Still looking for something to do this weekend?
All corners of the state have something to offer, so says Wisconsin Department of Tourism Deputy Secretary Dave Fantle. He points to Summerfest, touted as the world’s largest music festival; folks heading up north can check out Bayfield and Madeline Island at Lake Superior; you’ll find Wisconsin Dells in the center part of the state; Door County in the northeast, and the list goes on.
“We have 15,000 lakes — 5,000 more than Minnesota … enjoy all the recreation that comes from the inland lakes, the river ways, the Mississippi, Lake Michigan.”
Regarding busy tourism weekends, how does the Fourth of July weekend compare with others? “It is a busy weekend … summer in general is our biggest of the four seasons for tourism.”
Fantle says there’s sort of a hibernation factor during colder weather that gets people out during this time of year. If you’re still trying to book a state park campsite, the DNR says your best bet is in the northern Wisconsin state forests because they can’t be reserved in advance. Most reservable sites have been long gone.
Fantle says travel trends show people aren’t making their plans well in advance of their vacation, whose days are fewer. Rather than a two week vacation, people seem to be doing a lot more extended weekend getaways closer to home. “People are busier than ever … maybe not as much disposable income.”
Considering those factors along with the nice weather, Fantle says it looks like a good tourism weekend in Wisconsin.
People are staying a little closer to home, but Fantle’s not real fond of the word ‘stay-cation.’ He would like a little modification to the ‘stay-cation’ where people stay close to home, but far enough away to help the economy by spending money at a campsite or hotel.
Perhaps a better term would be “stay-consin.” He’s working on it.