Kenosha

America's Action Territory

This event filled location has three mini-golf courses, laser tag, go-karts, bumper boats, paintball, and an arcade. It's common to see children (and teens) host birthday parties here. Some of the go-karts are faster than others; always pick the karts near the back of the line and to the far side of the track (winners get to take a victory lap, hence these prime karts being at the back). During the winter, the outdoor attractions close but there is still a decent amount available to entertain your offspring.

Check their website for hours as they change depending on the season·Pricing is dependent on participant's height. You can purchase an unlimited pass for $27 to $32 or purchase attractions à la carte. See website for à la carte pricing

Anderson Arts Center

Located on the southern end of the Kemper Center campus, this art museum displays the work of local and regional artists. The building was finished in 1931 and its architecture is an example of the French Renaissance Revival style.

Anderson Park Pool

This water park has two pools: a children's pool that has a small water slide and the regular pool that has two slides and a diving board. Entry fees are cash only.

Entry: $4 (ages 3-17), $5 (adults), $3 (seniors over 60)

Big Star

This is a drive-in that has been open since 1954. The burgers are excellent but very small. They are only open from March 1st to Labor Day.

Brat Stop

One part restaurant, one part concert venue, one part bar, and one part cheese mart. You can definitely get your fill of Wisconsin without travelling far from I94. The restaurant food isn't anything special but it's a good place to try local delicacies such as brats and cheese curds. The beer selection is extensive. Check the website for the most current listings of which musicians are playing and for any special events.

Captain Mike's

This a bar and burger joint that has a nautical theme. The burgers on the menu have unique combinations of toppings and the mac 'n' cheese is excellent. If you order bacon on your burger, adding a bit of peanut butter is highly recommended. The beer selection is decent and there is a large selection of whiskey. There is very limited seating and sharing a table with a party of strangers is common. If you see an opening at a table that will fit your party, simply ask those already seated if you can sit there. There is no waitstaff here: you fill out an order sheet and befriend one of the bartenders or chefs to get food and drink. Parking is difficult. There is a parking lot to the north, across the street. You can park on the side road and there is more street parking on the road behind the building. Persons under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or a spouse over 21.

Mon-Fri 11AM - 2AM, Sat Sun 8AM - 2AM

Chiappetta Shoes

This store has been open and family operated since 1912. Shopping here is like a step back in time service-wise. Most of the shoes are not fashionable models since the store specializes primarily in comfort and foot health. They also do custom fittings and orthotics. The shoes can be expensive, but they are high quality and should last many years.

Club Icon

This is a gay bar, but it's the only place in town that has a dance floor so folks from all points of the spectrum congregate here. Among the locals, it has a slight reputation of being trashy. They do events, theme nights, and often have a live DJ.

Dinosaur Discovery Museum

Dinosaur museum which also houses the Carthage Institute of Paleontology.

Tue-Sun noon-5PM·Free

Dream Playground

Petzke Park

A playground designed for children of all ages and physical abilities. There are two sections, one for children under 5 and another for older children. The park is designed to be wheel chair accessible and caters to children of all abilities. There is a wheel chair swing, swings with high backs, and a wheel chair accessible merry-go-round. The ground is a soft rubber material and there are ramps to the various play areas.

8AM to 10PM·free

Franks Diner

Located in a historic 1920s "diner car" it has been featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives." Waits can be long, especially on the weekends. However, all of the food is home made, so the wait is worth it. Expect big portions at reasonable prices. Open only for breakfast and lunch.

Mon-Fri 6AM-1:30PM, Sat 7AM-1:30PM, Sun 7AM-1:30PM

House of Gerhard

Among locals, this place has a reputation of being "fancy". They serve prime rib and authentic German food. Reservations and dressy clothes are recommended, especially around Valentine's and Mother's Day.

Kemper Center

Built in 1861, this historic mansion sits on the shore of Lake Michigan. Guided tours are offered year round, call the number listed to get the most current times and prices. Seasonal events, such as a haunted house and Christmas concerts, are hosted here.

Kenosha Harbor Market

The outdoor portion of the farmer's market has grown significantly in the past few years. During this time, the market takes up the entirety of 2nd avenue, near the museums, and the park adjacent to it. There are crafts for sale, in addition to the normal seasonal fruit and vegetables. Live music is played and it is a dog friendly event. Check the website to get the most up-to-date information on whether the event is taking place as there are sometimes closures due to holidays or inclement weather.

Sat 9AM – 1PM

Kenosha Public Museum

Kenosha's natural sciences and fine arts museum. The lower level houses a large mammoth skeleton, small gift shop, and children's educational room. The upper level houses a taxidermy menagerie and an art gallery.

Tue-Sat 9AM-5PM, Sun noon-5PM. Also open Mondays noon-5PM March through August only·Free

La Fogata Mexican Grill

This place serves Americanized Mexican food. The margaritas are a specialty. This restaurant has an excellent atmosphere with dimmer lighting and is diagonally across the street from a beach. Outdoor seating is available in the summer.

La Michoacana/Chicken Palace

Chicken Palaces serves chicken, tacos, burgers and more. In the same building is La Michoacana, which offers desserts. Everything has a Mexican twist and the majority of the menus are in Spanish with English subtitles. The paletas (a frozen popsicle, which here are either water or milk based and filled with fruit) are absolutely fantastic and refreshing on a hot day.

Los Compadres

This is an authentic Mexican eatery. The interior has minimal decorations and cafeteria type seating. There is delicious soup and chips served with every meal. The tamales are fantastic.

Marina Gardens

Open 24 hr, offers very cheap, greasy food and awful coffee. This is an excellent place to nurse an impending hang-over. Most bar-hopping locals that end their night in this area will congregate here after the bars close at 2AM. The staff does not care about you; remember that you are not here for them, you are here because the food is cheap, they are always open, and you need to sober up before your day-job or flight in a few hours.

Mars Cheese Castle

No-one knows what Mars has to do with cheese or why it's in a castle. The vast selection of Wisconsin's finest and most famous dairy product prevents us from asking too many questions. In addition to an ungodly amount of cheese, the castle has imported chocolates, wine, local and imported beers, a deli, and touristy kitsch. Even if you don't buy anything, it's a nice place to stop, stretch your legs, and take a picture in front of the big sign.

The hours are all over the place depending on the season, but it's usually 9AM - 7PM

Petrifying Springs Park

Pets Park

This park consists of hiking trails that are both paved and unpaved, cross-country ski trails, a golf course, and several large playgrounds. Many of the hiking trails wind up, down and around the pike river and a few of its tributaries. There is also a dog park.

Pimmy's Authentic Thai Cuisine

Pimmy's serves food authentic to Bangkok and parts of Issarn provinces in Thailand. This place has a cozy, café atmosphere and not much seating. There are lunch specials on curries. Take-out is available.

Prime Outlets

This is an outdoor strip mall that has designer brand stores and outlets. Sales tax in Wisconsin is significantly cheaper than Illinois and the location near the interstate and state border means that this mall is frequently very busy. People from Illinois often shop here, so expect navigating the parking lot to be frustrating.

Rendez'vous Tiki Lounge

This place has a fun tiki bar theme and is recommended if you like fruity drinks. Several of the bartenders are heavy handed.

Rivals Sports Pub & Grill

This is a clean, friendly sports bar next to I94. During the summer they have cook-outs and sports events, like volleyball tournaments. There is a grill menu available.

Ron's Place

The atmosphere here is homey with décor that features dark wood, stained glass windows and tiffany style light fixtures. The lighting is dark, there are booths in one section, and the stools for the bar are actually comfy. This place is known for its variety of Long Island iced teas. They also offer decent burgers and other grilled or fried food. There is limited parking in the back of the building and an additional parking lot to the west of the building, on 34th avenue.

Rustic Road Brewing Company

Industrial-chic bar carries small-batch beer brewed on-site. Occasionally there is live music. Also hosts an annual homebrew competition and several seasonal events.

Tue-Thu 4-10PM, Fri 3:30PM-1AM, Sat noon-1AM, Sun noon-6PM

Saigon Panda

Serves Americanized Chinese and authentic Vietnamese food. From the Vietnamese menu, the Phở is phenomenal. From the Chinese menu, the fried rice and Mongolian beef are recommended. Dinner portions easily feed two people. Try some Vietnamese style bubble/boba tea during your visit (the best flavors are taro and mango). The interior is set up in a café style with light colors and an atmosphere that invites staying a while. Take-out is available.

Mon-Fri 11AM to 9:30PM, Sat Sun 11AM to 10:30PM·$12

Soon's Sushi Cafe

This is one of the best sushi places in south-east Wisconsin. They also offer Japanese fusion dishes and authentic Korean food (the owner is a native of South Korea). The interior décor is terrible and only cafeteria style tables and seating are available. It's better to order take-out as the wait times inside can be quite long and the service is slow (but very, very kind and friendly). The neighborhood is a little "rough", so ensure you lock your car doors and keep valuables out of sight.

The Checkpoint

A nerdy-cool "barcade". The exterior and interior are covered in video game homage murals. The drinks are named after Mortal Kombat finishing moves. This bar also has a few hookahs. The arcade cabinets are free and feature a wide variety of classics. Pool and darts must be paid for. This bar has some interesting hours of business. Sometimes they close for a night, just because (this is rare, but frequent enough to warrant a heads-up). Make sure you have secondary plans lined up and do a "drive-by" to make sure they are open the night you want to visit.