Oconto County, tucked into northeastern Wisconsin, offers a lot on your road trip. In the episode, host Eric Paulsen talks with Oconto County Tourism Director Sammy Boucher to discuss it all. We begin with the county's extensive trails for motorized recreaton, especially with Gillett laying claim to the "ATV Capital of the World" (with a stop there at OJ's for pie being a must!) Amidst the beauty of the Nicolet National Forest, you can enjoy Mountain, Lakewood, and Townsend along Highway 32 - including two wineries: the Woodland Trails & Winery in Lakewood and the new Lakehouse Winery in Townsend, where they make Wine Bloody Marys. Closer to Oconto itself, Copper Culture State Park offers plenty to see and new trail connections to the rest of the system. In Oconto itself, Sammy talks about the new and emerging shops in downtown, touring the first Christian Science Church in the world, and checking out the historic Beyer House & Carriage Museum which includes electric vehicles - from over 110 years ago!
Oconto is growing, too. With companies like Cruisers Yachts and various other industries across Oconto County, some good and new employment opportunities exist!
Speaking of new things across Oconto County, Lena now features the Dirt City Motorplex, a very cool dirt track with modern facilities located right off U.S. 141 - with a major event coming up at the end of July. Back to the waters of Lake Michigan, Oconto's Breakwater Park & Harbor is home to some major fishing tournaments. The Marina is a great place to launch, or pull in for a visit. Shout out to The Dockside for a meal when you visit! Another must-stop is where U.S. 41 & 141 split (or merge, depending on your direction) in Abrams: enjoy a treat at the Timberlea Drive-In, one of Sam's favorites! We cap off our conversation with major events coming up, including races at Dirt City Motorplex, the massive Art Fair in Lakewood & Townsend in mid-August, and more. Hit U.S. 41, U.S. 141, Highways 22, 32, or 64, and extensive county and forest roads for a great road trip and fun experiences in Oconto County. You can find out more at OcontoCounty.org, too!