Landing at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire keeps everything close, with nearby cities and attractions within easy reach. Eau Claire sits where the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers meet, an old lumber city that reinvented itself around music, murals, and a lively riverfront. The feel is creative and easygoing, with a college crowd, a growing food scene, and a tubing river running through the middle of town. Standout experiences around Eau Claire: - Catch a show at the Pablo Center at the Confluence and walk the Phoenix Park riverfront - Float the Chippewa River on a tube on a hot summer afternoon - Bike the Chippewa River State Trail toward Durand along the water - Visit Carson Park for a minor league ballgame and the Hank Aaron statue - Hear live music on Water Street, in the hometown of Bon Iver - Tour the Leinenkugel's brewery in Chippewa Falls, 20 minutes north - Pick up a slice of pie at the Norske Nook in Osseo - Browse the downtown murals and Saturday farmers market Eau Claire sits in the middle of a scenic slice of western Wisconsin. Chippewa Falls and the Irvine Park zoo are a short drive north, Menomonie and its restored Mabel Tainter theater are 30 minutes west, and Lake Wissota State Park is close enough for a quick swim. Minneapolis and St. Paul are about 90 minutes west on I-94, and the Wisconsin Dells are under two hours southeast. Order a Friday fish fry with a brandy old fashioned, try the cheese curds, and come in summer when Country Jam and the riverside concerts bring the whole valley to Eau Claire.