Located at the point where the Fox River enters Lake Winnebago in Winnebago County in Wisconsin, Oshkosh is a friendly town that has its origins in the lumber industry in the mid-1800s. The town boasts a variety of things to see and do for the whole family, from historic sites and cultural activities to outdoor recreation and sports. Oshkosh is home to several brewing companies, where visitors can taste some of the region’s top craft beers, as well as beautiful parks and green spaces for picnicking and fun in the sun, art galleries, museums and educational centers, and water parks.
Oshkosh Events:
- EAA AirVenture - Oshkosh, Every July, July 21 to July 27, 2025
Asylum Point Lighthouse
The Asylum Point Lighthouse is a famous lighthouse located on a small island in Lake Winnebago’s Asylum Bay, just a few feet away from the mainland.
Built in 1937, the tower marks the separation between North and South Asylum Bays and is one of Winnebago County’s historic landmarks.
The tower is accessed via a wooden bridge, and although it is not open for tours, the area around the tower is an excellent spot for picnics, with beautiful views of beautiful Lake Winnebago.
3300 Sherman Rd, Oshkosh, WI 54901
EAA - The Spirit of Aviation
The EAA - The Spirit of Aviation is dedicated to the preservation of historical and experimental aircraft.
Situated next to Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, the EAA Aviation Museum is home to over 200 aircraft, ranging from antiques and classics to warplanes, as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor exhibitions and activities.
The museum features a children’s section, which has several interactive aviation-related exhibits and events, along with a “control tower” observation platform overlooking the old-time grass airstrip of Pioneer Airport behind the museum.
Visitors can enjoy a range of aircraft rides at Pioneer Airport or at the adjoining Wittman Field, which hosts the annual AirVenture Fly-In and Airshow every summer.
3000 Poberezny Rd, Oshkosh, WI 54902, Phone: 920-426-4800,
Military Veterans Museum and Education Center
The Military Veterans Museum and Education Center is dedicated to preserving the story of the country’s citizen soldiers and recording their military experiences.
Established in 1991 by a group of World War II veterans, the center features a variety of exhibits and displays of artifacts, artworks, books, documents, photographs, and personal items relating to military veterans and their families.
The center is also home to the John E. Kuenzl Motor Pool, which houses a collection of military vehicles and pieces of particular interest, such as a piece of the Battleship USS Arizona, a WWII Soviet-built T34-85 tank, and a “Quad 50? anti-aircraft mount.
4300 Poberezny Rd, Oshkosh, WI 54902, Phone: 920-426-8615
Menominee Park Zoo, Oshkosh, WI
Stretching 109 acres along the shores of Lake Winnebago, Menominee Park Zoo is a seasonal zoo that boasts a rotating roster of 50 endemic and exotic animals each year.
Established in 1945, the zoo features several amusement rides, paddleboats on the lake, a miniature train, and a merry-go-round.
In addition to housing a variety of animals, the zoo features a wealth of hands-on exhibits and displays for all ages, plays an essential role in several educational activities and conservation programs, and hosts many of the city's annual events and festivals.
The Menominee Park Zoo is open from the first weekend in May until last week of September.
Menominee Park Zoo, 520 Pratt Trail, Oshkosh, WI 54901, Phone: 920-236-5082
New Moon Cafe, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
The New Moon Cafe is an artsy, comfortable space that serves delicious vegetarian cuisine, local Wisconsin-made beers and desserts, and gourmet coffee against a background of live music, open mic performances, poetry, and other entertainment.
Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the New Moon Café menu features hearty sandwiches and wraps, freshly made salads, homemade soups, burritos, quesadillas, and decadent desserts.
The cuisine is freshly prepared with locally sourced ingredients and served with a variety of beverages, local beers and wines, and soft drinks.
401 N Main St, Oshkosh, WI 54901, Phone: 920-232-0976,
Ardy & Ed's Drive-In
Established in 1948, Ardy & Ed's Drive-In is a family-friendly restaurant and old-fashioned drive-in that serves classic all-American cuisine, draft root beer, and fountain favorites.
The traditional drive-in has carhop servers on roller skates, offering a menu of hamburgers and hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, seafood baskets, and weekly specials along with milkshakes, root beer floats, and fountain sodas.
The restaurant also has a gift shop that sells souvenirs, beer glasses, clothing, and other items from the famous eatery and is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday through Sundays.
2413 South Main Street, Oshkosh, WI 54902-7244, Phone: 920-231-5455,
Oshkosh Public Museum
Located in the Edgar and Mary Jewell Sawyer House, which is part of the Algoma Boulevard Historic District, the Oshkosh Public Museum stands as an outstanding example of Edwardian elegance and documents the arrival of immigrants from Eastern Europe.
Built on the site of the Sawyers’ second home, which was built in 1908, the house was donated to the City of Oshkosh in 1922 and was opened as a museum in 1924.
The museum features an ornately carved staircase, several stained-glass windows, and a variety of interesting artifacts and items, including a folk-art clock called the Apostle's Clock, a Regina music box, and original artworks.
1331 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, WI 54901, Phone: 920-236-5799,
Paine Art Center and Gardens
The Paine Art Center and Gardens is a beautifully preserved historic estate that features a glorious mansion and exquisitely manicured botanical gardens and grounds.
The mansion boasts classic European-style architecture, an unparalleled art collection, public art galleries with changing art exhibitions, and a variety of unforgettable seasonal events.
The Paine estate features 20 gorgeous gardens that showcase a variety of trees, shrubs, and wildflowers in outdoor “rooms” that are designed to create a variety of intimate and grand settings.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Paine Art Center and Gardens is open year round to visitors and offers a spectrum of inspiration through all the seasons.
1410 Algoma Blvd, Oshkosh, WI 54901, Phone: 920-235-6903,
Pollock Community Water Park
The Pollock Community Water Park is a family-friendly water park that features a variety of fun rides and water-based activities. The 3.24-acre tract boasts a Lazy River with overhanging water features, such as water curtains and silly sprays, which visitors can float down on inflatable tubes, winding water slides for body sliding and inner tubing, and a 3,500-square-foot playground with pouring, dumping, and spraying water features.
The park also has a 16,500-square-foot swimming pool with diving boards, sun decks with deck chairs, and umbrellas and shade structures.
The Pollock Community Water Park is open from June 1 through August 21 and hosts several special events throughout the summer.
Pollock Community Water Park, 1550 Taft Ave, Oshkosh, WI 54902, Phone: 920-236-5086
Stevens Park, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Stevens Park is an urban park in Oshkosh that features open spaces for picnicking and a variety of outdoor recreational and sporting activities.
The park features an asphalt trail for walking, jogging, cycling, and running, a baseball diamond, outdoor basketball courts, an outdoor soccer field, tennis courts, and a softball field. Stevens Park features large open spaces with plenty of shade and places to picnic as well as modern restrooms, on-site parking, and ample outdoor seating.
Wiouwash Trail
The Wiouwash Trail is a rail trail in northeastern Wisconsin that traverses the four counties of Outagamie, Shawano, Winnebago, and Waupaca.
The trail’s name is derived from the first two letters of the four counties it traverses and is used by hikers, bikers, walkers, horseback riders during the summer and snowmobilers during the winter months.
The trail spans 41 miles and is divided into two sections, namely the northern segment, which spans 19 miles between the small towns of Birnamwood and Split Rock in Shawano County, and the southern portion, which extends 22 miles from north of downtown Oshkosh to Hortonville.
The trail features endpoints at State Road, in Birnamwood, Split Rock Road, Split Rock, Lakeview Avenue in Hortonville, and River Mill Road, west of the US 45 in Oshkosh.
Bare Bones Brewery, Oshkosh, WI
Bare Bones Brewery is a locally owned brewery that produces a variety of beers on tap and by the bottle, including amber ales, creamy ales, American IPA, American lagers, and sweet stouts, among others.
Located on the Country Highway, the brewery has a tasting room and a lovely shaded patio where visitors can taste some of the brewery’s best beers in a friendly, laidback atmosphere.
Bare Bones Brewery also sells a variety of merchandise, clothing, and souvenirs and is open on Wednesday through Thursday in the evenings, and all day over the weekend.
4362 County Hwy S, Oshkosh, WI 54904, Phone: 920-744-8045,
Fifth Ward Brewing Company
Fifth Ward Brewing Company is a local brewer in Oshkosh that has been producing beer by the bottle and on tap for the last 160 years.
Located on Main Street, the Fifth Ward Brewing Company presents a variety of beers, from year-round brews to seasonal releases, as well as sour and barrel-aged beers.
The brewery offers free tours of the facility every Saturday afternoon along with beer tastings and talks throughout the week and serves delicious snacks and small bites from its partner, Gardina’s Wine Bar and Café.
Fifth Ward Brewing Company’s spacious taproom and lovely outdoor beer garden can be rented for private functions and events.
1009 S Main St, Oshkosh, WI 54902, Phone: 920-479-1876,
Menominee Park
What better way to enjoy Oshkosh’s great outdoors than at one of the town’s largest parks – Menominee Park . Perfect for families and outdoor lovers, the park is cradled by the stunning Lake Winnebago and is the perfect place to enjoy water sports among other things.
Lake Winnebago is a prime fishing spot and boating location, while the park’s grounds feature a few amusement rides, and winding asphalt and dirt trails perfect for walking, running, or biking.
Incredibly, the park is also home to an 8-acre zoo, which is called home by up to 50 animals. Other amenities at Menominee Park include an ice rink, a picnic area, sporting fields, and a couple of playgrounds.
520 Pratt Trail, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, Phone: 920-236-5082, See the Map
Caramel Crisp Corner
If you have a sweet tooth and want to sample the best homemade sweet treats that the city has to offer, then a trip to the Caramel Crisp Corner is a must.
Though Caramel Crisp started as a small popcorn shop in 1933, it has transformed into a beloved institution over the years, serving up delectable delights to the public through its humble café.
Swing by to try their homemade cookies, pies, and gourmet popcorn among other delicious offerings. The café also serves deli-style offerings for those who want something savory to tuck into for breakfast or lunch.
Make sure to stop by the toy store and the gift shop on your way out and to pick up extras of your favorite goodies for the road.
200 D City Center, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, Phone: 920-231-4540
Allen Priebe Gallery
The goal of the Allen Priebe Gallery is simple, and it has been since it was first established in 1971: to bring further education and enrichment to the entire University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Art Department, students, and faculty alike.
What makes the Priebe Gallery special is that each of its exhibitions is curated by a board comprised of students in the Art Department, with the guiding know-how of a faculty advisor.
From selection to installation, the students play an integral role in the way the museum is put together.
1001 Elmwood Avenue, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901, Phone: 920-424-2235
Oaks Candy Corner
Indulge your inner sweet tooth at the Oaks Candy Corner , a candy shop that originated in 1890 and has established itself as a premier destination for decadent hand-dipped chocolate treats.
Up to this day, all of the offerings at the Oaks Candy Corner are handmade, meaning that an incredible amount of attention and passion is put into each velvety morsel.
Come by the shop to build your box of indulgent treats with Oaks Candy’s offerings including meltaways, nut-rolled chocolates, hard and chewy variations, soft-centered variations, and clusters among others.
Fudges, sugar-free chocolates, and nuts are also up for grabs at this candy shop.
1206 Oregon Street, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54902, Phone: 920-231-3660
