Nice large steel sculpture of a Wisconsin badger. Adjacent to the SS Badger dock. Overlooks the…read moreManitowoc harbor with scenic views. The sculpture can be rotated by hand nearly 360 degrees allowing for a selfie in any direction. Not a must-visit, but definitely a "should visit" if in the area. Pleasant walk to the sculpture.

It's a fairly scrappy piece of work but Atlas Obscura got us here and we do love the weird, wacky…read moreand wonderful. A lovely location for pictures. We ran into a chap on a Lighthouse tour of Wisconsin who just happened to be from our old neighborhood in L.A. He had no idea it was a badger.

Awesome area for a walk alongside Lake Michigan. Free parking, picnic tables and indoor bathrooms…read moreare available for use. Nice sandy beach but you are a brave soul to go into the lake unless it's crazy hot, chilly water! Nice walk out to the lighthouse and views of the city from the shoreline. Worth the stop.

A small, lakeside park just north of the marina. there is an ample parking lot and a very nice…read morebathroom facility at the north end. A couple of picnic spots and a small but nice beach area. The real attraction here is the walk on the north Manitowoc jetty. On your way to the lighthouse you will come upon a water impoundment that can be rife with shore birds. A little further on is the Paws and Play dog park. Beyond is the walk to the lighthouse. If it is windy and the surf is up you might skip the lighthouse walk because you'll get wet or worse. All in all a nice area to spend a couple of hours. Bring your binoculars and snacks. On a sunny day this can be a great day in the making. On a cold, rainy day, not so much. People in Manitowoc are usually friendly. Take the time to chat, you might make a new friend.

We were lucky enough to be in town right when the USS Cobia had returned from dry dock so we…read moredecided to go to the maritime museum to check the sub and museum out. The city has a rich maritime history so the city is a perfect setting for this museum. Lots of well-curated exhibits house a ton of interesting stories and information. You can easily spend a full day if you really wanted to immerse yourself deeply into everything that they have to offer. Our family was there for about 4 hours and was able to tour the submarine as well as check out all of the museum. Great exhibits for all ages. My kids had fun looking at the model ships and playing in the water play area. We had to practically pull our youngest one out of the area because he didn't want to leave, ha! Prices for admission were comparable to other museums and events that we did in town and that included the guided sub tour. I'm glad we stopped!

More interesting than expected. We spent over two hours touring this place and we did not even do…read morethe sub (we've been in subs in other towns & museums). We were on our way to Door County and decided to take the longer way up since none of us had ever been to Manitowoc. We saw this place in the tour books and knew we had to stop. At first the price seemed a bit high even without the sub tour but in the end it was well worth it. The displays hit on a wide variety of maritime topics not just the subs that were built locally during WWII. I really learned a lot including about all of the shipwrecks in nearby Lake Michigan. I really liked the display of old outboard motors. Overall a great experience.

This free attraction is so pristine and beautiful (especially in July). Lake Michigan sparkles in…read morethe background-- it would be silly not to visit! Also, I think the best water fountain in the world might be here. It is cold and crispy and delightful! Free public bathrooms too what more could you ask for?

Wow. I had no expectations when I stopped here, having only seen it on the map and deciding to stop…read moreby on my way through the area. What beautiful gardens right along the lake! It's not often you find this quality of garden in this type of environment (and for free!). The sound of the waves in the background as you stroll through the different garden 'regions' was relaxing and simply amazing.

A one square block 3.7 acre park smack dab in the middle of downtown Manitowoc. There is a…read morebandshell in the middle of the park, two basketball courts that are new and improved since last time I shot hoops there. There is also a public bathroom that is fairly well maintained. On any given day during the warm months (yeah, we have a few in Wisconsin) there will be various concerts and other musical events. I've been there when locals just get up on the stage and start playing. There is also the occasional craft market, where locals bring in some nice stuff. Not the biggest or wildest park in town; but a nice gathering place for the people of Manitowoc. Jenn's Java and the Get Reel movie house are just across Washington Street.

A really nice library for a city the size of Manitowoc. I've done a lot of searching through the…read moremicrofiche collection. There is an entire area dedicated to childrens' books and activities. I enjoy books on native cultures and history. Here, I have a myriads of options to entertain my brain's constant quest for information. The staff here is very nice and eager to help. Clean and well organized, the library hosts public forums and educational programs. I will be attending Medicare 101 later this month. There is also a nice bank of computers for public use. Just make sure you have your free library card with you. BTW, there are no water features around the Manitowoc Library.

This library caught us off guard! The fountains outside was beautiful! Looks like a great place…read moreto bring children.

This is an exceptional piece of bronze artwork along a beautiful section of the Mariners Trail…read morealong Lake Michigan. While there are several sculptures along this trail, Spirit of the Rivers is the marquee piece. Well worth a stop when visiting the area (especially since there is no admission fee - I'm a big fan of free). There are available spaces for personal commemorative pavers along the walkway to the sculpture. The Spirit of the Rivers website has pricing information

Went to the dedication of this remarkable statue monument yesterday. An absolutely stunning bronze…read morestatue of three Ojibwa Indians caught in time during a portage out of Lake Michigan. The 10 foot tall subjects include a young woman, an elder guide, and a young brave carrying a birch bark canoe. The canoe is 18 feet long; and the statue weighs 3 and a half tons. This project was supposed to be completed in 2014; but it took a while longer. The design and casting of this impressive work was done by the well known sculptor R. T. "Skip" Wallen. An Ojibwa elder gave the convocation in his native tongue. He spoke of respect for the planet and all living things; and the common values of humanity. Although I speak passable Lakhota, Ojibwa was beyond my comprehension. Good thing he spoke in English, too. The crowd was in hushed respect. Except for the troll who drove by and yelled, "they're just @%$&ing Indians!" When you visit this place, you will notice the incredible detail in the the statue. The artist went all out to make this monument appear to be a snapshot from time. With Lake Michigan as the backdrop this spot between Manitowoc and Two Rivers is gorgeous! If you are driving between Trivers and Manty it would greatly behoove you to stop and take in this marvel on the lake shore. It's right across from the Aurora Hospital.

So glad this historic venue has been saved, almost 100 years old soon! They have so much volunteer…read morehelp that you want for nothing! They really take good care of every guest above and beyond. I needed a wheelchair d/t a casted leg and a fella scooped me right up and even waited near by our seats to get me drinks if I wanted! The theater is also just beautiful, it's been updated very recently but was beautiful to begin with. The ladies room is pure elegance as well. This was the main movie theater in Manitowoc and I'm glad its alive and kickin'! Recently saw the old ELO Band, now called "The Orchestra". Their concert couldn't have been better! I'll definitely go again if they come back. Check this place out if you haven't already, you won't be disappointed!

The Capitol Civic Center is a classic, small-city theater that was built in 1920 and opened in…read more1921, primarily as a Vaudeville house. As the years went on, the Capitol operated pretty much a movie theater. As the days of single screen, urban theaters slowly came to an end, the Capitol faced a crossroads that many such buildings have faced through the years. No one shows film anymore because "movies" are all digitally distributed and projected. Digital projection systems are frightfully expensive. Unable to justify the conversion expense, many beautiful theaters have simply closed up to an uncertain future. (Think, "Wrecking ball.") The Capitol, however, had a more positive outcome. In the 1980s, civic leaders lovingly restored the old theater as a modern live theater venue. Renamed the Capitol Civic Center, the grand dame has been modernized but at the same time, has retained her classic appearance and architectural details. Oh, there's some small irritations, like long lines at the rest rooms during intermission and you have to watch your step going to your seat. (Each row is flat with small step up from the aisle.) Still, the acoustics are good and there's not really a bad seat in the house. I saw movies at the old Capitol Theater with my cousins when I was a kid, so my first experience at the Capitol Civic Center was on September 29 to see "Dennis DeYoung and the Music of Styx." It was a marvellous show! Dennis DeYoung is 70 years old but sure doesn't act like it. He is supported by a group of incredible musicians and he puts on a great show with all his familiar hit songs. Domo arigato, Mr. Kilroy! By the way, this was not the first time DeYoung performed here. He lives in Chicago and is a life-long Chicago Bears fan. The night before the concert, his beloved Bears were humiliated by the archrival Green Bay Packers. With Manitowoc being only a few miles from Green Bay, well, you can imagine the football schtick that he did for us. There is no doubt, he knows how to work the room and play to the crowd, providing great laughs and applause. Dennis DeYoung made it obvious that he likes Manitowoc and the Capitol Civic Center. I do, too.

This is probably the best historical venue I've been to so far since moving to Wisconsin a year and…read morea half ago. Very well-maintained grounds. Easy to walk. Nice variety of buildings. Short YouTube videos explaining each of the historical buildings. Friendly staff. Nice little gift shop. Definately allow at least two hours to wander and take it all in.

The kids at Yelp are so confused about this place, I feel it's my duty to straighten it all out…read more First, the Historical Society is no longer on Michigan Avenue. It moved a couple of years ago. It is now on 924 Pinecrest Lane, a few miles west of Manitowoc off of Highway JJ. The new facility is headquartered in the McAllister building, a stately white 19th century edifice. There is a historical museum in this building. This building is in the Pinecrest Village, which Yelp insists is closed. The Pinecrest Village is a collection of dozens of 19th century buildings. These include early homes, a blacksmith, a church, a dentistry, a general store, a millinery store, a train depot, among others. The Meeme House is a recent addition. The Meeme House was once a stagecoach stop and entertainment center. In 2020 the official reopening date is June 1st. This is a wonderful place to visit. There are usually friendly and knowledgeable staff there to help you find your way around and explain the features and attractions of the place. Check their website for events in all four seasons. I have volunteered out here. I love the Civil War Days when I have an excuse to deck out in my Civil War uniform and dazzle folks with my trivia and knowledge of the War to preserve slavery. This is a wonderful place to soak up the history of Manitowoc County and breath some fresh air while you get some exercise on its 60 acres. If you are a history buff or just want to leave the rat race behind for a couple of hours, it would behoove you to get yourself out here. There is an admission fee; but it is money well spent. Kids love this place and so will you.