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With two nephews and two nieces, we take our roles as cool Aunt and Uncle very seriously. With the four littles all currently under the age of six, all walking but only two potty-trained, planning day-long activities or mini getaways can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Especially when dealing with short attention spans, language skills that are all over the board and unpredictable midwestern weather patterns. But we #nailedit when we discovered Kenosha, Wisconsin a town in the southeastern part of the state, very near to the Illinois-Wisconsin state line.
After hearing about a free dinosaur museum in Kenosha, I took a closer look at this harbor town and the surrounding area. I ended up learning about so many kid-friendly things to do that I booked a 1-night hotel stay and created a day and half itinerary for my sister, her two littles and I to have a mini vacation. Then, not two weeks later, we returned to Kenosha with Justin’s entire family to catch a Friday night Kenosha Kingfisher baseball game! Both of our visits were action-packed and overflowing with fun. The trips covered all the bases: budget-friendly, educational, fun fan-experience, retail therapy, lake views, beach time, sweet treats and iconic stops. Read on for our kid-approved, “but I don’t want to go home yet” guide to experiencing Kenosha with the kiddos.
1. Kenosha Public Museum
Address: 5500 1st Ave, Kenosha, Wisconsin
This 2-floor museum features natural science exhibits + fine and decorative arts. The ethnographic, historical and geologic collections in parts of the museum are carefully curated to reflect and preserve local/Midwest history and culture. The Wisconsin Story exhibit, which my nephew insisted we start at, led us through thousands of years of Wisconsin history including 14,000 years of Native American life. We started back when Kenosha was an underwater sea world, then entered the time when dinosaurs roamed the planet and saw how Wisconsin Ice Age People lived 12,500 years ago. The Mammoth Corner, located in this exhibit, is home to a real-life mammoth skeleton which was found in 1992. We think this was a true collection highlight!
Next, we ventured upstairs where we walked through the curiosity hallway and into the West Gallery – home to impressive zoological collections ranging from the Artic to the African Grasslands. There is a lot to observe here. It’s a great exhibit for budding scientists and zoologists alike!
The third stop for us was the Fine Arts Gallery. A special watercolor exhibit was in its first day on display at the museum. Some of the paintings had sold for insane amounts of money and some looked like actual photographs. While this was an adult crowd-pleaser, we did move pretty quickly through this exhibit on account of the little ones. We also didn’t spend time looking at the historical artifacts displays – the ones with replicas of ancient times and wooden carvings. Instead, we headed back down to the first floor and enjoyed the geology display which featured an incredibly diverse collection of gemstones including a ton of local ones. Both kids liked this exhibit and in fact my nephew even bought a gemstone as a souvenir!
The last stop for us was the field station/activity station which included a kid size wood cabin trading post, reading nooks and a sculpture wall.
At the end of our 2-hour visit, we were genuinely blown away with the collections and programs we experienced here. Plus, admission to this public museum is free. Yes, really. FREE. Suggested donations around $5 per person are appreciated and done on the honor system.
2. Franks Diner
Address: 508 58th St, Kenosha, Wisconsin
First things first, Franks Diner has been serving hungry patrons since 1926 and is a Kenosha institution. This isn’t a tourist trap; the locals love this joint. So, grab an open stool or wait for a table and enjoy a classic American dining experience inside a train cart.
Franks Diner is a place untouched by time where you’ll find a menu filled with greasy breakfast options, burgers fried on an ancient griddle and of course, size large shakes and malts. It was featured on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and touts having served celebrities throughout the ages including the Three Stooges and Mark Ruffalo.
A popular gathering place for families and a hangover cure spot for college students, Franks is notorious for lines. But you’re steps away from Lake Michigan and quirky shops, so there’s worse places to spend your morning waiting for a seat at this counter. To give you an idea of wait time, we showed up around noon and waited 35 minutes for a booth for 4.
Now, let’s talk menu. Their signature dishes are Franks’ Garbage Plates. Imagine a thick brick of hashbrowns mixed with veggies and meat of your choosing served with a hefty side of homemade toast. Now that’s a garbage plate and anyone not forking one likely has no idea what they’re doing. Like us — full disclosure, we really botched it and failed to order garbage plates on visit. Please learn from our mistake.
And if you still aren’t fully able to image the vibe at Franks, here’s their manifesto: Order what you want, eat what you get!
While waiting for Frank to give you a call letting you know a table is ready and waiting, be sure to explore a bit of the surrounding area on foot. You’ll be impressed with what you’ll find. Breweries, eclectic shops, street art and some seriously cool architecture and vintage street signage abound in the industrial downtown section. Depending on the time of year you visit, you’ll hopefully get to enjoy some truly beautiful weather too!
Two of our favorite stops while out and about where:
1. Vintage Underground Sales and consignment – a rad little antique shop with treasures from all the ages. Prices were on the higher end, but it all varies from seller to seller.
2. The Kenosha Postcard Mural – located on 6th Ave, right before Friendship Park. This could be a rotating or seasonal mural but definitely worth the quick stroll from Franks to see what fun artwork might be there. Click here for more info on Kenosha’s art scene.
Address: 5608 Tenth Avenue, Kenosha, Wisconsin
This free, 2-floor museum features an impressive dinosaur display and has a ton of interactive activities to keep the kids busy while feeding their curiosity. The main exhibit hall features an impressive display of dinosaur fossils and skeletons. In fact, this museum is the only museum that focuses on the connection between carnivorous dinosaurs and modern-day birds. The collection continues to grow through on-going research in partnership with the Carthage Institute of Paleontology. It will be fun to return in a few years to see how the collection has evolved!
In the entrance gallery, you’ll find several interactive exhibits for kids including baby dinosaur costumes that kids can wear, and white lab coats they can slide on with goggles to peer into several working microscopes or create their own museum display. The lower level has a pit where kids can excavate dinosaur bones. There’s also tables and supplies for drawing dinosaurs and a lab too. This museum also offers a free I-spy game which helped to keep us focused as we explored. Plus, once we completed most of the game, the kids were able to receive a free prize in the gift shop which they were excited about.
4. Kenosha Sand Dunes
Spend time relaxing on the shores of Lake Michigan at the Kenosha Sand Dunes. Soak in the moment and savor the serene lake views while building a sandcastle, beachcombing or skipping rocks. This place is a well-kept secret with an easy to spot and follow footpath trail that leads you to the water’s edge. The dunes are manageable for kids to climb and traverse but also still impressive especially if they have never seen sand dunes before. Bonus: There is no entrance fee to access the dunes and the trails are bike and dog friendly.
5. Mars Cheese Castle
This random roadside castle is a must-visit spot. Located along Interstate 94, the Medieval giant bring serious King Arthur vibes to the heartland. Inside you’ll find faux stained-glass windows and suits of armor on display but the real prize here is the cheese. Dairy products of all kinds can be found here with an entire room dedicated to cheeses including locally sourced, farm-fresh cheese curds which are delivered here daily. Not to mention, wines, New Glarus beer, canned veggies, jams and bakery goodies too. It costs nothing to walk through the front doors, but we guarantee you won’t leave empty handed.
The mozzarella cheese whips were a huge hit with the kiddos and they enjoyed nibbling on the ample cheese and meat samples too! If you’re looking for something more hearty, big up some Wisconsin fan favorites at the Tavern located inside. The beer-battered cheese curds are incredible and served with a tangy mustard sauce. The grilled cheese is also a fan-favorite and made with locally sourced cheese. Prices are very reasonable and they have both indoor and patio seating available.
6. Enjoy a Friday night Kenosha Kingfisher Baseball Game
Catching an open-air baseball game, complete with a kids-friendly playlist wafting from the speakers and funky, dancing mascot is a classic, American summer night activity. Head over to historic Simmons Field, lay out a blanket on the lawn (lawn tickets are $8 each) or post up on the bleachers ($14 per ticket). There are lots of activities to keep the kiddos busy and the team mascot, King Elvis is a hoot! Friday night games are extra special with promos running all season long. During the Friday night game in June we enjoyed, they gave away free 10-year anniversary blankets to the first 1,000 fans!
7. Where to stay: Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Kenosha Pleasant Prairie
If your Kenosha plans are starting to get jammed, consider turning a day trip into a weekend getaway! We’re repeat guests at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Kenosha Pleasant Prairie. The hotel location is convenient – next to the Premium Outlet Mall in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, and I-94/41 (the highway). The continental breakfast is honestly the best we’ve come across and is served until 10 a.m. on Sundays. The only drawback is the indoor pool is freakishly small and the elevators can be slow when they have a full house.
Wishing you and the kiddos a fun visit to Kenosha!
~Justin & Alyssa
Still looking for fun things to do in Kenosha? Visit Tripadvisor to discover more activities to enjoy and let us know what we missed in the comments!
