Brenda Novak Road Trip Adventure -- Year 2

 Brenda Novak has another new release The Summer That Changed Everything. She challenged us to take a picture with the book. Since summer is for adventures, what is more fun than taking your book on an adventure with you.

This year's adventure takes us to Two Rivers, Wisconsin. A quick 90 minute drive up I-43 from Milwaukee and an hour or so east of Appleton and the Fox Valley, it made a perfect day trip for Stacy and I. We already had the trip planned and on a whim, I grabbed my book to include it in our adventure. Some people bring trolls, stuffed animals, or other toys, I bring a book on my adventures.

Stop #1 -- Sputnik crash site

Our first stop was not in Two Rivers but in Manitowoc. On September 5, 1962 a piece of the Russian Spacecraft Sputnik crashed in the middle of the street in Manitowoc. Being weird enough, it was something I wanted to visit. We actually missed the actual circle in the street but saw the sign and a monument plaza in front of the art museum. Inside the  Rahr-West Art Museum, is the piece that crashed outside. We did not go view it but one day I will.

Stop #2 -- Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum

Two Rivers was big in the printing press industry. The Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum is a museum dedicated to the history of the printing press. They still produce signs and posters to this day. It was amazing to see they went from printing presses to washing machines. It was a perfect place to explore especially with a book being printed material. 

Stop #3 -- Roger Street Fishing Village

Before the printing industry came to Two Rivers, fishing was the way of life in the early days. Being on Lake Michigan and two rivers, the water was a great source of income. The Fishing Village is a small museum complex that explains the history of the fishing industry in Two Rivers as well as the Coast Guard and the famous Christmas Tree ship that went down in the waters outside of Two Rivers. There is a wonderful audio tour that allows to learn about everything the buildings. 

Stop #4 -- Cool City Brewing Company

After our history filled morning, it was time for lunch. We opted to go to Cool City Brewing since it was near the Fishing Village and the Washington House. Even if you are not in to beer, the also have coffee. The menu is small but it does have plenty of healthy options and not to so healthy options. We split 3 different flights -- a cheese curd flight, a taco flight, and a flatbread flight. All were wonderful but it was a lot of food for 2 people. The beer was good too. 

Stop #5 -- Washington House

Even though we were full from lunch, we headed to the Washington House which is the home of the Ice Cream Sundae. It is also a treasure chest of days gone by. Besides having an ice cream parlor it is also a museum. Each of the rooms in the former boarding house and bar, depicts history of Two Rivers. We were even lucky enough to have an accordion player entertain us. After the browsing the museum, we each got a dish of ice cream. I have been here a few years ago and indulged in an ice cream sundae then. 

Stop #6 -- Spirit of the Rivers

Our second to the last stop of the day was an impromptu stop at a statue along the lake. We saw a sign for the Spirit of the Rivers and decided to check it out. It is a statue that honors the birch bark canoe which was a vital part of the Native American history in Wisconsin and the Great Lakes. 

Stop #7 -- Mariner Trail/Lake Michigan

On our way back to my car, Stacy mentioned we should check out the giant rocking chair. She just knew it was a in park by her friend's house. The park was Lighthouse Park in Manitowoc along the shores of Lake Michigan. The rocking char is not huge but it does give you a good view of the lake and a place to rest when walking the 6 mile Mariner Trail that connects Two Rivers and Manitowoc.  

If it was a nice day out, we probably would have enjoyed the beach but it was cold and windy. But it was still nice to take a few minutes to read on the beach. 

Overall it was a fun filled day. There is plenty more to see and do in Two Rivers/Manitowoc that we did not hit including the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. So if you ever find yourself in the definitely take a day to explore the history of Two Rivers and Manitowoc.

Stay tune in 2026 to see where my Brenda Novak Road Trip Adventure will take me next. 

Random Statues and Sculptures 2025 -- Spirit of the Rivers

 I am a sucker for a random statue or sculpture. When Stacy and I passed one on the shores of Lake Michigan on the way back to my car after our Two Rivers  Adventure, it was a no brainer to check it out.

Spirit of the Rivers is a bronze sculpture that is located on along the shore of Lake Michigan between Manitowoc and Two Rivers. 

It celebrates the history and culture of the earliest inhabitants. It reminds of us of generations before us that traversed the land and waterways. 

To see the Spirit of the Rivers, park in the parking lot and then walk a short distance to the sculpture. Take a few minutes enjoy the Forget Me Not restoration project, when in bloom. 

Then take in the beauty of the Lake Michigan. Even on chilly, angry days the lake is always relaxing on your way back. 

Spirit of the Rivers is worth the stop if you ever find yourself in Manitowoc or Two Rivers. 

Stay tuned for other random statues and sculptures throughout my adventures. Who knows what I will find. 

5978. Explore the Washington House in Two Rivers

When planning our Two Rivers Adventure, I knew I wanted ice cream. I had a sundae at the Washington House which is the home of the ice cream sundae but I never really explored the house. I didn't realize it was a museum. I mentioned this to Stacy and gave her the option if she wanted to do the Washington House. Since it was close to the other places we visited, we opted to check it out.

The Washington House is located downtown Two Rivers. It is open seasonally 12-6 Thursday-Monday. There is street parking all around it. It is free to visit and donations are accepted.

The Washington House was a former inn and saloon. Back in 1881, the ice cream sundae was invented at Berners Ice Cream Parlor so there is a replica Berners' Ice Cream Parlor inside. There are two floors of exhibits.

You walk in to the old saloon with the long bar and are greeted by a handful of elderly volunteers. Some of the ladies were playing cards while an accordion player was entertaining everyone. It was kind of like stepping back in time. We were given a brief history of the place and left to explore on our own.

The downstairs rooms featured exhibits you would typically find a local history museum.. 

Military Artifacts

Houseware Artifacts

We had one of these growing up.

Local Sports History

Even some fossils

We headed upstairs and entered the ballroom where a rummage sale was taking place. The ballroom features several unique and rare murals. The stage was set up as a big band era band stand. 

                                                 

                                          

The rest of the rooms were the same was many other museums I have visited.

A bedroom

A Doctor's Office

A Dentist Office

A Barber Shop

There was even an entire room of musical instruments

Yup.. I've seen my share of history museums and they are all the same. Clark County is still my favorite. I will keep visiting local history museums because they are important to local areas and you never know what you are going to stumble upon. 

After exploring the museum, we headed to the ice cream parlor for some ice cream. Since we full from lunch, we opted just for ice cream. It is Cedar Crest ice cream which is made in nearby Manitowoc. It was a perfect end to a fun day.

I still would recommend the Washington House for ice cream and you might as well check out the museum while you are there. It is very well done and worth checking out. 

25 in 2025 -- Visit at Least One New Winery or Brewery -- Cool City Brewing

 When I got in the car to start our Two Rivers Adventure, I told Stacy I don't care where we have lunch and she said she knew of a spot. It turns out it was on my list of possible lunch spots.

We ended up going to Cool City Brewing which knocks off a brewery in Manitowoc County. Cool City Brewing. It is a coffee shop and a brewery. It is open 6-9 Mon-Fri and 7-9 on the weekends. Parking can be a challenge but we found a spot a short walk away.

We opted for beer not coffee. Since I prefer Sours and Shandies, there were a couple options for me to choose from. After asking our underage waiter, which was better and getting sample of both, I went with Wild Thing over Beach Baer. It was a nice fruity sour that I had no problem finishing. It may have taken me many years to figure out what I liked in a beer but I am glad I did. I am also glad Stacy introduced me to sours all those years in ago in Madison.

The menu is not large but does offer some unique options. We ended up splitting some food flights. We were seriously tempted to just have a dessert flights but figure since ice cream was our next stop, we better have some real food.

We opted for Tacos and Tortilla Chip Flights, Flat Bread Flight, and Wisconsin Cheese Curd Flight.

The Tacos and Tortilla Chip flight included a grilled chicken taco, a fish taco, and a Steak Fajita Taco. The grilled chicken and fajita tacos were amazing. I did not try the fish taco. Our waiter asked if we wanted beer cheese with our chips. Hello we are from Wisconsin of course we do.

The Wisconsin Cheese Curd Flight featured Half Naked Curds with a Blueberry Bourbon Balsamic dipping sauce, Cajun Curds with Thai Chili dipping sauce, and Garlic Curds with Black Garlic Aioli Dipping Sauce. First I'm not sure why they were half naked because they had plenty of breading for me. Second all the curds and dipping sauces were amazing. The garlic was probably my favorite. The blueberry dipping sauce surprised me by being shockingly good.

The Flatbread flight included a cucumber grilled chicken flat bread, a BBQ chicken flatbread, and a veggie flat bread. The chicken flatbreads were delicious.. messy but delicious. I did not try the veggie one it had brussels sprouts on it. Blech. 

Lunch may have been pricy (for me at least) but it was still well worth it. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I would highly recommend stopping at Cool City Brewing for lunch or dinner if you are ever in Two Rivers.