Goin' To The Lake: Amery (Day 1)
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- All summer long, we're embracing lake life across Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
For our final stop this summer of our Goin' To The Lake series, Mark Rosen and Ali Lucia hopped in the Mobile Weather Lab and headed west to Amery, Wisconsin!
Welcome To Amery!
Amery, which is just over an hour from the Twin Cities, has about 3,000 year-round residents. That number grows significantly in the summer.
We do these trips to give our viewers' ideas of places to visit, and this is certainly a good one.
This is such a short drive from the Twin Cities and a great destination if you're looking for a quick weekend getaway.
A lot of you told us we had to stop at Village Pizzeria. It's right on the main drag in town and open for lunch and dinner.
They, of course, make great pizza -- but you'll also find burgers, pasta and more on the menu.
There really are a lot of restaurants to check out if you're visiting the Amery area -- including the great Waterside Bar and Grill -- so come hungry.
Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp
The drive to Amery is so simple you could make a day trip of it from the Cities.
This is a great place to vacation, but it's also a very special place for thousands of kids every summer.
Mark and Ali visited Lake Wapogasset Lutheran Bible Camp Thursday, which is owned by a group of 93 churches.
Most of them are in the Twin Cities, so if you see a Wapo sweatshirt around town, now you know what it's all about.
And they will celebrate 70 years next year!
Biking In Avery & The Acme Junk Co.
One of the things to do if you're looking for an active day in Amery is take a bike ride on the Stower Seven Lakes State Trail.
It's a 14-mile trail that starts in Amery and goes to Dresser.
You'll pass picturesque lakes, farmlands, and prairie -- a great taste of northwestern Wisconsin.
It's named after Harvey Stower, Amery's mayor for many years.
Ali and Mark also stopped at a very cool store Thursday just north of Amery. The Acme Junk Company has been in town for about 18 months.
It has all kinds of great things to put in the cabin or your home. They take junk and turn it into art.
Amery Family Restaruant
The people in Amery have been so welcoming to the WCCO crew. Everyone is saying hi and doing their best to show off this great town.
It is a very tight-knit community, and one that's welcoming and helpful to visitors or newcomers -- as we found in a visit to Amery Family Restaurant on Wednesday.
Amery Ale Works & Amery Farm Table
Ali and Mark visited Amery Ale Works Thursday, which is a very cool spot just five minutes from downtown Amery in an old barn.
Jenna Johnson opened it on New Year's Eve, and will soon start brewing her own beer here.
One thing you notice in Amery is that everyone helps everyone. New businesses are thriving because the community supports them 100 percent.
Another relatively new business is Farm Table Restaurant, right on Highway 46 in downtown Amery
It is a really cool setting, and it's a nonprofit with the goal of growing a local food culture.
Everything on the menu is from farms around Amery. They have cooking classes and events that promote local food.
Mark and Ali stopped in for lunch Thursday and they say it was a great meal.
And their style seems to be resonating with the people who live and visit Amery.
Pontooning On North Twin & Pike Lakes
All the towns we've visited this summer have been so welcoming, and Amery is no exception.
Right when Ali and Mark got into town Thursday, they hit the water for a pontoon tour of North Twin and Pike lakes.
Thanks to Jason Whitley for driving the boat and Dan Lien for being an excellent tour guide!
