Waupaca is A Haven for Visitors! Escape from the hassles of home to Waupaca, Wisconsin.

A beautiful haven in the middle of the state, Waupaca, is home to 22 spring-fed lakes that comprise the Chain O’ Lakes.

Nestled among pristine spring-fed lakes & the Crystal River, this beautiful tourist destination boasts endless outdoor recreational opportunities, a unique shopping scene, and assortment of dining to please every palette.

As Innkeepers, we’ll provide you with the our favorite places! There’s so much to experience in Waupaca & the surrounding  area with dining, breweries, wineries, ice cream shops, local shops, hiking, swimming, boating, kayaking, biking, local festivals, historic venues, live music & so much more!

Plan your Waupaca Getaway Today!

Dine, Drink & Relax!

Upcoming Events for the Waupaca Area.

Download Visitors Guide

Crystal River Inn & Cottages in Historic Rural is filled with Nature & Beauty

We are located on Wisconsin Rustic Road #23 and are in wonderful bicycling country. Our road and even the Inn are included in many bike touring guides.

Hartman Creek State Park is 3 miles from the Inn.  Explore hiking and biking trails as well as a beach and lake for swimming.

The Ice Age Trail, one of only eight National Scenic Trails in the U.S., showcases Wisconsin’s world-renowned glacial features and abundant natural beauty. By tracing the furthest advance of the most recent glaciation, hikers can experience the beautiful and diverse landscapes that were sculpted more than 10,000 years ago.  We are happy to “spot” your car at a Hartnearby Ice Age Trail segment. (from the Inn to Inn Hiking on the Ice Age Trail brochure)

Our 11.5 acre Inn property offers a variety of bird and other wildlife habitats. They include recent and long abandoned farm fields, evergreen pine groves, old and young hardwoods with lots of snags, a small pond full of spring peepers, some small areas of wetland, a small river (the Crystal), and some lawn. We will be restoring the west 3-4 acres as lowland prairie or oak savannah as there are several open grown burr oaks there.

Further birding and wildlife viewing is a 2 minute walk in the village which brings you to an 1850’s mill pond where sightings of belted kingfishers, great blue heron and other water and marsh birds are common.   Thanks to the birds and some expert birders our Inn Bird List has reached 100 species!

Be sure to walk the streets the historic village of Rural, where you’ll find 14 other homes built in the 1850’s by primarily Yankees of British descent who were merchants and farmers from the eastern U.S. Most of these homes are of the Greek Revival architectural style. The village of Rural is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as one of two Yankee districts in Wisconsin. Take time to dip your fingers or toes into the refreshing waters of the Crystal River that drew the first European settlers to this place 150 years ago.