Rib Mountain • Wisconsin River • Trails • Downtown • Four Seasons
Meet Wausau.
A north-central Wisconsin basecamp where forested ridges, river scenery, outdoor adventure and a welcoming downtown come together in every season.
A north-central Wisconsin basecamp where forested ridges, river scenery, outdoor adventure and a welcoming downtown come together in every season.
Wausau sits along the Wisconsin River with Rib Mountain rising just outside the city, creating a combination of urban comforts and outdoor recreation that's hard to miss.
Hike or bike when the forests are green, chase fall color when autumn arrives and return in winter when snow turns the area into one of Wisconsin's best-known cold-weather getaways.
Get above the city, follow the river and leave time for downtown.
Outdoor adventure leads the way, with plenty to do back in town.
Explore forest trails and elevated terrain around the Wausau area.
Make biking part of a warm-weather trip through north-central Wisconsin.
Spend some time near the Wisconsin River and Wausau's waterfront areas.
Snow turns Wausau into an entirely different kind of Wisconsin getaway.
Walk around town and find restaurants, shops and cultural stops.
Add museums, galleries and cultural attractions to your itinerary.
Finish an outdoor day with a relaxed meal back in town.
Explore the forests, countryside and smaller towns surrounding Wausau.
Rib Mountain gives Wausau something unusual for Wisconsin: a prominent forested ridge rising above the surrounding north-central landscape.
Explore the area on foot in warmer weather, look for broad views across the countryside and return when the seasons change for an entirely different experience.
Explore Wisconsin Hiking →
The Wisconsin River is another defining piece of Wausau's landscape and adds water to a destination better known for its wooded ridges.
Use the river as part of an outdoor afternoon or simply find a scenic place to slow down before heading back downtown.
Explore Wisconsin Outdoors →
Wausau works as more than an outdoor basecamp. Downtown adds restaurants, shops, arts and a comfortable place to spend the evening after a day outside.
That combination makes it easy to build a weekend without having to choose between a city break and an outdoor trip.
Explore Wisconsin Food & Drink →North-central Wisconsin gives you plenty of room to keep driving.
Discover lakes, forests, towns and outdoor recreation throughout the middle of the state.
Head NorthContinue toward deeper forests, lake country and classic northern Wisconsin getaways.
Lake CountryPair Wausau's ridges and river with one of northern Wisconsin's best-known lake towns.
Keep DrivingTurn Wausau into a base for a longer Wisconsin driving adventure.
Trails, river scenery and enough downtown time to make a complete trip.
Check in, walk around downtown and start the weekend with dinner in Wausau.
Start outside with trails, forest scenery and elevated views around the Wausau area.
Spend the afternoon around the Wisconsin River before returning downtown.
Grab breakfast and use the drive home to explore more of central Wisconsin.
Forests turn green again and warmer days bring hiking and biking back into the trip.
SummerLong days are made for trails, river time and scenic drives around north-central Wisconsin.
FallForested hillsides make Wausau especially rewarding when Wisconsin's fall colors arrive.
WinterCold weather turns the Wausau area into one of Wisconsin's standout winter destinations.
Spend one full day around Rib Mountain and the outdoors, then leave enough time for the Wisconsin River, downtown Wausau and a scenic drive through north-central Wisconsin.
Wausau is known for outdoor recreation around Rib Mountain, the Wisconsin River, winter activities and its downtown arts, food and cultural attractions.
Yes. Wausau combines outdoor recreation with restaurants, arts and downtown attractions, making it well suited to a two-night trip.
Rib Mountain is a prominent quartzite ridge southwest of downtown Wausau and one of the area's defining natural landmarks.
Yes. The Wausau area offers hiking and other outdoor recreation around Rib Mountain and throughout north-central Wisconsin.
Yes. Winter recreation is one of the area's major draws, with snow sports adding a completely different seasonal experience.
Central Wisconsin, the Northwoods and destinations farther north such as Minocqua work naturally with a Wausau road trip.
Explore the ridge, follow the Wisconsin River and finish the day downtown.