The Famous Wisconsin Cheese Shop That's A Must-Stop Along Your Trek Across The Midwest

As you speed past the Illinois-Wisconsin border on I-94 heading north into cheese country, you'll soon spot something very different from the standard gas stations and drive-thrus: a castle. Not a real castle, of course, but a huge warehouse fronted by a faux brick castle, complete with towers and turrets under a huge block letter sign. And if the sight of a castle wasn't enough to catch your attention along an otherwise unremarkable stretch of Midwestern countryside, that sign sure will. Because it's not just any fake castle you're passing, it's Mars Cheese Castle.

The idea of a "cheese castle" may seem like a bit of overblown marketing, but this legendary local spot outside of Kenosha, Wisconsin, actually lives up to the name. The 46,000-square-foot store is a true shrine to cheese worthy of a king. Mars Cheese Castle sells over 700 varieties of cheeses, with a real focus on local Wisconsin cheeses. But the Cheese Castle doesn't shy away from the most populist side of things either, selling plenty of old-fashioned cheese logs and over 1,000 pounds of delicious cheese curds a week.

While cheese is obviously the big attraction, over the years Mars Cheese Castle has turned into a full-on tourist destination catering to day trippers and travelers passing by on the nearby highways. The massive shop sells beer, wine, candy, pies, souvenirs, and plenty of another local Wisconsin favorite: sausage. The deli boasts 200 meat products, including a 70-year-old brat recipe created by the original owners.

The massive Mars Cheese Castle had very humble beginnings. It started as a small shop founded by Mario and Martha Ventura in Downtown Kenosha in 1947. Not long afterwards, expanding business led to a move to a larger store in the current location, and it got the castle name because the Ventura family wanted to treat their customers like royalty. The store is still family-owned, being run by two grandchildren of Mario and Martha. The store long had a castle theme befitting its name, but after a highway expansion necessitated the construction of a new store nearby the original location, the current imposing medieval structure was built in 2011.

Even if you don't plan on walking out with armfuls of Wisconsin cheese (good luck with that), a stop at the Mars Cheese Castle on your next road trip is worth it. The store has a proud tradition of being very liberal with its free sample policy, and visitors can walk the aisles tasting many of its unique offerings. Or you could just stop off at the café, grab a beer and a brat, and sit down on hand-carved thrones amid the store's delightfully kitschy castle-and-cheese-themed decor. There is even a talking cow named Isabel that explains the art and science behind the cheesemaking process. It's just about the most Midwestern place you could imagine and a bucket-list destination for any cheese lover interested in visiting the Cheese Capital of the World.