It's no secret that the indie city of Eau Claire has some quirks and unusual marvels to ponder... We're here to bring you to the wild side and embrace the peculiar parts of Eau Claire's history, shopping scene, public artwork, and culinary craze. Come along with us as we step out of the ordinary and explore some of the weird and wonderful things to do in Eau Claire.
Try beers at The Brewing Projekt
Colorful, flavorful, beautiful beer, here! The Brewing Projekt is a brewery in downtown Eau Claire known for creating "stubbornly crafted beer." The Brewing Projekt states "Boring just isn't our style. If that's what you want... Go Somewhere else." The brewery's tap beer list rotates regularly and features new variants of their wild Smoofee Sours, Milkshake IPAs, Puff Tarts, wheat ales, lagers, and more. Not only do the drinks have wacky names, but their graphic designs are even funkier! And yes, these beers have been crafted into every color of the rainbow and feature flavors you didn't know could exist in beer! Learn more about The Brewing Projekt here.
Discover the Wisconsin Logging Museum
At the home of Paul Bunyan & Babe The Blue Ox, you can take a step back and learn about the history of Eau Claire and the logging industry in the Chippewa Valley! The Wisconsin Logging Museum is part of the Chippewa Valley Museum and features an 1890s logging camp reproduction, logging camp center, and gift shop. The museum includes a life-like cabin lived in by lumberjacks, interactive water exhibits, and more family-friendly learning activities. Plan a visit to the historic Wisconsin Logging Museum to snap a photo with the Paul Bunyan & Babe The Blue Ox sculpture, and learn about the industry that put plaid in style!
Visit Justorian Alpacas Farm
Osseo, WI has its very own alpaca farm and store! And the farm is cuteness overload! Justorian Alpacas is a hobby farm home to dozens of alpacas and is open for scheduled visits. The farm is family-friendly and is one of the cutest places to grab photos with fluffy friends. The farm also has a store open in downtown Osseo which offers, scarves, hats, mittens, socks, stuffed animals, and yarn made from alpaca fiber. Check out their website to learn more about the farm's story and to schedule a visit to the farm!
Relax at Mr. Kitty's Cat Cafe
It’s a cat and coffee lover’s dream come true. Mr. Kitty’s Cat Cafe opened in the spring of 2024 and partners with the Eau Claire County Humane Association to present a cat-petting lounge in downtown Eau Claire. When you walk into the facility, you can browse the gift shop, order a coffee, and check in for your cat lounge visit. The cats are all rescued and available for adoption, so it’s the perfect place to enjoy a peaceful session in their temporary homes. Make your reservation to meet the cats at Mr. Kitty’s Cat Cafe!
Play Crokicurl
This Canadian game has migrated its way down to Wisconsin to be enjoyed outdoors all winter long. Crokicurl is a combination of curling and a board game called "Crokinole." Here's how it works: get the most points by shooting the stones into the center of the rink and positioning the stones on the rink so they remain within the highest-scoring rings by the end of the round. A Crokicurl rink can be located in River Prairie Park next to 44 North in the winter months temperatures permitting. Check out our Crokicurl page to learn all about the game and how to enjoy the sport this winter!
Attend the Ginormous Pumpkin Festival
Oh my gourd, it's getting wackier! Every fall, River Prairie holds a Ginormous Pumpkin Festival and welcomes pumpkin growers to submit their mega pumpkins into the competition. The event consists of a pumpkin weigh-off, pumpkin races, pumpkin dessert contests, costume contests, rubber ducky races, and even a ginormous pumpkin drop! Mark your calendars for this year's Ginormous Pumpkin Festival on September 28, 2024 from 8 AM - 3 PM. Visit the website to learn more about the event and plan for a spectacular fall day in River Prairie.
Experience Mabels
Hold onto your hats when you walk into this wacky downtown antique and thrift shop... Mabels shop is filled floor to ceiling with anything and everything– lights, art prints, animals, old trinkets, photos, and more. It doesn't perfectly fit into any category, but we can guarantee this will be one of your most unique stops on your visit to Eau Claire. Shop for random, one-of-a-kind antiques, art pieces, or decorative knick knacks, or just explore the tiny museum that Mabels has brought to downtown Eau Claire.
Take a ride on Chippewa River Trolley Tours
Beep, beep, trolley coming through! Say hello to the Chippewa River Trolley Company, Eau Claire's newest way to explore the area in style. This vintage-style trolley is designed to bring groups on tours around Eau Claire and treat riders to the most Eau Claire-esque experiences! The trolley company offers a Winery & Distillery tour, a Craft Cocktail Tour, a Brewery Tour, a Local Sports Legends Tour, a Family Trolley Express, an Urban Adventure Tour, and a Signature Eau Claire Tour throughout the summer. Its design replicates those of streetcars and trolleys that operated in Eau Claire in the late 1800s-1930s and was custom-built right here in Wisconsin. Stay tuned for more seasonal trolley tours like Restaurant Week Farm and Trolley Tour, the Eau Claire Dark History Tour, and the Supper Club and Saloon Tour! Book your tours here.
Find Mona Lisa Paintings
If you've spent some time in downtown Eau Claire, you may be wondering, "Why the heck are there so many Mona Lisa paintings?" There's a restaurant on Water Street actually called Mona Lisa's, and the restaurant owners also own a a number of other buildings around town. Instead of putting billboards on these buildings, the owners just decided to repeatedly paint Mona Lisa through the city for brand awareness. There are 4 Mona Lisa murals around downtown Eau Claire; can you find them all?
Check out Dinosaurs, Trolls, & Garbage Goose Sculptures
One man's trash is another man's treasure, right?! At least that's the idea behind the sculpture, "Garbage Goose," on Galloway Street. This piece of art is 30 feet tall and is made out of objects found along the Mississippi River. Make your way to River Prairie, but be careful.... Troll sculptures inhabit the area. They're typically sleeping, but park-goers have the ability to approach them and try to wake them up. Check out the full Sculpture Tour website to see more incredible artwork around Eau Claire!
Shop at The Raggedy Man
Stop and shop at The Raggedy Man, a funky, electric gift shop with something for everyone! The shop's vibe is all about offering wacky, unique, yet adorable goods for your style. Find everything like candles, wall prints, ornaments, greet cards, pillows, and other stunning home decor! It's colorful, random, and unique goods that you didn't know your home needed here at The Raggedy Man. Get a sneak peek at what their store offers on their social media accounts!
Play Kubb
What in the world is Kubb?! Kubb is a lawn game where the object is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden sticks at them. That's it! The game has been described as a combination of bowling, horseshoes, and chess. As a matter of fact, Eau Claire is the official "Kubb Capital of North America," and hosts the annual U.S. National Kubb Championships every summer. This year, the competition takes place on July 12-14, 2024, and brings together over 100 teams to battle for the title. If you're wanting to try the game on a little less competitive level, you can play a friendly game in the summer or winter at The Brewing Projekt, Carson Park, River Prairie, Owen Park, and many more places. Check out the complete guide to Kubb and see where to rent Kubb sets in the area!
