Walk through La Crosse and it’s easy to see why Mark Twain called us “a choice town.” The largest Wisconsin city on the Mississippi River, La Crosse offers modern city living while maintaining its historical charm as an old river town. Located on the spot where three rivers converge and bordered by abundant prairies, the city once welcomed 300 steamboats a month to its docks. Today, you can still enjoy a nostalgic ride on an authentic paddle wheeler.

When you have a long history of welcoming strangers like La Crosse has, you know how to make people feel right at home. This neighborly attitude is prevalent throughout our city, but is especially apparent in our downtown. In fact, La Crosse is the 2002 winner of the Great American Main Street Award given by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

With the rivers as once-busy trade channels, and a strategic location in the center of the tri-state area (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa), La Crosse has always been ideally positioned for business and industry. And while history and industry are a big part of our character, it’s the uniquely picturesque upper Mississippi River valley that provides our timeless allure. Wooded hillsides overlook the mighty “Mississip” and its backwater sloughs, as do rolling bluffs, some with 600-foot high scenic overlooks. Year-round outdoor recreation opportunities are plentiful with some of the nation's finest fishing, hunting, boating, and skiing literally at your doorstep.