201 8th St Baraboo, WI
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devils lake

The Best Things to do at Devil’s Lake State Park in 2023

If you want to reconnect with nature and find the best outdoor recreation in Wisconsin, head to Devil’s Lake State Park near Baraboo this year! Devil’s Lake State Park, which is just minutes from our Baraboon Bed and Breakfast, is one of the most popular state parks in Wisconsin for a multitude of reasons. However, the most popular pastime is exploring the nearly 30 miles of hiking trails, many of which are easily accessible for all fitness, skill, and experience levels.

Devil’s Lake State Park is the most sizable in Wisconsin at 9,217 acres. This also means the list of things to do and see in this scenic year-round recreation destination is long! Pack a picnic and enjoy along the lakefront, stroll the sandy beaches, take up bird watching, break a sweat rock climbing, paddle on the calm waters, hike into the backcountry, and soak up nature at its finest.

After you’ve had your fill of wilderness, pop back to our charming Baraboo Bed and Breakfast. Our historic Inn was once home to the famed Ringling family; to this day, you’ll see remnants of the past. Each guest room is tailored for relaxation with comfortable beds, seating areas, and en suite bathrooms. Our breakfast service is included in your lodging cost and is the absolute best way to start the day with wholesome ingredients and flavorful preparations. Start planning your next getaway and book a room at our Baraboo Bed and Breakfast today! Continue reading

Head to Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area

Spring is the perfect time to find some gorgeous wildflower hikes, and Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area is a beautiful spot in the Wisconsin wilderness for these strolls. Located in the Northeastern end of Devil’s Lake State Park, Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area is known for its glen cut in a deep sandstone gorge. These ancient stone walls are made of quartzite, pebbles, and boulders, creating magical walls lining this hike. They actually generate protection for some endangered flora and fauna species of the area.

As a guest at our Baraboo Bed and Breakfast, you’ll be a scenic 15-minute drive from Parfrey’s Glen State Natural Area. It’s a lovely day trip out to stretch your legs, view some stunning scenery, and get into the fresh Wisconsin air. You’ll want to join us in the dining room before you set out for hot coffee and a home-cooked meal with seasonal ingredients—included every morning of your stay! We’ll be ready to welcome you back in the afternoon as well for a treat before you head out for dinner at one of the nearby Baraboo restaurants. Head on over to our availability calendar and book your next stay today! Continue reading

Your Guide to Devil’s Lake State Park this Spring

Devil’s Lake State Park is situated along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and offers dazzling views from 500-foot quartzite bluffs overlooking a 360-acre lake. The park clocks in at 9,000 acres but is surrounded by more than 27,000 acres of preserved woodland and other natural areas open to public recreation in Sauk County. So it comes as no surprise that millions of visitors flock to the beautiful cliffs and pristine waters at Devil’s Lake State Park.

Devil’s Lake State Park is the most sizable in Wisconsin, and comparable in size is the range of things you can see and do in this stunningly scenic year-round outdoor destination. You can enjoy lakeshore picnic areas, sandy beaches, bird watching, rock climbing, boating, hiking into backcountry solitude, and much more.

And there’s no better way to begin and end a day’s adventuring in Devil’s Lake State Park than at our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast in the beautiful nearby town of Baraboo. You’ll be rested and fresh to hit the trails in one of our luxuriously appointed guest rooms, and we’ll send you off on the right foot with your choice of hearty and delicious breakfasts. Our historic Inn is well known in the area due to the connection of the infamous Ringling circus family. We can’t wait to host you in Baraboo; book your room today! Continue reading

Two Great Wisconsin State Parks to Explore Near our B&B

There are two great Wisconsin State Parks to explore within 15 minutes of our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast. With a world of outdoor activities to choose from! You could spend weeks with us and still not accomplish all there is to do here in Baraboo. And sure, you could camp at these Wisconsin State Parks, but why not have these amazing wilderness activities during the day, paired with an elegant and warm stay at the Ringling House Bed and Breakfast?

Devil’s Lake State Park is Wisconsin’s most popular State Park with more than 3 million visitors each year. When you stay at our B&B, it’s only a quick 10 minute drive to all the action. You’ll find beautiful beaches and swimming areas, boat rentals, and hiking trails. For the most adventurous there’s some amazing and daring rock climbing. For those who prefer keeping both feet on the ground, birdwatching is an excellent past time at this Wisconsin State Park.

Additionally, Mirror Lake State Park is only a 15 minute jaunt just north of our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast. The 137-acre lake is the centerpiece. Due to the high sandstone rock sides, the lake is shielded from the wind, creating a smooth, glassy surface. Perfect for a quiet kayaking excursion, swimming on the sandy shores, and exploring the forests in the surrounding area.

On a stay at our Baraboo Inn you’ll be surrounded by the beauty of these Wisconsin State Parks and still have the luxury of a cozy suite and pristine bath at our Bed and Breakfast. The historic Inn creates a lovely atmosphere with antique appointments, rich historical connections, and home cooked meals shared in our dining room. We can’t wait to host you; book your room today!  Continue reading

The Best Birdwatching Near our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast

On any trip out to the Baraboo area of Wisconsin, exploring the natural beauty of this part of the country is a must. Birdwatching is a wonderful way to feel like a part of nature, not to mention, it’s a quiet, relaxing and calming pastime out in the fresh air. And we can all use a little bit more of that in our lives these days.

According to the Audubon Society, Wisconsin is a great birding state due to its forests, wetlands and lake shorelines. Baraboo Hills is known as a birdwatching hotspot due to the hardwood forests that grow around ancient rock formations. This is the perfect landscape for safe nesting. Many varieties of Warblers, Cuckoos and Woodpeckers call the area home, and if you’re super lucky you might catch sight of a Peregrine Falcon.

Our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast is only 10 minutes from Devil’s Lake State Park, a very popular birdwatching destination. More than 100 species of birds nest in the park and during migration season that number goes up immensely. We’re also in the vicinity to many other main birdwatching areas—this guarantees some successful sightings and nature outings when you stay at our Wisconsin Inn. Start planning and book with us today! Continue reading

5 Great Ways to Enjoy Devil’s Lake State Park in the Winter

Devil’s Lake State Park is one of the great destinations of Wisconsin for outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes across all seasons, and even the most rudimentary description of the place explains why. The park, situated along the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, offers dazzling views from 500-foot quartzite bluffs overlooking a 360-acre lake. Its 9,000 acres are but an anchor for the more than 27,000 acres of preserved parkland and other natural areas open to public recreation in Sauk County.

Also located in Sauk County is Baraboo, its county seat, and more of America’s more charming small towns — in part because it’s home to all things Ringling Brothers of circus fame, which includes Ringling House, our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast. It’s the perfect place to begin and end a day of adventure in Devil’s Lake State Park — it’s close by, it’s loaded with historic charm, and it’s loaded with modern comforts as well.

So make your plans for a winter-wonderland getaway to Devil’s Lake State Park — and start by booking your stay at our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast today! Continue reading

10 Fun Things to Do Near our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast This Winter

Our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast is the perfect jumping-off point for a winter adventure! Winter is a wonderful time to spend in Wisconsin, and Baraboo is one of the most wonderful places in Wisconsin, if only for its colorful history connected to the hometown Ringling Brothers Circus. Though there’s a whole lot more to Baraboo! After all, it was named one of America’s top five small towns by Smithsonian magazine, in 2013.

And that means that the best place to stay while visiting Baraboo — and beyond! — is our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast, the Ringling House, in the heart of Baraboo. Charles Ringling, one of the five famed siblings, built this Georgian Revival structure as his personal home in 1901, and today, after many changes of hands and remodelings, it tastefully blends historical ambiance with modern amenities to meet the wants of needs of today’s guests. Plan your Wisconsin winter getaway, and start by booking your room today at our Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast! Continue reading

8 Delightful Things to Do in Baraboo This Fall

There are plenty of things to do in Baraboo in the fall, given the Central Wisconsin region’s slow-cooling October temperatures and abundance of blaze-colored natural beauty. Even with some top Baraboo attractions closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s still no shortage of places worth checking out during your visit to this town, named one of the top five small towns to visit in America by Smithsonian magazine in 2013.

And there’s no better place to begin an end each day’s Baraboo adventures than Ringling House Bed and Breakfast, with nearly 100 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor for this charming Colonial Revival house, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Take a look for yourself! Timeless in its appeal but loaded with modern amenities, you’ll want to reserve your room today at this Baraboo bed & breakfast as you work on your list of things to do in Baraboo. Continue reading

Updated Cleaning Procedures for COVID-19

We here at the Ringling House Bed & Breakfast are licensed, inspected and insured and use the utmost of safety and precautions and adhere to all the required guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our dedication to cleanliness and  hospitality is our commitment to you. Our guests are like family.  So if you must travel, our inn may be the right spot for you.  Here are some of the changes we are making in order to keep our guests safe during this challenging time.

Fewer People in a Bed & Breakfast

First of all, a Bed & Breakfast is small. we only have 6 rooms, and could have a maximum of 12 people in the house at a time.   Much less than the standard hotel, and therefore, much less chance of catching the contagion.

Check in changes

We are asking guests to wear masks upon check in and to social distance around the common area’s of the house.   We are also asking guest to wait at the back door until we open it for them, to give us time to check in one guest, before bringing in another.

Food Changes

Our breakfast is typically served family style in our dining room at Henry Ringling’s dining room table.    Now, per the Wisconsin mandate #72, we now will be delivering breakfast to peoples rooms, serving on the front porch or dining room, with a staggered start time, and distancing everyone more than  6 feet apart.

For wine and cheese happy hour on the weekend, we will be  serving on the front porch, weather permitting, having separate servings of wine and cheese and pouring you a glass of wine  to bring to your own table outside, or in another room in the house.

Baraboo also has many restaurants that have curbside pick up now or dining inside/outside with social distancing in mind,  outside of the breakfast that is served here at the Bed & Breakfast.   You can pick up your dinner, and eat it in a mansion!  How’s that for the new normal?

Sanitation Additions

We are not only cleaning the rooms, but going through and sanitizing any surface that would frequently be touched like remotes, keys, faucets, light switches, chair arms, etc, in between each guest change.  We also have disinfecting wipes placed around the house for people to use before/after touching something.

We have invested in some UVC sanitation lights.   This is an extra step to room cleaning that we  have started implementing.   UVC sanitation light is used in hospitals to sterilize operating rooms.  It efficiently kills up to 99% of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms in our bedrooms, bathrooms, and common areas, including COVID-19.

We want to be sure that our guests are not only comfortable with our amenities, but with our sanitation methods when they are ready to travel again.  This will be the “New Normal” for us until the virus threat has significantly tapered off.

What’s to do?

The good thing about Baraboo are so many outdoor areas and parks to explore.  It’s easy to practice “social distancing” while enjoying the great outdoors.   Indoors, we also have many games you can borrow and play inside your room or another area in our elegant home.  Our rooms are all equipped with internet-enabled smart TV’s, and our music rooms are equipped with several musical options.    So, come experience the fun part of travel!

Coupled with our  naturally limited occupancy levels, enhanced sanitation procedures, modified breakfast options, and multiple entertainment selections, we hope you will consider the Ringling House Bed & Breakfast as a safe and comfortable lodging option!

 

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