Minocqua is the largest of the 'cities' in this area and the first town you'll reach traveling Hwy. 51 North.
It's known as the "Island City". Minocqua was officially founded as a Town in the year 1889. The name “Minocqua” is derived from the language of the area’s earlier inhabitants—Ojibwe Indians—and is believed to mean ‘good woman’.
The "Island City" of Minocqua
In the late 1800’s, Minocqua was a logging town and also saw many French fur traders. The railroad was the primary mode of transportation facilitating Minocqua’s early growth. The Milwaukee Road railroad company originally came to the area to access timber; railroads later catered to sportsmen and tourists transforming Minocqua into the vacation getaway haven it remains to this day.
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The old train depot still stands next to what is now a parking lot and a series of small shops called appropriately enough, Train Station Shops.
Photo credit: WI Historical Society
Even the train trestle has been preserved and is now a walking path.
Tour of Downtown Minocqua
Let's start with a tour of downtown Minocqua. Is it a tourist trap? Oh yeah...but even I have to admit there are some pretty cool places to visit in Minocqua - tourist trap aside.
Gaslight Square Shoppes
My favorite place to visit in Minocqua is Gaslight Square Shoppes. The Gaslight Square Shoppes are located on main street (Oneida Street) in the heart of downtown Minocqua.
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Gaslight Square is designed to bring you into a world of the early 1900s. The stores within are built to portray buildings from an earlier time and are highlighted with stunning antique stained glass doors.
These ‘houses’ are threaded together by an authentic brick street that is lined with gas lit lamps. The combined treasures of Gaslight Square allow visitors to enter into a magical world of a past era while shopping for unique merchandise and an endless supply of antiques.
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Granted. the shops are very unique and fun to browse and shop. But it's the antique store upstairs that I can easily spend half a day browsing. There's over 80 vendors' booths chock full of antiques and other vintage collectibles.
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If you see nothing else downtown, stop in Gaslight Square!
Dan's Minocqua Fudge
Dan's Minocqua Fudge is another downtown Minocqua hot spot. (I've been going there since I was a very little kid.) During the summer the store will be packed and there will be a crowd gathered on the sidewalk, watching through the window as the employees make the fudge Dan's is noted for.
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Dan's is like a combination fudge shop, old time candy store and at the rear of the shop, an old fashioned soda fountain that serves ice cream, shakes, malts and other sweet treats.
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They have any kind of candy you could think of! Largest selection of handmade chocolates in the Northwoods. 100 varieties of hard candy and taffy.
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521 Oneida Street, Minocqua
Minocqua Popcorn
412 Oneida Street, Minocqua
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Minocqua Popcorn & Puffs has some of the best gourmet popcorn I've had in a long time! It is delicious! The popcorn is completely popped, no dead kernels. When you get the mix, they mix it together right in front of you! One more thing, they can barely close the bag when the give it to you - no skimping!
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They have over 35 flavors of popcorn, even Chocolate Cherry popcorn!
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Monday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 12:00 am
Sunday 12:00 am - 5:00 am
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Otto's Beer & Brat Garden
Otto's Beer & Brat Garden delivers authentic German food in either an indoor dining atmosphere or outdoor biergarten - including live German music.
It's my favorite downtown Minocqua eatery.
Tues – Sat: Food
11am – 7pm
Bar 11am – Midnight
Island Cafe
Sorry about the length of this but there's just SO much to see and do in Minocqua there's no way to make a brief list.
Wildwood Wildlife Park
Wildwood Wildlife Park is a hugely popular attraction in the Northwoods.
10094 Highway 70 West, Minocqua.
This zoo now has over 1,700 animals that include exotic animals that are not local to the area such as endangered and threatened species. It is the second largest zoo in Wisconsin with Milwaukee being the first.
Over 50 years ago the zoo started out as Jim Peck's Wildlife. Jim was an animal lover that rescued injured local animals that couldn't be released back into the wild. People loved coming to pet and feed Jim's deer. He sold his zoo to the Domaszek family in 1997 who still own it to this day and, wow, have they made changes through the years!
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While still maintaining the popular petting and feeding deer for guests they’ve added a safari ride, education center, paddle boat creek, walking nature path, giraffe feeding area, a budgie house, a zoo train, and much more.
It will take you an entire day or close to it to see and experience everything.
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Most importantly, the Domaszek family really care for every single one of their animals, providing them with a healthy habitat including Suncatcher enclosures, and keeping the zoo grounds immaculately clean.
During a recent blizzard, Mrs. Domaszek slept at the zoo for 3 nights to ensure all of the outdoor animals were weathering the storm okay.
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Wildwood is open seasonally, closed during the winter.
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Pricing: (2025)
Adults (ages 12 & up) $26.99 plus tax
Children (Ages 2-11) $17.99 plus tax
Children: Under 2 FREE
Parking FREE
Campanile Center for the Arts
131 Milwaukee St, Minocqua
​The Campanile Center for the Arts has deep roots in Wisconsin's Northwoods, originating as the North Central Wisconsin Conservatory of the Arts (NCWCA) in Woodruff. Founded to provide arts education, NCWCA initially operated from a historic home before a significant transformation.
A dedicated group of community members purchased St. Patrick’s Church in Minocqua, known locally as the "Island City." This former church, with its rich architectural legacy, was repurposed as the Campanile Center for the Arts—named "Campanile," meaning "bell tower" in Italian, symbolizing its role as a place of community gathering.
The transformation allowed Campanile to expand beyond its educational mission and serve as a central arts hub for the Northwoods region, honoring the building’s heritage while becoming a cultural beacon.
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You can see live theater performances, listen to concerts, take a variety of arts educational programs/classes. The Center includes a dance studio and an art gallery.
Minocqua Museum
503 Flambeau St, Minocqua
The Minocqua Museum promotes research and public education through its Museum collection. Visitors to the Museum can see Museum exhibits, attend events at the Museum, and access Museum educational programs.
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Features displays of Minocqua’s early days and the people who made a difference in the history of our community.
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Open 10 am - 4pm, Early June to Labor Day. Admission is FREE but donations are greatly appreciated.
Torpy Park & Beach
806 US Highway 51, Minocqua
Torpy Park & Beach is just beyond downtown Minocqua, next to Minocqua Brewing Company and within walking distance of downtown Minocqua. It has a beautiful sand beach with a roped off swimming enclosure.
Park amenities include restrooms, pavilion, picnic shelters, grills and tables, tennis courts, playground, sand volleyball court, parking area, and an ice skating rink during the winter months.
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During the summer months a variety of events are held in Torpy Park.
Admission to the park is FREE.
Northwoods Zip Line, Aerial Trekking, Argo ATV & Kayak River Tours
7849 Hwy 51, Minocqua
Northwoods Zip Line Adventure Tours is your one-stop-shop for eco-adventure tourism, offering a variety of outdoor adventures in varying price ranges - whether you want to zip 1,000 ft over a wilderness lake or take on exciting aerial challenges up in the treetops.
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The Northwoods Zip Line, Aerial Trekking, Argo ATV, and Kayak River Tours features 13 zip lines, five adventure bridges, and 14 aerial trekking obstacles. You will also find a rappel, cargo net climb, and others which are all built-in ad around the amazing Northwoods pine trees, making it a real canopy tour.
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The Argo ATV tour is a unique way to experience northern Wisconsin, like the one-of-a-king 8-wheeled Argo, etc.; the tour features both riding and driving in an Argo on both water and land.
The kayak river tour is home to a relaxing and beautiful float tour down the clear Tomahawk River.
Settlers Mill Adventure Golf
7940 US-51, Minocqua
Golf Prices
$12.00 - Admission (ages 12+)
$9.00 - Children (ages 5-11)
FREE - Ages 4 and under w/ paid adult
$6.00 - Golf a second round! (same day discounted price)
Senior & Military Discounts
ONLY PAID PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED ON THE COURSE
Minocqua Pontoon Cruises
Minocqua Pontoon Cruises offers informative, relaxing, and safe boat cruises to visitors on the scenic Minocqua chain of lakes.
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Enjoy cruising on the chain of lakes all day with your family and friends while you enjoy a relaxing and great time aboard the pontoon boat. You can as well take lovely and good pictures while exploring.
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Established in 2004, Minocqua Pontoon Cruises has organized many boat cruises many times out on the lake. Minocqua Pontoon Cruises also offers reservations and rentals. You will also enjoy a good time with the nature guide.
Rock Falls Riding Stable LLC
10829 State Highway 70 E, Minocqua
Rock Falls Riding Stable LLC offers a guided 40 minutes horseback trail ride through the 26-acre of scenic wooded trails.
Explore the Rock Falls Riding Stable LLC with your family or group of friends for an enjoyable ride through the trails, and discover the natural beauty of the Northwoods. The horse experts at Rock Falls Riding Stable are friendly and helpful as they will fit you to horses suitable for your height and age.
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The Riding Stable welcomes all levels of riders, from beginners to professionals, to enjoy a fantastic ride.
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There are also a challenging 18-hole miniature golf course and Go-Karts in Rock Falls Riding Stable. You also enjoy playing golf or riding the karts; Rock Falls Riding Stable has single and double karts.
Min-Aqua Bats
400 W Park Ave - Minocqua
One of the oldest waterski show teams in the United States today, the Min-Aqua Bats Waterski Club originated in 1950 with a group of local young people waterskiing on Sunday afternoons. After noticing their efforts were attracting an audience, the skiers decided to put together a show. And so the Min-Aqua Bats Waterski Club was born. Many of the acts performed in the show today were developed and perfected during the early years of the Min-Aqua Bats Waterski Club.
The doubles and trio acts, now standard parts of nearly all amateur and professional waterski shows, originated with the Bats in the 1950's. Each season brings daring, innovative and graceful performances to the beautiful waters of Lake Minocqua, and a few new acts are always included in the show.
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Min-Aqua Bats happen from the middle of June till the end of August on Lake Minocqua every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday as they have for many years. Shows at 7pm on Wed, Fri, and Sun.
Wild Side Flyboarding
8290 US Highway 51 S, Minocqua
If you’re on vacation in Minocqua, the Wild Side Flyboarding is one of the exciting things to do in the beautiful city. Wild Side Flyboarding is a whole lot of fun for your family and friends.
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If you’re a beginner and you do not know how to flyboard, the owner Jeremiah and the instructors at WildSide Flyboarding will teach you how to fly. The owner is amiable, helpful, and knowledgeable.
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After the instructions from the professional instructors, you will be allowed to fly around, hovering mid-air in minutes. You will leave the marina at the Boathouse up to Lake Minocqua, where you will be taught how to fly.
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Wild Side Flyboarding can be contacted via phone at 715-456-7366 for pricing, hours and directions.
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Those are the most popular Minocqua attractions but there are still more that I haven't listed.
Norwood Pines Supper Club
10171 Hwy 70, Minocqua
Ask 24 locals up here who has the best Friday fish fry and you'll get 48 different answers. It's a hotly debated subject.
For my money, it's Norwood Pines Supper Club.
One of the oldest and best supper clubs in Northern Wisconsin is Norwood Pines. You will enjoy the views of Patricia Lake and whitetail deer regularly stopping by for their own dinner.
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What would Friday night be like without one of Northern Wisconsin’s top fish fries? You can choose broiled cod, Cajun baked cod, or deep-fried cod or mix and match the different varieties. Original Norwood Pines hush puppies, coleslaw and french fries are served with every fish fry. For an additional cost:
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Baked Potato $1.00
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Twice Baked Potato $3.00
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Rice Pilaf $1.00
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Steamed Broccoli $2.50
All-you-can-eat $20
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They are open from Mondays through Saturdays from 5 pm to 10 pm.
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You definitely want to make reservations! The line starts forming before the restaurant even opens its doors.
Nachos Mexican Grill
9750 WI-70, Minocqua
When I'm craving Mexican food, I head to Nachos Mexican Grill.
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Authentic Mexican fare and a large menu of selections. Have never had a bad meal there and servers have always been prompt and friendly.
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Love the colorful decor as well.
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Their nachos are addicting!
If it's fast food you're after Minocqua has plenty of those establishments too:
McDonalds
Arby's
Popeye's Chicken
Taco Bell
Starbucks
Subway
Domino's
​Culver's
Vilas County Fair
Vilas County Fairgrounds. 164 Forest St, Eagle River, WI.
The Vilas County Fair is a four day event with exhibits, vendors, food trucks, ice cream, nightly bands and children's entertainer, and fair rides by Sheridan Amusements.
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There will also be Chainsaw Carving, Face Painter, "Casady's Critters" primate zoo with monkeys & baby kangaroos, Beer Garden.
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The 2026 Fair will be held August 13th through 16th.
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The Vilas County Fair is a FREE gate fair! They do not charge to get onto the fair grounds.
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Parking is available adjacent to the fairgrounds, for just $7.00
Pirates Hideaway
1998 US-HWY 45 N, Eagle River
Cruise the Eagle River Chain of Lakes on a pirate ship! Pirates Hideaway offers a variety of tours including a spectacular sunset cruise. It's great family fun!
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In addition, they have a tiki bar, ice cream shop and gift shop.
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Tour reservations are a must. Pricing depends on which cruise you elect to take. See their website for further information.
Northwoods Children's Museum
346 W. Division Street, Eagle River
Kids love the Northwoods Children's Museum. Interactive children's museum, fostering hands-on learning and play! Open since 1998, with 26 interactive exhibits.
Admission is $9.00 per person, ages 1-99.
Friendship House
101 W Wall St, Eagle River
Since moving to Boulder, I don't get over to Eagle River much so there's only one restaurant there I eat at when I do get to Eagle River.
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Friendship House is on the order of a family restaurant like Denny's or Perkins but it's family run and the food is of far better quality. It serves classic comfort food.
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Monday through Thursday all you can eat dinners. Friday fish fry. Also senior portions with senior prices. Breakfast served all day, anytime of the day.
Open seven days a week from 6:00 am – 10:00 pm.