Sheltered by towering 300 foot bluffs and laid out along a hairpin turn in the Root River lies the village of Whalan. Included in Midwest Living’s Ways to Play in the Root River Valley, the community affords fun and adventure at every turn.
The town is a bustling destination for lodging and fun due to a number of established accommodations. Settle into a resort offering 11 cozy, log sided cabins of various sizes. The resort is full of amenities, including a retail area, frisbee golf course, sand volleyball, bocce ball, basketball court, pickleball court, three playgrounds, and vast green space for whatever your heart desires. In addition, bikes, canoes, kayaks and tubes are available for rent, as are cross-country skis and snow tubes in the winter.
Or, let your group check into a riverfront property just feet from the Root River State Trail. Whalan offers several whole house rental units scattered around the town. There is also miniature golf course offering a 9 hole course that is challenging and amusing, noted as the best in the area. When it’s time for a quieter pace, visitors can kick back in the striking city park under the gazebo or stop in at the famous pie shop, serving mouth watering pies for over 28 years. History buffs will enjoy the Whalan Museum, located in the restored 1888 village hall, complete with community center on the first floor, and Ernie’s 1917 Filling Station, a restored (non-operative) landmark. The historic 1870’s Whalan train depot is now open to the public and boasts a wide variety of cold drinks, snacks and a gift shop. Just steps from the Root River trail you will find a unique artisan shop featuring handcrafted items with many items geared toward the bike enthusiast. Make sure to stop and enjoy mouth-watering kettle corn, too! Everything in this quaint town is located within walking distance from each other!
Several festivities add to the fun in Whalan – In July, the city hosts the three day 4th of July Girls Fastpitch Tournament. One Saturday each in June, July and August you can enjoy “Music in the Bluffs,” with a live band starting in the afternoon at the gazebo, right along the trail. In September, the city hosts a trail town celebration with food sampling, music, and more!
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