The power plant on the lakefront near the Port Washington Marina switched from coal to natural gas…read morein 2004. The former coal docks have now been converted and are part of a nice park. There are paved paths along the lake, a boardwalk, picnic tables, several benches, bike parking and a red metal roofed pavilion. The pavilion has a spiral staircase reminiscent of the staircases you may find in lighthouses, and from the pavilion overlook you can see two lights: the art deco Port Washington Breakwater Light and Port Washington Lighthouse, which has been restored and now houses a museum. There are just a few steps to get to the top of the pavilion overlook, and once up there you will be sheltered from the elements and can have a good look at the lake and the lights. In the park you will also find a replica of the Wisconsin Pillar from the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C.

This park is so much better than mountains of coal! Would highly recommend!!!read more

Lion's Den in Grafton is a peaceful and scenic spot right along Lake Michigan. The hiking trails…read moreare well maintained and offer beautiful views of the shoreline, making it an easy and enjoyable walk for all levels. The park has a nice pavilion area and clean, well-kept bathrooms, which makes it comfortable for longer visits. Throughout the trails and overlooks, there are several benches dedicated in memory of loved ones. These add a very touching and reflective feel to the experience and make it more than just a hike--it's a place to slow down and appreciate the moment. Overall, it's a beautiful, quiet place for nature, reflection, and lake views, and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Great hike in lovely Port Washington WI, just north of Milwaukee. Ample free parking. Not to say it…read moredoesn't get crowded, but it wasn't bad when we were there on a weekend. There is a paved trail which isn't too long, but is ADA compliant so that's a plus. We did a three mile loop, checking out the bluffs and taking the stairs down to the secluded little beach. Lots of poison ivy....which is normal to the area, but really it's best to avoid it by staying on trail and covering up. Seemed like leashed and/or well behaved dogs were welcome. Worth checking out.

Much quieter and safer than other parks in Ozaukee county. Kids that go there are always polite and…read morerespectful.

We stopped on a Sunday for the free park weekend (first weekend in June). It wasn't too busy by…read more10am and there was plenty of parking by the welcome center. We stopped there first knowing we wanted to do the quarry trail and we were pleasantly surprised by a Friends of Harrington pancake breakfast! The volunteers were nice and extremely welcoming! We enjoyed the quarry trail and also did some of the beach trail. Looks like a great family friendly area with a nice sandy beach for warm weather days. Cannot wait to go back! Might try one of their events or just check out the other trails. Easy and well-maintained trails with beautiful views. Definitely recommend!

We made a last-minute stop at Harrington Beach on an unseasonably warm day at the end of September,…read moreand it turned into the best surprise. Our grandkids went straight into the water--clothes and all--and played in the sand for hours. The sand was lovely, the water was clear, and we even spent time out on the sandbar. It made for very happy little people, and it felt like we were hanging on to summer just a bit longer.

At this rate, my family should be spokespeople for this State Park, because we really love it that…read moremuch. It continues to be a favorite spot for camping trips multiple times a year, but hot dang you have to book FAR in advance to get a site! I believe they allow you to book up to 11 months in advance, which seems crazy but trust me when I say you need to, especially for weekend or holiday dates. We camp with both an RV and tents, and are always in search of sites with electric as an option. My favorite is around the #89-92 area, but honestly you can't go wrong with most all of the sites. The grounds are extremely well-kept, and it's a delight to be tucked into the forest of trees. Tons of walking paths wind around this park too, including the beautiful dunes. Great to explore in all seasons. Various trails lead straight to Lake Michigan, where you'll find the sprawling beach of white sand. In the warm months, it's great to swim, and in the cooler months the beach is flat enough to take a nice long walk on or simply enjoy the ocean-like views. Other pros: plenty of parking for single-day visitors, a huge playground alongside the beach entrance, firewood and ice on site, an 'amphitheatre' area where events like weddings can be hosted, and it's very dog-friendly. There's nothing not to love at this gorgeous state park!

On a warm October day we headed for Kohler~Andre Park beach for some beach combing. The sand is…read moreincredible soft and barefoot walking is a must. The sounds of the waves is peaceful and I can sit on the shore for hours appreciating the lake views and the solitude. Leaf peeping was perfect!

Stopped by to get some steps in. Trail was well maintained. There were some muddy spots with all…read morethe rain we've had. Came later in the afternoon, 7pm ish so it was pretty quiet. Got to hike around the perimeter of the park and walk down the steps to the beach. It looks intimidating but it's actually a nice walk down and back up.

Nice park nestled on lakefront near Mequon road. Short walk, and stairs to shore (we didn't do it…read morethis time). Beautiful playground for kids. Came for a walk with the dog and baby, and will certainly will be back!

A very nice rails-to-trails paved bike trail! Signage is great, and plentiful. Parking along the…read moretrail is easy, and it's an easy ride, alongside a railroad, with native plants, and through the backyards of neighboring villages. We biked the trail a short distance from Brown Deer up to beautiful downtown Cedarburg (5.3 miles one way). It was very nice, and bike racks at the trail head in Cedarburg are plentiful. The trailhead at Brown Deer has several places to get a beverage or bite to eat at: St. Paul Fish Co., Cafe Hollander, Colectivo Coffee, so we ended out our ride with a refreshment. Interurban rails-to-trails projects are typically more rustic than say, County Park Lakefront trails, given that they follow a railroad path. This lovely paved trail follows alongside a railroad, but is not paved over the railroad tracks. I love the rails-to-trails concept, and I look forward to many more rides on the trail!

**Disclaimer: I haven't ridden very far into this trail…read more Getting that out of the way, this is a nice, well paved well marked trail that, combined with the northwestern portion of the oak leaf trail will take you from downtown Milwaukee through most of the town's of ozaukee county, with only a brief onroad portion (for the oak leaf trail) at green bay avenue in Glendale. Its a little more rustic feeling than the oak leaf (hey, even the power lines here become mainly wood as opposed to metal once you cross the county line) and its a lot less congested than riding the trails in Milwaukee proper (although love those too!) Also, although the name has "urban" in the title, I found the trail anything but and very pastoral (I've been waiting for a while to use that word in a review.) People seem more likely to give the universal biking/jogging "hi" and accompanying wave here than in the city. There's many places to stop for coffee, food etc along the way and a few stops in from the mke county line is a "family community center" that looked useful for pit stops. Another great addition to the greater Milwaukee areas parks and trails system!

This is a smaller beach located on the south end of port Washington wi. It is located next to the…read moreelectrical plant but offers great views of Lake Michigan and nesting Ospreys on the electric plant roof. This beach has been designated for kayak launch and hosts a life jacket caddy made by a local Eagle Scout. The volunteers of the alliance for the Great Lakes and several local businesses help to keep this beach debris free. There are Several life preserve rings located along this beach on stands in case of emergency. There are sections of this beach where the bluff has erroded and slid down, but there are several for paths carved through them. There is a pathway leading north from this beach into a bird preserve and the lower beach park that has benches and a gazebo. There is also a veterans memorial. A great place to spend time soaking up the sun and if your brave enough to dip your toes in lake Michigans chilly waters, maybe a swim too.

This bridge was fun to see. A pretty little park. We went in winter but I still enjoyed it. A…read moreshort drive from downtown Cedarburg.

I was here to check out the Cedarburg Covered Bridge but I also took the time to walk around this…read morelovely park. So let's combine both into one and here we are. The bridge was built by the Town of Cedarburg to replace a number of periodically washed out bridges. Pine logs were cut and milled in Baraboo, fitted into place in a lattice truss construction with 3x10 inch planks secured by 2 inch hardwood pins, eliminating the use of nails or bolts, and floored by 3 inch planking. The Ozaukee County Board in 1940 coted to assume the preservation and maintenance of the bridge. While the bridge is not open for vehicular traffic and there is a concrete and steel bridge adjacent, you can absolutely walk the bridge or even bicycle it. The nearby park has benches and picnic tables and a building with a picnic shelter complete with power outlets and public restrooms. There's plenty of space in the park to spread out and enjoy the second, smaller bridge. Plenty of parking. This is a great spot for your photo ops and in fact a couple was getting their engagement photos done here when I visited. [Review 20675 overall - 245 in Wisconsin - 1656 of 2023.]

Very nice park. Great pavilion. Clean. Plenty of parking. Enjoyable for the whole family of all…read moreages.

This is a 28 acre park located along the west shore of the Milwaukee River in an area that used to…read morebe known as Milwaukee Falls. (Milwaukee Falls was also the birthplace of Paramount Records.) The park offers a large pavillion that can be rented, an open air octagon picnic shelter, an archery range, a horseshoe pitch, a 9-hole disc golf course, sand volleyball, fishing and a canoe launch on the Milwaukee River. Or, you can just relax and listen to the soothing sounds of the rapids that were once known as Milwaukee Falls. The site was the location of a large limestone operation in the late 19th Century. The Milwaukee Falls Lime Company was incorporated in 1890 and produced lime here until about 1920. At one time, there were five lime kilns here, at a time when Wisconsin was third in national lime production. On the southern end of the park is the open area left by the quarrying operation. A branch railroad line brought fuel in and hauled lime out, the abutments of a long-abandoned railroad bridge remain on the rivers's edge. Why kilns? Silurian dolomite, or limestone, is found in great abundance in eastern Wisconsin. It is comprised of calcium, magnesium, carbon and oxygen. When heated to temperatures approaching 2,000º the limestone breaks down, releasing carbon dioxide and the remaining powder, lime, was used for construction (plaster and mortar) and for whitewash. Farmers used it for soil conditioning and it was used in the tanning process by leather tanneries. In time, other chemicals became available and lime fell out of favor. Both pastoral and historical in one spot, Lime Kiln Park is a great place to play, admire history, or just listen to the relaxing sound of the Milwaukee Rapids. (Other extant lime kilns in the area include Lime Kiln Park in Menomonee Falls, Hadfield Lime Company in Waukesha on inaccessible private property, and Trimborn Farms in Greenfield.)