Port Washington, WisconsinThe drive: 2 hours

Port Washington is a place where time stands still — the view from Franklin Street up the hill to St. Mary’s Church always postcard-perfect, the caw of seagulls in the near distance reminding you of vacations gone by. Even the music playing in the boutiques is stuck somewhere in the yacht-rock era; an earful of Steely Dan greets you at the same time a shopkeeper hollers, “Welcome!”

Over the years, I’ve made it a point to stroll downtown’s Franklin Street, finding the harborside city a more relaxing alternative to its heavily touristed neighbor to the south, Cedarburg. One recent Sunday, I drove there to visit the new location of my favorite resale shop, Fifth-Main. Its three stories contain everything from Gucci handbags to vintage Formula One tees, but its bargain basement, where everything is $5, is the real draw. Up the road, I found a thoughtful array of gifts at Pear & Simple; local goods like housemade candles and CoCa LeNa taffy are hard to pass by. Newer to the area is the Purple Turtle, an artisan collective where the aroma of palo santo hangs in the air and you’ll find regionally crafted wares like fiber art by Jill Johnson. 

As in any quaint Midwestern tourist town worth its salt, foodstuffs are in abundance. DreamPort Harvest Market in the historic J. Thill Building beckoned with its array of jams from small family farms. And I was wide-eyed watching bakers at Daily Baking Company rolling dough for pastries.

You could drive to Port Washington and back in one day to get your shopping fix. But why not stay at the Harborview, a hotel with a view of the marina? In a town where time stands still, there’s no need to rush.