** Disclosure: Thank you to the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for hosting us and accommodating our visit. All opinions are 100% my own.
On a recent weekend, my husband and I completely recharged during a getaway to Janesville, Wisconsin reveling in art, nature, history and foodie experiences. At just under two hours from our home with so many perfect adventures to be had, Janesville welcomed us to the perfect getaway option. From the moment we arrived until the moment left, we made new discoveries while enjoying our time together. Visiting during a special weekend, our adventure included marveling at the creations of Janesville's annual Art Infusion event. Truly, Janesville invites explorations of art, the outdoors, the past and interesting fare all year round that can be enjoyed while safely maintaining social distancing.
Burst of Creativity at Art Infusion:
Art Infusion is an annual event celebrating the arts in Janesville. This year's event featured the creation of FIVE new murals downtown. During the event, visitors viewed the murals being crafted live by talented muralists. We had blast exploring the art in Janesville and watching creativity in motion.
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| Mural selfie fun with "Waves of Giving" by Jaime Brown and Karim Jabbari. |
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| Jessie Willyerd and Tim Cahill painting "Carousel Horses." |
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| Magnificent Pelican Chalk Art by Backyard Chalking |
Unfortunately, the chalk drawings only stay for a short time. However, the murals remain to dazzle future visitors! Janesville has created a fantastic Selfie Scavenger Hunt to help visitors discover the creative side of Janesville!
Dazzled by 26 Gardens at Rotary Botanical Gardens:
Nature heals. Nature inspires. Nature captivates. Strolling the paths of Janesville's Rotary Botanical Gardens, our spirits lifted with sights of brilliant blooms. Crossing the Japanese Foot Bridge provides a romantic moment for any couple. The bridge gently flows up and down as it crosses the lake inspiring many photo moments. We enjoyed a saunter across the rolling bridge.
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| The Japanese Footbridge flows into the setting at the Rotary Botanical Garden. |
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| Brilliant blooms, artistic elements and a breathtaking lake invite wonder at Rotary Botanical Gardens. |
Forest Bathing Along the Ice Age Trail:
As the southernmost point of Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail, Janesville provides an opportunity to forest bathe while hiking along rolling trails sculpted by glaciers and glacial remnants. The peace of the Ice Age Trail afforded my husband and I time to reconnect while enjoying the charms of nature. We thoroughly appreciated why Janesville is known as "Wisconsin's Great Outside!"
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| Hiking Wisconsin's Ice Age Trail in Janesville! |
Exploring the history of a place adds to your appreciation of the heart of the community. We so enjoyed using the Clio App to scratch beneath the surface and learn about Janesville history. The app has been programmed with 80 historic sites by the Rock County Historical Society. We learned some pretty interesting facts about the town. One of my favorite structures, the old London Hotel, charmed us with elegant bay windows and a stately turret. From the Clio App, we learned that the former hotel was constructed in the Queen Anne Style in 1892 which was uncommon for a commercial building of the day. Tidbits like this and witnessing pieces of history all round kept us exploring Janesville!
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| Unique and interesting historic spots are threaded throughout Janesville including the old London Hotel! |
Savoring the Flavors of Janesville:
What is a weekend getaway without tasty cuisine? Our foodie adventures in Janesville offered a wide selection and wonderful flavors! While I will be sharing more tantalizing recommendations later, enjoy a taste of what we enjoyed! At Wissota Chophouse, my husband devoured the Mixed Grill featuring a 6 oz. Manhattan Steak, a Lamb Chop and a Nueske's Bacon Slab. Perfect for after a day of hiking! From So Chopped, we loved choosing from a HUGE variety of items to craft unique salads. Mocha Moment tempted us with muffins including my delicious Cranberry Muffin. Gastropub drafthouse intrigued us with interesting spins on comfort foods including chicken and waffles featuring hand-battered chicken, Belgian pearl waffles and bourbon honey. Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum!
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| A sampling of the flavors we savored in Janesville. |
The range of food adventures in Janesville impressed us on our getaway! We did order our food for carry out during this trip and everything was fantastic! We ported it to different spots along the Rock River for dinner with a view.
A Comfy and Safe Stay:
Curious about where we stayed during our getaway? We enjoyed a restful evening at Cobblestone Hotel & Suites nestled right on the Rock River. I will be sharing more details about our stay, but I can tell you the Cobblestone was clean and we were satisfied with the COVID protocols in place. We had a wonderful stay and would love to return. The spot is incredibly convenient and I LOVE that it is on the river!
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| Evening view of Cobblestone Hotel & Suites along the Rock River. |
Follow along for more on our Janesville getaway!
Over the next couple of weeks, I will be sharing more about how you can have a fabulous getaway with crowd-free fun in Janesville. Be sure to follow along as I reveal more on exploring the art, history, nature and food of Janesville!
Enjoy Exploring More of Janesville:
- Art Infusion's Annual Art Celebration
- Self Guided Tour of Janesville's Public Art
- Wandering the Ever Changing Nature Tableaux of Rotary Botanical Gardens
- Discovering Janesville History on a Free Self Guided Tour Using Clio App
- Restful Stay and Safe Precautions at Janesville's Cobblestone Inn & Suites
- Hiking the Ice Age National Scenic Trail including Devil's Staircase in Janesville, Wisconsin
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