Between Madison and Waupaca, the quiet city of Princeton is nestled along a curve of the Fox River. From the late 1800s to the 1920s, the river bustled with the motion of steamboats and paddlewheelers carrying cargo (and sometimes people) from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River and beyond. In a different time, Princeton’s three-block historic downtown was a thoroughfare of tourism and trade.

An hour or so north of Madison, you’ll find this tiny town (population: sub-1,300) along a bend of the Fox River that once made it a milling and shipping site. Today, the grain elevators are gone, though brick storefronts remain, and the economy now runs on weekenders who know a good detour when they see one. The downtown’s Italianate façades, faded ghost signs, and river views peeking between buildings hint at a place that deserves to be a destination in its own right.

The sign on Horseradish Kitchen and Market in Princeton touts "food, drinks and vibes," foreshadowing there's something different inside than a typical small-town diner.

The Dairy State is churning out new culinary sensations, thanks to small-town revivals and deep reverence for tradition.

An easy day trip or overnight from Milwaukee, the riverside hamlet of Princeton is enjoying a revival, thanks to an inspired new hotel, a French-inspired bakery and a restaurant with artistic fixings.