Eau Claire, WI - Not Just a College Town

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

However, if you go at a time of year when it isn't too cold, a lovely walk along the Chippewa River is also a nice option. When going out, if you stick to Water Street, walking is the best option.

This is a great meeting place for dinner because it has a good variety to suit everyone's tastes and has a great atmosphere. They serve a variety of drinks as well as the local Leinekugel's brew!

Acoustic Cafe serves hoagies, pitas, soups, salad, espresso, gourmet coffee, desserts and beer (including the local Leinenkugel varieties.

Live music is featured on weekends. Open 7 days a week.

Popular among college students for lunch or an after-bar snack, I would recommend Erb's and Gerb's as a great take-out joint. They also deliver and are open 7 days a week.

Outdoor dining is available.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 4:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday May-September.

They have a great selection of beer, wine, and spirits. Visitors can enjoy a casual, smoke free atmosphere with wine bar, fireplace, and outdoor seating in the spring and summer.

I would have to say that Mona Lisa's is my favorite restaurant in all of Eau Claire, if not of all the restaurants to which I have ever been. The combination of its atmosphere and quality food make it a more than a notch above the rest. You MUST NOT pass up a chance to eat here!

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, opens 4pm.

If you choose the 'buffet', you pick the vegetables, the meat (if desired), and the sauces and the chef stir-fries everything in front of you at the buffet. Great food and excellent prices.

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11:00am -10:00pm.

The chefs are truly fascinating to watch. Most meals include a salad with a great citrus dressing. Menu includes seafood, chicken, steak, and vegetables. Try the plum wine!

Hours: Teppanyaki dining daily from 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5:00 p.m.-10 p.m. Traditional dining and lunch available; Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Opens at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

This cafe overlooks the Chippewa River, so outdoor seating is available during the spring and summer months.

They specialize in gourmet coffees, espresso beverages, bagel sandwiches, lemonade, espresso milkshakes, smoothies, and snacks. Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30a.m.-12:00a.m.; and Saturday-Sunday, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m.

Located across from Oakwood Mall, Mancino's is open 7 days a week!

Open 7 days a week.

To get there, take Hwy 53 North. Take a right on Birch Street (County Q) and follow for about 10 minutes.

Campsites are available, as well as, craft and food stands. For further information on this year's events call 800-780-0526 or visit www.countryjam.com

Each summer (June through Labor Day), the Ski Sprites Water Ski Show Team performs every Wednesday and Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. on Half Moon Beach with their dazzling stunts. Although I cannot personally recommend the event, many people have raved about it!. June through Labor Day. Admission is free.

(Call 1-888-523-3866 for further information.)

Chippewa Falls is only about a half hour drive from the heart of Eau Claire. It is home of Leinenkugel's Beer. Try the beer and taste for yourself its true quality compared to other beers in Wisconsin. Most bars and restaurants in the Chippewa Valley (including Eau Claire) serve at least one of the many varieties of Leinie's .

Leinenkugel Varieties
- Original - the original brew
- Light - the light version
- Leinie's Red - need I say more?
- Creamy Dark - dark malt variety
- Honey Weiss - (pronounced with a 'v') a wheat beer with a hint of honey, highly recommended
- Berry Weiss - brewed from a blend of Pale and Wheat malts and Cluster hops, then sweetened with fresh Wisconsin loganberries, elderberries and blackberries, highly recommended , (seasonal beer only)
- Northwoods Lager - known as an 'Oktoberfest-styled' beer, it is made with barley malt and aged longer than most American lagers
- Hefeweizen - a Bavarian-style wheat beer; Hefeweizen combines German words 'hefe' (meaning 'yeast') with 'weizen' (meaning 'wheat')
- Bock - creamy, caramel-malted brew

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company's Leinie's Lodge offers free tours of the eighth oldest working brewery in the U.S. Free Samples for those of legal age (21+). Reservations recommended.

Well-known for its dinner-theatre featuring talented actors, Fanny Hill is situated in a beautiful area of the Chippewa Valley. Fanny Hill also offers elegant indoor dining, casual outdoor dining during the spring and summer months, and seasonal decorations (i.e. Halloween and Christmas).

I attended a well-performed play at Fanny Hill and thoroughly enjoyed it. While I've heard that the food is exquisite here, it is not a requirement to see a show.

Open Wednesday-Sunday.

For up-to-date listings of performances, visit www.fannyhill.com.

Recommended .

Pine Meadow's is a great Par 3 Golf Course. There is even a bar and grill for your after-sport entertainment! The bar and grill is open 5pm to 10pm daily. There is karaoke on Thursday nights and occasionally some weekend entertainment. Remember to enjoy a Leinie's !

Carson Park lies on Half Moon Lake and the Chippewa River. This park is most often used for get-togethers. It offers trails, playground equipment, pavilions, restrooms, picnic tables, grills, softball diamonds, parking, and tennis courts. It is here where you will find the UWEC Homecoming game and celebration in October as well as the 4th of July fireworks in the summer.

Located in Chippewa Falls, approximately a half hour from the heart of Eau Claire, is Irvine Park. Although this beautiful park has much to offer, my personal highlight was the petting zoo !

In addition, you will find picnic areas and historical displays. This park is not far from the Leinie's Brewery ! .

UWEC puts on several plays and/or musicals as well as other performances each semester. Past performances include Inspecting Carol, Anne of Green Gables, Company, Romeo & Juliet, Ghetto, Marat Sade, Glass Menagerie among others. I have always loved attending shows at UWEC. The performers exhibit a great love for their work.

For up-to-date information about UWEC theatre or any campus programs contact:
1-888-INFO-UWE
www.uwec.edu
Service Center Ticket Office: 715-836-3727
Campus Events Line: 715-836-2100

Outdoor activities are very popular in Eau Claire. The scenery is lovely, especially along the Chippewa River. It is a great place to go for a run or walk, especially along the trails.

However, some activities require equipment. You can rent those at Riverside Bike & Skate ! They rent bicycles, canoes, kayaks, rollerblades, child trailers, and ice skates. Canoe and kayak trips are availble. Hours: Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Thursday hours are extended from 9:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Saturday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; and Sunday, 12:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Fairfax park is fun for the whole family. It is most well-known for its outdoor swimming pool with water slide (lots 'o fun!). Yet, it also includes Little League fields, a baseball diamond, and cross-country skiing areas. Recommended