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Manitowoc-Two Rivers Voyage Tips and guide

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    Manitowoc and Two Rivers are a pair of harbor cities along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Northeastern Wisconsin. With a population of around 34,000 and 11,000 respectively, the two cities have been known for their maritime activities, and are a popular gateway to scenic Door County to the north by Highway 42.

    Understand

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    Inhabited by the Menominee, Manitowoc was historically called Manetōwak or "place of the spirits." The presence of the Menominee lasted until 1836 when they ceded this land to the U.S. Government, and Manitowoc County was formed later that year. The immediate Manitowoc area was chartered as a village in 1851 and became a city in 1870, though the first schooner was built in the area in 1847 by Joseph Edwards. The shipbuilding industry continues, with the previously Manitowoc-based company, The Manitowoc Company Inc, building 31 submarines during World War II.

    Manitowoc in June

    Two Rivers (locally called "Trivers") on the other hand is known for fishing, the place where the ice cream sundae was first made in 1881 (though it has been in a dispute over the birthplace with Ithaca, New York), the local beaches, and even the place where some professional football teams trained in the 1930s and 40s. Two Rivers was settled in the 17th century by French Canadian fishermen; fishing in the area became a major source of income and many of the fishermen's houses can be seen along the banks of the East Twin where it flows into Lake Michigan.

    Get in

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    Map
    Map of Manitowoc-Two Rivers

    By car

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    Highways

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    • Interstate 43 (I-43) comes in from Milwaukee and Sheboygan from the south and heads north to Denmark and ending in northwestern Green Bay. County Highways R and CR are the remnants of I-43's predecessor, US Highway 141 (US 141) and are alternate routes when I-43 is closed.
    • US Highway 10 (US 10) comes in from Appleton to the west northwest and continues through Manitowoc onto the S.S. Badger Ferry for Ludington, Michigan.
    • US Highway 151 (US 151) enters from the southwest, connecting Manitowoc to Fond du Lac and Madison, and ending at I-43 in southwestern Manitowoc.
    • Wisconsin Highway 42 (WIS 42) also arrives from the southwest, albeit on a lightly traveled course. This highway connects the two cities, as well as Howards Grove and Sheboygan to the south, and Sturgeon Bay to the north.
    • Wisconsin Highways 147 and 310 (WIS 147 and WIS 310 respectively) connect Two Rivers to I-43; WIS 310 links Two Rivers towards Appleton while WIS 147 connects Two Rivers with Green Bay.
    • Several other county highways connect the two cities to other parts of the county. County Highways O and V are the main highways into Point Beach State Park while County Road LS is a lakeshore county highway from Cleveland to Manitowoc.

    By boat

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    • S.S. Badger. Carries US-10 traffic across Lake Michigan from Ludington to Manitowoc. Passengers traveling by vehicle must pay a fare for both the vehicle and the passengers in it. Passenger fares (one-way/return): $74/$121 adults, $67/$109 seniors 65+, $29/$49 children 5-15, free for children under 5. Vehicle fares (each way): $77 cars, vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks, $86 pickup campers, $5.50 per foot RVs and motorhomes, $38 motorcycles, $6 bicycles. Extra fare charged for trailer extensions and sidecars. 
    Manitowoc North Breakwater Lighthouse

    Get around

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    As with many other American cities, the best method of transportation is either by car or by foot travel. There are biking opportunities, such as the Mariner's Trail running in between WIS 42 and Lake Michigan.

    See

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    Do

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    • 1 Point Beach State Forest, 9400 County Rd O, Two Rivers. state forest along Lake Michigan with the tallest lighthouse on the Great Lakes, Rawley Point Lighthouse. (updated Jan 2025)
    • 2 Manitowoc North Breakwater Light (to access lighthouse, park at the parking lots in between the marina and yacht club; it will roughly be more than 1/2 of a mile walk, though the last 1000 ft of the breakwater may be inaccessible during periods when Lake Michigan water levels are high). (updated Jan 2025)
    • 3 Woodland Dunes Nature Center & Preserve, 3000 Hawthorne Ave, Two Rivers. (updated Jan 2025)

    Buy

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    • 1 Downtown Manitowoc. The central business district of Manitowoc offers a variety of places to shop and dine at. (updated Jan 2025)
    • 2 Downtown Two Rivers. Two Rivers's main business district is along WIS 42 and also features plenty of places to shop and dine at. (updated Jan 2025)
    Two Rivers Welcome Sign

    Eat

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    Drink

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    • 1 Cool City Brewing Company, 1718 W Park St, Two Rivers, ☏ +1 920-⁷657-1325. Food is also served here (updated Jan 2025)

    Sleep

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    Stay safe

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    Of the two cities, Two Rivers is safer than Manitowoc, though the area crime rate is lower than in other nearby cities like Appleton, Green Bay, and Sheboygan. That said, it is not hard to stay safe in the area as exercising basic common sense will likely guarantee your safe passage.

    Rogers Street Fishing Village

    Connect

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    There are plenty of opportunities to connect in the area, especially along the main highways outside of Manitowoc-Two Rivers.

    Go next

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    Routes through Manitowoc-Two Rivers
    Green Bay ← Denmark ←  N  S  → Sheboygan → Milwaukee
    Stevens Point ← Appleton ←  W  E  → Car ferry → Ludington
    Madison ← Fond du Lac ←  SW  NE  → END
    Sturgeon Bay ←  N  S  → Sheboygan → END



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