360 Magazine Culture Editor, Tom Wilmer visits with Kathleen Seeberg, Executive Director of Walworth County Visitors Bureau as she shares insights about the four seasons attractions of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
boating and yachting on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin has been an iconic part of the allure since the 1870s. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
The modern iteration of Lake Geneva as a consummate resort/vacation destination commenced with Gilded Age barons of Chicago who came to build their mansions on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin following the devastating Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
Iconic Eastlake Victorian architecture on the Lake Geneva waterfront. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
Situated just 75 miles away from the Windy City, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin quickly became a coveted destination for the rich and famous…and it remains true today.
The innkeeper’s welcoming smile at the historic circa-1856 Maxwell Mansion symbolizes the friendliness of the locals in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
Over the years, the lakefront town has evolved in to a year-round vacation destination for everybody even though luxurious mansions still line the lakefront—and in Lake Geneva’s modest fashion—even the resort-sized mansions are sometimes fondly referred to as summer cottages and cabins.
Since the days of Big Band live music performances Lake Geneva’s Riviera remains as cool place for gatherings of all sorts. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
Vacation time in Lake Geneva doesn’t stop with the first November gales…that’s when the locals start prepping for the winter ice festival, tuning up their ice boat racers, and dreaming of snowmobiling, drilling holes in the ice, and setting up their fish shanties on the frozen lake.
Gage Marine century old classic vessels are an ideal way to cruise around on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
In the wheelhouse of an iconic Gage Marine vessel touring Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
Bill Gage at Pier 290 Restaurant at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
This us just a sampler of the outdoor allures that keep this cool, small town humming year round. The businesses are mostly ma & pa operations–an important ingredient that makes Lake Geneva a most welcoming place.
Downtown Lake Geneva, Wisconsin is like stepping back in time. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
Lake Geneva Wisconsin’s downtown Horticultural Hall pays homage to the region’s agrarian roots. Photo Credit: Tom Wilmer
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You are invited to subscribe to the Lowell Thomas Award-winning travel show podcast, Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer, featured on the NPR Podcast Directory, Apple Podcast, the NPR One App & Stitcher.com. Twitter: TomCWilmer. Instagram: Thomas.Wilmer. Member of the National Press Club in Washington D.C.
