball diamond, a skate park and disc golf course. It's a lot of fun for 'big kids' too!
For history buffs our original 1903 train depot is now the Boulder Junction Historical Museum. 5364 Park Street, Boulder Junction.
Our area and towns sprung up from the logging era and we have worked hard to preserve that history.
The museum has displays and photos of the logging era, resorts, fishing, and interesting people's stories of those who helped build Boulder Junction and the surrounding areas.
*Appointments welcome, contact Josie at 715-385-2617
Open Saturdays Labor Day through Memorial Day: 10am-2pm
Open Saturdays & Tuesdays Memorial Day through Labor Day: 10am-2pm
Admission to the museum is FREE.
In the mood for a cold one on a hot summer day? We have our own microbrewery, Boulder Junction Brewing Company. 10351 Main Street, Boulder Junction, WI. It's right on the main street, you can't miss it.
While their website doesn't specifically mention tours of the microbrewery, it wouldn't hurt to ask if you're interested in one. People up here are pretty friendly and accommodating.
Even during the winter Boulder offers things to do!
I personally think it's one of the best times of year to visit if you can hack brutal winters. (We're often colder than Alaska, with temps dipping to 30+ degrees below zero F. We don't shovel snow off our roofs...we snowblow it off our roofs.)
Of course, there's snowmobiling.
Vilas County has more than 700 miles of
groomed snowmobile trails that connect
various communities and service areas
throughout the region.
Our snowmobile clubs routinely groom our trails, making the Northwoods a top snowmobiling destination, even outranking Yellowstone as the nation's best snowmobiling in recent years.
Not a sledhead? We still have you covered. Our FREE Winter Park offers ice skating, cross country skiing, sledding and many other activities.
Last year we just added The Glide. The very first of its kind in Wisconsin, The Glide is a 0.8-mile ice skating ribbon that surrounds Boulder Junction Winter Park and passes through Vilas County’s beautiful Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. It is free and open to the public between the hours of 10am and 10pm when conditions permit. There are a limited amount of skates to borrow on site for free, or you can rent skates from Coontail in downtown Boulder Junction. Skate reservations are strongly encouraged.
Christmas is an especially beautiful time to visit the Northwoods.
Join us for our annual Christmas Walk! All the shops are open with free cider, hot chocolate and cookies. There are sleigh rides, roasting marshmallows, Christmas Karaoke, pictures with Santa after he arrives with Mrs. Claus on the fire truck, kids making ornaments and the lighting of the town tree accompanied by everyone Christmas caroling.
Enjoying a sleigh ride after caroling. The caroling continued while on the sleigh.
For $5 you can get a DNR permit to cut down your own live Christmas tree! It's been a tradition in our family for as long as I can remember.
After we tree hunt for that perfect tree, the kids roast marshmallows and I make my special Mint Hot Chocolate.
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You just can't beat Christmas in the Northwoods!
Believe it or not, our little burg has some of the best dining in the Northwoods.
Most notably, Guide's Inn that was owned and run by my friend, Chef Jimmy until he passed away suddenly last year.
Luckily for us his son stepped in to fill Jimmy's shoes and now runs Guide's Inn.
People literally come from all over the world to eat at Guide's Inn.
Chef Jimmy
I've eaten at Guide's Inn for over 30 years and never once had a bad meal there.
During the summer months you won't even get in without a reservation.
The restaurant offers over 35 entrees, each prepared to order.
My personal favorites - Shrimp St. James, Veal Oscar, Baby Rack of Lamb,
For dessert, nothing beats their homemade ice cream in various rotating flavors.
and the stuffed pan fried Walleye that Jimmy made famous.
Aqualand Ale
Aqualand Ale is my sister's and my fave go-to place for lunch.
Their prime rib sandwich is to die for and enough to feed 2 people!
Their wood fired pizzas are also fantastic.
They feature the largest craft beer selection in the north woods and their very own brew. Their beer rotates often so you can always try something new or go for a crowd favorite.
If beer isn't your thing, they have a great selection of unique sodas, like their very dark cherry. Delicious!
They have both indoor and outdoor dining and it's not at all unusual to see deer roaming around the restaurant.
They also have their own bakery to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Monday: CLOSED
Tuesday: 6:30AM-12PM
Wednesday: 6:30AM-12PM
Thursday: 6:30AM-12PM
Friday: 6:30AM-1PM
Saturday: 6:30AM-1PM
Sunday: CLOSED
10450 Main Street, Boulder Junction
Boulder Beer Bar
Until Chef Jimmy's death, Boulder Beer Bar was owned and run by Jimmy's son. It's since changed hands, the Boulder Beer Bar is under the new ownership of Aberdeen Kitchens LLC. but the food remains as good as it always was. And everything is still fresh ingredients made from scratch.
The BBB offers a full menu of sandwiches, pizza, wings, homemade soups, and fresh salads to complement the ice-cold draft beer and full bar. The BBB features games for both adults and children and is open year round.
Tues: 11am - 9pm
Wed & Thur: 11am - 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am - 11pm
Sun & Mon: Closed
5509 CR-M, Boulder Junction
Mad Dog Jake's
If you're in the mood for some grab 'n go food or ice cream treats, visit Mad Dog Jake's.
It's nearly right next door to Boulder Beer Bar.
5505 County Hwy-M, Boulder Junction.
Be prepared for a short wait in line during the summer months.
The Ice Shanty
The Ice Shanty Drive-In was just featured in the June, 2025 issue of Our Wisconsin Magazine.
This is my sister's favorite place to take the grandkids and no wonder...the Ice Shanty consistently gets 5 star customer reviews!
5566 County Road M, Boulder Junction.
Boulder Junction Coffee Company
Great coffee, bakery and grab 'n go items. 10356 Main St, Boulder Junction.
Manitowish Waters is a small town 16 miles north of Boulder Junction.
Manitowish Water's claim to fame is the 1930's gangster, John Dillinger and his gang and their notorious shootout with the
FBI at Little Bohemia Lodge. In 2009, it became one of the filming locations for the movie Public Enemies, starring Johnny Depp as Dillinger.
Although Little Bohemia operates as a restaurant now, Dillinger's room at the Lodge remains the same as it was the night Dillinger escaped the FBI back in the 30's and the walls and windows of the Lodge have retained the bullet holes from that evening. Dillinger's belongings he left behind that night are on display.
North Lakeland Discovery Center
There's more to Manitowish Waters than Dillinger's hideout.
The North Lakeland Discovery Center is one of the hidden gems of the Northwoods. Both kids and adults love learning about the Northwoods nature here. Best of all it's all FREE - free fishing, free boats, free beach, free trails, free sports and more. There are both live animals and taxidermy display animals at the center.
Nestled on 63-acres within the NH-AL State Forest the Discovery Center offers countless opportunities to explore nature and the Northwoods.
Nestled on 63-acres within the NH-AL State Forest the Discovery Center offers countless opportunities to explore nature and the Northwoods. 14006 Discovery Lane, Manitowish Waters.
Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Wednesday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Thursday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Friday" 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Saturday: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Sunday: Closed
Their trails and outdoor spaces are open every day dawn to dusk.
Skiing Skeeters Waterski Show
The Manitowish Waters Skiing Skeeters water ski club is one of the oldest amateur water ski clubs in the U.S. Established in 1954, the Manitowish Water Boat Club formally took the name Skiing Skeeters in 1961 and created a show site on Rest Lake.
The show relocated to a new site on Rest Lake in 1987, and continues to provide fun, family entertainment from Mid-June through mid-August each summer. Donations collected from the shows help with the club’s operating costs, new & replaced equipment, gas, boat maintenance, etc. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for your comfort, or watch from your boat on Rest Lake!
SHOW TIMES: Wednesday and Saturday, 7 p.m., mid-June through mid-August (plus a special July 4th show at 7 p.m.)
LOCATION: Rest Park (CTH W, 1.2 miles north of Hwy. 51 across from the North Lakeland Discovery Center).
Admission is FREE.
Manitowish Waters Community Center
The Manitowish Waters Community Center hosts a variety of events through the summer. The most notable are the Lion's Club bingo games on Monday nights at 7 pm. These have become so popular that they frequently have to turn late comers away as the hall has reached Fire regulations capacity!
The Lioness' sell food and homemade desserts.
You want to get there early to get a seat! Doors open at 6 pm.
There's also a really cool playground the Lions Club built right outside the community center.
There are also tennis courts and a baseball diamond across from the parking lot.
Public restrooms near tennis courts 24/7 or inside the Community Center when the building is open.
Smokey's Restaurant and Supper Club – Offers fine dining with steaks, seafood, and Northwoods-inspired cuisine in a comfortable, casually elegant setting.
Blue Bayou Inn Restaurant – A popular dinner spot with consistently praised meals and a welcoming ambiance.
Aberdeen Restaurant & Bar – Features lakeside dining with excellent service and scenic sunset views.
Ye Olde Shillelagh – Celebrated for its high-quality food and friendly service, often considered one of the best in the surrounding area.
White Oak Grill – Known for its inviting atmosphere and approachable menu options.
Arbor Vitae is the smallest town of all listed in this article yet at one time, it was larger than Minocqua. It was founded by the Yawkey Bissell Lumber Company on Big Arbor Vitae Lake in 1916, making the town 110 years old.
My fishing resort was on that lake. One of my cabins was built by the lumberjacks to house themselves. The "foundation" was made of railroad tracks from the steam trains that transported the lumber, with newspaper for insulation in the walls.
The bar next door to my resort (now Slo's Pub) was the steam plant for the lumber company,
The Yawkey Bissell Sawmill Crew
Slo's Pub
My House
My lumberjack
cabin hidden
by trees
On the other side of Slo's is the millpond, at the bottom of which is a steam locomotive that sank in the millpond.
Back then Arbor Vitae had its own baseball team and even a band!
Yawkey Bissell Lumberjacks
Fireman's Picnic
Today Arbor Vitae is noted for its annual Fireman's Picnic. A picnic may sound like no big deal but this picnic draws crowds from states away, specifically to attend it! It's even been featured on Travel Wisconsin.
The picnic is typically held the first weekend in August in Fireman's Park right next to the fire station.
10672 Big Arbor Vitae Drive - Arbor Vitae. If you're coming off Hwy. 70 east, turn left onto Big Arbor Vitae Drive (it's the only way you can turn) and the fire station will be on your left. You can't miss it.
Arbor Vitae Fireman's Picnic
All of our fire departments up here are volunteer and they receive no government funding. The annual picnic raises money for new trucks, equipment, etc. since the department is self-sustaining.
Big Arbor Vitae Lake & Beach
Big Arbor Vitae Lake is the largest lake in Arbor Vitae, nearly 1100 acres of which 70% of the shoreline is state owned and undeveloped. It's a Class A Musky and Walleye lake but also has northern pike, large and small mouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill, sunfish in abundance.
It's a favorite for all water sports and has 2 boat launches.
On the north end of the lake on Buckhorn Road is a big, beautiful sand beach set in a park with picnic facilities and restrooms.
It's the beach we locals frequented because most often we had the entire place to ourselves. I guess it's a well kept secret?
Big Arbor Vitae Campground is also located on this lake.
Remember, Arbor Vitae and Woodruff share the same zip code so a place that's actually in Arbor Vitae may have a Woodruff address!
Era Restaurant
195 US-51, Woodruff
Era is my brother's and my favorite breakfast and lunch restaurant.
PHENOMENAL food and service, wait staff is super friendly and helpful. Prices are reasonable.
Try their chicken ranch bacon wraps - phenomenal!
Bad Bones BBQ
1421 US Highway 51 N Arbor Vitae.
Some of the best Southern BBQ I've ever had and you sure won't go away hungry from Bad Bones!
Their daily menu offers pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and chicken. You can get these as a sandwich or dinner, and they offer combo meals as well. They also offer a variety of specialty sandwiches featuring their smoked meats. They also offer pizzas! Menu
Both indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the lake are available.
Sunday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday Closed
Wednesday 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM
As I said before, we've done everything we can to preserve our Northwoods lumbering history. If you'd like to see some real genuine lumberjacks in action, visit Scheer's Lumberjack Show.
Located at: 1112 Hwy 47 East. Go East on Highway 47, you’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the towering climbing poles.
These guys are not actors. They're real lumberjacks who have competed in World Lumberjack competitions - and won. More than one of them are ranked as World Champions.
Seating is on a first come first served basis so you want to arrive early to get a good seat. Some of the seats are under cover and some aren't and the lumberjack show takes place rain or shine, beginning at 7:30 pm.
Tickets go on sale at the ticket booth 45 minutes prior to show time or you can advance purchase tickets online.
Children 3 and under – Free
Ages 4 to 11 – $14.95
Ages 12 and older – $19.95
Seniors – $16.95
Money $aving Tip: If you're a large group of 20 or more people, receive a 10% discount by making advance reservations. Phone 715-634-6923.
The show lasts about 1-1/2 hours.
Dr. Kate Museum & the Largest Penny In the World
This is the story behind Woodruff having the largest penny in the world. (Above) As for Dr. Kate, she and her work are memorialized in the Dr. Kate Museum at 923 2nd Ave, Woodruff - including a replica of her medical room.
The largest penny in the world
It all started when Mr. Otto Burich and his geometry students at AV-W High School began the Million Penny drive, shining a national spotlight on Dr. Kate’s work. The show told the story of a caring and determined doctor who crossed snowy trails, paddled rivers, and walked miles to help patients across 300 square miles of Wisconsin’s Northwoods, a region that had no hospital at the time.
On Memorial Day in 1953, the town of Woodruff buzzed with excitement as more than 10,000 people packed the AV-W school gym to see the mountain of pennies collected. Dr. Kate, Otto Burich, AV-W student Eva Lou Clauson, and others shared their dream of building a hospital. Their story moved Ralph Edwards, host of "This Is Your Life," to ask viewers to send their own pennies. Soon, over $105,000 arrived in ten tons of mail, much of it delivered by train. Community volunteers sorted and counted every heartfelt letter and coin in the gym.
Dr. Kate would go on to appear on the TV show, This Is Your Life.
While this penny drive is how we got our first hospital, the story didn't end there or with Dr. Kate. In later years, an actress I'm sure everyone at the very least knows the name of and who was a frequent visitor to the Northwoods, very generously donated funds to provide Woodruff with a much larger and more modern hospital.
Elizabeth Taylor
But it all started with the incredible Dr. Kate, who would travel miles on snowshoes if necessary to treat the residents of the Northwoods.
Admission to the Dr. Kate Museum is Free, donations appreciated.
Yep, Elizabeth Taylor. Not that she was the only celebrity to visit the Northwoods.
President Dwight Eisenhower vacationed here regularly. Gene Simmons of KISS,
Johnny Depp, Kevin Costner are just a few of the celebrities that have visited the Northwoods. And of course, there were the gangsters - John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Al Capone - who not only built a house (fortress) up here but did much to help the people of the Northwoods, believe it or not.
At any rate, Liz Taylor was largely responsible for the hospital we have today.
Museum Hours:
Mid-June through Labor Day
Monday - Friday
11 AM - 3 PM
Month of September
Tuesday & Thursday
11 AM - 2 PM
Brandy Lake Park & Beach
The Town of Woodruff and the Town of Arbor Vitae joined to establish the Brandy Park Commission to manage the development and maintenance of the co-owned Brandy Park.
The park's facilities include a disc golf course, two baseball fields with fencing and bleachers; two pickleball courts, and a tennis court with fencing; a soccer field with lighting; a large shelter building with grills and picnic tables; two sand volleyball courts; a paved full basketball court; a skate park, playground equipment; a swimming beach with pier, changing house and restroom facilities; a shoreline picnic area with tables and grills; and a paved walkway from the shelter to the beach parking area. Winter facilities include an ice skating rink.
Admission to Brandy Lake Park and the pavilion is FREE.
A fee only applies if you wish to rent the pavilion for a private event.
if you would like to reserve the pavilion for a special event you may do so by calling Todd Hunter at (715) 356-4101
Lakeland Theater
Lakeland Movie Theater is located at 1002 2nd Ave, Woodruff.
There are 7 theaters with 7 movies showing at once.
Money $aving Tip: Go on a Tuesday and all tickets for all shows are $5.
Hunan Chinese Restaurant
1017 1st Avenue, Woodruff
The food is good, the portions large and the prices very reasonable. $$ I've never had a bad meal there.
The food does come out to your table fast and the menu is quite extensive. If there's any drawback to Hunan it's that like most restaurants these days, service can get slow during peak tourist season.
There is on street parking in front of the restaurant and a parking lot right across the street.
For something rather different visit Skål Bar & Kitchen. 1021 First Avenue, Woodruff
This is a new restaurant so relatively undiscovered yet.
Skål Bar & Kitchen serves an ever-growing menu of small plates, dinner bowls, soups & salads featuring local & imported ingredients with something for everyone! Seasonal desserts made fresh daily.
Their full bar features Nordic-inspired spirits & fruits as well as a uniquely curated wine list.
The ambience and service are fantastic.
Try their Up North Wisconsin Fondue: Wisconsin cheddar with Milwaukee soft pretzel bites & sliced bratwurst for dipping. Add on of fresh veggies available.
Their bacon wrapped dates and goat cheese are really good as well.
During the summer months, Skål is open from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm every day except Sunday.
Reservations recommended for parties of 5 or more. (715) 439-4009
Hoggie Doggies
8803 Hwy 47, Woodruff - Right at the corner of Hwy 47 and Hwy J.
Hoggie Doggie's is a seasonal ice cream/sandwich stand that has the best Chicago style hot dogs around.
It's my favorite summer go-to haunt for a grab 'n go lunch. Not that Chicago style hot dogs are the only food they have - 'm just addicted to their Chicago style hot dogs. They make homemade ice cream, a different flavor every week.
There is no inside dining, rather they have a nice picnic area opposite the building where you can eat.
There's also a drive thru if you want to order ahead. $
Pet friendly! Bring your furbaby and he/she will get a free doggie ice cream cone!
Monicals
360 US Highway 51 North, Woodruff
My family's favorite pizza.
Monical's also has appetizers, salads, sandwiches, pastas, desserts and a full bar.
Open every day from 11 am to 9 pm,
closed Mondays.
The Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have lived in this area since 1745, when Chief Keeshkemun led the Band to the area.
The fur trade continued in the area until around 1835. In 1854, the Treaty of La Pointe established the Lac du Flambeau reservation. Logging began on the reservation in 1885, and the town soon hosted the largest lumber yard in Wisconsin.
These days "the Rez" (as we call it) is most known for its Lake of the Torches Resort & Casino.
I worked there briefly in Security after leaving the Sheriff's Department and it's a gorgeous place on the edge of the lake, especially the hotel/resort portion of the building.
They regularly hold live entertainment, I was a bodyguard for Randy Travis, Eddie Money, the Chippendale Dancers, Gordon Lightfoot and several others while they did shows there - to give you an idea of the performers they'd bring in.
There's a restaurant, The Eagle's Nest which offers buffet meals. Woody's Sports Bar & Grill offers pub gare and drinks. The Dancing Waters Lounge is a nice place to relax and have a cocktail.
Across the road from the casino is the Bingo Hall.
Another big draw are the powwow's held during the summer the new Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl.
Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl / Photo credit: Meyer Group Architecture
The Waaswaaganing Indian Bowl is a vital part of the practice and preservation of the traditions and culture of the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Tribe. It has been a centerpiece of cultural sharing and education for Lac du Flambeau and surrounding Northwoods communities since 1951.
Each summer the tribe holds their powwow's at the Indian Bowl and they are open to the public.
Just their native dress itself is worth seeing.
Specific 2026 schedule os not yet listed anywhere so it's best to check their website.
The admission fee for the Lac du Flambeau Pow Wow is FREE for everyone.
Note: The powwow is considered a sacred ceremony to Native Americans. Therefore, there's a certain etiquette observed at a powwow.
You never ever enter the circle the powwow dancers dance in.
Tobacco is sacred to Native Americans and it will be used during the Grand Entrance.
While you can film the powwow, don't ever take an individual photo, video or selfie of a dancer in costume without their prior permission. It's considered disrespectful.
Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center
603 Peace Pipe Rd., Lac du Flambeau
While in Lac du Flambeau it would be worth your time to make a stop at the Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center.
The George W. Brown, Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural Center offers one of the most complete collections of Lac Du Flambeau history, seasonal workshops, interactive exhibits, cultural programs and a world record sturgeon.
It's a pretty interesting place and not that large so it doesn't take long to go through it.
Adults: $4.00
Seniors (over 65): $3.00
Children (6-17): $3.00
Children (5 and under): Free