The best life is lakeside
I’m a big fan of a good lakeside retreat. Those who know the magic I’m talking about here are in for a whole new world of wonder when they visit Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Once the playground for Chicago’s wealthy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it has evolved into a precious gem of a small town, rich with history, unexpected delights and the classic Midwest welcome. Only 80 miles from Chicago and 40 miles from Milwaukee, it’s easy to get to, but it remains difficult to believe you’re so close to such shining metropolitan environments. Lake Geneva is history, luxury and genuine hospitality at its best.
Meet & Stay
The Grand Geneva Resort & Spa is a shining jewel of the lakefront destination. With 358 guest rooms and 62,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space, a 12,000-square-foot conference center and expansive outdoor meeting space, whether you want to take a cocktail-making class to the top of the ski hill to enjoy the best views of Lake Geneva or gather at the Adventure Center for team-building activities. There was no better way to start my trip than by taking a golf cart to the top of the ski hill to enjoy the expansive greenery while enjoying local cheese and creating a craft cocktail under the guidance of a mixologist.
Read More: Wisconsin/Minnesota: Nature & Modernity in the Midwest
Across the lake, The Abbey Resort offers 344 lake house-inspired guest rooms and 40,000 sq. ft. of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space. With customizable catering and a meetings package against the backdrop of a scenic harbor, its location right on the lake is something special. Lake Lawn Resort is perfect for groups that want to be a little more removed from the hustle and bustle. Standing on a nearby lake, Delavan Lake, it provides access to just-as-serene and far less crowded waters. Attendees meeting and staying across the 271 guest rooms and 32,000 sq. ft. of meeting space have access to a beautiful escape and can even gather for a cruise on the quiet waters aboard the 76-foot, double-decker Lake Lawn Queen tour boat.
Exploring History
Lake Geneva is rich with history. Take a close-up look when gathering at spaces such as Maxwell Mansion, the first mansion built in Lake Geneva in 1856. With 28 themed guest rooms, the 1.5-acre property is ideal for small, immersive retreats. Every room, guest rooms and public spaces alike, has its own story and original, historic, ultra-luxurious design.
If you prefer to gather in an off-site event space, The Riviera is calling your name. The recently renovated ballroom space accommodates up to 380 guests and features unmatched lakefront views on three sides through large windows. Its location right by downtown makes it easy for attendees to get there. The standout feature to me, personally, is the sparkling crystal chandelier mounted above the dance floor, which once was in the lakefront mansion of one of Lake Geneva’s many celebrated elites.
The history of Lake Geneva continues all around the lake. Head to the west side of the lake to visit Yerkes Observatory, a historic observatory with the largest refracting telescope in the world, where astronomers such as Carl Sagan and Nancy Grace Roman worked, studied and lived. Now, meeting in a space so rich with history and accomplishment is certain to incite motivation and empowerment—gathering your group for an evening taking in the night sky through the telescope can only amplify it. I can’t really describe to you what it was like to walk halls that Albert Einstein walked, to stand in rooms where Nobel prize winners came up with ideas that would go on to change the world. I say, as a writer, I’m not sure there are words. You will have to take my word for it and see it for yourself.
Live Lakeside Luxury
Of course, a trip to Lake Geneva isn’t complete without getting out on the water! The Lake Geneva Cruise Line, with a fleet of eight boats that can accommodate anywhere from two to 225 people, is the perfect option, with a dock right by The Riviera. It makes planning easy, with dockside drop-off to a number of Lake Geneva restaurants, or with full-service catering on board.
Nonetheless, a few hours spent cruising the lake, taking in some of the historic mansions while a knowledgeable guide explains the history of the homes and the people who’ve lived there, makes it clear that there is nowhere like Lake Geneva. As if that isn’t enough, the Lake Geneva Cruise Line’s claim to fame, and most popular attraction, is the mailboat cruise—with over 100 years of mail service, Lake Geneva is one of the few places in the U.S. where mail is still delivered by water—and you and your attendees can see it with your own eyes!
