Cedarburg, WI

A gastropub in a genuinely historic building — the original tavern was raised on stilts when the owner needed a first floor below it — now pouring 30 rotating taps and serving a small-plate menu that changes with the season. The tuna tartare and shrimp tacos have devoted regulars, and the outdoor patio fills fast on warm evenings. Beer selection leans heavily toward Wisconsin craft with some well-chosen imports.

Set in the Cedar Creek Settlement's restored 19th-century blacksmith's shop, with exposed stone walls and a creek-side patio that overlooks the Cedar Creek waterfall, this is the closest thing Cedarburg has to a neighborhood anchor. The menu is pub-honest — steak burgers, stone-hearth Forge sandwiches, and a Friday fish fry in a light, crisp batter — and the waterfall seating in good weather is genuinely pleasant. The room itself, all quarried stone and low timber, does a lot of the work.

A family-owned pizzeria on Washington Avenue that has been feeding Cedarburg since 1976, long enough to have regulars who now bring their own kids. The draw is the pizza — a thin, cracker-crisp crust or a deep dish, both built with the cheese tucked under the sauce and toppings — backed by spaghetti, ravioli, and sandwiches. You order at the bar and seat yourself, and it gets crowded on weekends.

A downtown cafe that does both savory and sweet crepes well, along with soups that change daily and coffee that's taken seriously. The broccoli cream soup and savory crepes are the reliables; the dessert crepes are worth finishing with. Seating is tight but the staff moves efficiently and it doesn't feel rushed.

A brewpub occupying part of the 1855 limestone grist mill that predates even Cedar Creek Settlement, with a beer garden overlooking the creek. The beer program runs from clean lagers to experimental small-batch releases, and the food is more than an afterthought. The setting — old mill stone, creek sounds, hop aromas — is as good as it gets in Cedarburg.

A larger craft brewery just south of downtown with 24 taps covering the range from crisp session ales to aggressive IPAs and stouts, in a comfortable tasting room with good natural light and ample seating. The food program is solid enough to make this a full stop rather than a quick pint. Less atmospheric than the mill breweries but more consistent in volume and variety.

The neighborhood tavern that Cedarburg regulars actually go to — no pretense, reliable bar food, and a Friday fish fry that draws a line out the door. The beer list is straightforward and the cocktails are what you'd expect from a Wisconsin bar that's been doing this since the 1980s. Come for the fish fry or come for a no-fuss lunch; don't come expecting anything it isn't.

An intimate Washington Avenue spot focused on small shareable plates — cheese boards, crostini, roasted vegetables — alongside a wine and cocktail list that's more considered than the room's casual feel suggests. The charcuterie selection is sourced carefully and the accompaniments change with the season. Better for a slow drink-and-graze than a quick meal.

A 30-mile paved rail-trail running the length of Ozaukee County from Grafton to Port Washington along the old interurban rail corridor, passing through Cedarburg's downtown and into open agricultural land. The Cedarburg segment threads between limestone buildings and century-old trees, then opens into the county's rolling farmland. A genuine multi-use trail that works equally for a short town loop or an all-day ride.

An 88-acre town park with a network of hiking and mountain bike trails through hardwood forest, a pond with a boardwalk, and an observation tower that looks over the tree canopy. Three loops of increasing difficulty cover the park, with the beginner loop accessible for all fitness levels. The pond area is particularly good in spring when waterfowl are active.

The shorter and more accessible of the two Cedarburg Bog entry points, leading through tamarack forest to a boardwalk pier on Watts Lake where the open water and surrounding sphagnum landscape are fully visible. The ground flora changes dramatically across the short walk as the soil transitions from mineral to organic peat. A rare chance to walk through a functioning boreal bog in southern Wisconsin.

A short paved and gravel path along Cedar Creek through the center of Cedarburg, connecting the old mill district to the residential neighborhoods upstream. The creek corridor has good tree cover and the sound of the water makes it feel farther from Washington Avenue than it is. A useful connector for getting between the Settlement and the north end of downtown on foot.

A gentle loop through wooded bottomland around the 1876 covered bridge and Cedar Creek, combining the bridge crossing with a short trail that follows the creek bank on both sides. The path is unpaved and close enough to the water that you're hearing the creek the whole time. Short enough to do with kids but scenic enough to satisfy adults looking for a proper walk.

Daily tastings in the stone-walled lower level of the old mill let you work through the full range of Cedar Creek's production — dry to sweet, red to white — with knowledgeable pours and no hard sell. The atmosphere in the vaulted tasting room is as much a draw as the wine itself, particularly on rainy days when the stone and candlelight close in warmly.

The arts anchor of Washington Avenue, presenting live music, theatre, and gallery exhibitions throughout the year in a converted limestone building. The intimate main hall seats about 300 and books everything from Blueburg Cafe blues nights and jazz to comedy, open mics, and monthly First Fridays music parties. Programming leans toward jazz, blues, and folk, with occasional theatrical productions in the main hall.

A downtown winery on Washington Avenue, open since 2019 and best known for its award-winning Sexy Series. The list runs dry to sweet across reds and whites made from California and international grapes, and tastings stay conversational and unhurried. Wine classes and pairing events fill out the calendar, with a patio for warm-weather pours.

Cedarburg's only distillery, women-owned and run, working out of a restored 1920s Ford garage on Washington Avenue. Whiskey leads — the Mill Race blend of straight whiskies and a range of bourbons — alongside award-winning gin, vodka, and cognac, all distilled and blended on-site from Wisconsin-milled grain. Tours of the production floor are brief and informal, more a conversation with the distiller than a set presentation.

An 1886 Queen Anne landmark on Washington Avenue — three stories of cream city brick, among the tallest and most ornate buildings in the historic district. Inside, the lobby and rooms keep the Victorian detail the exterior promises: pressed tin ceilings, original woodwork, and parlor fireplaces across 34 rooms. It runs as Cedarburg's most established inn, where the daily guest social pours Cedar Creek Winery's local wines alongside Wisconsin cheeses.

A sprawling 1864 woolen mill complex converted into galleries, boutiques, a winery, and studios without losing the feel of the stone walls and creek that made it. The hand-quarried limestone buildings are among the most intact 19th-century industrial complexes in Wisconsin. Wander through the levels and out onto the creek overlook whenever the shops pull you off track.

A nearly unbroken stretch of 19th-century limestone storefronts, taverns, and hotel blocks that reads as a complete Victorian main street rather than a preserved fragment. More than 200 structures in two separate National Register districts line the avenue and the side streets radiating from it. The scale is walkable and the buildings are genuinely in use, not museumified.

Wisconsin's last remaining covered bridge, a 120-foot pine-and-oak lattice span built in 1876, sits at the center of a shaded Ozaukee County park along Cedar Creek. The bridge is still crossable on foot and the creek below has easy access for wading. It's a short detour from downtown but feels entirely removed from it.

Housed in a converted limestone storefront on Washington Avenue, this small museum focuses on Wisconsin and regional artists with rotating exhibitions that lean toward contemporary work. The permanent collection includes pieces rooted in the Milwaukee art scene, and rotating shows keep the galleries changing through the year. A quick stop that rewards the unhurried visitor.

The largest intact wetland complex in southeastern Wisconsin, a tamarack and sphagnum bog that survived development because the land was simply too wet to drain. Two separate trailheads reach Watts Lake and Mud Lake, and the boardwalk sections put you eye-level with carnivorous plants and nesting waterfowl. The birding is excellent in spring and fall.

A working winery inside the Cedar Creek Settlement that produces traditional-style grape wines ranging from dry red to sweet fruit blends, all made on-site in the old mill. Tastings are unpretentious and the staff will let you work through the range at your own pace. The stone-walled tasting room next to the original equipment is one of the more atmospheric spots in the building.