Last summer, I was introduced to canoeing through The Wisconsin Canoe Co. They made the adventure so much fun and easy. The Wisconsin Canoe Co. is just three hours from Chicago and 2.5 hours from Milwaukee in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

How it works is fantastic. You drop your car off at Pecks Landing to hop on the shuttle that takes you to your drop-off point. That's right. This drop-off point depends on which distance you choose. There are three:

Wisconsin Canoe Co. Overnight options.

• Prairie Du Sac - 25 miles - Leisurely 3-day/ambitious two-day

• Mazomanie - 18 miles - Just right for an overnight

• Arena - 10 miles - Great for socializing and less paddling

Peck's Landing is where you will end no matter what distance you choose. Your car will be there for you. The Wisconsin Canoe Co. has a day option if you want something other than an overnight trip. If you would like to learn more about the day option, you can click here.

Now I will tell you a little bit about our trip.

We rented three canoes for three children and three adults, translating to two moms, three kids, and me. We split the canoes with one adult and one child. That worked great for me. We signed up for the Arena, being our first time, and all was a perfect distance. Let me tell you more about the Wisconsin River. It is unique and made a considerable part of this adventure and experience.

We chose the Arena of 10 miles. We packed each canoe to weigh them evenly.

Wisconsin River Deets

• Runs into the Great Mississippi River.

• The state protects the lower Wisconsin River State Riverway. This is where the canoe companies are located

• the lower portion is full of sandbars, and the bottom is sand without debris other than a stick here and there

What camping gear do we use?

When you camp via a canoe, you won’t be able to bring as much as you would if you were camping at a land-locked campground. When you canoe camp, you get what you can pack in the canoe. The camping gear below goes with us everywhere, from canoeing down the Mississippi to camping in Yellowstone National Park. Once you build your camping set-up and buy quality, it will last you adventure to adventure.

1. Cooler: One cooler with food, drinks, and beer. We recommend Rovr Rollr. We have the 60, which is a great size. For camping, I would stick with the 60 or the 80. It fits nicely in your car or canoe.

2. Tent: We use the Tallboy 6. The tent has been good to us. We have used it to camp in Jackson Hole, WY, Yellowstone National Park, Mammoth Caves National Park, and on this canoe trip. Any of the tents from Kelty are great. It all depends on what size you need.

3. Sleeping bag:

3. Camp Chairs: The Kelty Lowdown chairs are easy to unpack and pack. They come with us everywhere—a must-have when camping is chairs. You never know what the ground is going to be like.

3. Dry Bags: Keep your stuff you want to stay dry, dry. Even if you are not canoe camping, these come in handy.

4. Head Lamps and Lighting: Keep your stuff you want to stay dry, dry. Even if you are not canoe camping, these come in handy. There are a ton of options for headlamps. You will want one at night, especially when you have to go to the bathroom at 2 a.m. Additionally, we had the little lights for inside our tents. These worked out great, too. The ORBITER 650 LANTERN from Black Diamond is versatile and worked well for us.

5. Toiletries and Basic First Aid

Maintaining hygiene and being prepared for minor injuries is critical to a comfortable camping experience. Pack these essentials:

• Hygiene: Soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and biodegradable toilet paper. Consider environmentally friendly products to minimize impact.

• First Aid Basics: Include bandaids, antiseptic wipes, and pain relievers for minor cuts and discomforts. A small, basic first aid kit can address most camping-related injuries.

6. Dog Life Vest

These are just a few of the items we use while camping.

Once we left the drop on a Saturday, we had a blast. The current pulls you toward the Mississippi River. You just need a little paddling to help guide you down. There were a ton of sandbars to choose from along the way.

We set up camp. The kids found a water hole off of one of the sides of the sandbar. This gave them plenty of jumping room off the side. They also did a little fishing too. The adults lay on the rafts we brought and just enjoyed the rest of the sunshine.

Overall, we had a blast. The Arena was filled with a lot of fellow canoe-goers. We even had a group set up habitation on our sandbar. They were super cool, though. The teenage boys, Logan and Ethan, even joined them for a game. I give this experience an A+.

Check out the great reviews also on Tripadvisor.

Watch out for my next post on another canoe company on the Wisconsin River.