Things to Do in New Glarus, Wisconsin’s Little Switzerland

New Glarus, Wisconsin, thinks quite highly of itself.

You’ll find it described as Little Switzerland by travel sites that try very hard to compare American cities to European destinations.

If you arrive in New Glarus expecting the Swiss Alps you may have yourself a bit of a WTF moment. There’s a reason it was the destination of choice for Swiss immigrants back in the 1840s, though.

New Glarus reminded them of home.

Now that we’ve spent some time in Switzerland, I can honestly say I don’t see it. That doesn’t mean New Glarus isn’t super charming. Use my guide for the best things to do in New Glarus, Wisconsin’s Little Switzerland.

What is New Glarus famous for?

New Glarus is famous for resembling a Swiss village. Whether you agree with that or not, it goes by “Little Switzerland” for anyone who asks.

It’s also known as the home of New Glarus Brewing Company, Wisconsin’s most well-known beer brand.

Is New Glarus worth visiting?

New Glarus is definitely worth visiting for its take on Swiss charm, including chalets, traditional foods, and local shops.

It’s also an easy day trip from Madison, Wisconsin’s capital city and Brian’s alma mater.

New Glarus: A Brief History

New Glarus was settled by Swiss immigrants who came to the United States from the canton of Glarus in eastern Switzerland. They were escaping dire economic conditions after several years of bad farming conditions.

Fun fact: If you’re wondering what the heck a canton is just as I was, it’s basically just an area or region. There are 26 cantons in Switzerland.

As it’s a small world after all, the immigrants searched and searched for more hospitable conditions in the Midwest region of the country.

New Glarus wasn’t their first choice in terms of fertile land for farming — it was all wilderness at that time — but the rolling hills reminded them of their homeland.

They sent for more Swiss family and friends to join them in the Green County town and the rest is history. New Glarus is now a hub of Swiss architecture, foods, and cultural festivals celebrating its roots.

Much of the fun in this small town revolves around indulgent activities like drinking New Glarus beer and snacking on a variety of Swiss sweets.

Things to Do in New Glarus

We had quite a bit of time in New Glarus on a summertime visit to the Wisconsin town but shared our visit with Madison nearby. 

That doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of some dedicated time. It’s more about the lack of accommodations.

Everything you’ll see below can happen on a full day in New Glarus or Wisconsin weekend if you’d like to take things at a more leisurely pace.

Note: The Maple Leaf Cheese and Chocolate Haus is permanently closed. There was apparently some kind of dramatic disagreement between the owners of the shop and the owners of the building. That’s all I know. If you see it on other blogs, don’t forget who loves you most.

Tour New Glarus Brewing.

Most visit New Glarus for New Glarus beer. If that’s what you’re after, I have a complete guide to our visit to the New Glarus Brewing Company, including my thoughts on Spotted Cow.

You don’t need to make any reservations to visit the brewery or to go on a self-guided tour. Just make sure you check the hours before you go.

The brewery is closed on nights and weekends yet somehow remains successful.

Go for a hike at New Glarus Woods State Park.

New Glarus doesn’t have a shortage of parks and green spaces. Our pick for some hiking in town was New Glarus Woods State Park.

Bring your parking fee in cash as there likely won’t be anyone at the booth taking credit cards when you arrive. You don’t want to get evicted out of the forest or on some list of trespassers in the state parks system.

It was around $11 for non-residents during our visit.

We followed an abbreviated New Glarus Woods Loop Trail for our chosen trek with our pup. The full loop is 3.7 miles through hilly forests and meadows.

Bring your bug spray as you explore out here, especially if you visit in the summer.

Visit the Swiss Historical Village.

Our visit to the Swiss Historical Village & Museum was brief, but only because we didn’t realize they started locking things up before closing time. That might’ve been unique to the day of our visit, as the staff seemed a little antsy for happy hour.

The village is an outdoor museum of old Swiss buildings with a separate exhibit space in the middle of the space on the history of the first New Glarus residents.

If you’re not being shuttled out as quickly as we were, the gift shop has all kinds of fun Swiss tchotchkes to check out once you’re done with your historical tour.

In any case, it was a fun diversion for a bit of time but you don’t need to set aside hours to visit this one, even if you read every single word of every single intrepretive sign.

Taste-test Swiss treats at the New Glarus Bakery.

The New Glarus Bakery is small but mighty.

Come early for fresh treats with international flavors like springerli, an anise cookie popular in both Switzerland and Germany. 

They had fresh Basler Läckerli during my visit, too. That’s a Swiss biscuit that gets a little spice kick from the nutmeg and Kirsch liqueur used in its recipe.

Find all of the cows.

Whether you’re visiting with friends or on a family-friendly trip, you should try to find as many of the New Glarus “Cow Parade” statues as you can.

The cows are actually Swiss imports, all painted in unique designs by artists around the region. If you want to make a drinking game out of it or something more innocuous, the New Glarus Chamber of Commerce put together a handy map for visitors.

Kimmy’s favorite was the Bernese cow dressed up in traditional Swiss folkwear. Find this one near the Sugar River Pizza Company and the Chalet Landhaus Inn.

I liked Chuck the Cow. He sits atop Tofflers Pub & Grill in a leather vest and logos for the casual eatery.

Sip with a view at Bailey’s Run Vineyard and Winery.

Beautiful views, dry rosé wines, and reds made in bourbon barrels await at Bailey’s Run Vineyard. If you’re here for a tasting, you can only do that inside. We had our pup with us, so we got full pours to take outside with us, instead.

Those vineyard views didn’t make me feel like I missed out on anything in the winery.

Meet the goats at Swissland Miniature Golf.

Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of mini-golf. I AM a huge fan of goats braying during a round of mini-golf, posing all cute on their little house. We went after a decent rain, so we had all 18 holes to ourselves. 

If there’s no one in the booth when you arrive, you can grab clubs at the Chalet Landhaus Inn across the street. The goat residents will still be there when you return.

Ride the Sugar River State Trail.

If you’re traveling with your bikes, you can ride along the Sugar River State Trail all the way to New Glarus Woods State Park.

The well-marked trail runs for nearly 22 miles along an abandoned railroad, which sounds pretty intriguing. 

The Badger State Trail is another option. That one runs for 40 miles from Madison to the Illinois border through all kinds of bucolic Midwestern landscapes.

Fun fact: You’ll run into this regardless if you’re riding the Sugar River State Trail.

It’s not really a walking path, although you can do it. Kimmy only did it for a few blocks before road noise distressed her.

Stroll the Swiss Cemetery.

It may sound morbid, but I find historical cemeteries fascinating.

The Swiss Cemetery has been on this land since 1845. In 1859, it was taken over by the Swiss United Church of Christ, at that time known as the Swiss Reformed Church.

It’s still active today, so be respectful if you want to take a look at some of the old graves.

Learn about the local culture at the Swiss Center.

The Swiss Center of North America’s lovely garden and modest exterior point you to Switzerland. To Switzerland you will go if you’re interested in this deep dive into Swiss crafts, clothing, traditional paper cuttings, and genealogy records.

The records here are what’s most impressive. The center’s board and staff have collected as many documents as possible that tell the Swiss emigration story in New Glarus from generations of locals in the community.

The center is free to visit but call ahead to make sure it’s open to visitors and tours during your stay.

Visit the Chalet of the Golden Fleece Museum.

This museum just east of the New Glarus School House Apartments was closed during the entirety of our visit. They’re open for walk-ins on weekends and private tours by appointment during the week, something we hadn’t planned for.

Stroll by just for a view of the chalet-style exterior if you’re just as bad a planner.

If you’re lucky enough to visit inside, you’ll see a personal collection of heirlooms and souvenirs from world traveler Edwin Barlow. Barlow took dozens of trips across the ocean to destinations near and far, including Switzerland.

Look for the secret spy ring on your visit and then tell me all about it.

Eat some Swiss food.

When in Little Switzerland, you’ll want to eat some Swiss food. Unfortunately, the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant, one of the most iconic eateries in New Glarus, has closed permanently. They even had regular polka, people.

Fortunately, you still have quite a few options:

• Glarner Stube: This downtown New Glarus eatery is big on old-world vibes and hearty platters of food. Expect bratwurst sandwiches, veal, Swiss meatballs, and the ultimate Swiss favorite, fondue.
• Puempel’s Olde Tavern: We visited this bar and grill for our free tasters from New Glarus Brewing. (You get a coin with every beer purchase on brewery visits.) This is one of the oldest buildings in New Glarus, founded in 1893, so you’re here for that.
• Kennedy’s Ice Cream and Grill: Fine, ice cream isn’t technically a Swiss thing. It is a delicious thing, though, and if it’s as humid during your visit as it was on ours, you’ll want something to cool you down. Kennedy’s is a good spot for a casual lunch, too.

Attend a New Glarus festival.

New Glarus hosts a number of festivals throughout the year celebrating its Swiss heritage and basically everything else.

Here are a few popular New Glarus festivals:

• New Glarus Beer, Bacon & Cheese: I feel like this one is self-explanatory. This annual summer festival invites guests to sample unlimited beer, bacon, sausage, and Wisconsin cheese in downtown New Glarus. Yep, I added sausage in there.
• New Glarus Oktoberfest: Is this Germany? No, it’s Switzerland. Actually, wait…it’s New Glarus. Close enough. The New Glarus Oktoberfest features live music, yummy food and beer, and whatever chainsaw carving entails.
• Swiss Historical Village Harvest Fest: The outdoor museum is likely already on your agenda. If you visit in the fall, you’ll be treated to demonstrations of traditional Swiss immigrant life like cheesemaking and basketweaving.
• New Glarus Christkindli Market: Christmastime looks predictably adorable in New Glarus. Celebrate the start of the winter holidays with this outdoor Christmas market, complete with festive lights, caroling, and a visit from Santa himself.
• Heidi Folk Festival & Heidi Play: Every summer, New Glarus comes together to watch the story of an orphaned Swiss girl who overcomes obstacles with all of her charms intact. Add food, vendors, and live music to round out this celebration.
• Wilhelm Tell Festival: Watch a live theater performance telling the story of Swiss independence at this family-friendly festival. The cast includes goats, so I’m not sure why we didn’t make this one happen. Goats are my favorite.

READ MORE: No, really. Goats are the best. Read about my goat yoga experience!

With More Time in New Glarus

There were a few things on our list that we just didn’t get to, whether that was due to random closures or poor planning.

Check out a few more New Glarus things to do with more time in this whimsical village:

• Order some snacks at the Edelweiss Cheese Shop for pickup at Puempel’s Olde Tavern in downtown New Glarus. Start with the Edelweiss Emmentaler cheese, a milk cheese made in traditional Swiss copper vats.
• Do some Swiss shopping for Swiss goods at Swiss shops. The Sugar River Shoppe is popular for women’s clothing and decorative items. Kinderladen is big for families visiting New Glarus.

Note: You may see Esther’s European Imports on some blogs promoting New Glarus shopping. Esther took her business online in 2021, so I’m not including it here!

• Play a real round of golf at the Edelweiss Chalet Country Club instead of sticking to the goats at the miniature golf course. The club is open to the public at reasonable rates, especially if you’re willing to walk.

How to Get to New Glarus

New Glarus is a 40-minute drive from Madison, home to Dane County Regional Airport. 

You’re more likely to find cheap flights out of the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, although that’s a two-hour drive from New Glarus.

READ MORE: Planning a trip to Milwaukee? I love it! Here’s my monster guide.

Once you’re in New Glarus, you’ll need to either walk around town or drive from spot to spot. Much of the main sights are within walking distance from one to the next, so you might be able to get away without using a car for a good chunk of your visit.

You’ll need to drive to much of the hiking and the brewery if that’s on your agenda, though.

Hotels in New Glarus

We visited New Glarus on a day trip from Madison, our base for the week.

That’s what I’d recommend you do unless you want to stay at the Chalet Landhaus Inn or the The Blanc Chalet, formerly known as the Swiss-Aire Motel. Those are your limited hotel options.

If you’d like to follow my advice, check out the map below:

It’s not Switzerland, but it’s still pretty cute.

I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that New Glarus is some dupe for Switzerland. It doesn’t even resemble Glarus, the Swiss town it’s named after.

You can still appreciate this one for what it is, though. Much like Door County and other small Wisconsin towns, it’s a delightful corner of the Midwest that’s full of charm.

If you’re looking for adult activities, that one brewery is right there, too.