Andrea Behling

With access to a major river, two Great Lakes and thousands of inland aquatic bodies, a trip in Wisconsin often means heading for water. We visited three of the state’s many cities with cultures, histories and industries shaped by life on the shore.

In La Crosse’s Riverside Park, there’s a bronze statue called “A Simpler Time” of two small children and a dog looking out at the Mississippi River, which rolls by alongside the park. One of the children, balanced on the lower rung of a fence, raises his cap aloft, as if greeting the riverboats passing by. This statue reminded me of my own childhood memories riding in a boat on a different stretch of this same river.

It seems odd when you say it out loud: One of Madison's most iconic symbols is the cutout pattern on a patio chair. That might surprise those unaware of the pervasive nature of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Memorial Union Terrace's metal chairs that cover the lakeside terrace at 800 Langdon St. every summer. But the return of these characteristic seats to the outdoor dining and entertainment destination on April 17 reminds us just how recognizable and beloved they are by the community.