Just 90 miles from Minneapolis, Eau Claire, Wis., is an easy getaway. Home to about 66,000 folks, not counting the 11,000 or so at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus, it's in some ways a smaller, more affordable version of the Twin Cities. There's a wealth of outdoor recreational options, great places to nosh and some of the more innovative entertainment options that come from having a university in its midst. Yet it's small and quiet by comparison. Easy to navigate. Calm. In short, relaxing.

Why go now

Need a fix of late-season winter sports? Eau Claire is your place while the snow holds. The area is home to some Nordic ski and snowshoe trails, such as the network at Tower Ridge in the nearby town of Seymour, where 20 kilometers of trails are groomed daily until April or the snow melts ($6/day; 1-715-839-4783; www.startribune.com/a222). Eau Claire also has four outdoor rinks still welcoming skaters; on Sundays, there's complimentary hot cocoa inside all of the warming houses, plus board games and coloring books. (For rink info, go to www.ci.eau-claire.wi.us, click on home and scroll down to "parks.") Sledding hills dot the city; locals especially love Seven Bumps, adjacent to Forest Hill Cemetery.

Belly on up to the bar

The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewery in Chippewa Falls, 11 miles northeast of Eau Claire, promotes itself as America's seventh-oldest brewery (124 E. Elm St.; 1-888-534-6437; www.leinie.com). The company brews about a dozen types of beer, from the year-round Leinie's Original, Red and Honey Weiss to its seasonal Summer Shandy and Fireside Nut Brown Ale. Free tours run daily every 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the crowds, and allow you a close look at the entire brewing and bottling process. Book ahead if you want a Saturday tour, and be aware that bottling only takes place during the week. Afterward, tip back some free suds in the Leinie Lodge, which also houses an enormous gift shop and small museum.

I spy

Geocachers know Eau Claire is a prime spot to engage in their favorite activity. The city is known for its wealth of caches -- there are 375 within 10 miles of downtown, many of which are hidden in and around scenic parks, rivers and lakes. Quite a few also provide interesting history lessons, such as one concerning the German POWs once detained in the area. Find out more at www.wi-geocaching.com/.

Country fun in summer

Eau Claire hosts the popular annual Country Jam festival, coming this year July 21-23. So far Blake Shelton, Easton Corbin, Martina McBride and the Zac Brown Band are on board, with more artists to be announced. Prices run $49 for a one-day pass to $99 for a three-day pass. On-site camping is allowed, and this year hotel shuttles will be operating (1-800-7800-JAM; wi.countryjam.com).

The skies above

The Phillips Planetarium on the UW-Eau Claire campus presents one-hour shows for just $2 every Tuesday night and Saturday morning. The Saturday show is geared toward ages 4 to 12 (1-715-836-5034; www.uwec.edu/planetarium). In addition, the university's Hobbs Observatory at Beaver Creek Reserve opens after dark the third Saturday of the month, assuming it's not too cloudy. Visitors can take in a free astronomy lecture there, followed by telescope viewing. If you're planning a weekday visit to the city, schedule a tour of the university greenhouses, in Phillips Science Hall, where the planetarium is located. You can walk among rubber and banana trees, 50-year-old cactuses and collections of orchids, scented geraniums and aquatic plants (1-715-836-3523; www.uwec.edu/biology/greenhouse).

Melanie Radzicki McManus is a freelance writer living in Sun Prairie, Wis.