11 Fun Things to do in Two Rivers, Wisconsin!

The city of Two Rivers

This is the last post of my 5 part series, “Epic Road Trip”. We stayed at the Lighthouse Inn at Two Rivers, Wisconsin in September during our road trip from North Carolina to Wisconsin. The city was named because of the East Twin River and West Twin River that meet in the city and flow into Lake Michigan. Two Rivers claims to be the birthplace of the ice cream Sundae, although other cities also make this claim. It also claims to have the best beach in Wisconsin(there are not many beaches in Wisconsin). The population is about 12,000 and their advertising slogan is “Catch our friendly waves”.

There are actually quite a few things to do in or near this small city;

1. Hamilton Wood Type and Printing Museum
2. Historic Rogers Street Fishing Village & Great Lakes Coast Guard Museum
3. Woodland Dunes Nature Center
4. Best beach in Wisconsin, Neshotah Beach
5. Two Rivers Trails
6. Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo
7. Historic Washington House
8. Two Rivers Historic Farm Museum
9. Wisconsin Maritime Museum at Manitowoc
10. West of the Lake Gardens at Manitowoc
11. Three Lighthouses; Rawley Point Light, Manitowoc Breakwater Light, and Two Rivers North Pierhead

Historic Rogers Street Fishing Village

The Rogers Street Fishing Village has six historic buildings that portray a historic fishing village. There is also an 1886 Lighthouse that you can climb. Inside the Great Lakes Coast Guard museum, you will find shipwreck displays and artifacts as well as commercial fishing exhibits from Lake Michigan. You can climb aboard the Buddy O! The Buddy O, was built in 1935 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, it is a 40′ x 12′ fishing tug.

Flash the Lighthouse

You can see on their website something called “Flash the Lighthouse”, they will flash the lighthouse in memory of a loved one on a certain date that you choose, they only ask for a $25 donation, which is used to maintain the buildings and the lighthouse. I did this for my Dad after he passed away, I like to think he saw the lighthouse flash up in heaven!

Can you see in my photo that someone is already at the top of the lighthouse? Who is that?

Best Beach in Wisconsin – Neshotah Beach

There are several beautiful parks on the Lake Michigan shoreline; Neshotah Park and Point Beach State Park are just two.

Two Rivers Trails

This area of Wisconsin also has many parks and recreational areas for; Fishing, Camping, Hiking, Birdwatching, Bike rentals, and Golf.

Mariners Trail

Traveling the Mariners Trail, you will see beautiful views of beaches, parks, forests and the waters of Lake Michigan. The 6-mile paved pathway traces the shoreline of the Great Lake, connecting the cities of Two Rivers and Manitowoc. The route is easy and pleasant, being relatively straight and flat with numerous parks along the way.

Twin Rivers Water Trail

The Twin rivers water trail allows access to the East Twin River and the West Twin River for recreational use, canoeing, and kayaking. Starting from the Mishicot dam and the West Twin River starting at the Shoto dam, downstream to their confluence in downtown Two Rivers, at the harbor on Lake Michigan.  On the East Twin River, there is also a second trail segment, upstream of the Mishicot dam.

Wisconsin Maritime Museum at Manitowoc

The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is in the city of Manitowoc, which is just 7 miles south of Two Rivers on Hwy 42. The museum has great exhibits and artifacts showing the maritime history of Wisconsin in the Great Lakes region. My husband went into the submarine, the USS Cobia, and he really enjoyed it! I could not handle that, can you say, “claustrophobic”!

Three Lighthouses

Rawley Point Light

The Rawley Point Lighthouse is located at Point Beach State Forest. It stands 111 feet tall. There have been many lighthouses at this location, you can read about the history here Rawley Point Light

Manitowoc Breakwater Light

The original lighthouse was built in 1839, due to storm damage in 1937, it had to be rebuilt. Today it is still operational and guides the car ferries safely into the harbor. Car Ferries, like the S.S. Badger, carry people and vehicles safely across Lake Michigan. Manitowoc Breakwater Light

Two Rivers North Pierhead Light

This lighthouse was formerly located at the harbor entrance to Two Rivers. It is now part of the Rogers Street Fishing Village Museum. You can read more about its history here The Two Rivers Light

Ethnic Fest 2019

While we were walking through town, we noticed that they were having a festival. It was Ethnic Fest 2019. We saw several performances by different ethnic groups; Hawaiian dancers and Mexican dancers performing the “Folklorico”(Mexican ballet). They also had great food and vendors!

https://www.facebook.com/50over55/videos/403138907037733/

We found tons of fun things to do in Two Rivers, Wisconsin! We were only able to see a small portion of it, but we will be back! I recommend spending some time there if you are in eastern Wisconsin. The natural beauty of this area is amazing! Have you been to any surprisingly cool small towns? I would love to hear about it, please leave a comment. Please share this post with family and friends on your social media pages!

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*You may also enjoy reading; Lighthouse Inn

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