About 20 miles north of Milwaukee takes you to the charming small town of Cedarburg.
You’ll easily get acquainted with its calming atmosphere and its tree-lined streets filled with buildings that have distinct brick and limestone designs dating back to the early 19th century.
Cedarburg is home to around 11,000 citizens, mostly German migrants who settled there in the mid-1800s.
Woolen mills were everywhere during the town’s early years.
Today, most of these structures have been converted into business establishments and museums.
Visiting this town is like being in a quaint European town because of its brick and limestone buildings that have stood the test of time.
Today, more than a hundred buildings in Cedarburg built back in the 18th to 19th centuries are still standing firm and unaltered.
Nine of these buildings are already on the National Register of Historic Places list.
Aside from historic buildings, the people of Cedarburg love to celebrate different festivals.
They also love outdoor activities and good food.
You won’t run out of activities and places to visit in Cedarburg.
The town boasts dozens of restaurants, shops, and other exciting things that will surely draw your interest.
This town is somewhat a perfect destination for a short and relaxing excursion.
So, what awaits you in this small town in Wisconsin?
Here are the 15 best things to do in Cedarburg, WI:
Sherry Talbot / Shutterstock.com
Wisconsin has several wooden covered bridges that still exist today, and one of them is found in Cedarburg.
Constructed way back in 1876, this 120-feet bridge that crosses Cedar Creek now serves as a historical landmark in town.
Due to its age, the Cedarburg Covered Bridge only allows pedestrians to cross it.
Gerald A. DeBoer / Shutterstock.com
Since it’s closed to motorists, the covered bridge is now a popular outdoor destination in town where you can enjoy strolling, picnicking, canoeing, and fishing.
The Cedarburg Covered Bridge is located at 1728-1784 Covered Bridge Rd, Cedarburg, WI.
One of the cleverest ways to enjoy your visit to an unfamiliar place is to get information from its visitor center.
So head to the Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center at N58 W6194 Columbia Rd, Cedarburg, WI.
It’s the perfect place to get information about the recommended places to visit in town, the activities to join, and the events to attend.
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 12 noon to 4 pm, but it’s closed on Monday and Tuesday.
The Cedarburg History Museum’s building itself is filled with history.
It’s the former Hilgen-Schroeder Mill Store built way back in 1846.
However, only remnants of the old mill store remain in the museum today.
Even if you’re not really into history, visiting this place is still worth it because of its interesting stories about the town and its people back in the day.
The museum allows you to get a closer look at the old Roger Christensen General Store Museum Collection.
If you’re planning to visit the museum, it is nestled at Columbia and Portland Roads.
The Cedarburg History Museum opens its doors from 10 am until 4 pm, except for Tuesdays.
Located east of Cedarburg’s historic downtown, the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts takes you on a unique art tour highlighting fiber and quilts.
The building that houses the museum is a former farmstead built way back in the 1850s.
The place is a perfect destination for art lovers who want to take a closer look at artworks made from quilts and fibers through contemporary, modern, and traditional methods.
The Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts has several exhibits and galleries to visit.
An afternoon stroll at the museum is a wonderful experience, especially for art lovers.
This attraction in Cedarburg is located at N50 W5050, Portland Rd, Cedarburg, WI, and it’s open from 10 am to 4 pm.
The Washington House Inn opened its doors way back in 1846 by German migrant Conrad Horneffer.
Upon arriving in Cedarburg in 1843, Horneffer decided to permanently settle in the town and constructed the famous Washington House as a harness shop.
Before being converted into a hotel, the Washington House served as an apartment, retail store, and meeting venue for the Knights of Columbus.
In 1983, the building underwent massive renovation after it was brought by a different owner and was finally converted into the Washington House Inn.
Today, the historic inn boasts more than 30 guest rooms, with most of the building’s original design still intact.
If you’re planning to visit or book a stay at this famous historic inn, it is located at W62N573 Washington Ave, Cedarburg, WI.
This popular winery in Cedarburg already has numerous awards for its excellent bottles of wine.
What’s even more fascinating is that the Cedar Creek Winery is housed in the historic Cedar Creek Settlement in Cedarburg’s downtown.
Visiting this winery is like traveling back in time.
It was built back in 1864 but was converted into a winery in 1972, initially named the Stone Mill Winery.
The Wollersheim family then bought the winery in 1990 and has then since known as the Cedar Creek Winery.
The family-run winery offers you a unique and exquisite wine tasting experience.
Get to taste the winery’s traditional red wine, blush grape wines, and a wide array of sweet to dry varieties of wines grown and made in Cedarburg.
The Cedar Creek Winery’s full address is N70W6340 Bridge Rd, Cedarburg, WI.
Cedarburg’s rich history paved the way for numerous museums to blossom in the community, so you’re pretty much visiting a lot of them there.
One of them is the Cedarburg Art Museum, a must-visit place not just for its features but also the mansion that houses the museum.
The Cedarburg Art Museum’s building has a distinct, beautiful design inspired by Romanesque and classical architecture using red bricks.
Before it became a museum, the mansion served as a multi-tenant apartment.
Fortunately, its original beauty and woodwork are retained perfectly, which you can see on its interiors.
It also houses a vast collection of artworks from different artists, while 49 paintings have been added recently through a trust fund from the Ozaukee Bank.
The Cedarburg Art Museum is situated at W63N675 Washington Ave, Cedarburg, and it’s open every Thursday to Sunday from 12 noon to 4 in the afternoon.
The Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement is housed in an 1864 woolen mill.
The place has been listed by the National Register of Historic Places already.
Instead of browsing history stuff there, you will be looking for great finds from its colorful shops and boutiques that sell apparel, antiques, jewelry, gift items, and food.
The Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement is also where most of the town’s events happen.
It’s also where most locals spend their time for leisure.
This Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement is located at N70 W6340 Bridge Rd, Cedarburg, WI.
James Meyer / Shutterstock.com
The Ozaukee Interurban Trail was originally an electric railway built in the early 1900s that ran from Sheboygan to Milwaukee.
After being decommissioned in 1951, it became a popular trail that stretches more than 30 miles covering the towns of Cedarburg, Brown Deer, Grafton, Thiensville, Port Washington, Cedar Grove, Belgium, Sheboygan, and Oostburg.
The City of Cedarburg Parks and Forestry Department continues to take care of the interurban trail to preserve its heritage.
The trail offers a lot of exciting outdoor adventures with hiking, the most popular among them, along with biking and jogging.
The entrance to the Ozaukee Interurban Trail in Cedarburg starts at the Pioneer Road to Bobolink Avenue.
If you want to breathe fresh air and see where most locals have their outdoor activities, visit Cedar Creek Park.
This park in Cedarburg is east of downtown along Portland Road.
It features a vast children’s playground, picnic areas, restrooms, and parking spaces.
The park covers the south point of Cedar Pond 121, which allows everyone to do waterborne activities like kayaking, canoeing, and fishing.
However, the park is more known by locals as the venue for big events, such as concerts and festivals, in town.
Cedar Creek Park is open from 6 am to 11 pm daily.
The Jonathan Clark House in Cedarburg is filled with rich historical artifacts and memorabilia dating back to the 1800s.
The house itself was listed by the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, making it historically significant to the town.
The Jonathan Clark House was built back in 1848 and was owned by the Clark Family.
The house played a role in shaping Cedarburg’s community as it served as the community meeting place during the town’s early years.
It’s also where Cedarburg’s township was planned by Peter Turck, Clark’s father-in-law, and William Bonniwell.
The house stood the test of time and remained a local icon for history and heritage in Cedarburg through the years.
Visiting this historic house is highly recommended if you want to learn more about the town’s history.
The Jonathan Clark House is located at 13615 N Cedarburg Rd, Mequon, WI.
Cedarburg celebrates not just the usual occasions every year.
The community also has its special festivals to celebrate.
They celebrate the Winter Festival every third weekend of February, followed by the Strawberry Festival every fourth weekend of June.
They also celebrate the Wine & Harvest Festival on the third weekend of September.
Since most of Cedarburg’s people have German descent, they celebrate the Oktoberfest on the first weekend of October.
The entire town celebrates the Cedarburg Christmas Festival from November through Christmas Day.
These festivals show the vibrant culture of Cedarburg’s community and how they put importance on traditions and be thankful for everything they have.
If you’re planning to join either one of these festivals, you can visit the Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce website to see each of its full schedules.
If you want to enjoy good food and learn history simultaneously, head to the Brandywine Cedarburg along W61N480 Washington Ave, Cedarburg, WI.
Like most business establishments in Cedarburg, the restaurant is housed in a historic building built way back in 1862.
Brandywine, a family-run restaurant, is one of the most popular places for locals and visitors to eat.
They’re best known for their Italian food using fresh, locally-grown ingredients.
Their hand-made pasta is something you shouldn’t miss, while they have a wide array of entrees and small plates that are all mouthwatering.
The restaurant only opens during dinner time from 5 pm until 8:30 pm and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
The Cedarburg Pond 121 is a popular fishing spot in town.
The entire pond has a size of 13 acres and a depth of around 10 feet, depending on the season.
If you want to relax and enjoy Cedarburg peacefully under the shade of the tree, this is the perfect place to go.
You can catch popular fish species like Rock Bass, Pan Fish, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass.
The Cedarburg Pond 121 is adjacent to Cedar Creek Park.
This popular attraction in Cedarburg lets you experience farm life and enjoy family-oriented entertainment.
The entire place is a giant pumpkin farm that offers a wide array of family activities (e.g., a corn maze, barrel train, bounce house) and a famous petting zoo where kids can interact with their cuddly pot-bellied pigs.
The Cedarburg Creek Farm also hosts numerous farm festivals every year, drawing thousands of people around Wisconsin.
Once you’re done with their rides, you can proceed to their pumpkin harvesting activity during fall or Christmas tree harvesting in December.
To visit this fun-filled farm in Cedarburg, it is at N58W6194 Columbia Rd, Cedarburg, WI.
Cedarburg Creek Farm welcomes visitors from 10 am to 4 pm but is closes every Tuesday.
There you go! Those are the 15 best things to do in Cedarburg, WI!
By now, you might be planning already to visit Cedarburg with your family.
Or perhaps, go there alone and explore its historic buildings and sites.
There are so many attractions to visit and fun things to do in this charming little town in Wisconsin.
If you had fun reading this post, it would be great to share this with your friends or family.
Once you’re in Cedarburg, don’t forget to revisit this page for an instant itinerary.
Discover the world.
© All rights reserved.
