Kristina spent the whole drive to camp convinced she'd made a $1,200 mistake. Then she opened her cabin door. This is what happened next — and why making friends at fifty is easier than you think.

I went on The Cabin Podcast to talk about the best of a Wisconsin summer, and we came up with a list that would make any top-ten roundup blush. Bat studies, dark sky parks, a cheese curd crawl you download an app for — no 14-hour flight required.

Look, I get it. When I tell people I live in Wisconsin, they usually follow up with "...but why?" Like somehow choosing to call the Midwest home means I've given up on adventure entirely. Spoiler alert: I haven't. Here's the thing nobody tells you about travel—sometimes the most transformative experiences happen in your own backyard. And if your backyard happens to be the Midwest? Even better.

Adults don't need another happy hour that ends by 8:30. They need recess. Fifty campers, one Wisconsin lake, real beds, and a group chat that outlives the weekend.

Ever wonder what we're serving at Camp Lola Whiskey? Here's a peek at last year's signature cocktails—from Wisconsin Old Fashioneds to honey cocktails and shrub creations. Registration for 2026 is now open!

Remember when summer camp was the highlight of your year? When you'd count down the days until you could escape your regular life, make questionable friendship bracects, and stay up way too late eating contraband snacks?

Here's the thing: who decided that magic had to end just because we got jobs and mortgages?

Adult summer camp is everything you loved about being a kid, minus the homesickness and bad cafeteria food. We're talking outdoor adventures, creative activities, new friends, and the kind of unstructured fun that makes you remember why life is actually pretty great.

At Camp Lola Whiskey in northern Wisconsin, you'll kayak, hike, make s'mores around bonfires, try ridiculous arts and crafts, and laugh more than you have in months. It's for people who are exhausted from adulting and ready to remember what fun actually feels like.

Your to-do list will still be there when you get back. But you'll also have this weird little pocket of joy to carry with you. And honestly? That's worth way more than another "productive" weekend.