A Milwaukee-Area Bed and Breakfast, The Port Washington Inn

Port Washington is a ‘land of opportunity’ for entrepreneurs as this Main Street community reinvents  itself adding lively new shops to enhance the mix.

Vines to Cellar (http://www.vinestocellar.com/home.html) offers wine tasting and tours as well as supplies for creating your own wine.

Bangles & Bags, Too! (http://bangles-and-bags.com/default.aspx) opened their second location in Port Washington after their success in Delafield.   They’ve found their niche with locals and visitors alike and mid-May will open a woman’s clothing boutique, Wardrobe Safari.

Bernie’s Fine Meats European Market has been a tradition in Port Washington for decades but now it offers an expanded selection of quality sausages, meats, cheeses, imported goods, beer, wine and spirits.

Ewig Bros. (http:\www.ewigsmokedfish.com/) is another business with a long history in Port Washington.  Their smoked fish is reason enough to venture here!

Shirley Gruen’s Studio & Art Gallery beautifully exemplifies her  love of Port Washington!

Lori Michel of LoLyn Designs (http://lolyndesigns.com/) creates exquisite one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces.

Fish Day, a festival celebrating Port Washington’s fishing heritage, will celebrate its 44th year in 2010. It is always held the third Saturday of July and without a doubt brings more people into Port Washington than any other day of the year.

The warm months of the year are predictably desirable times to visit a lakeshore location and Lake Michigan draws thousands to its shoreline each year. Port Washington is a favorite spot because of its quaint charm, its walkable environment, and the fact that it typically doesn’t feel overrun with tourists. Fish Day is the exception, however, as thousands of people arrive to enjoy the festival.

Increasingly the Port Washington Inn receives reservation requests for Fish Day a year in advance, not only because of the festival itself but also because mid July is prime time in our area. Because of this, our policies for bookings inclusive of that 3rd Saturday in July fall under the category of HIGH DEMAND DATES and are handled as follows:

1) January 1st of the year of the reserved dates, a 50% NONREFUNDABLE DEPOSIT is required to hold the reservation. This may be charged to a Mastercard or VISA or paid by a check received by that date.

2) The remaining 50% balance due for the reserved dates is payable 30 days prior to the stay (also by check or Mastercard/VISA). This 50% amount is refundable with 15 day notice. With less than 15 day notice, we will issue a CREDIT CERTIFICATE for this amount that is valid for one year.

Storm clouds move out over Lake Michigan

Originally uploaded by port_washington_inn

Dramatic cloud formations have given photographers ample photo ops this year! On Sweetcake Hill we watch the clouds advance, usually from the west, then move out over Lake Michigan. This photo captures the duality of storm and clearing, the lake water a reflection of the sky. It is not unusual here within the course of a day to experience clear skies and full sun, puffy white clouds turning to dark grey ones, rain or fog or simply overcast skies followed by a serene sunset and starry moonlit night. One of us prefers blue skies and the other prefers dramatic clouds……..and we can each be happy part of most every day!

View Larger Map

There are a variety of farm market opportunities in our area. Port Washington’s Farmer’s Market is held on Saturday mornings and our guests often report having found treasures there. Cedarburg (Fridays), Grafton (Thursdays), and Thiensville (Tuesdays) have markets throughout the week and we also rely upon farms that market their produce on site and often allow customers to pick their own vegetables, berries, apples, and grapes.

The map pinpoints the location of these on site farm markets which we so appreciate!
Click the blue markers to access names, addresses, and contact information for each location.

Some of Port Washington’s attractions cannot be pinpointed on a map: Interurban Bike Trail, the Sauk Creek Nature Preserve, the Art Deco Lighthouse in the harbor, Sauk Creek, the Historic Walking Tour (P.W. has significant architecture predating the civil war)!

Double click on the blue markers to see the name and contact information.

View Larger Map

Double click on the blue location marker to see the name and contact information for the establishment.

View Larger Map

One of the distinctive sounds we’ve grown accustomed to
since moving to Port Washington is the honking of geese as they wing their way between the shoreline of Lake Michigan and areas inland.

In Iowa where we grew up, pheasants were common but geese were not!
They offer entertainment throughout the winter as they arrow through the skies.

A walk along the harbor gives ample opportunity to observe the antics of a variety of ducks bobbing about in the water.

Geese, ducks, gulls are ever present and a myriad of other birds are sighted as they move through the area during their spring and fall migrations.

Ample viewing areas overlooking the shoreline make Port Washington a birding paradise!

At the Port Washington Inn our guests can pick up the Great Wisconsin Birding & Nature Trail Lake Michigan Region AND the Ozaukee Trailside Birding Guide.

Then they can walk to the lakeshore
and Interurban Trail with binoculars and cameras in hand to capture the moment!

Today’s mail brought our issue of Wisconsin Trails Magazine which highlights the Lake Michigan Magic of Port Washington ( pages 16-18).

You can read the magazine article on their website at http://www.wisconsintrails.com/content/57.php
which also includes a picture of……….

you guessed it, the Port Washington Inn!

Along with a photo depicting the grounds of the inn in summer,
here’s “the scoop” :

“If you’re in the mood for a traditional B&B experience, the Port Washington Inn offers five rooms, two of them suites, in a 1903 Victorian in a residential neighborhood.
Breakfast is served buffet-style in the downstairs dining room, and the inn gets bonus points for its resplendent gardens, lake views, and commitment to life in the green lane.”

Our inn ad located on the inside front cover, references our Travel Green Wisconsin Certification and the Gourmet Picnics we offer May thru October!

This new Birding Guide was just published and is available at the inn.

Quoting from the guide:

It is certainly true that Ozaukee County is for the birds.
Our geographic location and divergent land uses create a great environment for birds and for bird watching.
Some of the best birding in Wisconsin, throughout the year, is done at key locations in the County.
During migration, the Lake Michigan shoreline guides numerous species of ducks, geese, gulls, hawks, shorebirds, and many Neotropical migrant landbirds to their breeding and wintering sites within, and far away from, Ozaukee County.

The Milwaukee River corridor provides important feeding and resting habitat to a multitude of migrating warblers, sparrows, thrushes, and wrens.
The fields, forests, and farmsteads also serve as breeding habitat for many of these species.
We also have our resident woodpeckers, cardinals, finches, chickadees, and jays that brave the winter and stay fed at our feeders.

The Port Washington Inn’s location is perfect for accessing the
Birding Hotspots within Port Washinton:
the Interurban Trail, Upper Lake Park, the Port Washington Harbor, and the Port Washington Ravine.

Port Washington is also a good central point along the trail making it easy to venture south or north of the city for uniquely differing experiences of the trail.

Take one of our Gourmet Picnics with you for the day and you will be birdwatching without interruption!

The beauty of a winter landscape softened by snow is magical; there is a peacefulness that can be most appreciated as you hike, cross country ski, or snowshoe such Ozaukee County treasures as Riveredge Nature Center, Harrington Beach State Park, and the Interurban Trail. With miles of trails including vistas of Lake Michigan, the Milwaukee River, and fields connecting picturesque towns, your outdoor time will be full of fresh air and plenty of photo opportunities. Plan your trek to include stopping points at small towns along the Interurban Trail or let the Port Washington Inn provide a steaming thermos of hot chocolate, coffee, tea, or cider, and some high energy treats to sustain you!