In Rhinelander, you'll find North Wisconsin's only regional airport, a historic downtown experience, and a rich community of the arts. With a population of 7,500 people, you can feel connected to the land while still enjoying the benefits of medical and educational facilities and an urban-like structure.
When Should I Visit Rhinelander, WI?
Spring and summer in Rhinelander offer moderate and pleasant temperatures, with May through August being the least likely months for precipitation. Spring and fall high temperatures are in the mid to upper 60s, with lows in the mid-40s. The middle of summer only sees temperatures in the upper 70s, with nighttime lows in the upper 50s.
Winters can be cold and harsh, with overcast skies around 75% of the time and snowfall totals averaging around 56 inches per year. But cold-weather sports enthusiasts may still enjoy the winter wonderland while cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.
During the second weekend in July, country music enthusiasts arrive by the thousands for the Hodag Country Festival, so hotel rates and availability may be affected during this time by the event.
Below is a chart of the current pricing seasonality of hotels and motels in Rhinelander, WI:
Rhinelander by Star Rating
Below are 3 charts demonstrating mean rate trends by star rating class in Rhinelander, WI. You can use these charts to determine the cheapest months to book a room in Rhinelander for any future trips.
What Are Some Top Hotels in Rhinelander, WI?
Black Bear Lodge is just 25 miles to the north of Rhinelander in the city of St. Germain and situated on the banks of Little St. Germain Lake. This true Northwoods resort offers separate cabins or condo-style units in lodge houses that sleep just two or a whole group for a weekend away with friends. Buildings are located just feet from the edge of the lake, so you can watch the sunrise on the porch with a hot cup of coffee that you prepare in your fully equipped kitchen.
Charming rustic decor helps you feel at home surrounded by the lake's natural beauty, but each cabin comes equipped with modern features like complimentary Wi-Fi, heat and air conditioning, gas fireplaces, and LCD televisions. Guests also get complimentary access to canoes, paddle boats, kayaks, snowshoes, and ice skates, and rentals of outboard motors, jet skis, and pontoon boats. Swim at one of the two private beaches or cuddle next to an outdoor fire with complimentary wood. The on-site bar and grill can give you a night off from your kitchen.
Just 25 miles northwest of Rhinelander, The Waters of Minocqua is a rustic hotel and indoor water park near Lake Minocqua. Boasting guest rooms with rustic Wisconsin decorating touches like pine furniture, private balconies, plush beds, LCD televisions, refrigerators, microwaves, coffee makers, and complimentary Wi-Fi, you can enjoy your time relaxing with a book or playing with the kids in the many pools or included water park admission. Some rooms offer a fireplace for a chilly night or a jetted tub for true relaxation. Beautiful event spaces make The Waters of Minocqua a great spot for weddings or corporate events.
What Are Some Budget Hotels in Rhinelander, WI?
3 Star Average Prices: $155.24
The AmericInn by Wyndham Rhinelander is an affordable option just minutes from Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (RHI), with a free shuttle provided. This two-floor, 51-room hotel has interior hallway room access. Wake up to a complimentary homestyle hot breakfast, or enjoy the indoor pool, hot tub, and sauna.
Relax in your remodeled guest room with amenities that include a microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, iron and ironing board, and free Wi-Fi. Upgrade your room to include a jetted tub. AAA and senior discounts are available, discounting the rates even further.
The Rodeway Inn is a pet-friendly 42-room hotel on two floors with interior hallway room access, and it features amenities not always found in affordable options. Premium bedding and comfortable mattresses in the guest rooms help you get a great night's sleep, and rooms feature in-room coffee makers, flat-screen televisions, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
The Rodeway Inn is conveniently located near Rhinelander attractions such as Rouman Cinema, Hodag Park, the Rhinelander Country Club, Hodag Lanes, and Northwood Golf Club. It's also situated very near Almon Park Trail, a 2.5-mile hike in beautiful scenery that is perfect for snowshoeing in the winter.
2 Star Average Prices: $113.79
What Are the Best Discount Hotel Options in Rhinelander, WI?
The Quality Inn Rhinelander is conveniently located off Highways 8 and 47 with easy access to some of Rhinelander's popular attractions: the Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport, Nicolet College, Rhinelander Logging Museum, Northwoods Passage Snowmobile Trail, and the Rhinelander Ice Arena.
This pet-friendly hotel has 100 rooms on two floors with an indoor pool, spa, sauna, fitness center, complimentary breakfast, and free airport transportation for guests. In each room, you'll find the Q bed with a comfortable, premium mattress, a generous supply of pillows, and a soft, plush blanket. In-room coffee makers, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards, LCD flat-screen televisions, and complimentary Wi-Fi make your stay comfortable whether you want to stay in for the night or use your room as a stopping point when seeing the Rhinelander attractions.
Quality Inn Rhinelander offers discounted rates for members of AAA/CAA, seniors/AARP members, federal government employees and military, and state employees.
What Are the Best Value Hotel Options in Rhinelander, WI?
The Comfort Inn Rhinelander is a two-floor, 51-room hotel with indoor hallway room access. It's located near the Hodag Country Festival, Pioneer Park Historical Complex, the Wisconsin River, Rhinelander Ice Arena, and Ministry St. Mary's Hospital. Hotel amenities include a heated indoor pool and hot tub, and a complimentary hot breakfast.
Renovated guestrooms have modern furniture, comfortable beds, and premium bedding with plenty of pillows. Room amenities include an LCD flat-screen television, microwave, refrigerator, in-room coffee maker, desk, hair dryer, and free Wi-Fi.
In the heart of downtown, the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Rhinelander is a nice example of mid-century architecture, with amenities to make your stay comfortable. It's walkable to restaurants and shops in downtown Rhinelander and has a lounge if you want to stay inside. This pet-friendly hotel has an indoor pool and hot tub, a fitness facility, an arcade and game room with a pool table, free coffee and tea in the lobby, and complimentary breakfast.
The rooms are equipped with flat-screen televisions and hair dryers, and suite rooms have a full kitchen with a microwave and a refrigerator.
What Is There to Do in Rhinelander, WI?
Rhinelander's most famous story is the capture of the Hodag, as reported in the newspapers in 1893. It had "the head of a frog, the grinning face of a giant elephant, thick short legs set off by huge claws, the back of a dinosaur, and a long tail with spears at the end." The mythical creature became the most well-known symbol of Rhinelander and is the mascot of the local high school, along with lending its name to many businesses. You can take a Hodag Tour of the town, stopping at statues and murals and souvenir shops that bear its likeness.
Most famously, the Hodag inspired the name of the Hodag Country Festival, which was founded in 1978 and brought 500 attendees to the first event. Now, on the second weekend in July, 30,000 to 50,000 country music fans descend on Rhinelander every year to enjoy country music surrounded by the beautiful landscape. The concert happens in an outdoor amphitheater, rain or shine, and has featured such popular country music stars as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks, and Lady Antebellum. A huge screen means there's no bad seat in the grass.
To appreciate the area's logging history, take a visit to the Pioneer Park Historical Complex to see the Logging Museum, a collection of replica buildings that tell the story of the loggers' unique society they set up as they chopped their way through the Northwoods in the lumber boom of the 19th century. Beyond the logging museum, there's a train and a historical one-room schoolhouse, along with picnic areas and a playground.
Nearby Lake Thompson is perfect for bird-watching, swimming, fishing, boating, and enjoying the intense colors of fall foliage reflected in the water.
Hike or mountain bike in the thousands of acres of public land that surround Rhinelander, including the Oneida County Forest and the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. You can really experience the Northwoods wilderness, with hiking and biking trails for all skill levels.
In the late winter, those same trails offer great snowshoeing opportunities. Take a walk through the sparkling peaceful woods of Northern Wisconsin. On Saturday mornings during the winter you can get a report for cross-country skiing conditions in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.
John Heisman of college football's Heisman trophy fame is buried in the Forest Home Cemetery in Rhinelander. An unassuming flat stone marks the grave. If you're a college football fan and want to make a pilgrimage to honor Heisman's memory, the cemetery is worth a stop.
Nearby Tomahawk, Wisconsin, brings in 40,000 motorcycle enthusiasts every September for its annual Fall Ride to raise money for the MDA.
FAQs about hotels in Rhinelander