Milwaukee

Where: Milwaukee

Why: The brand new 120,000-square-foot Discovery World sits on the shores of Lake Michigan and features interactive exhibits on the natural and human-made world.

How: Five hours southeast on I–94.

Stay: Downtown. The contemporary Hotel Metro offers cushy suites and a slew of specials and packages; rates start at $199.

Eat: Milwaukee’s Bartolotta family is famous for its restaurants—one even crowns the Wynn Resort in Las Vegas. Take your familia to Ristorante Bartolotta for an authentic Tuscan meal.

Pack: Fido. Hotel Metro has pet-friendly suites for cats and dogs under twenty-five pounds.

P.S.: Discovery World’s S/V Denis Sullivan schooner offers serious charter trips on the great lake, but anyone can board for a $5, forty-five-minute deck tour, Tuesday through Sunday at 10:15 a.m.