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During World War II, a shipyard on the Manitowoc River launched 28 submarines that sailed down the Mississippi to fight in the Pacific, and that story gives this Lake Michigan port its proudest museum. Founded in the 1830s, Manitowoc grew on shipbuilding, fishing and aluminum, and it remains a working harbor town with a lighthouse at the end of its breakwater.
The Wisconsin Maritime Museum, on the river downtown, includes the WWII submarine USS Cobia, which visitors can tour. Nearby, the Rahr-West Art Museum fills a Victorian mansion, and a ring in the street outside marks where a piece of Sputnik IV fell in 1962. Each summer the coal-fired car ferry SS Badger leaves for Ludington, Michigan, a voyage of about four hours.
The lakeshore makes Manitowoc easy to explore outdoors, along the paved Mariners Trail to Two Rivers, through the bluff-top West of the Lake Gardens and at the small city zoo in Lincoln Park. Pinecrest Historical Village preserves older rural life on the west side of the county, and Beerntsen's candy shop is a sweet finish.
A large museum on the Manitowoc River that covers Great Lakes shipping, shipwrecks, model ships and the city's wartime submarine building, with hands-on exhibits for children. The ticket includes access to the submarine USS Cobia docked outside. Allow at least two to three hours to see it properly.
An art museum in an 1890s Victorian mansion with a modern wing, showing American paintings, decorative arts and changing exhibitions, with free admission. Outside on Eighth Street, a brass ring marks where a fragment of Sputnik IV landed in 1962, an event the city celebrates each September at Sputnikfest.
A Gato-class submarine that sank enemy ships in the Pacific during World War II, now a memorial docked beside the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Guided tours squeeze through the torpedo rooms, crew bunks and control room. Spaces are tight and have steep ladders, and overnight stays are offered for groups.
An open-air museum run by the Manitowoc County Historical Society, with more than two dozen relocated buildings such as log homes, a church, a school, a general store and a train depot, all set in woods and fields. Costumed interpreters and seasonal festivals bring it to life. Open in the warmer months.
A white lighthouse built in 1918 at the end of the north breakwater, guarding the harbor entrance. You can walk out along the breakwater for views of the lake, the marina and the SS Badger arriving or leaving. Avoid the walk when waves wash over the concrete, and bring a jacket for the lake wind.
The last coal-fired passenger steamship in regular service in the United States, the Badger carries cars and passengers across Lake Michigan between Manitowoc and Ludington from mid-May to mid-October. The crossing takes about four hours, with lounges, food, a museum and deck chairs on board. Reserve ahead in summer.
A compact city zoo in Lincoln Park with a mix of native and exotic animals and a farm area, plus a playground and shaded picnic areas. Admission is free, and the paths are short and easy for small children and strollers. Combine it with lunch at the park pavilion or a stop at the nearby beaches.
A paved trail of about six miles that hugs the Lake Michigan shoreline between Manitowoc and Two Rivers, with benches, beach access and long views across the water. It is flat and good for biking, walking and skating. Go early in the morning for calm water and sunrise over the lake, and bring a windbreaker.
A restored theater from the 1920s in downtown Manitowoc, now the city's main performing arts venue for concerts, touring shows, community theater and local events. The ornate lobby and auditorium are a sight in themselves. Check the season schedule in advance, since popular shows sell out.
A family candy shop founded in 1932, where chocolates and turtles are still made by hand and served in an old-fashioned parlor with dark wooden booths and an ice cream counter. Try a sundae with hot fudge, then pick up a box of chocolates to take home. Expect lines on summer weekends.
Formal gardens on a bluff above Lake Michigan on the north side of town, created by Ruth West and now open to the public free of charge. Paths lead past roses, perennial beds, a Japanese garden and wide lawns overlooking the water. Open in the warmer months; early summer is especially colorful.
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