Nursing

As a child, I wondered where "Up North" was. All my classmates seemed to vacation there. Then I married a man for whom "vacation" meant fishing, camping, and snowmobiling in the Wisconsin woods, and I learned that "Up North" (or "Nort'" as my fellow Wisconsinites tend to say) means forests of majestic pine trees; clear, undisturbed lakes; wildlife; and fresh air. It's crisp, quiet nights interrupted by long, lazy days. It's a chance to reconnect with nature.

Up Nort' encompasses the entire Northern Wisconsin woods, but for us, it's come to mean the Lakeland area around Minocqua, a small town located 224 miles north of Madison and about 100 miles south of the Michigan border. Every year, my family spends a week Up Nort', and we always agree that it's the best week of our year.

Lakeland lodgings

Attractions in town

Though a small town, there's no shortage of things to do in and around Minocqua. Most people—my family included—take full advantage of the natural surroundings by hiking, biking, fishing, or just simply hanging out in the woods or near the water. Although sometimes we never leave the resort, we do head into town to do the touristy thing or explore the surrounding area by car.

Classic Minocqua activities include a visit to Torpy Park—a sand-beach park with playground equipment for all ages—and a stroll down Main Street. My kids love the old-fashioned five-and-dime store located on the corner; each year, we stop in for toys and souvenirs. The rest of downtown is a mix of tourist kitsch and upscale browsing, including T-shirt emporiums, a fudge factory, restaurants, and gift stores. Gaslight Square, an indoor mini-mall with a 1920s motif, features many cute shops, including a family-friendly eatery and arcade in the basement (perfect for rainy days!).

Check out the small Minocqua Museum as well, which includes fascinating displays of logging in the Northwoods, as well as the history of Minocqua. And don't miss Fred Scheer's Lumberjack Shows in Woodruff. Where else can you watch world-champion lumberjacks showing off their skills?

We love to hike, so every year we visit the Northern Highland–American Legion State Forest. The Bearskin State Trail, an abandoned railway, is a great bike trail that leads right into Minocqua; the State Forest features many bike trails as well. In the winter, many of the trails are open for snowmobiling, showshoeing, and cross-country skiing. You can pick up trail guides at the Minocqua Chamber of Commerce.

Where to dine

My favorite Up Nort' dining spot is our cabin's front porch. My favorite meal? Fresh-caught panfish. No restaurant meal can compare to a plate full of bluegills and perch, enjoyed on a screen porch in the company of your family.

If you want to go out, though, Minocqua offers a variety of eating establishments. Bosacki's Boat House, located on Lake Minocqua, is a classic bar/restaurant, including a marina/sport shop and an old-fashioned soda fountain. Monical's Pizza, on Highway 51 in Arbor Vitae, is just a side-of-the-road place, but it features some of the best pizza I've ever tasted. Supper clubs, family restaurants, ethnic fare, and fast food are also readily available in the Lakeland area.

Our Northern vacation wouldn't be complete, though, without a stop at Paul Bunyan's Northwoods Cook Shanty. On our last day up North, we always load up the van and head into Paul Bunyan's. The huge, logging camp–themed restaurant features plank-style tables, rustic decor, and family-style meals. We love the all-you-can-eat lumberjack breakfast, a feast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, and biscuits and gravy. Of course, the kids usually fill up on the homemade sugar donuts before the meal ever arrives, but that's okay. Their tummies full of donuts, their minds full of memories, we pile into our packed van for the trip home. Until next year....

JENNIFER L. W. FINK, RN, BSN, is a freelance writer based in Mayville, WI.