Lakeside Day Trip To Historic Lake Mills, A Travel Guide For Wanderers
Words by Lakes Edition Staff
Last Updated: 04/09/2025 Reading Time: 10 minutes
(Photo above is Main Street in downtown Lake Mills)
What are the ingredients of a great getaway weekend or daytrip? A lake, once lined with resorts and cottages, a downtown once in transition now thriving with local businesses, Lake Mills has all the charm, local shops and beautifully restored architecture of a quaint town on the Door County Peninsula. A popular place for commuters to Milwaukee and Madison to live, Lake Mills is more than a bedroom community it is weekend home base to discover all the attractions around the area or play at the beaches on Rock Lake.
Where to Visit On Your Lake Mills Weekend or Daytrip
Over the years Lakes Edition journalists have covered attractions, places to eat, and shops in Lake Mills and much more. Below are some of just a few of our favorites. Please enjoy!
Have a place in Lake Mills to recommend? Send suggestions to
info@lakesedition.com
AREA ATTRACTIONS
Lake Mills which does not host the Cambridge Pottery Festival and U.S Pottery Games, and Midwest Fire Fest attracts visitors from the Madison area as well as tourists from Northern Illinois. Outside of these regionally known events the historic town attracts day trippers from all across the Badger State with attractions such as Rock Lake, the Ice Age Trail, and Aztalan.
ROCK LAKE
Located just blocks from the heart of downtown Rock Lake has been a destination for vacationers since the late 19th century when it was a regional hub for lake resorts. Times have changed but still offers public access to the lake as well as many outdoor recreational opportunities like tennis courts, a basketball court, a children’s play structure, 9-hole disc golf course, volleyball courts and of course the beach.
AZTALAN STATE PARK
Many visitors to downtown Lake Mills don't make it past Main Street as the allure of quaint, locally owned shops and restaurants are more than enough for a daytrip. But just minutes from Lake Mills, Aztalan State Park's over 170 acres of restored prairie and Oak Savannah is a Lakes Edition recommended daytrip for hiking, fishing, learning about Wisconsin's history, play or picnic with families and friends.
EPHRAIM POTTERY
Some locals say that Ephraim Pottery put Deerfield on the map. If anything the studio helped nurture a thriving pottery community. Since 1975 Rowe has been creating hand crafted pottery from its' downtown Lake Mills studio.
It is not often you get to see the story behind the finished product, but at Ephraim Pottery visitors have a chance to watch studio artists create dinner plates, mugs and other pottery favorites right before their eyes. There are also tours if the staff are not overly busy. Rowe's behind the scenes and peek through glass really gives their products additional meaning and personality for their customers. When Beverly Semmann purchased Rowe Pottery in 2013 she moved the operation to bigger space to let visitors not only wander the company's store but see the artisan's at work.
"For our customers it's amazing just realizing that Ephraim Pottery is right here in Wisconsin. Visitors can watch, see and feel hand crafted products made by Rowe Pottery's artisans, it's hard to find that in anywhere anymore in the U.S." says Beverly Semmann,
(Photos courtesy of Rowe Pottery Works)
WHERE: 203 W Lake St
Lake Mills, WI 53523
Phone: (800) 356-7687
Hours
Monday - Saturday 10am - 4pm,
Sunday 11 am - 3pm
(Lake Ripley photo courtesy of Cambridge Foundation)
LAKE RIPLEY LODGE
Beauty and serenity. Lake Ripley Lodge is the last of the grand resorts on Lake Ripley where you travel back into a bygone era yet enjoy all the modern amenities of today.
Formally known as the Maple Villa Resort in the 1940s and 1950s, Lake Ripley Resort has 8 bedrooms and 6 baths and 1200 sq.foot screened, lake front porch.
This lodge has private pier with kayaks, paddle board, and canoe. It is a inspected and licensed lodging facility. Janice, a Cambridge native, and Jim have enjoyed welcoming visitors for 16 years and are happy to share local history and activities in the area.
LAKE MILLS FARMERS MARKET
Lake Mills' Farmers Market in the heart of beautiful downtown on the green of historic square. Our friendly vendors include produce, meat, fish, cheese, jams & jellies, baked goods, arts and crafts and much more!
Email: office@cambridgewi.com
Phone: (608)423-3780
OPEN:
From May 1 through October 23, Wednesday evenings
4 pm- 6 pm
DINING DOWNTOWN
Hungry after your tour of Historic Cambridge? There are quite a few restaurant options just around the corner or steps away on Main Street, even a vineyard.
Tucked in the vineyards of Cambridge, Wisconsin, just outside of Madison - The Dancing Goat was established by a collection of family and friends. We remain “True to the Goat” combining the Art and Science of Distillation from past experience with modern technology.
909 Vineyard Drive
Cambridge, WI USA 53523
Phone:
(608) 467-4905
Family Style Restaurant · American Restaurant · Diner, serves breakfast and lunch, open 7 days a week and dinner on Fridays including a fantastic fish fry.
W9644 US-12
Cambridge, WI 53523
Phone:
(608) 423-4523
Email:
jen@thegrovemarketllc.com
Family owned and operated since 1996. Part restaurant and part Dance & Night Club. Serves lunch, dinner and drinks, Take Out, Outdoor Seating, Casual Attire.
W6924 US Highway 12
Cambridge, WI
Phone:
(608) 423-3030
Email:
jen@thegrovemarketllc.com
Enjoy Visiting Our Other Featured Southern
Wisconsin Towns
A day trip of adventure awaits you around every shore in Lakes
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