From Old World Wisconsin to Cedarburg Strawberry Festival, check out these 9 Southeastern Wisconsin day trip destinations

Editor’s note: A previous version of this story included incorrect information about operations of the Port Washington breakwater lighthouse, based on information from two sources. However, a representative from Ozaukee County has acknowledged that information was outdated. The story has been updated

You don't need to travel all that far to take a vacation, especially not in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Here are nine day trip ideas to explore and unwind with events, historical locations and plenty of photo opportunities. Some suggestions can be visited at any time of year, while others are more season-specific.

1. Old World Wisconsin in Eagle

Have you ever felt like you belonged in a different time period? Step into the Dairyland’s past at Old World Wisconsin, W372 S9727 Highway 67, Eagle, and see what life was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Sixty restored historical buildings sit on more than 600 acres connected with gardens and trails, according to the Old World Wisconsin website. It's more than just still scenes of days past. Rather, visitors can interact with costumed staff sharing the history of the location and talking about what life was like. Don’t just look and listen; visitors young and old can help with chores and cooking, create crafts and experience trades.

Crossroads Village offers a main street area for a small-town living experience. Visitors can shop the general store, visit the blacksmith and tour homes and farms of Irish, Pomeranian, Polish, Hessian, Finnish, Danish, Norwegian immigrants, to name a few.

Daring visitors can also hop onto an early high-wheel bicycle.

Old World plans to reopen for the season on April 30. Learn more about seasonal prices, hours and more at bit.ly/OldWorldWisconsin2022.

2. South Milwaukee's 'Da Crusher' statue

A life-sized bronze statue memorializing South Milwaukee resident and professional wrestler Reggie “Da Crusher” Lisowski stands in South Milwaukee’s downtown area near Milwaukee and 11th avenues. The statue is there year-round, but the best time to visit "The Man Who Made Milwaukee Famous" is during Crusherfest.

Beer, brats, polka music plus live wrestling and legends of the industry all feature at the yearly event. The first Crusherfest was held in June 2019. The festival was canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic but returned in October 2021. Crusherfest will take place in fall again for 2022 due to major renovation and construction the city is completing to the festival grounds, according to the president of The Crusher Foundation and South Milwaukee City Attorney Chris Smith.

The Crusher statue was funded through a $40,000 GoFundMe campaign started by Smith.

For more information, visit www.dacrusher.org.

As an extra, walk across the street and you’ll find The Bucyrus Club, 1919 12th Ave., which houses the Bucyrus Museum, featuring some of South Milwaukee’s manufacturing history. It was the Bucyrus company that constructed the shovels that dug the Panama Canal.

3. Cedarburg's Strawberry Festival

Another festival worth checking out is the Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg. Ask any longtime resident, and they’ll tell you the festival is legendary.

The 36th annual Strawberry Festival, scheduled for June 2021, was canceled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Typically 100,000 people attend the festival to enjoy strawberries, live music, about 300 artist exhibits and more along Washington Avenue, according to the Cedarburg Art Museum.

The 2022 festival is scheduled for June 25-26.

For more information, visit www.cedarburgfestival.org/strawberry.

4. The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago

After filling up on strawberries, it might be a good idea to get some dessert, and what better way to eat it than out of a paper bag? No, seriously.

The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago, 1545 Main St., is known for its apple pie in a paper bag. It sounds strange but should be tried before being trashed. Starting as a family dairy farm in 1946 by brothers Dave and Elmer Scheel, The Elegant Farmer sells vegetables and fruit on the 65-acre property. Patrons can also buy baked goods and deli offerings. A pick-your-own concept allows visitors to go into the fields to pick things like strawberries, apples and pumpkins, depending on the season.

For those who can’t make it to The Elegant Farmer, the apple pie in a paper bag and other offerings are available at 400 locations, including markets and food stores across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and online at www.elegantfarmer.com.

The Elegant Farmer holds various events throughout the year, including National Pie Day, Maple Fest, cheese sales and more. See details at www.elegantfarmer.com/event-calendar.

5. Oconomowoc's Wizard of Oz Plaza

From Wisconsin’s past to the wonderful land of Oz, step into the classic story without the threat of a house falling on you. Oconomowoc’s Wizard of Oz Plaza features statues of the movie characters and a new mural that commemorates the classic 1939 film, which some say premiered in Oconomowoc.

A small portion of the yellow brick road has been recreated to complement Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West and the Wizard of Oz.

"We did a bunch of research on what was going to look the best based on what the statues were going to be," said David Batzner, co-owner of DNA Landscaping. "We didn't just want it to be yellow. We wanted some design to it, some flow. It's exactly like it is in the movie."

6. Lapham Peak in Delafield

While you're in Lake Country, consider stopping by the Lion claimed to be king of the forest in the land of Oz, you can try for the role in the Lapham Peak Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest in Delafield, one mile south of I-94 off Exit 285, Highway C. The peak is named for Increase Lapham, a self-taught naturalist and scientist, according to the Encyclopedia of Milwaukee.

Visit the 45-foot observation tower at the top of the highest point in Waukesha County. Hike, backpack or mountain bike throughout the area during the non-snowy months or enjoy cross-country skiing on trails in the winter.

SummerStage is open during the summer. The outdoor stage is about 300 yards from the Evergreen Parking lot. Music, theater and more are offered on the stage; find out what’s coming and when at www.summerstageofdelafield.org.

7. Wehr Nature Center in Franklin

For a slightly more guided tour of the wonders of the natural world, visit Wehr Nature Center in Franklin. Located on 220 acres in Whitnall Park, the Wehr Nature Center offers 5 miles of walking trails with prairie, wetlands, wooded areas and Mallard Lake — complete with a deck.

Visitors can learn about a variety of plant and wildlife through rotating exhibits. Enjoy a fire pit (reservation required) near an outdoor amphitheater, which allows for different forms of educational entertainment, according to the Friends of Wehr Nature Center.

Kids coming along? An early childhood playspace, built in 2011, features a sandbox, stepping stones and a log cabin playhouse.

Wehr Nature Center is open year-round from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. seven days a week. Visit www.friendsofwehr.org/events to find out about upcoming events.

8. Port Washington's breakwater lighthouse

For those who prefer being on the water to being out in the woods, the Port Washington breakwater lighthouse is a great day trip idea — if you’re up for a little walk.

The lighthouse, completed in 1935, sits 2,500 feet out along a breakwater made of steel decking, stones and concrete, according to the Ozaukee County website. A red light, classified as a harbor light, used to flash every six seconds and was visible to boats up to eight miles from the harbor.

Every 30 seconds a foghorn would blast twice from atop the lighthouse, April through November, when the lighthouse was last in operation.

The lighthouse itself isn’t open for tours, but visitors can get close up for photos.

9. Learn about Waukesha native Les Paul

Les Paul is part of Wisconsin’s history, and fans of his work can visit the Les Paul Memorial burial site in Prairie Home Cemetery, 605 S. Prairie Ave., Waukesha. The memorial to the “Wizard of Waukesha” can be found in the eastern portion of Section 5 of the cemetery. It features a hand-carved guitar and etched signature in a granite stone.

Fans can learn more about Les Paul at the Wizard of Waukesha exhibit at the Waukesha County Museum which is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

While traveling between the gravesite and museum you can meander around the streets of downtown Waukesha, where you'll find 10-foot tall fiberglass guitar sculptures painted by local artists. Murals focusing on Les Paul and the history of Waukesha are also prominently displayed throughout the area painted by Walldogs.

To more easily find the guitars and murals, VisitWaukesha.com has a map at visitwaukesha.org/attractions/waukesha-guitars-murals.

Paul, born in Waukesha, is known for many things, including the solid-body electric guitar, overdubbing and multitrack recording techniques. He’s also known for the Les Paul guitar introduced by the Gibson Guitar Co. in 1952. Paul was also a star on television radio in the early '50s with his wife, Mary Ford.

Paul died Aug. 12, 2009, in New York at age 94.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at (262) 875-9467 or erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Nine Milwaukee-area, southeastern Wisconsin day trip ideas