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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Soldiers Grove
Half a day to see the Kickapoo River valley and the Inn at Lonesome Hollow; not a base. Pass through on a Southern Wisconsin River Valley drive.
Soldiers Grove is a small village (pop. about 590) on the Kickapoo River in southwest Wisconsin. Its main draw is the rural landscape and the Inn at Lonesome Hollow, a 160-acre property. Most travellers use it as a short stop on a Southern Wisconsin River Valley road trip, not a destination.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, some businesses close)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 · Mid $80–150 · High $150+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, Fire, Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café (in Richland Center or Spring Green) | $3–5 |
| Lunch at a diner | $10–15 |
| Dinner at a sit-down restaurant | $15–25 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3–4 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LSE · La Crosse Regional Airport
- About 1 hour drive; limited flights.
- MSN · Dane County Regional Airport (Madison)
- About 1.5 hours drive; more flight options.
Typical fares
- La Crosse Airport → Soldiers Grove
- About 1 hour drive, taxi or rideshare ~$80–120 (check)
- Madison Airport → Soldiers Grove
- About 1.5 hours drive, taxi or rideshare ~$150–200 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car required. No public transport within the village.
See and do
Known for
- Kickapoo River valley
- Inn at Lonesome Hollow
- Rural southwest Wisconsin scenery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Spring Green | Drive via WI-131 S and US-14 E, about 30 min | 30 min |
| Prairie du Chien | Drive via US-61 S, about 35 min | 35 min |
| Dodgeville | Drive via US-61 S and US-151 S, about 40 min | 40 min |
| Richland Center | Drive via WI-131 S, about 15 min | 15 min |
Sleep
- Inn at Lonesome Hollow
- The only notable lodging; 160 acres, rural setting.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No gas station or grocery store in the village; fill up in Richland Center or Prairie du Chien.
- Cell service can be spotty in the Kickapoo valley.
- Winter driving: roads may be icy or snow-covered.
Very low crime. Usual rural road hazards: deer, farm equipment, winter conditions.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Soldiers Grove yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kickapoo River valley
- Inn at Lonesome Hollow
- Rural southwest Wisconsin scenery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Soldiers Grove, revision 4010212 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4010212
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Soldiers Grove
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
No public transport in the village; car essential.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/soldiers-grove). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.