photo by Digidave

They say everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, you can be Irish for an entire week.

Irish Week kicked off March 4 with the Shamrock Club’s annual Birthday Party at the Irish Cultural Heritage Center. Irish Week spotlights  Irish culture and pride, and includes Irish dancers, music, and a Mass in Honor of St. Patrick. The week of festivities concludes on March 13 with the time-honored Shamrock Club of Wisconsin’s 44th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Milwaukee, the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Wisconsin.

While The Shamrock Club is celebrating its 44th anniversary of producing the parade, the tradition dates back to 1843, before Wisconsin had even achieved statehood. The parade takes place at noon, and features more than 150 units, including Irish dance groups, pipe and drum corps, local celebrities and dignitaries.

The parade will proceed east from the Shops of Grand Avenue on 3rd and Wisconsin, north on Plankinton, west on Kilbourn, north on Old World 3rd Street, east on Juneau, and south on Water Street.

Following the parade is the Shamrock Club’s Post Parade Party from 1 to 6 pm at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center at 2133 West Wisconsin Avenue, headlined by Different Drums of Ireland.

If You Go
Save on your hotel with our discount travel coupon for the Baymont Inn & Suites of Glendale, Wisconsin,  or use this lodging discount for the AmericInn Lodge & Suites of Germantown, Wisconsin.
Parking is $2 during the event at the Shops at Grand Avenue.
Parade spectators are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate. Volunteers collect the donations in shopping carts during the parade.

The Quality Inn, Green Bay WIsconsin

Vacation in Green Bay at the Quality Inn & Suites

It’s time to pack your bags and take a break.  Plan a vacation in your own backyard; escape to Green Bay Wisconsin.

Take in Green Bay’s annual Artis Gras held the weekend of February 6th at the Shopko Mall. View works from hundreds of artists and craftsman throughout the Midwest.  You’ll also enjoy live classical music, jazz and dance.  Next stop, Packer’s Hall of Fame where you’ll take in more than 80 years of football history.  Enjoy interactive displays paying tribute to 130 players.  Afterwards relax at the Quality Inn & Suites. You’re looking good with your discount gift certificate saving your family half off at the Quality Inn & Suites on a two-night stay.  It’s a travel deal that can’t be beat. Your stay includes $20 in funny money good at the arcade and a complementary hot deluxe breakfast. Your family will love the indoor pool and fitness center. In the evening have dinner out 50% off Green Bay restaurant gift certificates.

For the next evening be sure to take in Frosty Family Fun Night at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.  The kids will love the campfire, treats and night animals.  You’re sure to come home feeling refreshed, ready to tackle another week, after your weekend retreat in Green Bay.

In this tough economy, a week-long vacation just isn’t an option for many. Some can’t afford to take time off of work. Others are too busy to get away for an entire week. Airlines can be a hassle, or too expensive. For those with young children, finding someone to watch the kids for a week is impossible, and some just don’t want to leave the children that long. There is a lot of planning for a trip, and some don’t even have the time to do that.

For all of these reasons, consider taking a mini vacation. Take a long weekend, or plan a mid-week break. These Wisconsin travel coupons are for destinations within just a few hours of Appleton, Green Bay, and Oshkosh. Even better, break your vacation time into several small trips, and spread them out throughout the year. Even on a limited budget, you can get away from it all.

Door County Getaway

This discount travel coupon for Door County is in the heart of Ephraim, Wisconsin. The Edgewater Resort offers waterfront views of scenic Eagle Harbor, whirlpool baths, fireplaces, and your own living room and full kitchen, all decorated in casual cottage style.

Bed & Breakfast in Waupaca, Wisconsin

Be pampered with this travel deal for the historic Green Fountain Inn in Waupaca. This elegantly furnished bed & breakfast features a charming fireplace in the sitting room, perfect for curling up next to with a loved one.

Resort luxury

Relax in resort luxury with our travel discount to the Fox Hills Resort in Mishicot with two indoor pools, on-site spa and fitness center and weekend entertainment at the Benchwarmers Sports Bar. The Willowview Restaurant, located on-site with a view of the golf course, is also available to treat you in style.

Madison shopping and dining

Discount lodging in Madison is available just steps from the capitol building and vibrant State Street shopping and dining when you stay at the Hotel Ruby Marie. Enjoy luxurious accommodations decorated in beautiful historic style after a night out on the town.

Nearby North Woods

Head for the “North woods” with our travel coupon for the Rustic Wolf Inn in Shiocton, where every one bedroom suite is decorated with handmade log beds and tables and beautiful pine slab counters. A large deck overlooks the scenic Wolf River.

Gateway to Milwaukee

You get a great travel deal for Milwaukee with our discount lodging coupons for the AmericInn Lodge & Suites in Germantown, just minutes from Milwaukee. Enjoy a peaceful stay and relax by the indoor pool and hot tub after a day of sightseeing in the city.

Pine Mountain Resort

This popular ski resort is located in Iron Mountain, Michigan which is approximately an hour and a half north of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Pine Mountain has terrain for all abilities and has three lifts. The resort provides food, beverages lodging, and of coarse, great skiing. Pine Mountain is also known throughout the world as having one of the best ski jumping hills.

RTownShopper.com is offering this great gift certificate:

Two(2) lift passes  a $78.00 value, RTown Price $39.00

Passes are valid only during lift season and only one pass per person.

Blackjack Mountain

Located in the upper peninsula of Michigan, Bessemer is about a four-hour drive from Green Bay and is the home of Black Jack Mountain ski resort.

The mountain has 19 ski trails. New improvements to the lodge and the slopes; a new terrain park, and an increased focus on customer service will all add to your NEW Blackjack experience.

RTownShopper.com is offering these two different certificates:

Two(2) lift passes, an $80.00 value, RTown Price: $40.00
Four(4) lift passes, a $160 value, RTown Price: $80

Visit skiblackjack.com for information on trail conditions, directions, and other mountain information. Black out dates apply- holiday week of 12/26/09 – 1/3/10. Expires 4/1/10

Nordic Mountain

Nordic Mountain, located in beautiful Wautoma, Wisconsin, offers a great place for the whole family to enjoy. At Nordic Mountain, they believe that skiing should be a sport that everyone can enjoy and afford. The resort is centrally located, about an hour and forty minutes south-west from Green Bay, and less than an hour west from Oshkosh.

RTownShopper.com two gift certificates for 50% off:

Two(2) lift passes, a $70.00 value, RTown Price: $35.00
Four(4) lift passes, a $140.00 value, RTown Price: $70.00

Valid 11/15/09- 4/1/10. Black out dates apply: Holiday week of 12/26/09- 1/3/10.

There are those who dread winter’s upcoming snowfall, and there are those who live for it.

Soon winter will be here in Wisconsin, and skiers and snowboarders can head for the slopes. Whether you ski or ride, area ski hills have something for everyone. Beginners can work on their form on the green runs, while expert skiers take on the challenges of the bumps and jumps. After a day on the trails, enjoy the après ski life with live bands and a frosty beer, or warm up with hot chocolate while you curl up to a toasty fire.

Create a memorable ski vacation with our discount lift tickets to BlackJack ski resort in Bessemer, Michigan. You’ll find new improvements to an old favorite along with unbelievable amounts of lake effect snow. New owners have made BlackJack Ski Resort even better with improvements to the lodge, a new terrain park, and a renewed focus on customer service.

Head out to a local Wisconsin favorite with discount lift tickets to Nordic Mountain near Wild Rose. Local ski bums know Nordic Mountain is a great place to learn, and they now have a new beginner area and lift. The adventurous can shred it up in three terrain parks, or try Nordy’s Narrows, a new black diamond run that winds through the woods.

Here in the Midwest, we may not have the altitude, but we do have the attitude.  Whether your family is skiing or snowboarding, staying close to home means affordable fun for everyone.

Think Snow!

The holiday spirit lights up Milwaukee for a festive welcome to the Christmas shopping season.

The 11th annual Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival warms up downtown with thousands of twinkle lights, beginning November 19 with the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival Kick-Off Extravaganza. The ceremonial lighting takes place at 6 pm in Pere Marquette Park, with live music, entertainment, fireworks, free Jingle Bus rides and a visit from Santa Claus.

From November 19 – January 3, Wisconsin Avenue, Cathedral Square Park, Pere Marquette Park, and Zeidler Union Square are adorned with lights and animated displays. For $1 per person, a Jingle Bus will take visitors on a tour of downtown. The Jingle Bus operates Thursday through Sundays November 20 – Jan 3 from 6 to 9 pm from the Plankinton Arcade at The Shops of Grand Avenue, the Festival’s Warming House location at 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. Awaiting riders are served hot cocoa, coffee and cookies, and little ones receive coloring books and crayons.

At Bayshore Town Center, a premier shopping, dining, and entertainment complex in Glendale, Wis., the Christmas shopping season kicks off with Brilliant Night, Dazzling Lights. The event begins on November 13 at 6 pm, with Santa, snow fairies, music and treats and the lighting of the classic 50-foot evergreen tree in Town Square.

Enjoy the holiday lights and sights while you save some Christmas cash by using our discount gift certificate for the Baymont Inn in Glendale. This travel discount saves 50% off of the price of a one-night stay. The Baymont is just blocks from Bayshore Town Center, and minutes to downtown Milwaukee. Start your shopping and sightseeing excursion with complimentary continental breakfast and free high speed wireless internet. For Christmas shopping or anytime shopping, remember RTownShopper.com.

What are your plans for Christmas shopping or sightseeing?

***Don’t forget to enter our RtownShopper.com pizza giveaway! Contest ends Nov. 16. Enter today!***

We’re excited to announce this new and exclusive offer. RTownShopper has a limited quantity of gift certificates for the Pine Mountain Resort on sale now!

Now selling lodging, ski passes and gift certificates to their 5-star golf course!
Pine Mountain Resort is the gate way to the U.P. and only 100 miles north of Green Bay.

Room Gift Certificates:
Pine Mountain has two condo units, the Mountain Haus and the Cedar Haus, that are ski-in/ski-out units.  All of the two bedroom units come with a fully equipped kitchen, two bathrooms and a fireplace.  Each unit has a deck that provides great views of the hill.

Ski Passes:
Pine Mountain Resort has terrain for all abilities open for skiing with three chair lifts and two surface lifts.  New to this season is their Paddle Tow for the Bone Yard Terrain Park, the new ski run “Here to There”, and now a rope tow installed on the Bunny Hill.

Golf Gift Certificates:
TimberStone at Pine Mountain; has once again joined a very exclusive group by receiving Golf Digest Magazine’s highest honor of a 5 star rating. Now, the course is 1 of the only 24 courses, out of 6,000 to receive this rating.

Pine Mountain Resort is a four season, full service resort conveniently located in Iron Mountain Michigan, the gateway to the Upper Peninsula.  Pine Mountain has welcomed skiers from around the world since 1939 when Fred Pabst began this winter recreation area dedicated to friends and families.  Today, Pine Mountain continues this rich tradition of providing a warm, friendly place to relax and enjoy all the northwoods has to offer.  Coupled with the award winning TimberStone Golf Course, Pine Mountain truly is your year-round destination.

Buy your certificates today, and give this as a special gift this Christmas.

A tunnel of fall color on a Wisconsin rustic road

No matter how many times we’ve seen it before, the change of seasons from summer to fall is one of nature’s greatest shows in Wisconsin.

Highlights of rust and orange wash over the deep green of treetops across the state. Vibrant gold canopies line rustic roads and join overhead in a tunnel of color. The white steeples of country churches and stout red barns dot tall bluffs ablaze with color, overlooking brilliant valleys. Wisconsin’s many lakes mirror a hazy reflection of jewel-toned sky, birch, and maple alongside a stand of waving cattails. Then there’s the forest floor, where bright red sumac parades across golden yellow prairies, ferns and grasses take refuge under auburn oaks, and leaves crunch beneath your feet.

For the latest updates for fall colors, check out Travel Wisconsin’s fall color report. Communities around the state report peak color conditions, recommend scenic routes, and discuss local activities and happenings. Finish your free leaf-viewing tours with discount gift certificates from Rtownshopper.com. We’ll get you there with hotel travel coupons in 19 cities and numerous discount restaurant coupons for dinner and a “show.” Autumn’s show comes for free, but it’s here for just a short time before it’s gone.

Where’s your favorite place to view Wisconsin’s fall colors?

With easy access to metro Milwaukee, Washington County offers the perfect balance of small-town hospitality and fast-paced entertainment. For example, the show takes you to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford, Wisconsin’s largest auto museum. You’ll also see the Sila Lydia Bast Bell Museum & Fire Hall in Germantown, which showcases a collection of over 5,000 bells in a restored 1870 barn. You’ll soar above it all in the Annual Hartford Balloon Rally, one of Wisconsin’s largest summertime balloon launches.

Discover Wisconsin promises you’ll want to experience Washington County for yourself, and when you do, consider our discount coupon for the AmericInn Lodge and Suites in Germantown.  This coupon deal saves you 50% off the price of a one-night stay, including free wireless high speed internet access, free breakfast, indoor heated pool, and hot tub.

See Discover Wisconsin for listings and show times, but don’t be a couch potato. Use the online travel discounts on RTownShopper.com to discover Wisconsin for yourself!

When visiting family in the Eau Claire or Menomonie area, use our discount coupon for the Country Hearth Inn. We’ll do the math – this discount lodging gift certificate saves you 50% on the price of a one-night stay!

The Country Hearth Inn is located on Hwy 85 between Hwy 12 and Interstate 94 for convenient access to both UW-Eau Claire and UW-Stout in Menomonie. Enjoy a complimentary breakfast to start your day, and when your campus tour is done, relax in the impressive pool area. This discount offer is a smart choice for savings!