- Exploring the hidden gems of Western Wisconsin—curating unforgettable stays and sharing the places locals love most.
Nelson sits on the Great River Road like a secret waiting to be discovered. Fifty-two miles south of Prescott — about an hour’s drive through river valley country — it’s the kind of stop that changes your whole trip. You come for a quick bite. You leave having found something you didn’t know you were looking for. This is where the Great River Road does what it does best: slows you down. Makes you notice the landscape. Reminds you that sometimes the journey matters more than the destination.
You’ve spent the night at the Port Boutique Hotel, where downtown Prescott wraps around you like a welcome home. Roll out of bed and make your way to the Kitchen Table — Prescott’s breakfast institution. The kind of place where the Bloody Mary arrives crafted to perfection, where a mimosa flight feels like the right way to greet the morning. Order the Hangover Hash or the avocado toast. The Bloody Mary comes with a Spotted Cow chaser because that’s how mornings unfold here. If great black coffee is your preference, they’ve got that covered too — the kind of coffee that tastes like it means something. Linger. This is how mornings should taste.
Leave Prescott and let the road do what it’s been doing for centuries — twist and turn along the Mississippi, following the river’s whims. The bluffs rise up on your left. The water glints below on your right. There’s wind in your hair, maybe bare feet on the dashboard if you’re feeling it, and the kind of scenery that makes you understand why people make this drive again and again. Don’t rush it. This is the part of the trip that matters as much as the destination. Roll down the windows. Notice the light on the water. Let the drive slow you down the way it’s meant to.
When you hit Nelson, your first stop is Nelson Creamery — the crown jewel of this little river town. Walk in and you’ve stepped into a different world, one where the details matter. This is where you gather your provisions for the rest of the day, and it’s worth doing intentionally. Start with the foundation: a fresh Brie and a jar of their homemade jam — the kind of pairing that turns a simple afternoon into something memorable. Grab two types of crackers, one savory and one salty, so you’ve got options. Pick up two beef sticks — the honey ham and the garlic — for substance and flavor. A sharp cheddar rounds it out. Then add something quirky: their homemade pickled items. Depending on the season, that might be local pickled beets or pickled carrots from regional producers. This is the beauty of shopping local — you get what’s in season, what’s fresh, what matters. Don’t have a cooler? They sell them here too. Load everything in and you’ve built the perfect road trip companion for the rest of your drive. Before you leave, grab a sandwich to go — the chicken salad on whole wheat or the ham and brie baguette with a side of their berry preserves. Something to enjoy later when hunger catches up with you.
JJ Barbecue is the kind of place where you don’t mind licking your fingers. A menu packed with favorites — ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, smoked wings, cheese curds, chili — this is the barbecue that sticks to your ribs in the best possible way. It’s authentic, it’s unpretentious, and it’s the kind of meal that reminds you why you came to Wisconsin in the first place.
Township Twenty-Three Distillery sits quietly on the landscape, the kind of place you might pass by without noticing — until you do. Step inside and the whole space opens up. You can see the distillery equipment through the main window, watch the craft happen in real time. This is where intention meets craft. Berries and Cream. Hit the Road, Zach. Great River Gold Rush. These cocktails exist nowhere else. They’re created here, born from this place, full of personality and a little bit of cheek. They pour Spotted Cow, that Wisconsin staple, alongside Rush River Amber and other locals’ favorites. But the real magic happens when there’s live music drifting through — all year round, they host events that turn an evening into a memory.
Nelson is proof that the best travel moments aren’t always the famous landmarks. They’re the stops in between. The places that remind you to slow down. The creamery, the barbecue, the distillery — they’re not attractions you check off a list. They’re reasons to linger. Reasons to come back.
Fifty-two miles from Prescott, a world away from the ordinary.
Make downtown Prescott your home base and book direct with us: The Port of Prescott for boutique king suites steps from the river, Port After Dark for romantic suites made for couples, The Harbor Hotel for themed rooms and extended stays, and The Cove Guest House for downtown condos and group getaways.
