Located in America's heartland, Wisconsin is a place of abundant natural beauty, diverse recreational activities, progressive educational institutions and unsurpassed economic opportunity.

With 15,000 inland lakes, two Great Lakes, three National Park Service properties and 57 state parks and forests, Wisconsin is blessed with stunning natural resources. Not surprisingly, it is one of the top tourist destinations in the Midwest, popular with visitors during all four of its distinct seasons.

Wisconsin's appeal isn't limited to rural areas. The state's towns and cities have a long history of supporting arts and cultural activities, offering visitors a wide variety of museums, galleries, events and historic sites. Milwaukee's Summerfest is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Largest Outdoor Music Festival."

The state also boasts top-flight professional sports teams including the Green Bay Packers, world-class entertainment and incredible restaurants and nightclubs. The state also has nearly 500 public golf courses, ranking it among the top states for its ratio of golfers to courses.

The Badger state's economy is as diverse as its attractions. Long known as "America's Dairyland," Wisconsin ranks at or near the top in a number of food production categories, including milk, cheese, cranberries, ginseng and beer. Home to companies like Harley-Davidson, Rockwell and Miller Brewing, the state is also a leader in manufacturing and boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.

The state's education system is among the nation's elite, as evidenced by Wisconsin's sixth consecutive top ranking in average ACT board scores among states in which the ACT is the predominant college entrance exam. The University of Wisconsin is one of the world's leading centers for the research and development of biotechnology. Wisconsin also has a network of technical schools throughout the state.

Wisconsin state government is a model of innovation and responsiveness, having played an integral role in the development of "Welfare to Work" and school voucher programs in recent years.

If you are truly looking for the "good life," take a look at Wisconsin. It is the perfect mix of old and new, cities and country, business and pleasure, and, most importantly, some of the friendliest people in the world.

Source: State of Wisconsin (www.wisconsin.gov)