Are you planning a trip to Eau Claire, Wisconsin?  Whether you’re going to get out of the house for a while or you’re going to visit friends and family, it is a nice little get away.  It isn’t too big of a town, but there are some fun things to check out if you’re in the area!  Listed below are the top 3 attractions for Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Top 3 Things to do in Eau Claire, Wisconsin:

Chaos Water Park:  Water parks are some of the funnest places to visit, especially if you have children!  If you’re looking for something fun to do and you’d like to spend some time swimming, there is no better place to check out than Chaos Water Park!  There are several fun slides, pools, fountains and much more to enjoy!

Chippewa River Trail:  If the weather is nice outside I can guarantee there is no better place to relax and visit than this trail!  It has some beautiful scenery, a nice trail to walk or ride your bike on and a lot of animals near by.  Pack up a picnic, take a walk or just enjoy a nice day outdoors!

Action City:  If you’re looking to play some arcade games, bowl a little bit or ride on some go-karts, Action City is the place to visit!  They have everything you need to have a fun afternoon with your friends or family!

When visiting Eau Claire, Wisconsin it may not seem like there is too much to do, but really there are a lot of great places to check out!  Whether you want to spend a day at the park, walking the trail, riding go karts or spend some time at a water park you can do so!  These are the top 3 rated attractions for the small area if you’re interested in doing something fun for the day!

Do you plan on visiting Eau Claire, Wisconsin soon?  Whether you’re just driving through during your road trip or you’re planning to stay there for a long weekend, there are a lot of great hotels to check out for the area!  When staying some place other than our home we want to make sure it’s clean, comfortable and a place we can stay at without any complaints.  To find a hotel like that, here are the top 3 for the area!

Top 3 Hotels for Eau Claire, Wisconsin:

GrandStay Residential Suites: This is the top rated hotel for the area.  It has complimentary breakfast each morning, an express check-out, fitness facilities, laundry facilities, free parking, a spa tub and a pool.  There is also a basketball court and playground on site!  This hotel truly has it all!

Country Inn Suites: If you’re looking for a hotel that got great reviews on their cleanliness and comfort, this is the place to go!  They have complimentary newspapers in lobby, an express check-out, fitness facilities, a health club, Internet access in public areas, laundry facilities, free parking and a spa tub!

Fanny Hill: Last but surely not least is the Fanny Hill hotel.  This hotel has a lot of great features and is in a great location!  It is just miles from Carson Park, Downtown Eau Claire, Eau Claire Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU), Chippewa Valley Museum, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Waldemer Ager house and the State Theater!

These hotels have received the best overall ratings for their comfort, cleanliness, features and their locations!  So, if you’re looking for a nice place to stay that is affordable and feels like home these are the hotels that you’ll want to check out.

To book a room at any of these hotels simply click the link to get started for a great rate!

When visiting a place we’ve never been to we want to explore all of the highlighted areas.  It’s nice to get away from home, check out new places and see what the area has to offer.  If you’re planning a trip near Eau Claire, Wisconsin, we have a few restaurants that are highly recommended for you to try!  These restaurants have some of the best ratings, reviews and are some of the most popular places to eat in the area!

Top 3 Eau Claire, Wisconsin Restaurants:

Shanghai Bistro:  If you’re someone that likes Japanese or sushi dishes, you’ll absolutely love Shanghai Bistro!  They are the most popular Asian restaurant in all of Eau Claire!  They even have a live jazz band that plays on Friday and Saturday nights for your entertainment!  This is the top rated restaurant in the area if you’re looking for some of the best food!

Haymarket Grill:  This restaurant truly has it all!  They have everything from American food to Pasta, Seafood, and Vegetarian dishes.  Also, they have a great bar and wine selection to choose from.  A lot of people go here for business meetings, romantic evenings with their significant others, or just for a nice night out at their outdoor seating.

Manny’s Cocina:  Not in the mood for American or Japanese food but perhaps some good Mexican?  If so, Manny’s is the place to go!  They have an excellent Mexican menu selection, some great service, a very nicely decorated interior and some of the best food around.  It has a nice romantic feel if you’re looking to take your significant other out for a nice dinner!

There are a lot of great restaurants in Eau Claire, Wisconsin but if you’re looking for some of the best, be sure to consider these top 3!  They’ve had some of the best ratings and are highly recommended by their regular visitors and tourists!

Ah, your Honeymoon.  This is supposed to be one of the most memorable moments of your life and if you plan on taking one, I wanted to give you some great pointers on how you can snag yourself a great deal, no matter where you want to go.

Rent a home on vacation: When most people think of a vacation, they instantly think of a hotel on the beach with all the drinks that you can drink.  Instead, think outside of the box!  Did you know that you can rent out someone else’s home on vacation and save at least 50%?  Many people will do this to make a little extra money on the side.  It’s a great way to get a great deal and stay in a house rather than a hotel.  Try out websites such as HomeAway and others that help you find a home.

Test out eBay: Yes, I said eBay.  You can find some killer deals on there.  What are you going to search for when you hit up a site like this?  Look for coupons, package deals, or tickets that other people want to get rid of.  Since some people may not be able to get a refund, they will give them away for next to nothing.  Conduct a search and see what you can find.

Search out vacation packages: Instead of booking your room, rental car, and airline ticket all at once, consider looking for vacation packages.  With these, you will be able to save a ton of money and get great discounts.  Test out sites such as Travelocity and Expedia that both have great vacation package sub pages that you can browse through.  It will also give you some good ideas on where you can stay.

If you’re confused on where you want to stay, check out the following sites for some ideas on potential destinations to give you some ideas –

• WeddingChannel:  Top Honeymoon Destinations
• Travel Channel:  Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations

Find a destination for you and your soon to be wife / husband and see how much you can save on your trip!

Riding the Amtrak is a great way to get to one place from another.  You don’t have to worry about flying and it’s just like driving, but you can enjoy the scenery without having to worry about the roads.

So, if you’re planing an Amtrak trip, there are a few pointers that you should know about, before you hop on board, especially if it’s your first time.  You will find that by following these tips, it’s going to make your traveling a lot easier!

#1 Go for a non-stop train

Just like flying, you don’t want to stop at a few stations.  You may find this route may be a little cheaper but it’s going to cause you a lot of headaches, trust me on this one!  You may find that you will stop at your first stop and you will have to wait for a few hours, and yes, I’ve heard of people waiting days as well to get the next train to come because of delays.  Spend the extra money and get a non-stop trip.

#2 Don’t squeeze your trips

On some trips, you’re not going to be able to do a non-stop trip and I can understand that.  Instead of trying to squeeze your other stop by a few minutes, you’re not going to want to do this. Instead, stay the night, or maybe wait a few hours in between to allow yourself a lot of time.

#3 Review your routes online

There are a lot of routes that you can take and if you don’t want to have a boring trip the whole time.  Instead, do some research on your trip and see what routes offer the best scenery.  Check out Amtrak’s most scenic routes to see which one caters to your wants and needs.

#4 Always reserve your trip

Amtrak makes it easy for you to reserve your trip online.  Just like booking a flight, or anything else, it’s always best to reserve the whole trip to ensure that you get your seating.  If you show up at the train station looking for a ticket, you may find that it’s booked, or it’s going to cost you double to what you would have paid online.

#5 Bring entertainment and snacks

Just like an airline, you’re going to want to keep yourself entertained.  You don’t want to have 18 hours ahead of you without any type of entertainment.  Bring books, magazines, dvd players, and more.  This is going to make your trip fly by.  You will also want to make sure that you bring snacks to eat, because the train food can get pricey.

#6 Show up early

The train is going to leave with, or without you.  Get to the train station at least one hour ahead of time.  This will ensure that you’re there and ready to board, when it’s ready.

#7 Bring only 2 carry-ons

Amtrak only allows you to bring 2 carry on bags on board.  Make sure that you check in all other bags if you’re going to bring more.  In order to avoid this headache, I would recommend that you try to limit yourself to the 2 bags that they recommend.

These are the top tips that I can recommend that you can use when traveling by train.  BidonTravel.com has another great tips page as well if you want to check it out to get even more tips and advice!