'''La Crosse''' [http://www.cityoflacrosse.org/] is a city in Southwest Wisconsin located on the Mississippi River and is the county seat of La Crosse County. It's nestled between the river and picturesque bluffs that rise behind it. With a city population of around 50,000 and the metropolitan area just under 100,000, La Crosse offers visitors plenty of activities to do and sights to see, without the overwhelming hustle and bustle of bigger cities.
Get in
La Crosse has a municipal airport located on French Island, a nearby suburb to the north. Flights often arrive from Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis.
A full service Amtrak Station is located on the North Side providing daily service on the Empire Builder route.
Two Greyhound Bus stations are located in La Crosse. One is connected to the Amtrak Station on the citie's North Side, and the other is located near the University of La Crosse on the south side.
Get around
By bus
'''Municipal Transit Utility (MTU)''', 2000 Marco Drive, (608) 789-7350, [http://www.cityoflacrosse.org/index.asp?NID=574]. An excellent choice for transportation. They are always on-schedule and the staff is extremely helpful when you need assistance whether it is boarding the bus with disabilities or simply finding your route. The route consists of La Crosse and some surrounding suburbs including La Crescent and Onalaska. It is very affordable as well. Ridership of the La Crosse MTU is at it's highest with almost 1,000,000 riders per year.
Several taxi companies are located throughout the city and metro. Also biking/walking is an option. La Crosse is one of the most disabled-friendly cities in the USA.
See
'''Downtown''' - In recent years, La Crosse has rejuvenated its downtown, which features a collection of bars, restaurants, high-end hotels and shops presented with an old-town feel. There is also the La Crosse Center, a large civic center with ongoing events almost daily.
'''Riverside Park''' - An expansive walkway and park straddles the river with excellent views of the Cass Street Bridge, Pettibone Park, and Minnesota.
'''The Bluffs''' - Numerous trails of varying difficulty levels course through the many bluffs behind the city, with magnificent views at the top.
'''Myrick Park''' - This park adjacent to UW-La Crosse is great for having a picnic and relaxing. It features a free zoo and connects to a trail that runs under HWY 16 and climbs up the bluffs. This is the best place in town to go with younger kids: it features an expansive cooperatively built playground for all ages and abilities.
'''Pettibone Park''' - Located on an island in the Mississippi, this park has a beach and a newly completed and free Frisbee Golf Course (don't forget your disks).
Do
City Brewery. 111 S. 3rd Street. 608) 785-4398. ttp://www.citybrewery.com. 1AM-5PM. 1. Formerly known as the Heileman Brewery, City Brewery hosts the world's largest six-pack. Tours, which includes samples of some of their brews, are available on weekdays during the summer and on the weekends all year.
Loggers Baseball. 08/796-9553. ttp://www.lacrosseloggers.com. ickets start at $4.. The local team plays at Copeland Park, also known as "The Lumber Yard."
Hixon House. orner of 7th and Badger Streets . ttp://www.lchsweb.org/hixon.html. pen Memorial Day through Labor Day, 10AM-5PM daily. dmission is adults $8.50, kids $4.50, seniors $7.50. Formerly owned by one of La Crosse's lumber barons, Hixon is an Italianate house that reflects the Victorian style. A unique Turkish Nook and original furnishings make this house special.
A pub crawl downtown. There's an abundance of bars and nightclubs. Downtown La Crosse is rarely quiet at night, especially on weekends.
Relax on a riverboat ride. La Crosse has various watercrafts, including two old-fashioned paddle boat, that voyage up and down the Mississippi, and can include dinner, lunch or breakfast.
Enjoy a round of golf at one of the beautiful golf courses throughout the metro.
Many other ongoing annual events occur downtown such as Riverfest, or Oktoberfest. Many also in surrounding suburbs.
Learn
'''University of Wisconsin, La Crosse''' [http://www.uwlax.edu/]
Buy
Many specialty shops, and high-end stores are located throughout Downtown La Crosse.
'''Valley View Mall''' located in a northern suburb shopping area includes more than 80 stores including Macy's, Barnes & Noble, JC Penney, and Sears.
Numerous strip malls are located throughout the city including retail shops, coffee shops, office shops, and specialty shops.
Eat
Hundreds of restaurants are located throughout the La Crosse Metro area. You'll find anything within the city and suburbs like fast food such as Mc Donalds, Wendy's, Checkers, or Burger King for example. Also you can find a higher end setting like The Waterfront, The Frieght House or Piggy's, which are all located downtown.
Locations that are La Crosse residents' favorite places to grab a quick bite to eat or a cup of joe include '''Jules' Coffee Shop''' and '''The Pearl''' on Pearl Street downtown. The Pearl is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor where the ice cream is homemade and you can find elusive flavors such as bubble gum, superman, and even blue moon. They also offer a vast variety of old-fashioned candy. A great place for kids! Gloria Jeans, Starbucks, and Caribou Coffee can also be found in La Crosse.
Drink
Many bars and nightclubs are located throughout Downtown La Crosse, and the city itself. At one time, La Crosse broke a Guiness Book record with the most bars/nightclubs located on one street, which was Third Street in downtown.
Sleep
'''Best Western Midway Hotel Riverfront Resort''', 1835 Rose Street, ''+1 608'' 781-7000, Fax: ''+1 608'' 781-3195, [http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/productInfo.do?propertyCode=50058].
'''Courtyard La Crosse Downtown/Mississippi Riverfront''', 500 Front Street, ''+1 608'' 782-1000, Fax: ''+1 608'' 796-1827, [http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/LSECY].
'''Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites''', 200 Pearl Street, ''+1 608'' 784-4444, [http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/lsewi].
For a full list of hotels downtown, on the north or south side, or other suburbs visit [http://www.explorelacrosse.com the La Crosse Visitors Bureau]
Stay Safe
Downtown La Crosse is relatively safe at night for a college town. The downtown area has several bars which cater to college age customers. As with any area populated by bars, you may encounter intoxicated and/or obnoxious individuals. Generally, you can negotiate this area without any significant problems. If you are looking to avoid the younger crowd, it is recommended that you avoid the downtown area after 10:00 pm.
There have been recent shootings [http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/12/31/news/01shooting.txt] in the area, but these are fairly isolated. Also, recent reports that drownings are actually criminal acts [http://www.fox25fox48.com/news/community/?nid=1128] have been debunked by, among others, the FBI [http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0907/452443.html]