Before the kids head back to school, get away to the greater Madison area with a stay in Sun Prairie. 

Corn Fest! It’s been called one of the best food festivals in the Midwest. You can’t argue with freshness! It’s picked in the morning, steamed, husked, then rolled in dairy goodness, by the ‘butter kids’ the same day! Grab your ear of corn or better yet, a ‘tote of corn’ (about a dozen ears for 10 bucks). Visit the ‘salt tree’ for as much or little as desired then seek the grassy hill for a classic picnic.  Just like kids, are you the typewriter eater (moving left to right) or the spinner?  Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of fair foods, beer, and entertainment to last into the evening.  The Midway will bring back those romantic memories or you can make new ones with the kids! 

Skip the Sunday traffic to watch the races on the famed oval Angell Park Raceway. Very few places in the world allow you to watch both Sprint & Midget car races!  

WALK OFF ALL THE FAIR FOOD! Take a stroll through one of the 40 parks, each with its own charm & attractions.  If you love birding, check out Patrick Marsh wildlife area. It’s a treasure trove of nesting and flying birds. 

With the gates opening at Noon Saturday & Sunday, you have time for a great breakfast at a 50’s theme diner, be served by a polite robot, a local favorite or drink your breakfast, at a locally owned coffee shop.  Peanut Butter Cold Brew anyone?   

If you want a little more cerebral playtime, visit the Explore Children’s Museum. It’s great for kids under 10 years of age.  Build on the giant Lego wall, create a masterpiece in the artist’s workshop, dig in the interactive sandbox – a fan favorite is when virtual dinosaurs appear. 

SIT BACK AND RELAX – After a day exploring, kick off your shoes and relax at one of Sun Prairie’s lodging options. Best of all, they even have special Corn Fest rates! 

If you can’t get enough corn this year, be sure to mark your calendars for the third full weekend of August annually.  See you there?  

I am Dannelle F. Gay, AKA The Traveling Cheesehead, and hail from Sun Prairie Wisconsin - Groundhog Capital of the World.

A Gen Xer with a Baby Boomer husband means we focus on 50+ travel and the life of the empty nesters when not spoiling our Australian Shepherd service dog: Tazuna.

SunBeam

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