Located in the heart of Wisconsin lies the city of Stevens Point in Portage County.
Stevens Point is named after the town’s first mayor, George Stevens, who greatly developed the town during his post.
Now, Stevens Point is the largest city in Portage County, known for its year-round outdoor sports activities and protected nature trails.
So if you are looking to spend your vacation filled with outdoor adventure or escape from the bustling of the city and be one with nature, then this place is a perfect choice.
Read on to know more about the best things to do in Stevens Point, Wisconsin:
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Explore the scenic Green Circle trail on a bike or on foot to unwind and immerse yourself in nature on your visit to Stevens Point.
Whether you are there to hike, cycle, or just take a short stroll, you will definitely enjoy being outdoors surrounded by a peaceful landscape.
This 27-mile scenic trail is connected with over 45 miles of other trails in Schmeekle Reserve and stretches along rivers through parks, wetlands, and forests.
Green Circle Trail is home to a large diversity of habitats that supports numerous wildlife species, so make sure that you leave no trace and just appreciate the wonders of nature.
Stevens Point Brewery offers tours to all ages so families can get together for a fun experience of discovering the art of creating beer.
Children can’t try out their beer, of course, but they got you!
They serve a variety of flavourful gourmet sodas that everyone can try and taste.
The Point Patio, their outdoor beer garden, is the perfect hang-out place for friends and family where you can have some fun with their outdoor games selection.
Take note that all guests are required to wear closed-toe shoes to enter and explore several areas of their facility for a tour since it’s an operating brewery.
If you are visiting Stevens Point with children, you should spend a day out with them at Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum located in downtown Stevens Point.
The museum is designed for kids to learn and play through interactive exhibits and fun activities for both kids and adults.
They also offer educational programs with the mission to expand a child’s skills and talent.
If you are looking for a safe environment where both adults and children can have fun, Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum is the perfect place to go.
Are you an outdoor recreation enthusiast?
Stevens Point area boasts four paddling spots for paddlers of all experience levels.
If you are a beginner who wants to try kayaking or canoeing, Lake Joanis is a great spot for learning the basics, and beginners will appreciate the calm waters with no motorboat traffic.
The Tomorrow River Paddling Route is a popular spot for intermediate skilled paddlers who are planning to make a few stops to visit nearby places along the route.
Plover River is another spot for intermediate-skilled paddlers who wants the combination of peaceful paddling and a bit of adventure; the route is surrounded by wildlife and a peaceful environment.
Adventure junkies will surely enjoy the challenging seven-mile stream along the Mill Creek route surrounded by rocky ledges along the stream.
Stevens Point offers the best waterway, which features water activities like shoreline fishing.
The Stevens Point Flowage is part of the long stretch of the Wisconsin River; it is located between Lake Dubay and the city of Stevens Point.
The river stretches up to 3,900 acres of fishing water, providing suitable habitat for several species of fish like Muskie, Bass, Northern Pike, Panfish, and Walleye.
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After your tiring stroll around Green Circle Trail, you may want to head out to Stevens Point Sculpture Park to take a breather and relax since it is connected with the Green Circle Trail.
This 20-acre park offers a unique experience for everyone to experience the wonderful connection between nature and art.
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An environmental art crawl through the park allows you to discover beautiful art exhibits carefully placed all around the area and relax with nature at the same time.
Aside from strolling through the park, you can also participate in their educational programs and hang out with other art enthusiasts on scheduled performance events.
Q Artists Cooperative is located on Main Street of Stevens Point; the gallery exhibits unique local arts.
This local art center supports a community of artists by exhibiting and selling their artistic creations.
The gallery itself is aesthetically pleasing, and it has a vibrant atmosphere that feels very welcoming to guests stopping by.
If you are looking for a great souvenir to commemorate your stay at Stevens Point, you can shop for an artwork that resonates with you.
Stevens Point Farmers’ Market is one of the longest-running farmer’s markets in the state since 1847, located in Mathias Mitchell Public Square.
The marketplace is the perfect place to shop for fresh produce and a variety of locally-made merchandise.
The farmers market is open seven days a week to cater essential food resources to locals and tourists.
Make sure to bring a reusable bag if you plan to shop around the farmers market to carry items easier.
For science and history buffs, you may want to check out Stevens Point’s National Museum of Natural History located inside the University of Wisconsin.
The museum is dedicated to bringing natural history to life; they feature professionally curated exhibits of ethnographic and natural science research collections to present nature’s diversity among human cultures.
The tour around the museum is absolutely free, but your donations are greatly appreciated to support continuous scientific research and educational programs in the university.
If you want to have a unique shopping experience where you can shop for beads and rocks, get yourself a piece of one-of-a-kind jewelry, or take bead crafting classes, you should check out this amazing shop in Main Street, Stevens Point.
Blue Bead & Rock Company offers a wide variety of rocks and beads sourced from different parts of the world like crystals, geodes, and minerals.
Whether you want to crack a geode or craft custom design jewelry, this shop offers many services for an exciting rock shopping experience.
SentryWorld features a 200-acre eighteen-hole world-class golf course designed by the iconic Robert Trent Jones Jr., a famous American golf course architect who designed around 500 golf courses in 45 U.S. states and other 35 countries.
The course is famous for its signature “flower hole,” which features 33,000 flowers surrounding the greens. SentryWorld gained the reputation of being a destination golf destination because of its courses’ unique character.
Aside from playing golf, they also have a sports complex for other activities like volleyball and tennis.
Your stay at SentryWorld can’t be complete without a hearty meal at their restaurant; they serve food made with locally sourced ingredients to pay tribute to the flavors of Wisconsin.
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Another outdoor recreation spot is the 1,000-mile walking footpath that traverses through Wisconsin; it is home to beautifully preserved geologic features from the Ice Age.
The Ice Age Trail’s landscape was sculpted by continental glaciation, which ended 10,000 years ago, forming a series of ridges and crater-like depressions from large chunks of melting ice.
Discover the healing benefits of being close to nature; you can stop by to meditate or try forest bathing to expand your experience hiking through the trail.
Even if you choose to take a short hike in the Ice Age Trail – Stevens Point Chapter, you can still experience the relaxing sensory experience of being one with nature.
If you want to experience other fun activities without being out in the woods, head out to Putt-N-Play for an exciting experience for the young and old.
For families visiting Stevens Point, Putt-N-Play offers a wide array of games for family entertainment.
Putt-N-Play offers games for all ages like indoor mini-golf courses, outdoor laser tag, race remote control cars in their outdoor tracks, and a variety of arcade games.
Aside from the awesome activities, they also offer great food to complete the family bonding experience.
Your visit will not be a dull one because both kids and adults will enjoy this action-packed place.
If you are looking for a fantastic experience for your taste buds, consider visiting the Sunset Point Winery situated in downtown Stevens Point.
They offer widely-varied wines from different grape varieties and fruit-infused blends.
The winery also serves craft sodas and beer, along with snacks and cheese perfect for families coming in to relax in their cozy tasting room.
You may also check out some souvenirs in their stores for a Wisconsin-made gift as a remembrance for your stay.
The KASH playground is also the perfect stop for families traveling with children; this particular playground has wide-varied activities for children of all ages and mobilities.
This playground is a local project initiated by Kareen Everman, inspired by her son Brett who was disabled due to a car accident.
The success of building this playground impacts the community, and it is continuously leaving a smile on children and their families.
Head out to this local playground; it is absolutely free for everyone to enjoy the inclusive and interactive design of the amenities.
If you plan to visit Stevens Point during the winter, make sure to head out to Standing Rock County Parks for another outdoor fun.
The ski trail is open daily throughout the snow season; it is located seven miles east of Plover and Stevens Point area.
For non-skiers, try their one or two-mile marked trail for snowshoeing.
For intermediate to expert skilled skiers, you can try cross-country skiing; there are different skiing routes starting at 2.9 km up to 12.7km trail as the longest.
Downhill skiing is one of the famous activities in the park that is available every weekend throughout the snow season.
There are two beginner hills, one intermediate hill, and two expert hills.
All gears are available for rent in their ski lodge, serving hot concessions to guests.
More winter activities for outdoor junkies are available at Iverson Park—the park houses sled and saucer hills, skating rink, ski trails, and Toboggan slides.
You’ll find four sled and saucer hills–one designated for children six years and younger.
Besides their famous sled and saucer run, there is also a skating rink and two 300-foot-long Toboggan slides.
Your visit to Iverson Park is surely adventure-packed with all the winter sports activities they offer.
But Iverson Park is a perfect place to visit in any season of the year because the park offers tons of activities throughout the year.
You can meander along with the warm color of nature trails during fall or explore urban wildlife and set a picnic date in the summer.
Stevens Point offers a multitude of activities to fill your stay with fun and adventure.
Aside from being active with outdoor activities, there’s always a place to relax and get to appreciate the charm of the city.
With all the amazing nature trails and adventure-filled activities, Stevens Point will surely make for an unforgettable vacation.
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