Sheboygan, the largest city in Sheboygan county at just over 50,000 residents, lies on the shores of Lake Michigan about 60 miles north of Milwaukee, in east-central Wisconsin. Formerly a busy trading and fishing port, Sheboygan grew through shipping and industry, and was a major center of German immigration to the area. While shipping on the Great Lakes has seen a major decline and the commercial fisheries disappeared entirely, Sheboygan remains a prospering industrial town, and continues its immigrant heritage to this day, with vibrant Hispanic and Hmong communities adding their influences to the cultural landscape. The "spirit on the lake" (a translation of the Native American name) is also becoming a tourist destination thanks to several farsighted development initiatives, particularly along the scenic riverfront and lakefront.

Get around

Sheboygan Transit runs buses throughout the city itself. Fares are $1.50 per ride. Most of the downtown area is within comfortable walking distance, and parking is rarely a problem.

Attractions

 • John Michael Kohler Art Center - The Kohler Company has a long history in the Sheboygan area, particularly in its eponymous company town, Kohler. One of their greatest contributions to the cultural scene of Sheboygan is the John Michael Kohler Art Center, or JMKAC. Built into the historic Kohler house on 6th Street and New York Avenue, the Art Center hosts local theatrical and musical events, provides summer art programs for local schoolchildren, and houses an ever-changing collection of contemporary art by local and national artists in their extensive galleries. A recent addition has greatly expanded their exhibition space. As Kohler is primarily a bathroom fixtures company, the restrooms in the Art Center are -- quite naturally -- extravagant displays of porcelain artistry. The men's restroom near the main entrance is particularly breathtaking (curious female visitors need not despair, the front desk greeters will happily escort anyone inside). Entrance to the Art Center is free, but donations are encouraged.
 • The Lakefront - The city of Sheboygan is centered at her harbor, where the Sheboygan river meets Lake Michigan. Immediately north of the harbor sits Deland Park, with pleasant beaches, boat launches, and an upscale yacht club. Alongside the yacht club, a breakwater (one of two enclosing the harbor) juts out past the marina and about half a mile into Lake Michigan, punctuated by a lighthouse. The walk along the beach and breakwater to the lighthouse is quite pleasant, and is particularly popular in midsummer when the cool lake water blesses the lighthouse with air temperatures often twenty degrees cooler than in the city.
 • The Riverfront - One of the city's most successful development plans has been the expansion of a boardwalk extending along the Sheboygan river as it flows through downtown. This boardwalk area now features many unique shops, coffeehouses, and fine dining restaurants in an attractive setting across the river from the massive new Blue Harbor Resort, which (local rumor has it) has begun sinking into the lake. This area is accessible from Riverfront Drive and Water Street in downtown.
 • The Flagpole - It would be awfully hard to miss the tallest flagpole in the United States, recently erected by Acuity Insurance Company on the grounds of their Sheboygan office, between I-43 and Taylor Drive, just north of Highway 28. The pole, replacing a previous large flagpole that blew down in a storm, stands some 338 feet high, sports a 120 by 60 foot flag, and is visible from pretty much any high point in the county.