Family wedding at Royal Ridges here yesterday. It was absolutely wonderful!…read more The ceremony was held outside with a picture perfect background of green fields, rock walls, and a gazebo to boot! The guests were all seated under a large tent (yes, all 420 of us!) while the bridal party and officiant were in the sun. Nate and Jenny were married steps in front of the white wooden gazebo with strewn with gorgeous wind chimes. It was a great idea because there were never any awkward silences between readers etc. Then we went inside, just a few feet behind us, to three huge rooms of dinner and dancing. The catering was quick, efficient, professional, and friendly. There were two bars back to back which was nice as well. One of the rooms was a bit quieter which I believe some guests liked as well. I of course was never in that room, because there was a huge dance floor with my name allllllll over it! The best part of this location is that guests all stay at the Comfort Suites at Royal Ridges which is just across the parking lot - so no one has to worry about anyone driving! It may have been to our detriment as I lost count of my glasses of wine and the walk back is a bit blurry, but that's just me being irresponsible and 25! I'll grow out of it someday! All in all, a great location for ceremony, reception, and out of town accommodations!

I'm writing this review way late but it's been sitting in my 'unfinished reviews' for way too long…read moreand I'm working on finishing all of them! Anyhoo, my husband and I attended a wedding here in the summer of 2011. After driving four hours up here and right through downtown Ripon, we weren't sure what to expect. We pulled up into the parking lot and rushed to our seats in the outdoor area right as the music started playing. Whew!! I can see why my friend picked this place. Cute little gazebo for outdoor weddings with a large grassy yard behind it. Beyond that were some rock formations, trees, and possibly a little creek. Perfect for lovely wedding photographs. The outdoor space near the gazebo was a good size for a small wedding (less than 100 people). Inside the hotel/banquet hall was a nice ballroom with one wall completely covered in windows to get the nice view of everything. This was quite a lovely spot for a wedding in a quiet town in the middle of Wisconsin. The only person I knew was the bride and her parents -- we didn't know anyone else here. Yet, the bar in the middle of the ballroom and the set up of the tables allowed us to get to know other people and have a great time! The bartenders were friendly and as a guest, I had no issues with any staff members or food or bathroom or anything. I'm not sure what other places in the area are available for weddings, so its hard to compare. Also, this place isn't my style (I got married in an old house in the woods) so it's kind of hard to judge for someone else. Yet, based on the town and the surrounding areas, this is one of the more high-class places for a wedding. It's good if you want a small upscale wedding in ballroom with a beautiful backdrop for photos.

This is a fun, local theatre. We saw Second City and it was hilarious. I chatted with a few folks…read morewhile waiting in line and it seems to be a popular place for both locals and visitors. The theatre is set up with a stage on one end and chairs lined in rows to view the performance. We were in row 4 or so and didn't have issues with seeing over those in front of us. The stage seemed to be high enough to accommodate the backs rows as well. They do have a bar so you can get a cocktail and enjoy the show. As Second City involves crowd participation, the room was totally engaged and having a ton of fun. So glad we were able to catch this show.

I went with my boyfriend and our friends to see Willy Porter in February this year. Being a…read moremusician myself, it was an awesome show and great acoustics in the space. The only complaint I have...which is the reason this is not a 5-star review was there weren't enough seats. We had to grab a couple of chairs from the bathroom to sit down. The staff should have offered us seats- not us having to look for them.

Attended a wedding and a wedding reception here. It was great! In addition to a ballroom and great…read morehall for such events, The Howard also has a coffee bar cafe, boutique bowling alley, and often feature live entertainment and specialty dining. The upper level great room was perfect for the wedding ceremony. The service was excellent. Elizabeth coordinated through activities tirelessly. Service at the reception was equally good. Friendly wait staff and bartenders. Highly recommend.

My daughter chose this venue after an exhaustive search. She knew immediately upon arrival at…read moreFarmin' Betty's that this was the perfect outdoor setting for their nuptials, the farmhouse for getting ready and the magnificent barn for their reception. In addition to the exquisite grounds, Beth and her staff are efficient, gracious, and knowledgeable. After several meetings, we left everything in her confident hands and enjoyed every moment of the glorious event. I cannot expound enough upon the professional manner every detail was dealt with. Everyone who attended has perfect memories.

From the owner: Vintage Fields welcomes you to an unforgettable experience. Nestled amid the rolling hills of…read moreSouthern Wisconsin (just 30 minutes from Madison and 45 minutes from the Western Milwaukee Suburbs), our estate offers a captivating blend of vintage charm and modern amenities. Imagine exchanging vows against a backdrop of serene fields and winding rivers. Or dancing the night away in our elegant wedding barn or under the stars in our magical courtyard. Your closest friends and family enjoying the moment and making memories with you. Here, you'll find peace, tranquility, and all the final touches that just make sense.

I've been hesitant to write this, it might get deleted because after looking at some pictures, I do…read morebelieve she is the owner..........Me and my six-year-old son visited the farm Mother's Day (never doing that again) and it was super busy, literally waiting in line for 30/45 minutes to hold a cat or a rabbit for three minutes. We had been there before so I knew there was a little bench/sitting area outside of the bathroom. So after using the bathroom, I thought it would be the perfect little area to decompress and take a little break and have a couple snacks so go sit down on the bench get our snacks out put them on a little table start eating them five minutes later the door that separates the area to the wedding venue section opened up, and I hear this lady talking to a woman with a child and a man explaining to them that they can change their child's diaper on the bench.......that was already occupied by myself and my child.....and she continued to explain it to them AFTER she saw us sitting on the bench. I have nothing against the other mom. She was just doing what she was told. But with that being said, I have changed my child's diaper in weird locations and there was a diaper changing station in the bathroom 10 feet away with no line. So at that point it became extremely awkward for everybody involved. I tell my child to hurry up and finish his food and collect his garbage which felt like minutes, but was probably only 30 seconds with the other family still hovering over us waiting for us to get up. He asked me why we had to leave and I didn't answer him. I had no problem with the other family. Maybe they didn't know there was a changing table in the bathroom, once again, they were just doing what they were told. BUT in my opinion, they never should have been told that. The other lady basically kicked us out of the spot. We were already well established at. Out of the almost 7 years that I have been going to fun activities basically every weekend with my child I have never been disrespected like that. Now with that being said, I do not believe it was her original intention to do so, but I would like for her to know that she did offended me and maybe next time see if the bench is already occupied and provide another location. Maybe double check if there is a line for the bathroom first. Yes I know it is a first world problem. But I have been thinking about this since Mother's Day. We can call this review constructive criticism...... but maybe not so that again.

Kinda cool. The tour is ok. A bit pricey imo. The 'farmers' are polite and seem to know when to…read morestop the children from going too far. The poop in the climbing tires was awful. As was the response from employees. No one took care of the poop.

I had my wedding reception at the event loft a few years ago. The grounds were beautiful and the…read moreinside offered a unique rustic feel with a modern touch. The owner was very easy to work with. Plenty of parking, worked easily with vendors, great staff.

This hill was an amazing part of the nearby fields which are also amazing for soccer. I loved…read morerolling down it with friends.

Another successful stay at the Mapes Hotel! I love staying here so much! The price is very…read morereasonable and right in the heart of downtown Ripon.

This is my favorite hotel ever! Checking in is a breeze. You just enter a code to open the lock box…read moreto get your keys. This is the largest hotel room ever, super clean, and decorated SO adorably. It has a full kitchen with the cutest tiny dishwasher! Everything was amazing, if only every hotel was this spacious, cute, and clean. I will stay here any time I visit the area.

Food was OK. Seated at 5:30 - ordered right away. (We all ordered the fish fry - nothing fancy…read more nothing extra). 6:30 waitress had no idea when our food would be served. At 7, we finally (had to ask) for a snack - and all she could offer was some dry rye bread. At 7:15 she (finally, did offer another round of drinks. Which, the sodas already came with free refills). Just what our pregnant guest needed. We finally got our food at 7:20. We won't go back. (Oh, in addition to the unacceptable service) - those who ordered potato salad were disappointed - while the quality was good, the portion was so tiny, we remarked, oh, this must be a sample of what their potato salad would be if they gave you a regular portion.

Let me begin by saying that $16.99 for prime rib is not terrible, but sometimes a $16.99 prime rib…read moredisappoints. As I continue to learn more about butchery and cooking, I more often than not find myself disappointed with restaurant fare - especially at a value price point. Prime rib starts with an excellent rib roast. That rib roast should have four distinct muscles. In inferior cuts of meat, these muscles get separated by sinewy, hard fat rather than thin fat that renders during the cooking process. This is super-important in prime rib because each of those muscles can sit at a different angle, changing the chew mid-steak. Also in inferior cuts, the ribeye cap - or spinalis dorsi - consists mostly of fat. In good cuts that cap if the best part of the prime rib. That did not happen here. The steak was OK as far as tenderness, but not great. It's actually such a small piece of meat that it really needs the bread and salad they do not serve just in order to leave feeling full. The fat and sinew between the individual muscles did not render well, and even the soft fat was inedible. I have eaten prime rib where I ate every single piece of that steak put on my plate. Here, I had to essentially cut out the heart of the ribeye (longissimus dorsi) and eat that alone. My wife reminded me that it was affordable. In the future, if the goal is affordable I'll just have drinks.