Wisconsin, Tomah Things to Do

Hiking in Tomah Wonderland in Tomah Shopping & Dining Tomah History European Village Lake Tomah Crossing Casino Ridge Ski Area Wildlife Refuge Snowmobile Trails Cheese Mart Railroad Museum Red Schoolhouse Dairyland County Fair Farmers Market Golf Courses Churches

Explore Western Wisconsin . . . From Recreation Park to Lake Tomah, you’ll discover a myriad of all-season recreational opportunities in Tomah. Enjoy boating, water skiing, and fishing on the 207-acre Lake Tomah. Discover outstanding hiking, canoeing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, hunting and golfing throughout the area. Visitors can also enjoy the Olympic size swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, and two 18-hole public golf courses.

Biking & Hiking in Tomah . . . Bike along the scenic Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail - the old Chicago and Northwestern Railroad beds that have been converted into a picturesque 32-mile hiking and biking trail. Trek for miles on the La Crosse River Trail, the 400 State Trail and Great River Trail. [Top]

Winter Wonderland in Tomah . . . Winter in Tomah is a wonderland for outdoor buffs and powder heads. Ski, snowboard or tube the scenic, downhill slopes and trails at Whitetail Ridge, or enjoy cross-country runs in the beautiful back country. You can snowmobile over 260 miles of groomed county and local snowmobile club trails and enjoy a snowy Wisconsin adventure. Ice skating is offered at Recreation Park.

Tomah Parks . . . Experience 200 acres of green space and playgrounds at 10 beautiful Tomah parks. Stroll or hike along the Lemonweir Walking Trail, which stretches from Veterans Park to Butts Park. Have a day of fun at the Winnebago Wonderland in Winnebago Park. Lake Park and Winnebago city parks line the shores of Lake Tomah with boat docking facilities.

Tomah Events . . . Every year, Tomah plays host to a wide range of fun events, festivals and fairs. Action and excitement await you at Wisconsin Dairyland Grand National Tractor Pull held each July at Recreation Park - ranked the number one pull in the nation. Recreation Park also hosts the Monroe County Fair in July and is home of the Tomah Youth Hockey Association in winter. The famous Warrens Cranberry Festival celebrates the harvest every September with a festive 1500-booth marketplace, arts & crafts, parades, contests, and cranberry marsh tours. [Top]

Shopping & Dining . . . Discover a selection of merchandise and hometown friendliness in Tomah. Shopping areas include Burnstad's Village Mall, Downtown City Centre, and Northtowne Center. Find some Wisconsin treasures, quality pieces and collectibles at the Antique Mall. Throughout the year, a number of Arts and Crafts Fairs also entice shoppers. Please your palate at Tomah’s restaurants serving a variety of cuisine - from European-Style cafés to supper clubs to ethnic foods.

Hunting & Fishing . . . Tomah offers outstanding hunting and fishing environments. Home to Western Wisconsin’s Pheasant Championship, Woods and Meadow Hunting Preserve features 1,000 acres of private hunting in a natural environment. Head to Rosco’s Live Bait for bait, supplies and licenses, or the Tomah Ranger Station. [Top]

Tomah History . . . Tomah features several historic buildings, including the Little Red Schoolhouse, which is open during the summer for tours. Structures at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Tomah Public Library are among the city’s historic settings. Tomah's new Harris G. Allen Telecommunication Historical Museum exhibits the technology and equipment used by the men and women who molded and worked in the telecom industry.

Cranberry Country . . . Tomah is Cranberry Country with some 2,500 acres of cranberry bogs and marshes dotting the countryside. The Tomah-Warrens area ranks second in annual cranberry production, and boasts the oldest producing marsh in Wisconsin - planted in 1870. These native berries account for 1/3 of Wisconsin’s cranberry market. The Tomah area also supports Wisconsin's claim as America's Dairyland, ranking 15th in the number of dairy farms in the state. [Top]

Exciting Tomah Attractions

Burnstad’s European Village – Located in Tomah, Burnstad's European Village is a relaxing and beautiful atmosphere to shop, eat, and relax. Rated Wisconsin's No.1 Specialty Shop, Burnstads excites with the ambiance of authentic European architecture and brick walkways that meander through a quaint collection of specialty clothing and gift shops. Inside, a lattice work gazebo extends over a portion of a fish pond. Visit www.burnstads.com.

Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail – Part of the Wisconsin Trails System, the beloved Elroy-Sparta State Trail is 20 miles away. Located in Hidden Valleys Country, it passes through the unglaciated areas and exemplifies the natural beauty of Wisconsin. The picturesque 32-mile biking and hiking trail runs on the converted Chicago & North Western Railroad bed, and passes through three rock tunnels - the Kendall, Wilton and Norwalk. The scenic trail is covered with limestone screenings and provides a smooth riding surface. The bridges are covered with planks and guarded with railings. Enter the trail at Elroy Commons or the old Kendall Depot, the Trail Headquarters. Visit www.elroy-sparta-trail.com. [Top]

Lake Tomah – With 207 acres of freshwater, Lake Tomah is the jewel of Tomah’s outdoor adventures sports. Located off Butts Avenue and Parkview Drive, Lake Tomah is an idyllic spot for boating, water skiing and fishing for Northern, Bluegills, Perch, Crappies, Sunfish, Bass and Bullhead fish. Two city parks - Winnebago and Lake – blanket the shores with public docking facilities.

Fort McCoy – Founded in 1909, the U.S. Army Installation is located 7 minutes from the hotel in Tomah. Fort McCoy has played a major role in past military missions and remains a key force today. Military veterans will recall fond memories of what was known as Camp McCoy. As a Total Force Training Center, Fort McCoy provides quality training facilities for reserve- and active-component military forces. Visit www.mccoy.army.mil. [Top]

Whitetail Crossing Casino – For gaming action, Whitetail Crossing Casino - a Native American Casino in Tomah - is open daily from 8 a.m. to midnight. The 2,082 square foot casino features 100 coinless slots and a smoke shop. Visit www.casinocity.com/us/wi/tomah/whicrosm.

Tomah Historical Society Museum – In the heart of downtown Tomah, the History Museum catalogs the history of Tomah, including displays on early Tomah industries including railroad, lumber, agriculture and cranberry production. Visit exhibits from Tomah native son Frank King, creator of the nationally syndicated comic Strip “Gasoline Alley” – based on Tomah’s Superior Avenue. [Top]

Whitetail Ridge Ski Area – Winter in Tomah is a wonderland for outdoor buffs and powder heads. Ski the slopes and trails at Whitetail Ridge, located in one of the most scenic areas of Fort McCoy. Skiers enjoy four downhill slopes with a vertical drop of over 185 feet - the longest being 1300 feet - cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. A T-bar lift serves the slopes, while the tubing area has its own rope. You’ll have a thrill sliding down the 800-foot tubing slope on a large inner tube. Enjoy 5 miles of trails winding through 300 acres of forest with abundant wildlife that make your ski experience unforgettable.

Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center – Cranberries have been grown commercially in Wisconsin for over 150 years. Come learn about our juicy cranberry industry at the Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center. Visit the Exhibit Hall where storyboards, video, sound recordings, and interactive displays detail the historic and contemporary aspects of Wisconsin’s No. 1 fruit crop. Visit www.discovercranberries.com. [Top]

Necedah Wildlife Refuge – Established in 1939 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and wildlife, the Necedah Wildlife Refuge is located in the Great Central Wisconsin Swamp. The 43,656-acre refuge is a biodiverse wildlife mosaic that offers excellent opportunities for outdoor recreation and environmental education. Acres of wetlands provide a protected habitat for threatened, endangered and rare species such as the Karner blue butterfly, Whooping Crane, massasauga rattlesnake, Blanding’s turtle and gray wolf. The extensive forest with pine, oak, and aspen is habitat for waterfowl and sandhill cranes. Visit www.fws.gov/midwest/necedah.

Volk Field – National Guard and military units receive realistic, integrated flying and mission support training exercises at Volk Field Air National Guard Base (ANGB), the 2,300-acre installation 12 miles southeast of Tomah. Named after the first Wisconsin National Guard pilot killed during the Korean Conflict, Volk Field houses a Combat Readiness Training Center - one of only four in the US. All branches of the Guard, Reserve and Active Duty Military conduct year-round combat training at Volk Field because its topography and climate resemble those found in Europe. Trace the history of the Wisconsin National Guard at the Memorial Library & Museum. Visit www.volkfield.ang.af.mil. [Top]

Wisconsin Snowmobile Trails – Monroe County and its neighbors offer 271 miles of blazed county and local snowmobile club trails for the most scenic snowmobiling adventure in Western Wisconsin. Join Tomah’s snowmobile clubs for a sensational ride through agricultural and forested land with rolling hills that offer scenic views. Check out the trails at Elroy Bike Trail and La Crosse River Trail that connect to Juneau, La Crosse and Jackson counties. For maps/conditions, call (608) 269-3375, or visit www.awsc.org/monroe.html.

Down A Country Road Amish Tour Service – Down a country road in the heart of scenic West Central Wisconsin, lies a quiet community known to local folks as Amish Country USA. Go back in time to a simpler way of life, where a buggy and colorful quilts airing on a clothesline were not uncommon sights. Experience one of the largest Amish settlements in Wisconsin and discover a complex, intriguing way of life rooted in faith and hard work. The Amish tour takes you to Amish homes, farms and shops. The Amish-built Gift Shop is filled with hand-crafted Amish treasures. You will also delight in the Little Red Shed, which was built on the farm in 1905 and renovated to accommodate country crafts and gifts. Go to www.downacountryroad.com. [Top]

Humbird Cheese Mart – Walk up to the famous Humbird Cheese Mart where you can sample and purchase delicious Wisconsin cheeses, ranging from Blue Cheeses to Gouda and Cheddar, in a variety of flavors and pick out a cheesy gift. A Wisconsin tradition since the 1930s, Humbird has two locations - Tomah and Wisconsin Dells. Visit www.humbirdcheese.com.

This Old Barn – This Old Barn in Tomah offers country crafts and collectibles. Enjoy the charming shop atmosphere in a rustic barn that conjures your country spirit. Browse unique products from local suppliers and crafters, including dried floral arrangements, wreaths and swags, country from baskets, country dolls, candle lines, wood & wire items, country furniture, and berry garlands. Kids love the sheep, goats, horses, miniature donkeys, pot-bellied pig, and 25-30 friendly llamas. This Old Barn also presents bus tours and annual events. Visit www.thisoldbarntomah.com. [Top]

Little Falls Doll & Railroad Museum – Take a nostalgic trip through beautiful farmlands where two unusual museum buildings are located on a three-acre site. The Little Falls Doll & Railroad Museum is devoted to preserving past history through collections of antique dolls and of steam locomotives artifacts and memorabilia. The campus includes a sheltered picnic area with tables and grills, an outdoor Garden Railroad, a full-size caboose tour and children's train rides. Visit www.raildoll.org.

International Crane Foundation – The International Crane Foundation (ICF) is the only place in the world where you can see all 15 crane species and a leader in the conservation of endangered species. Learn about the techniques used to preserve some of the rarest birds in the world. See the Wattled Cranes dancing in their grasslands, or hear the haunting calls of the Red-crowned Cranes. Observe the Sarus crane, the tallest flying bird in the world, and the rare Whooping crane in a wetland exhibit. Explore nature trails through oak savanna, wetlands and tall grass prairie and learn about ecosystem preservation. Visit www.savingcranes.org. [Top]

Little Red Schoolhouse – Located on Tomah’s Gillett Park, this delightfully preserved one-room schoolhouse lets you step back in time to discover how students of the past were taught. Call the Tomah CVB at (608) 372-2166.

Exciting Tomah Events
From country fairs to tractor pulls, from summer festivals to the fall Cranberry Festival, Tomah offers many exciting annual events for the whole family. [Top]

Wisconsin Dairyland Super National Tractor Pull – Thirty miles east of the Mississippi River in beautiful Western Wisconsin, the Budweiser Super National Tractor Pull at Recreation Park (Monroe County Fairgrounds) draws 50,000 fans to Tomah for the annual event which features a cash purse of over $175,000. Tomah has become a premier event on the NTPA Championship Pulling Circuit for pullers, fans, and festival lovers. Celebrating its 30th birthday, the Tomah Tractor Pull is one of the country's most prestigious competitions, and a 9-time "NTPA Pull of the Year" award winner. www.tomahtractorpull.com.

Warrens Cranberry Festival – September 22 – 24, 2006 - One of the country’s biggest festivals, the Cranberry Festival celebrates Warrens, Wisconsin - the "Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin.” An incredible shopping experience, Cranfest boasts over 1,500 booths covering more than three miles. The Farmers Market has over 100 vendors with fall produce from painted pumpkins to fresh cranberries. Browse the Antique & Flea Market’s merchandise, toys, collectibles, jewelry, depression glass, and art. The Art & Crafts Show has more than 800 vendors featuring unusual and interesting arts and crafts. Visit www.cranfest.com. [Top]

Monroe County Fair – Held at Recreation Park in Tomah, July 26-30, 2006, the Monroe County Fair is a summer celebration that awakens the town with music, food and Wisconsin revelry.

Shopping in Tomah

Antique Mall of Tomah – The Tomah Antique Mall offers quality pieces and collectibles for the beginner to advanced collector. Visit www.tomahwisconsin.com/antiquemall. [Top]

Tomah Farmers Market - Enjoy edible products, plants, Amish breads and candies in Tomah’s Gillett Park. The Farmers Market is open 7 a.m. to 1 .pm. Saturdays, and 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, June 1 through October. Call (608) 372-2166 or (800) 948-6624.

Tomah Driving Tours
Enjoy three self-guided driving tours - Amish Country, Cranberry Country and Mill Bluff and the Coulee Region - and experience the beautiful Tomah, Wisconsin scenery at your own pace. A scenic drive through the picturesque, rolling hills southeast of the city takes you past working Amish farms and the crimson cranberry marshes that color the landscape. For a Tomah Adventure Map, visit www.tomahwisconsin.com or call (608) 948-6624.

• Cranberry Country Drives – Discover the breathtaking sights of Cranberry Country. On the Cranberry Tour you’ll pass cranberry marshes and sphagnum moss drying sheds. In late June or early July, you can see the low-growing vines blossom. Honeybees assist in pollination and small green berries are evident in August, and harvest takes place in late September. With more than 2,500 acres of cranberry marshes, Tomah-Warrens is Cranberry Country. Visit www.wiscran.org.
  
  
• Amish Driving Tours – The Amish Tour highlights many Amish homesteads, farms, horse-drawn vehicles and two remarkable turn-of-the-century churches. Our driving tour map points out numerous Amish shops offering wares from homemade candy to hand crafted Amish furniture. [Top]

Tomah Golf Courses

Hiawatha Golf Course - Hiawatha is a beautiful Scottish links-style 18-hole, 72 par course. The greens are large, undulating, and firm. Water hazards play on four holes. The signature hole is #9, a 501-yard, par 5, requiring a tee shot up its dogleg right fairway, and then an approach shot over a pond to the green. The course offers a driving range, putting green, and motorized carts. Hiawatha GC is public and moderately priced. Visit www.tomahwisconsin.com/hiawatha_golf.htm

Holiday Lodge Golf Course – This scenic 18-hole, par 71 public golf course features bent grass greens and fairways. The signature hole is #17, requiring an approach shot to an scenic island green. The greens are fast, and the fairways are narrow. Visit www.holidaylodgegolf.com [Top]

Tomah Churches

• St. Mary's Catholic Church, 303 W. Monroe, 608-372-4516
• St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church (WS), 525 Superior Avenue, 608-372-2347
• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (ELCA), 310 W. Elizabeth, 608-372-4758
• Bible Evangelical Free Church, 402 Pine Street,608- 372- 9377
• First United Methodist Church, 1105 Butts Avenue, 608-372-4543 [Top]

For more information about things to do in Tomah, visit www.tomah.net

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