Resting on the shores of Lake Michigan and fondly known as ‘The Spirit on the Lake,’ the city of Sheboygan is a charming coastal community that offers an enchanting mix of historical and cultural attractions and outdoor recreational activities. From museums, galleries, cultural events, and festivals to white sandy beaches, pristine golf courses, and the beautiful waters of Lake Michigan, Sheboygan has something for the whole family. Enjoy world-class sailing and premier charter fishing on the lake, explore the historic downtown district that boasts an array of unique shopping, dining, and entertainment, or head into the great outdoors at one of the 34 beautiful parks or three athletic complexes to have some outdoor fun. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.
1.Kohler-Andrae State Park
Located a few miles south of Sheboygan, the Kohler-Andrae State Park is made up of two state parks, namely the Terry Andrae State Park and the Michael Kohler State Park, which are managed together as one. The park is home to beautiful natural landscapes and offers an array of activities, including camping, hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking, swimming, and relaxing on the beach. A Nature Center is open seasonally from May through October and offers a wealth of information on the area, and there are several cross-country skiing and beach trails.
1020 Beach Park Ln, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-451-4080
2.Bookworm Gardens
Bookworm Gardens is a whimsical botanical garden inspired by popular children's books that offers a fun, educational way to spend the day with the kids. The gardens are open seasonally between May and October and feature over 70 different gardens, each of which is inspired by a children’s book and have all sorts of fun and educational activities. Designed for children of all ages, the gardens are trash-free and a picnic-friendly zone and offer an array of field trips, camp programs, and family festivals throughout the year.
1415 Campus Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-287-7895
3.John Michael Kohler Arts Center
The John Michael Kohler Arts Center is a community art museum in downtown Sheboygan that promotes all spheres of art and the performing arts. Based in the historic John Michael Kohler House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 100,000 square foot center features ten galleries showcasing an art collection of works produced by artists-in-residence, a performance center and theater, studio-classrooms, and meeting spaces. The center offers a variety of programs, including art exhibits, music and dance performances, classes, workshops, lectures and symposiums, demonstrations and festivals. The center also has an on-site retail shop called ARTspace, an activity space known as The ARTery, and a café named ARTcafe.
608 New York Ave, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-458-614
, OH4.Above and Beyond Children's Museum
The Above & Beyond Children's Museum (ABCM) is an interactive children's museum in downtown Sheboygan that features three floors of hands-on exhibits that encourage children to explore, discover, and learn through play. Spanning 10,000 square feet, the museum has an array of educational presentations, including a 1900's schoolhouse, a naval vessel called the USS Efroymson, a life-size Giant Pin Screen, a wind tunnel, and a Sky Crawl. Above & Beyond Children’s Museum also offers a variety of educational programs, classes, and workshops for children of all ages.
902 N 8th St #4005, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-458-4263
5.Acuity Flagpole
The Acuity Flagpole is a 400-foot high flagpole flying a 9,800-square-foot US flag weighing 340 pounds based at the Acuity Insurance headquarters between Milwaukee and Green Bay on Lake Michigan. Visible from a considerable distance, the flagpole is nearly 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty and is the world's largest free-flying American flag with each stripe measuring over five feet high and each star almost three feet across. At the base of the flagpole is a Veterans Memorial featuring the names of Sheboygan County residents killed in active duty.
2800 S Taylor Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 800-242-7666
6.Sheboygan County Historical Museum
Located in Taylor Park, the Sheboygan County Historical Museum is a community museum that was founded to collect, preserve and educate visitors about the history of Sheboygan County. The museum is spread over five historic buildings, including the 1864 Weinhold Family Homestead, the 1867 Bodenstab Cheese Factory, and the 1890's Schuchardt Barn, which features rural agricultural displays. Exhibits at the museum include presentations on maritime history, Native American history, and manufacturing, along with a gallery of regularly changing exhibitions.
3110 Erie Ave, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-458-1103
7.3 Sheeps Brewing Company
3 Sheeps Brewing Company is a locally-owned brewery and Sheboygan's only packaging brewery that has been producing a variety of craft beers and ales, as well as seasonal brews since 2012. The brewery produces up to 20 beers on tap, as well as growler fills and bottled, and canned beer to go, and visitors can sample the beers in the modern taproom, which is family and pet-friendly and offers plenty of entertainment options and a retail shop selling beer-related merchandise and souvenirs. Regular tours of the brewery are also available.
1837 North Ave, Sheboygan, WI 53083, Phone: 920-395-3583
8.Sheboygan Visual Artists
Sheboygan Visual Artists (SVA) is a network of visual artists, both amateur and professional, and patrons that was established to enrich and encourage the community to take a more profound interest in the visual arts. The network hosts art gatherings that showcase the works of local and international artists in a variety of mediums, including sketching and drawing, watercolor and oil painting, photography and video, fiber art and sculpture, ceramics, glass, and wood. SVA is best known for Final Fridays, a combination of an art show, concert, and networking gatherings held on the last Friday evening of every month that draws hundreds of artists, friends, and visitors.
1201 Erie Ave, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 262-416-1278
9.St. Peter Claver Parish
The St. Peter Claver Parish is a Tri-Parish Catholic faith community that includes Immaculate Conception, St. Peter Claver, and Saints Cyril and Methodius. The parish is based in a historic church that was built in 1907 and recently renovated to include a new entrance to the worship space, ample gathering spaces, immersion baptismal font, four meeting rooms, and an elevator.
1439 S 12th St, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-457-9408
, Michigan beaches10.Rouse Simmons
The Rouse Simmons was a 23-foot three-masted schooner that was bound for Chicago with a cargo of Christmas trees on Lake Michigan in 1912 when it sank in a violent storm. The ship ran into trouble off Two Rivers in Wisconsin and sank, killing all on board, and within a few weeks, Christmas trees began washing up on shore along the western side of the lake. The shipwreck rests on the lakebed in 165 feet of water about 12 miles northeast of Two Rivers, and the spirit lives on in folk stories and legends. Today, an organization called Chicago’s Christmas Ship collects thousands of Christmas trees each year and distributes them to disadvantaged families in the area.
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
11.Highway 42 (State Trunk Highway 42)
State Trunk Highway 42, also known as Highway 42, is a 138-mile highway in northeast Wisconsin that runs from Sheboygan to the ferry dock in Northport. The road is a popular route into Door County and is popular with vacationers wanting to enjoy the scenic beauty of Door County and the activities in and around Lake Michigan. Highway 42 runs to the end of the Door Peninsula, ending at a ferry dock to Washington Island.
12.Sheboygan Railroad Museum
The Sheboygan Railroad Museum is dedicated to the preservation of local railroad history and the model railroad hobby. Maintained by the Sheboygan Railroad Society, the museum features a collection of railroad historical artifacts dating back 100 years, local railroad relics, objects and items, and eight model layouts in G, O, S, HO, N, and Z operational scales on display for the public. The Society also maintains an extensive library of books, periodicals, and videos on all aspects of railroading, and offers a range of educational programs and workshops throughout the year.
1011 N 10th St, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-783-6248
13.Lino Ristorante Italiano
Lino Ristorante Italiano is a casual Italian restaurant with a patio overlooking the Sheboygan River that serves both classic and contemporary Italian cuisine in a warm and welcoming setting. Owned by industry veteran, Lino Autiero, who boasts over 35 years of restaurant experience, Lino Ristorante Italiano serves a menu of traditional Italian fare that combine Lino’s favorite childhood dishes from the Amalfi Coast with innovative recipes gathered during his career. Signature dishes include pasta primavera, chicken piccata, and Frutti de mar, and classics like lasagna and spaghetti Bolognese, and desserts of tiramisu, pannacotta, and homemade gelato. The cuisine is paired with a variety of casual wines from Italy and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Lino Ristorante Italiano is open for dinner, Wednesday through Sunday.
422 S Pier Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-457-5200
14.Il Ritrovo Pizza
Il Ritrovo Pizza is an Italian deli, pizzeria, wine bar, and grocery store that showcases the best of Italy. The eatery is a certified VPN and APN pizzeria, serving traditional wood-fired Neapolitan pizza made with locally sourced seasonal ingredients. The APN (Associazione Vera Pizza Napoletana) is an international organization that cultivates the culinary art of making Neapolitan pizza, guaranteeing a perfectly cooked Neapolitan pizza made with the best of seasonal and sustainable ingredients. The cuisine is paired with a variety of casual wines from Italy and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails and imported deli delights can be purchased in the Italian specialty retail store. Il Ritrovo Pizza is open for lunch and dinner, Monday through Saturday.
515 S 8th St, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-803-7516
15.Prohibition Bistro
Prohibition Bistro is a 1920s bistro, pizzeria and wine bar on the Sheboygan riverfront with a beautiful riverfront patio and breathtaking views. The casual eatery serves authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pizza cooked in a traditional Neapolitan oven, along with other delicious Italian fare, along with a variety of casual wines from Italy and other wine-growing regions, along with craft beers by the bottle, and made-to-order cocktails. Daily specials are available, desserts are decadent, and the enclosed patio has heating for alfresco dining in the winter. Prohibition Bistro is open for dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.
668 S Pier Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-451-9100
16.Parker John's BBQ and Pizza
Parker John's BBQ and Pizza combines the best of barbecue and pizza in a casual spot close to the Sheboygan River. The family-friendly restaurant serves a variety of slow-smoked meats accompanied by homemade barbecue sauces and sides such as beans and potato salad, as well as stone-fired pizzas with a variety of toppings. The full-service bar offers Wisconsin craft beers, handcrafted cocktails made with high-end spirits, Bloody Mary’s, and easy-drinking wines from around the world and guests can dine in the comfortable bi-level dining room with reclaimed wooden floors and a brick bar area or in one of two riverside outdoor dining spaces with great views. Parker John's BBQ and Pizza is open for lunch and dinner daily.
705 Riverfront Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-453-0299
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17.Charcoal Inn
Charcoal Inn is a casual family-friendly restaurant with two locations in Sheboygan that specializes in great charcoal grilled food and bratwurst sandwiches. The restaurant serves a variety of all-American fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads and vegetarian dishes, prime meats and chicken, fresh seafood and fish, pasta dishes, and desserts. Beverages range from milkshakes, floats, and sodas to coffee, tea and fruit juices, and both locations are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, daily.
1313 S 8th St, Sheboygan, WI 53081-5325, Phone: 920-458-6988
17 Best Things to Do in Sheboygan, WI
- Kohler-Andrae State Park, Photo: Craig A Walker/stock.adobe.com
- Bookworm Gardens, Photo: Bookworm Gardens
- John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Photo: John Michael Kohler Arts Center
- Above and Beyond Children's Museum, Photo: Above and Beyond Children's Museum
- Acuity Flagpole, Photo: tanarch/stock.adobe.com
- Sheboygan County Historical Museum, Photo: Sheboygan County Historical Museum
- 3 Sheeps Brewing Company, Photo: 3 Sheeps Brewing Company
- Sheboygan Visual Artists, Photo: Sheboygan Visual Artists
- St. Peter Claver Parish, Photo: Brian Jackson/stock.adobe.com
- Rouse Simmons, Photo: Yann Poirier/stock.adobe.com
- Highway 42 (State Trunk Highway 42), Photo: Zhao jiankang/stock.adobe.com
- Sheboygan Railroad Museum, Photo: Sheboygan Railroad Museum
- Lino Ristorante Italiano, Photo: Lino Ristorante Italiano
- Il Ritrovo Pizza, Photo: Il Ritrovo Pizza
- Prohibition Bistro, Photo: Andrey/stock.adobe.com
- Parker John's BBQ and Pizza, Photo: Parker John's BBQ and Pizza
- Charcoal Inn, Photo: Charcoal Inn
- Cover Photo: Jacob/stock.adobe.com
Attraction Spotlight: Bookworm Gardens
Bookworm Gardens is a children's literature-themed botanical garden located in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The gardens, founded and run as a grassroots, non-profit organization, works alongside the local community and is partnered with more than 20 other educational and non-profit organizations, such as the University of Wisconsin in Sheboygan and the Mead Public Library. Open seasonally, Bookworm Gardens features 65 gardens, each dedicated to one or more works of children’s literature. The gardens are wheelchair accessible.
History
In 1999, a local Sheboygan named Sandy Livermore came up with the idea for Bookworm Gardens. Once plans were underway, architect Herb Schaal was employed to design the garden, and local landscapers, builders, architects, and artists were hired to take on the work, and the project was also helped by a large number of volunteers from the local community. In 2010, Bookworm Gardens was officially opened to the public.
Exhibits and Attractions
The exhibits and attractions at Bookworm Gardens are all child-friendly and designed to be touched and explored. The aim of each area is to encourage learning about the natural world through literature.
The pond and wetland Area is inspired by books such a.McElligot’s Pool by Dr. Seuss, and features a wooded area with a river and a number of ponds. One of the larger ponds contains koi and is spanned by a wooden observation bridge.
The design of the butterfly and memory gardens is based on two books.Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert an.Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox. The area includes a small garden with a curved path and a paved reading area with rocking chairs for adults and children.
The farm garden includes the barn fro.Charlotte’s Web, a white picketed enclosure, and a small shed, surrounded by a woodland area. Inside the barn is a typewriter fro.Click, Clack, Moo, copies of the boo.Charlotte’s Web, and a model of Charlotte herself. Outside of the barn is a picnic area with benches, a shaded space, and a pagoda located nearby.
Built on stilts and positioned amongst the trees, visitors can find the Magic Tree House, an open-sided treehouse constructed around the trunk of a living tree. The open sides of the treehouse offer a panoramic view of the woods and a broad open space available for group reading and storytelling.
The Japanese garden focuses on the works of Eleanor Coerr, in particular her boo.Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Within the intricately designed garden lies a Japanese tea house with an outside table, a set of chairs, and a selection of rakes for children to use in a raking activity.
The Goldilocks and the Three Bears area is a reading and activity area, and includes a set of chairs belonging to Mummy Bear, Daddy Bear, and Baby Bear in addition to wicker bear sculptures. This area encourages visitors to rea.Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Jan Brett whilst reliving the story in person.
The Magic School bus is an open yellow bus that children can enter and explore. Located near the entrance to the gardens, the bus contains all of the usual components of a school bus, such as seats and a steering wheel. Children are encouraged to climb inside and use their imagination, taking inspiration fro.The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds by Joanna Cole.
The Monster Playhouse is a pink, yellow, and green building designed with cartoon-like angles and peeping windows. Children can go inside the house and play hide-and-seek, opening and closing the windows. Partitioned within a white picket fenced area, the surrounding gardens are filled with flowers. It is inspired b.A Playhouse for a Monster by Virginia Mueller.
The Bookworm Gardens Bookshop sells educational toys, books, and gifts for children of all ages and also provides maps for visitors to use when navigating the gardens.
Ongoing education and program.
Nature-based field trips are seasonally available at the gardens and combine learning about literature within a nature setting. A further program run at Bookworm Gardens is a week-long camp known as Camp Bookworm. Operated by a team of educators from the gardens, the camp explores the various areas of the gardens, learning about authors, illustrators, and animal habitats. The camps are divided by age group from K to 5t.grades and offer age-appropriate activities for those involved.
1415 Campus Dr, Sheboygan, WI 53081, Phone: 920-287-7895
