The photo above kind of looks like it belongs in Europe, and that the building is a couple hundred years old.
It’s not in Europe, and it’s not old.
This is one of the many old-style buildings at the gorgeous New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wisconsin, where we met several friends for a day this last weekend.
This is their tasting courtyard. Also not old, also not in Europe.
If you’ve not been to New Glarus, you probably have no idea that it’s a tiny little tourist town in the middle of south-central Wisconsin, about 35 minutes from Madison and about 45 minutes north of the Illinois border. Named “America’s Little Switzerland,” New Glarus was settled in 1845 when settlers from Glarus, Switzerland made the town their home. The heritage is much-celebrated, and the town embraces its identity each year with the annual Wilhelm Tell Festival. There are Swiss-inspired shops, a Swiss Hotel, and plenty of Swiss-inspired fare throughout town.
Less Swiss, but equally awesome: New Glarus Brewing Beer Soap.
We took a short, self-guided tour of the brewery. It was nice to wander around at our own pace, but we honestly didn’t learn much without a tour guide. My suggestions would be to go on a Friday for their hard-hat tour.
The excellency of this photo-bomber is to be celebrated.
In town, we stopped at Maple Leaf Cheese & Chocolate Haus and tried some Swiss-inspired fudge.
And then let the kids in us run wild about a New Glarus playground. As you can see, Scott is the only human alive who can frown while on a teeter-totter.
Also in New Glarus is a pretty hard-core garden and gift store, Brenda’s Blumenladen, where we wandered and shopped and admired that late-in-the-season flora and fauna.
We capped off our New Glarus adventure with fondue at the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant. It was delicious. And awesome. And totally worth an hour drive from Illinois, right guys?!?
New Glarus, Wisconsin: where every night is polka night.
Have you been to New Glarus, Wisconsin? If so, what did you see that we missed?