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Highest-rated free things to do in Wisconsin by visitors

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Josep Suria // Shutterstock
Josep Suria // Shutterstock
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Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the ever-growing cost of living, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were cost-burdened, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence over vacations. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Wisconsin.

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Wisconsin using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

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#30. Edgewood Orchard Galleries

Tripadvisor

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#30. Edgewood Orchard Galleries

- Rating: 4.8/5 (220 reviews)
- City: Fish Creek
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#29. Washington Island Stavkirke

Tripadvisor

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#29. Washington Island Stavkirke

- Rating: 4.6/5 (266 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. University of Wisconsin Geology Museum

Tripadvisor

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#25. University of Wisconsin Geology Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (120 reviews)
- City: Madison
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Dane County Farmers' Market

Tripadvisor

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#20. Dane County Farmers' Market

- Rating: 4.7/5 (470 reviews)
- City: Madison
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. New Glarus Brewing Company

Tripadvisor

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#19. New Glarus Brewing Company

- Rating: 4.5/5 (694 reviews)
- City: New Glarus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Tripadvisor

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#17. Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

- Rating: 4.7/5 (359 reviews)
- City: La Crosse
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

Tripadvisor

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#10. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

- Rating: 4.6/5 (527 reviews)
- City: Green Bay
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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