It's time to renew yourself with some quality time in the heartland of the Midwest, and the small towns and river valleys in the southwest corner of Wisconsin provide a great environment.

If you're looking for a road trip through the hinterlands between Chicago and Minneapolis, this corner of Wisconsin has a gem, the Great River Road Scenic Byway -- http://www.wigreatriverroad.org/ -- a 250-mile slice of the riverside route that follows the Mississippi. Click on "learn more" and "Maps" to get acquainted, and take a minute to enjoy their photo gallery. Then click on "Highlights" for locations of scenic overlooks along the way, like Granddad Bluff at La Crosse, and some of the activities you'll miss if you just drive straight through without frequent stops. Check out "River Towns" for details on places to eat and spend a night, and places to shop, like the tiny town of Stockholm and its art shops, inns and Amish crafts.

If you're starting out at the southern end of this scenic route, you'll be in Grant County -- http://grantcounty.org/visitor/index.html -- home of winding roads and streams, villages and "outdoor adventures" ranging from fishing and canoeing to watching bald eagles. Visit towns such as Cassville, where ferry services -- http://www.cassville.org/ferry.html -- have been taking people across the Mississippi since 1836, and don't miss Wyalusing State Park and the scenic view from the bluffs overlooking the river. Lest you forget this is the Dairy State, take a look at "Shopping" for the local cheese shops, along with antique shops that dot almost a dozen towns.

Heading north along the Mississippi and crossing the Wisconsin River takes you into the rolling, wooded countryside of Crawford County -- http://www.crawfordcountywi.com/ -- which promises trout streams along with the woods and rolling farmland, plus canoeing on the Kickapoo. There's hardly anything under "Recreation" or "Attractions." But browse through "Artisans" for local custom furniture makers, potters, glass workers and sculptors. And go to "Communities" for profiles of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin's second oldest town and site of the Villa Louis mansion -- http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/villalouis/ -- and Wauzeka, home of the Kickapoo Indian Caverns -- http://www.kickapooindiancaverns.com/.

The riverside highway next takes you briefly through Vernon County -- http://www.explorewisconsin.com/communitypages/vernon.html -- which boasts miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails, plus still more small streams for fishing and canoeing including the Bad Axe River and Coon Creek. If you're going in May, plan to attend the Norwegian Syttende Mai independence day celebration at Westby.

The city and county of La Crosse -- http://www.explorelacrosse.com/ -- provide a handy place to spend the night and get your bearings. And while you're there you can look under "Visitor Information" for "Recreation" to look up the name of a canoe rental company, find the Great River State Trail and consider a visit to the Norskedalen -- http://www.norskedalen.org/ -- Nature & Heritage Center. And check out "Festivals" for an array of jazz, folk, blues and bluegrass events during the summer.

These counties also are part of a promotional area called the Hidden Valleys of Southwestern Wisconsin -- http://www.hiddenvalleys.com/ -- just in case you need any more ideas of things to see and do. Take a look at "Scenic Auto Tours" for more road trips, including Cheese Country and Arts and Antiques. And consider Bed & Breakfasts of the Hidden Valleys -- http://www.wisconsin-inns.com/ -- for comfortable places to stay.