One of our favorite day trips is from Madison, Wisconsin to New Glarus, a town that made Limburger cheese legal tender in 1905.  Once you get past Verona, the drive to New Glarus goes through relaxing rolling hills through the middle of family dairy farms.  You’ll see Brown Swiss cows along with the more common black and white Holsteins. You will also see historic farmsteads as you are driving or biking around the area.  

  In 1845 New Glarus was established as a Swiss Colony.  You can see how they have maintained their Swiss heritage by the Alpine style of architecture and traditional cowbells are proudly displayed in the shops.  Strolling through town and shopping at the local shops is a great way to unwind.

  Why come to New Glarus? For us, the New Glarus Bakery is where we start.

New Glarus Bakery In Downtown

  We always find a special treat first to munch on for our day trip.  Then, we’ll buy a few types of bread to eat at home during the week.   

New Glarus Bakery Breads

The pretzels are probably the best we’ve had in the U.S.  They are as good as the pretzels made in the European bakeries. 

  You can’t go wrong with an Eclair either.  Those usually don’t make it home.

All of their ingredients are sourced as local as possible. Flour and sugars are from Minnesota, which is one state away.  

  Many ingredients are from Northern Illinois.

Fresh Pastries

Butter is bought locally from a few miles down the road.

  They give reciprocation gift certificates for items grown and brought to the bakery from residents.  The fresh ingredients are then used for the bakery items for sale.  Some of the fresh produce that they bring are rhubarb, zucchini, and chives.  In return for their fresh ingredients, they will receive gift certificates for the bakery.  

  The bakery also has 24 solar panels on the roof which will supply 9700 kilowatts per year.  All of the hot water used to clean the dishes comes from a thermistor.  This takes heat off of freezer compressors and the bakery then uses it for hot water to clean their dishes.  

  Angela Neff is the president and owner of New Glarus Bakery.  As you can tell, she believes in supporting local people.  Each year they donate cookie dough for the youth football team’s cookie dough fundraiser.  The football team has raised a total of over fifty thousand dollars from cookie dough!  

  Ruef’s Meat Market is where you want to shop for traditional swiss sausages and meats from old-world recipes.  The building has been home to a meat market since the early 1920s.  They also carry Wisconsin cheese varieties to pair with your meats.

These are some of the traditional Swiss sausages you will find here.  You can also order online.

Kalberwurst is the most popular and made with veal and milk.

Hard Summer Sausage is dried with a rich smokey flavor.  This is good with your Wisconsin cheese and cracker tray.

Beef Summer Sausage comes with a mild or garlic flavor and is the classic for the Wisconsin cheese and cracker tray.

Fine Ground Ring Bologna.  Have you ever tried Ring Bologna?  When you say bologna most people think of Oscar Mayer.  This is a tasty sausage which shape resembles a Polska Kielbasa.  

Natural Casing Weiners.  These are fantastic!  You haven’t had a good hot dog until you’ve had natural casing.  The snap when you bit into it is worth it.

Swiss Style Mettwurst has a firm coarse texture with a hint of garlic.

Cervelas is similar to a knockwurst with a bold garlic flavor.

Schublig is a traditional Swiss sausage similar to a long weiner.

Farmerwurstis a coarse ground heavily smoked old-fashioned ring bologna.  Good served with sauerkraut

  Let’s talk brats.  If you would like more from your brat than what is offered at the supermarket then you should check these flavors out.

Bacon and Blue Cheese (Wisconsin Blue Cheese), Apple (pork, applesauce, and cinnamon), Beer and Onion (New Glarus Brewing Company’s Spotted Cow beer and a dash of onions), The Portable Wisconsin Beer, Bacon and Cheese, Mushroom and Blue Cheese, Sauerkraut and Onion, Hawaiian Style Pineapple, Cranberry, Hi Chee Mama Super Hot Pepper (made with four different types of pepper, these aren’t for the faint of heart or weak of stomach). Cheddar, Swiss Cheese, Italian Sausage, Chili Cheese, Teriyaki, Mushroom and Swiss, Wisconsin Pepper Jack Cheese, Pizza, Bacon Cheddar, Taco, and lastly Cheesesteak.  Which one would you try first?

Landjaegers are the most popular item.  It’s a dried snack sausage made with beef and pork.  It’s not like beef jerky though, it’s different and we think much better.  We like to take them along on a day trip.  They were traditionally eaten by hikers and backpackers in Switzerland because they were so easy to pack and good for an energy boost.  New Glarus Spotted Cow beer is a more common combination now.    

Traditional Swiss Cow Bells

This is another fun event you might enjoy!

If you’re looking for a more lively experience, a festival weekend might be what you’re looking for.  

  The Music Festival has bands playing around town.

  The Heidi Festival is about the classic play Heidi from Johanna Spyri.

  New Glarus Polkafest and Beer, Bacon & Cheese festival.  The Polkafest is held in honor of Roger Bright who was a local musician and bandleader.   

  New Glarus Blues, Brews, and Food Truck Festival

  Swiss Volksfest for the Swiss Independence Day

  Firefest is the annual celebration of their volunteer fire department.

  Alphorn Man Triathlon 

  Wilhelm Tell Festival

   Oktoberfest

  New Glarus Family Festival

  Swiss Historical Village & Museum and Harvest Fest Events

  New Glarus Car Show

  St Nicholas Day

  Winterfest Veterans Rally