Wisconsin winters can be harsh. But the season also brings with it a simple pleasure: coming in from the cold, rosy cheeked, to a steaming mug of hot chocolate. We’ve rounded up some light but invigorating hikes, pairing each with a warm, sweet sip just a short walk or drive away.
Five favorites, vivid scene-setting included:
Following the route of the old Interurban Electric Railway, the Ozaukee Interurban Trail runs the length of Ozaukee County and forms part of the Great Wisconsin Birding & Nature Trail. The Mequon section parallels a set of railroad tracks and is wide enough to get plenty of winter sun. It also passes in front of Mequon’s Foxtown Market, where you’ll find Interurban Coffeehouse (11120 N. Weston Dr.), whose homestyle hot chocolate is made with steamed milk and Hershey’s syrup.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
For something a bit more urban, saunter along the Milwaukee Riverwalk to soak up the holiday decor Downtown. Snap a selfie with the city Christmas tree in the Deer District before using the Holton Street pedestrian bridge to make your way to Rochambo (1317 E. Brady St.). The cafe’s Bhakti chai chocolate puts a spiced spin on the typical cocoa, accenting things with ginger and sea salt for a drink that’s as funky as the cafe.
Running along a We Energies corridor, this trail was inaugurated in 2022, and a new section is planned for the coming year. Good places to access it are Zablocki and Armour parks. It isn’t the most scenic trail, cutting through residential neighborhoods, but a unique cafe is just a short drive away. Located in Bluemel’s Garden & Landscape Center, Blüm Coffee Garden (4930 W. Loomis Rd., Greenfield) is a lovely plant-filled space, complete with a waterfall feature. The cafe’s cocoa and greenery are more than enough to keep the chill at bay.
Kick off a casual stroll on the Oak Leaf Trail’s Menomonee Line in Wauwatosa’s Hart Park, where you’ll trace the Menomonee River and might catch an Amtrak train rolling past. Follow the path to Hoyt Park or beyond, and when you’ve had enough, head back the way you came and make for Tabal Chocolate (7515 Harwood Ave.). The specialty chocolatier brews a luscious drinking chocolate that’s rich without being overly sweet.
The Muskego Recreation Trail is another route created from an old rail corridor, this one originally built for Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Co. Parts of the trail are rather suburban, but a pretty section along woods and cornfields can be accessed from Bluhm Farm Park. Two miles west, the trail meets Parkland Drive, and from there, it’s a 15-minute walk to the eclectic Vintage Grounds Coffeehouse (S74 W16825 W. Janesville Rd.) – or a six-minute drive from the park. Grab a hot chocolate, topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle, and curl up in front of the cafe’s fireplace.
