Anyone with a passing interest in architecture won't want to leave southwestern Wisconsin without visiting the favored haunt of Frank Lloyd Wright, a man whose innovative designs challenged notions about the form and function of buildings. Surrounded by rolling countryside and watered by the Wisconsin River, the small town of Spring Green serves well, when there's a room to be had, as a base for exploring some of the area attractions.

Not unexpectedly, the big deal here is the Frank Lloyd Wright home, Taliesin, south of town. Tour the grounds for a glimpse of early FLW efforts, then put it all in perspective with an afternoon spent perusing the truly astounding House on the Rock, an amazing sprawl of rooms housing an eclectic and often bizarre collection of, well, a little of everything. This design was the work of a lesser known figure, Alex Jordan, who decided in the 1940s that he needed a house atop a 60 foot rock. So he built one.

Give yourself a bit of time to digest this indescribable spot on a scenic drive along the Wisconsin River north of Spring Green, watching for eagles around Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, stopping for a tour of the lovely Wollersheim Winery and a wander around the sandstone formations in Natural Bridge State Park. If the river beckons, rent yourself a canoe in Sauk Prairie and do a little paddling on the meandering Wisconsin.

Spring Green 37 miles west of Madison, and 23 miles from Sauk City.