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Oshkosh is a city of about 67,000 people on the western shore of Lake Winnebago, where the Fox River flows into Wisconsin's largest inland lake. Named after the Menominee chief Oshkosh, it grew in the 19th century as a sawmill town known as the Sawdust City, and lumber money built the grand mansions and civic buildings still seen today.
The city is famous worldwide for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the huge week-long aviation gathering each July that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors and thousands of aircraft. The EAA Aviation Museum shows historic and homebuilt planes all year. The Paine Art Center and Gardens, set in a Tudor Revival mansion, and the Oshkosh Public Museum, in a lumber baron's home, reflect the city's wealthy past.
Menominee Park on the lakeshore has a small zoo, beaches and playgrounds, and the Riverwalk follows the Fox River through downtown past the Leach Amphitheater and the restored Grand Opera House. Boating, fishing and winter ice fishing on Lake Winnebago are popular, and the Wiouwash State Trail heads north from town.
A week-long aviation celebration each late July run by the Experimental Aircraft Association, with thousands of aircraft, daily air shows, night shows, warbirds, homebuilts, forums and exhibits at Wittman Regional Airport. Book lodging months ahead, or camp on site, and wear sun protection and good shoes.
A large museum next to Wittman Regional Airport with more than 200 historic aircraft, from early flying machines and racing planes to warbirds and homebuilt designs, plus flight simulators. In summer you can take rides in vintage planes nearby. Allow at least three hours for the hangars and galleries.
A museum in a 1908 lumber baron's mansion with exhibits on regional history, Native American cultures, natural history and the city's industries, including the famous Apostles Clock. Tiffany windows add to the elegant building. Admission is modest; plan around two hours, and visit the Paine nearby.
A 1920s Tudor Revival mansion built by lumber baron Nathan Paine, now an art museum with period rooms, paintings, decorative arts and changing exhibitions, surrounded by formal gardens. The gardens are at their best from late spring to early fall. Allow two hours and check for special exhibits.
A small seasonal zoo in Menominee Park with animals such as bears, wolves, river otters, farm animals and birds, along walkways near the lake. It is free and easy to see in an hour, which makes it great for young children. It is open from spring to fall, and the park's train and playground are close by.
A large lakefront park on Lake Winnebago with a beach, the Little Oshkosh playground, a small zoo, rides, paddle boats, picnic areas and Millers Bay for fishing. It hosts summer events and fireworks. Visit on a summer evening, and walk the shoreline paths for sunset views over the wide lake.
A walking and biking path along both banks of the Fox River through downtown Oshkosh, with lighting, benches, public art and views of boats heading into Lake Winnebago. It connects parks, restaurants and the amphitheater. Stroll it in the evening, and stop for a drink at one of the riverside patios.
A beautifully restored 1883 opera house downtown with an ornate Victorian auditorium that hosts concerts, plays, comedy and touring shows. It is one of the oldest operating theaters of its kind in the Midwest. Take a guided tour if offered, or see a show to experience the full historic setting.
An outdoor concert venue on the Fox River in downtown Oshkosh, home of the long-running Waterfest summer concert series and other festivals and shows. It has lawn seating with river views. Bring a blanket or chair, arrive early for popular acts, and walk the Riverwalk before or after the show.
The largest inland lake in Wisconsin, about 30 miles long, known for walleye fishing, sailing, boating and its winter sturgeon spearing season on the ice. Oshkosh sits on its western shore with boat launches and parks. In winter, ice fishing villages appear; only go on the ice with local guidance.
A crushed-stone rail-trail that begins in Oshkosh and runs north through farmland, woods and wetlands toward Hortonville and beyond. It is good for biking, walking and, in winter, snowmobiling on some sections. Start at the Oshkosh trailhead, and bring a sturdy bike with wider tires for the surface.
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Photo: The original uploader was Royalbroil at English Wikipedia., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
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