Fall getaways in Wisconsin are hard to beat around Wausau, where October brings colorful hillsides, cool days, and plenty of reasons to get outside. Spend the morning on a trail, stop downtown for lunch, ride the chairlift above the trees, or wander through the art museum before heading back to one of the best Wisconsin cabin rentals. Once you are there, turn on the fireplace, pour a drink, and settle in for a cozy evening.

Wisconsin weather in October is part of the experience. In Wausau, average highs are around 56 degrees, with nighttime temperatures near 37, and an early dusting of snow is always possible. That means a sunny afternoon might call for a light jacket, while the evening gives you a very good excuse to get the fire going. It is one of the things we love most about autumn in Wisconsin.

For couples planning fall getaways in Wisconsin, Wausau offers enough to keep the weekend interesting without making you feel like every hour needs a plan. Explore downtown, try a local restaurant, catch a seasonal event, or simply leave part of the day open. Back at our cabin, expansive windows look out over the woods, while a king bed, heated floors, steam shower, oversized soaking tub, and fireplace make staying in just as appealing as going out. It is a fitting home base for a few days of fall in Wisconsin. Book your stay today!

Fall Things to Do in Wisconsin Near Wausau

Some of our favorite fall things to do in Wisconsin are right here in the Wausau area. Our Wisconsin fall colors guide includes places we love sending guests, including Rib Mountain State Park, the Dells of the Eau Claire, and Big Eau Pleine County Park. After a few hours outside, head into town for a pint at one of our favorite Wausau breweries, then make dinner part of the evening at one of the restaurants in Wausau we regularly recommend. A trail, a local beer, a good dinner, and plenty of evening left at the cabin sounds like the perfect October day to us.

Here are our favorite things to do during fall getaways in Wisconsin:

1. Ride the scenic chairlift at Granite Peak. Seeing the fall color from above is one of our favorite ways to experience autumn in Wisconsin. Granite Peak’s scenic chairlift carries you up Rib Mountain, where you can get off at the top and explore before riding or hiking back down. Scenic rides are scheduled during the fall color season and are weather-dependent. Peak foliage dates can be popular, especially on Saturdays, so this is one outing you’ll want to reserve in advance.
2. Hike Rib Mountain State Park. If you would rather see the leaves from the trail, spend a few hours exploring Rib Mountain State Park on foot. Make time for the observation tower, which rises above the surrounding forest and opens up wide views across the Wausau area and Wisconsin River. Peak color varies from year to year, so check conditions before your visit.
3. See the fall color by bike. Nine Mile Forest is another place we like sending active guests during fall getaways in Wisconsin. Its wooded trail system gives mountain bikers plenty of room to explore southwest of Wausau. Be sure to check trail conditions before heading out. For a different kind of ride, the Mountain Bay State Trail begins in nearby Weston and follows a former railroad corridor through central Wisconsin. Both give you a chance to see the season from a different point of view.
4. Take a fall drive along the Wisconsin River. You do not have to lace up hiking boots to enjoy the color during fall getaways in Wisconsin. Head north toward Merrill and follow Highway 107, where wooded stretches and views along the Wisconsin River make the drive part of the day’s adventure. Stop near Grandfather Falls if you feel like getting out for a closer look, then continue exploring or turn back toward Wausau for dinner.
5. Visit the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. This is one of the places we love sending guests, especially in October. The museum’s internationally known Birds in Art exhibition runs from September 12, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Admission is free, and the mix of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper gives you something completely different to do between outdoor adventures.
6. Check out a local fall festival. If fall festivals in Wisconsin are part of your trip planning, Wausau has a couple of October events worth knowing about. Harvest Fest comes to the 400 Block on October 3, 2026, with pumpkins, children’s activities, food vendors, and other seasonal fun. Later in the month, Boos and Booze takes place at the Rothschild Pavilion on October 23, with beer samples, food, music, and costumes for an adults-only night out.
7. Spend an afternoon in downtown Wausau. Not all fall getaways inNot all fall getaways in Wisconsin need to revolve around leaves. Stop for a craft cocktail at Timekeeper Distillery, try one of our favorite Wausau breweries, browse the shops downtown, or make dinner the main event at one of our favorite restaurants in Wausau. Our Wausau things to do guide has even more ideas if you want to keep exploring.

Of course, you can also book your stay without planning much of anything. A fall weekend at our lodging can be as simple as arriving Friday, sleeping later than usual on Saturday, and deciding over coffee whether you feel like hiking, heading downtown, or staying right where you are. One of the pleasures of Wisconsin in October is waking up and deciding what sounds good from there.

One of the Best Wisconsin Cabin Rentals for Fall

If you are comparing Wisconsin cabin rentals for a fall weekend, there is one useful question to ask: Do you want the cabin to be somewhere you sleep between outings, or do you want it to be part of the getaway?

Owl Ridge was created specifically for couples, with 1,100 square feet of private space, an open living, dining, and kitchen area, a king bedroom, and a spa-inspired bathroom. Expansive glass windows keep the woods in view throughout the cabin, so you do not have to leave the property to enjoy the season.

One of the best Wisconsin cabin rentals for fall getaways in Wisconsin, our lodging was designed for couples to slow down and reconnect. Come back from Rib Mountain and put your feet up by the fireplace. Make dinner together instead of going back into town. Open a bottle of wine. Take advantage of the steam shower or oversized soaking tub, then sleep in the next morning. Heated floors, a full kitchen, and a private patio are all especially welcome once Wisconsin weather in October starts cooling off after sunset.

The cabin feels worlds away from the city, but downtown Wausau is just a short drive away. In roughly ten minutes, you can be among downtown restaurants, shops, museums, breweries, Timekeeper Distillery, and the Grand Theater. Granite Peak and Nine Mile Forest are also nearby, which makes it easy to spend your days exploring without spending a large part of your getaway in the car.

There are also a few ways to make fall getaways in Wisconsin feel more like an occasion:

1. Book the Culinary Experience. Stay in for dinner while a local chef prepares and serves a candlelit four-course meal for two at the cabin, accompanied by wine selected for your seasonal menu.
2. Add something romantic. Owl Ridge offers packages and experiences that can include roses, homemade chocolate truffles, sparkling wine, cake, and charcuterie, an easy way to celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or weekend away together.
3. Give yourself permission to stay in. Between the fireplace, soaking tub, steam shower, kitchen, patio, and wooded setting, you may find that one of your favorite things to do is nothing at all.

That is part of what makes Owl Ridge different from many Wisconsin cabin rentals. You can fill the day with some of the best things to do in Wisconsin in October, then come back to a place that feels like part of the trip rather than simply where you sleep.

If fall getaways in Wisconsin have been on your mind, make Wausau your October destination and our cabin your home base. Pick one or two things you really want to do, leave some time open for the cabin, and enjoy fall in Wisconsin. Book your stay today!