Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
you have to arrive the way residents here always did: by boat ($36 including tour). You'll
need to climb about 100 stairs to scale the bluff.
The easiest—and thus most popular—way to experience the lake is on a tour in either a
replicaMississippipaddlewheelerorlakesteamerfrom
Geneva Lake Cruise Lines
(Rivi-
era Docks, 262/248-6206 or 800/558-5911,
www.cruiselakegeneva.com
). Tours leave six
times daily mid-June-early September, less otherwise. Full tours range from one hour up to
just under three hours and cost $23-64 adults; the higher-cost tours are daily lunch, dinner,
or Sunday brunch cruises. In peak summer season, boats seem to depart constantly. Other
boats in the cruise line include genuine lake steamers, including one still using a steam en-
gine from the early 1900s, the only large steamboat left in Wisconsin.
For a great freebie, head for the
library
(918 W. Main St., 262/249-5299, 9am-8pm Mon.-
Thurs., 9am-6pm Fri., 9am-1pm Sat.), which has comfy chairs and a four-star view of the
lake. You can also peruse detailed county guidebooks on historical structures and local his-
tory. Beyond that, head immediately for
Big Foot Beach State Park
(262/248-2528, $10
daily admission), where you'll find sublimely cool waters for dipping.
Boating
The Geneva Lake region has more marinas than you can imagine, including
Gordy's
(320
Lake Ave., 262/275-2163,
www.gordysboats.com
)
in Fontana, with ski boats, ski schools,
sailboats, and cruises.
Golf
The list of golf courses here is the size of a small phone book. Noteworthy is
Geneva
National
(1221 Geneva National Ave. S., 262/245-7010,
www.genevanationalresort.com
)
,
fourmileswestofLakeGenevatownonWIS50.Ratedinthestate'stop10by
Golf Digest,
it's got championship courses designed by Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino. Fees are extra-
vagant.
Dozens of motels, hotels, inns, bed-and-breakfasts, and resorts line Geneva Lake and fill
downtown Lake Geneva town as well as the small communities surrounding the lake—you
definitely need to call ahead for summer weekends.
