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live. laugh. discover!
There’s plenty to do in Beloit. From angels to grist mills, to museums to sports…our plate is full of both entertainment and cultural fun. Choosing what to do first may be your biggest challenge. Start with your friends at the Visit Beloit welcome center and they’ll be pleased to point the way.
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| Beckman Mill |
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 Bring a picnic lunch and sip lemonade by the ‘old mill stream’ after you tour Beckman Mill. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Beckman Mill is one of Wisconsin’s only restored, working gristmills. Built in 1868, the mill has been restored to how it looked and operated in its hay days of the 1920’s. The Creamery serves as the visitor center & gift shop where fresh ground corn meal and other mill gifts may be purchased. The 50 acre county park also features a a restored cooperage, nature path, the rebuilt dam, blacksmith & saw mill shop display, a one-of-a-kind fish ladder, a picnic area with shelter, and heritage garden. Bring your fishing pole and wet a line in the 17 acre mill pond.
Located on County H, 5 miles west of Beloit on Highway 81 Map It
608-365-1600 or 608-362-3267
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| The Beloit Angel Museum |
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Restore your soul as you walk among the largest privately held angel collection in the world- the Berg Collection at the Beloit Angel Museum. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, and visited by people from around the world, the Angel Museum displays several thousand of the more than 12,000 Angels in the Berg Collection and over 900 black angels donated by TV host Oprah Winfrey. Displays rotate several times a year. Be sure to visit the Heavenly Treasures Gift Shop and enjoy a rejuvenating stroll through the Angel museum’s heavenly gardens. Groups may enjoy lunch or dessert in A Taste of Heaven Café by special arrangement.
Click here for a Chicago Sun-Times article about the Angel Museum
The Beloit Angel Museum
656 Pleasant, Beloit
877-412-6435, 608-362-9099
http://www.angelmuseum.com/
10am-4pm Thursday-Friday-Saturday from April through December (or by appointment)
Closed the months of January through March
(Group Tours & luncheons by appointment) Admission charged
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| Beloit Snappers Minor League Baseball |
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 America’s favorite pastime at it’s best! Enjoy major league fun at minor league prices at a Beloit Snapper’s baseball game, the Class A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. Groups of 25 or more can ‘Tailgate’ without the car in the catered picnic area with advance reservations. Season runs April through early September.
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| Historic Auto Attractions |
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Travel through this unique display where entertainment meets history in a collection of unbelievable artifacts representing American culture with themes of Turn of the Century, Kennedy Day in Dallas, Gangsterland,  Movieland, Famous Cars & Stars, TV Land and much more. Group tours, banquet facilities and catering available.
Click here for New York Times article on Historic Auto Attractions newest acquisition, Oswald's Getway Cab.
815-389-7917
Open Memorial Day to Labor Day
10am-5pm Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-4pm Sunday
Admission charged
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| Blackhawk Farms Raceway |
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 Road racing enthusiasts enjoy regular visits to Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Located just minutes from Beloit, the seven-turn, two-mile asphalt course challenges both amateur and professional drivers. Spectators enjoy sports car, motorcycle and go-cart racing weekends.
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| Lincoln Center - Beloit Historical Society |
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One visit to the Beloit Historical Society Lincoln Center allows you to immerse yourself in  Beloit area history through changing exhibits at the Solem Museum. You can pay homage to Beloit athletes in the Ted Perring Sports Hall of Fame and visit the Arthur Missner Veterans Gallery. The Historical Society also sponsors numerous programs, events and workshops throughout the year.
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| Hanchett-Bartlett Homestead |
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Step back in time and view how life was in the Mid-1800’s in this artfully restored 1857 Victorian homestead, barn, and 1873 one-room schoolhouse.  Fine period furnishings and a newly restored kitchen show how ‘the upper middle class’ lived at the turn of the century. In the fall, Heritage Days offer a full weekend of fun.
2149 St. Lawrence Ave., Beloit
608-365-7835
Tours by appointment, June–September
Admission charged.
Map It
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| Bushnell Wheeler House |
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History comes alive in the newly restored 1850’s Bushnell Wheeler House situated high on the bluffs overlooking South Beloit and Beloit. The South Beloit Historical Society makes its home here and has lovingly reclaimed the beauty of this historic Italian Villa and its sloping grounds.  Group tours are welcome by appointment. Be sure to visit the artfully decorated house during the holidays and then return to enjoy homemade ice-cream on the lawns during the annual Summer Social. Call for specific event information.
542 Wheeler Avenue, South Beloit, IL
815-389-1481
Tours by appointment.
Map It
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| Stone Water Tower and Water Works Pump House |
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While visiting Beloit stop at the Water Works Pump House and Water Tower Park. Built in 1885, the pump house was the site of Beloit’s first municipal water system. The nearby stone water tower is a visible community landmark and offers great photo opportunity for camera buffs. The tower was built in 1885 to serve as the pedestal for a cypress-board water tank of the Beloit Water Works and is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places. The area around the tower has been developed into Water Tower Park with an ADA accessible walkway. The Water Works Pump House has been completely restored and currently houses the City of Beloit Parks and Leisure Services offices and Friends of Riverfront offices. You are welcome to stop into the building during their open hours.
1003 Pleasant Street, Beloit
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| Wright Museum of Fine Art |
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 Appreciate the beautiful architecture of the Wright Museum, as well as the fine art displayed. More than a dozen exhibitions, drawn from the permanent collection, regional and student artists, and national touring shows fill the galleries year round.
Beloit College
Prospect Avenue & Bushnell Streets, Beloit
608-363-2677
www.beloit.edu/~museum
11am-4pm Tuesday-Sunday, closed Mondays & College holidays
Free Admission. (Group tours by appointment)
Map It!
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| Gallery ABBA |
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 Open for special shows and events, and by appointment Beloit College’s Myers Institute for the Art of Business and Business of Art (ABBA) is an art gallery operated by Beloit College "student owners." It features professional, semiprofessional, and amateur artists within the Beloit College network of students, faculty, staff and alumni.
437 E. Grand Ave. Beloit
608-361-6611 or 608-363-2343
Map It!
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| Beloit College Observation Deck |
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 See our galaxy and billions of stars on the Observation Deck at Beloit College. Free open houses are offered on selected dates during the academic year. Observe stars and star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and planets with the 10-inch telescopes on the roof of the spectacular new Beloit College Center for the Sciences, a LEED certified green building.
Beloit College
Center for the Sciences
608-363-2226
Open during selected dates throughout the academic year.
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| Apple Orchards |
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Area orchards boast of national award-winning ciders, plus fresh picked or ‘pick your own’ apples and other seasonal fruits, apple pies, apple cider donuts, jams & jellies.
 Apple Hut
608-362-1961
3537 S. Duggan Road, Beloit MAP IT!
Ridgewood Orchard
608-879-2849
6420 S. Emerson, Beloit MAP IT!
Gahl's Orchard
815-389-1946
15704 Wittwer Rd., South Beloit, IL MAP IT!
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| Beloit Labyrinth |
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Located behind Midwest Acupunture and Pain Treatment Center, on Hillside Drive.
Open to the public. No Charge.
There are many reasons to walk a labyrinth. Some walk it as an excuse to get outside, while others use it when wrangling with a difficult problem. Labyrinth walking is also said to integrate the left and right sides of the brain. "It helps people access their creativity," said Beloit Labyrinth designer Loris Damerow.
There are some, however, who believe that the labyrinth's purpose is to not have a purpose at all. "You are walking it for the process rather than the destination," said Karen Dodson, a licensed acupuncturist in Beloit who hosts the Beloit Labyrinth at her business.
Come find out for yourself the benefits of walking a labyrinth at the seven-circle Beloit Labyrinth.
The paths of the labyrinth are wide enough for a walker and there are no stairs. The field is flat, but the grass may be uneven.
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| Williams Tree Farm - 10 Minutes from Beloit |
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Located just minutes from Beloit, this Christmas tree farm keeps busy all year ‘round! The farm comes alive with Fall Family Fun Days when you can find your perfect pumpkin, enjoy pony rides and more. Starting in mid-November, old fashion holiday fun awaits you when you can enjoy a horse drawn hayride through hundreds of acres as you search for that perfect Christmas tree, or stay warm in the Cabin Café with a cup of wassail or cocoa and select a precut tree ready to go.
Santa arrives on weekends, along with sightings of a real reindeer and other farm animals makes this visit a classic holiday memory. The gift shop is full of unique items and features an endless variety of homemade fudge and other goodies. Groups can schedule a fascinating wagon tour of the farm or a bon fire outing. The newly renovated log cabin style lodge with post & beam interior offers a charming place for your event with a seating capacity of up to 300 people. An outdoor garden wedding area is also available for use.
4661 Yale Bridge Road, Rockton, IL
815-624-7579 or 800-423-6635
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| Colored Sands Bird Sanctuary - 15 Minutes from Beloit |
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Colored Sands Forest Preserve  10602 Haas Road, Shirland, IL
815-877-6100
The Sand Bluff Bird Observatory is one of the largest small-bird banding facilities in the country that is open to the public. Special programs held throughout the year allow you to get a close up view of the birds and how they are banded.
Map It!
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| Angelic Organics Farm - 30 Minutes from Beloit |
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Angelic Organics Learning Center
815-389-8455
We invite you to experience life on a vibrant working farm that was featured in the award-winning documentary film “The Real Dirt on Farmer John”. Through their outreach classes, Angelic Organics Farms becomes a living classroom for hundreds of kids, adults, and families each year. There are many ways to explore their 155 acres of beautiful vegetable fields, pasture, and woods, take a farm tour, a skills workshop, or a program tailored for your group.
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| Staller Estate Vineyard and Winery - 20 Minutes from Beloit |
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W8896 County Hwy A
Delavan, WI 53115
Current hours are 11:00 to 6:00 Th.-Sun.
608-883-2100
Just a 20-minute drive from Beloit! Staller Estate produces only grape wines from winter hardy varietals, which are unique to the region. They produce their wines from grapes grown in their vineyard near Whitewater Lake as well as from other growers in the region. They are also expanding their vineyard at the winery. Staller Estate has currently released five of their wines and plan to release four more wines in the coming months.
Map It!
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| The Dancing Horses Theatre - 30 minutes from Beloit |
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5065 Highway 50 Delavan, WI  262-728-8200 or 1-800-456-2587
Visit this unique venue only 30 minutes east of Beloit! This dazzling spectacle features an array of horse breeds who perform alongside their trainers in this fantastic cavalcade of equestrian artistry. Visually stunning, and performed in a state-of-the-art, yet intimate, 300-seat theatre, this live show is truly a must-see for any horse lover. Wheelchair-accessible, and fully climate-controlled for all seasons, the venue is both comfortable and accommodating. Click here to download an article from Fun in Wisconsin magazine.
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| Lincoln-Tallman Restorations - 20 Minutes from Beloit |
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440 N. Jackson Street, Janesville, WI 
800-577-1859,608-756-4509 or 608-752-4519.
Fee charged.
Open Daily 9-4; June-Sept.
Holiday tours: Nov 20 - December 30
Oct- May - Group tours by appointment only. http://www.rchs.us/
This 1857 26-room Italianate villa style mansion is the only private home still in existence in Wisconsin that can boast Abraham Lincoln as an overnight guest. Also included in the tour are the Tallman Horse Barn and Wilson King Stone House.
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| Rotary Botanical Gardens - 20 Minutes from Beloit |
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1455 Palmer Drive, Janesville, WI 
608-752-3885
Open Daily: Dawn to Dusk
Admission is by donation, with a suggested donation of $5 per person.
Rotary Botanical Gardens, a 20-acre non-profit botanic garden, is home to many dramatic and themed gardens. Some have an international focus, such as the Japanese, Scottish, French Formal, Italian and English Cottage Gardens. Also included are less formally-structured gardens including one of very few Fern and Moss gardens recognized by the Hardy Fern Foundation in the United States, as well as Shade, Prairie and Woodland Gardens. Guided group tours can be arranged for an additional fee; buses welcome with advance notice.
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