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Manitowoc: A Wisconsin Maritime City

A travel journal to Manitowoc by Jim Rosenberg

S.S. BadgerMore Photos

Along the hundreds of miles of Great Lakes shoreline, the community of Manitowoc is a lesser-known destination than several smaller Door County communities to the North. That only makes this lovely Lake Michigan city an even better find.

  • 13 reviews
  • 12 photos

Manitowoc: A Wisconsin Maritime CityBest of IgoUgo

Overview

Wisconsin's East Coast
Manitowoc makes a great place to stage a Lake Michigan adventure, from charter fishing to simply enjoying the ambiance of this vast inland sea. The Manitowoc Maritime Museum will acquaint you with the colorful history of Great Lakes shipping. Want to really get the feel of Lake Michigan? Take the huge S.S. Badger across to Ludington, Michigan. Beautiful parks, miles of shoreline open to the public, picturesque marinas and plenty of visitor amenities make Manitowoc an excellent weekend get-away. Make use of the entire Lakeshore area by visiting the Rogers Street Fishing Village in Two Rivers and Point Beach State Park just to the north of that community.

Stop by a local diner, visit the chocolate shop or pop into one of several excellent bakeries that the city is blessed with. It won't take long to get to know and love this well-kept, fun-to-visit Lake Michigan community with its long-standing maritime heritage. Located south of the far more popular tourist destination of Door County-- in essence Wisconsin's version of Cape Cod -- Manitowoc offers an alternative to the crushing crowds and higher prices as a working community with a true Great Lakes personality all of its own. (There's even a little bit of a lakeshore accent, if you listen closely). It won't take long to make it your own and you will have developed a welcome respite in this friendly harbor that you can come back to time and again.

Quick Tips:

During the summer, be sure to make your lodging reservations in advance, since the carferry is a popular diversion. Ditto for charter fishing. To help with your game plan, stop by the Visitor Center near the I-43/U.S. 151 exit.

Best Way To Get Around:

While there are places to walk once you arrive, you will need a car to get around. For those who must venture out on the water, charter fishing or the ferry are available.

Inn On Maritime BayBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Inn on Maritime Bay
We use this rate advisedly, since it is easy to pay more, if you don't book in advance. The Inn on Maritime Bay is Manitowoc's only waterfront hotel and it features a comfy lounge, an excellent restaurant (the Breakwater), and an indoor pool & sauna. It is an attractive, newer structure and while we will admit that it is not as substantially constructed in the guestroom area as some -- (we notice this when we walk up and down the hallways, but not in the rooms themselves) -- all guestrooms have windows facing Lake Michigan. It is an outstanding location, with a nice walkway along the harbor and very convenient to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. This is a great place to stay. Website: www.innonmaritimebay.com
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Inn On Maritime Bay
101 MARITIME DRIVE Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
920-682-7000

Holiday Inn ManitowocBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Holiday Inn - Manitowoc"

Holiday Inn restaurant
Originally built as a Sheraton in the early 1980s, this is a top-shelf hotel and the only serious question you'll ask is 'What is this place doing here?'. The guest rooms are nicely appointed and this hotel has all the trimmings; meeting Holiday Inn's very decent franchise standards in just about every respect. That said, we believe it is time for some of the updating that we noted was inconspicously underway in early 2001. Its location at the I-43/U.S. 151 interchange makes it easy to find, although it is certainly not as nicely situated as the Inn on Maritime Bay. The restaurant is very nice and the building itself is formidable and first-class. Again, be sure to reserve in advance during the summer season particularly -- and also on fall weekends when the Green Bay Packers play at home. (It not only fills with traveling fans, but sometimes with visiting teams, as well). We recommend with the proviso that we would have a hard time paying the higher rack rate for this property. Fortunately, that has not happened to us yet and the $75-$100 rate we've listed reflects that experience.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Holiday Inn Manitowoc
4601 CALUMET AVE Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
920-682-6000

Lighthouse Inn on Lake MichiganBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Lighthouse Inn on the Lake"

Lighthouse Inn
Want to be ON the water? Then this is the place. Located about 7 miles north of Manitowoc on Memorial Drive (which goes right along the Lake Michigan shoreline), the Lighthouse is a 67-room hotel with a decent restaurant and lounge; both affording a view of the Lake from over the rip-rap that prevents the place from being washed out to sea. Pay a little extra for a lakeside room and listen to the waves all night long -- it's heavenly. Website: www.lhinn.com
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Lighthouse Inn on Lake Michigan
1515 Memorial Drive Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54241
(920) 793-4524

Copper KettleBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Copper Kettle II"

Looking for a place to grab breakfast before an early morning excursion? The Copper Kettle will be up before you are, beginning their day at 4 a.m. and catering to the fishing crowd. This is a stick-to-your-ribs local diner where you will be able to get a feel for the local pulse and a great breakfast that will be ready when you are.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Copper Kettle
4304 Scenic CT Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54241
(920) 794-1110

Breakwater RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Breakwater Restaurant
Located in the Inn on Maritime Bay, the Breakwater is consistently excellent, with a selection of seafood and other well-prepared entrees. The crusty buns and the salad cart, in which your server prepares your salad to your specifications on the spot provide a little extra flair, as does a tempting dessert cart in the end (in the unlikely event that the healthy portions haven't left you too full already). This restaurant is clearly a cut above many typical hotel restaurants and it is rewarded with very decent crowds, so a reservation is not a bad idea. The lakeside location with large windows facing a portion of the harbor, tasteful decor and pleasant ambiance all combine for a very pleasant dining experience at a price that is really quite reasonable.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Breakwater Restaurant
101 Maritime Drive Manitowoc, Wisconsin
682-7000

Elbow RoomBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "The Elbow Room"

This is one of those local bars with a dining room where you grab a Bloody Mary and a menu, give the bartender your order and then head back to the dining room when it's time to eat. Nothing fancy, but a good solid meal every time and often a featured, unusual flavor of ice cream to top it off. It's within easy walking distance of the Inn on Maritime Bay.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Elbow Room
702 Buffalo Street Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
(920) 682-5852

Rahr-West Art MuseumBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Rahr-West
Housed in a stunning 1891 Mansion, the Rahr-West was a gift to the community by wealthy benefactors and it is impeccably mantained. Admission is free to see the excellent collection that includes ivory carvings, porcelains, pre-historic artifacts, antique dolls -- even a Georgia O'Keefe original that is worth well into 7-digits. The house alone is worth the stop and the collection is even more icing on that cake.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Rahr-West Art Museum
610 N. 8th Street Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
(920) 683-4501

Two Rivers Charter Fishing AssociationBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Lake Michigan charter fishing is a fully-equipped outing on seaworthy craft and the skippers know where to find the fish. Depending on the season, coho & chinook salmon, steelhead (rainbow) trout, brown trout or lake trout may be the featured species -- or you may encounter a mix. These can be large fish; often exceeding 20 lbs for chinook salmon and sometimes exceeding 30 lbs or more. The charters employ a deep trolling technique and they stay in touch with each other, since good fishing is good for everyone. A half-day fishing excursion on the lake is lot of fun and great recreation whether you're cranking in the big ones yourself or just enjoying the ride while others reel in the fish. It's well worth the $65-$80 per person cost -- particularly when the fishing is good.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Two Rivers Charter Fishing Association
The Port of Two Rivers Manitowoc, Wisconsin
(920) 793-1053

S.S. BadgerBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

S.S. Badger
This huge, coal-fired vessel makes a crossing of Lake Michigan from Manitowoc to Ludington in four hours. The ferry dock is well-marked and there is plenty of parking available, if you're not taking your car along. It's not cheap, but it provides a nice diversion as well as easy access to the Michigan shoreline, Mackinac Island, etc. (and does the same for the Wisconsin side, if you happen to be looking at all of this from the other direction). Check out Badger for complete schedule and fare information or call 1-888-337-7948. The Badger operates from mid-May through October annually.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

S.S. Badger
Manitowoc Ferry Dock Manitowoc, Wisconsin
(800) 841-4243

Wisconsin Maritime MuseumBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

U.S.S. Cobia
The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is housed in an outstanding facility built especially for the museum in the 1980s on the Manitowoc River near the Inn on Maritime Bay. Along with an excellent collection that celebrates Manitowoc's history as a city of shipbuilders and Great Lake sailors, there is also a World War II submarine floating adjacent to the museum that visitors can tour. The U.S.S. Cobia is representative of the many that were built right here in Manitowoc during the Second World War and submariners from throughout the country occasionally come back for reunions here. Today, the Manitowoc shipbuilding tradition continues by way of the Berger Boat Company, whose staff of artisan craftmen build custom pleasure craft worth millions per edition. Launchings of these luxury craft are major community events. The museum is well-done and interesting -- well worth a look. Web address: Maritime Museum
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 6, 2000

Wisconsin Maritime Museum
75 Maritime Drive Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
(920) 684-0218

Capitol Civic CentreBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

The Capitol Civic Center
The Capitol Civic Centre is a lovingly restored pre-depression era vaudeville theatre in downtown Manitowoc that now hosts various arts events, including a lively arts series and nationally-known performances and a selection of local talent including a civic symphony and high school stage & music productions. (This explains the very broad price range indicated for tickets).

Completed in 1987 after a major community fund drive, this is a truly impressive facility with a large common area outside the main (side) entrance to the theatre, a wonderful balcony and interior work that is anything but skimpy. The result: an opulant environment that is worthy of any performance. While "The Cap" may seem like a large house in the context of the community, these early 20th Century theatres seating 1,100-1,800 that one can occasionally find restored to their former glory across the hinterlands are really quite intimate compared to many of their large-city counterparts. As a result, it would be difficult to say that there is a bad seat in a place this small because, in fact, there isn't.

Shows are not an every night affair, however, and tickets for name acts will be impossible to come by for popular performances if you just happen to stumble upon them on show night when you are in town. The solution is to visit the Capitol Civic Centre website (www.cccshows.com) to check out what may be happening well in advance of your visit.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on February 10, 2001

Capitol Civic Centre
917 S 8th St Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
(920) 683-2184

Beerntsen ConfectionaryBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Conveniently located in downtown Manitowoc, Beerntsen Confectionary is the place to go for a higher class of chocolate. If you are like me and you find the standard offerings in the U.S. a little on the waxy side, you will be pleased with the contrast that a bit of tender loving care in a local shop with people who know what they're doing can produce. They make a welcome gift, too. Check out this little gem.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by Jim Rosenberg on November 7, 2000

Beerntsen Confectionary
108 N 8th St Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220
(920) 864-9616

About the Writer

Jim Rosenberg
Jim Rosenberg
Wausau, Wisconsin

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