Fashion Details:

I’m wearing the most comfortable jumpsuit ever!  I recently got my first jumpsuit ever and now all I want to buy are jumpsuits.  Go figure!  I also just picked up this jean jacket and I’m in love!  It has been years since I’ve owned a jean jacket and this one is perfect.  Above all it’s super soft and the wash goes with everything.

This summer we decided to get back to basics and bring back the road trip.  We usually fly somewhere on vacation each year. We fly for a couple reasons; 1.) we can go further quicker, and 2.) I hate driving anywhere over 30 minutes.  I’ll do it, but I put up a huge stink about it. I’m not really sure why because I usually fall asleep within 10 minutes of being in a car. In short, I’m a great copilot 🙂

So naturally I thought it was a great idea to take a road trip this year with a 5 month old.  Yes, I know I’m a walking oxymoron 🙂 The main reason we decided to bring the road trip back was that Mike and I spent many family vacations as kids in the car seeing the U.S.  In addition, we both have great memories of vacations and a classic “vacation story” to go with each trip.

The vacation story is the classic sign of a great family vacation.  It’s the one you tell year after year and laugh so hard you cry. I still reminisce with my Mom and Dad about certain vacations.  For example, my favorite is the one where my Mom accidentally gave me an adult Tylenol thinking it was a children’s chew-able tablet after we slept in the car overnight because we couldn’t find a hotel room.  It’s a classic story that sounds horrible, but we all lived to tell the tale!

For our first family vacation we took a road trip to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, which is located about 90 minutes from Chicago.  It’s the ideal distance for a quick trip and a few days away from the city. In addition, Lake Geneva has been home to many Chicagoans over the years who have built getaway mansions around the lake.  

The town is quaint and has all the charm of small town America.  In addition, Lake Geneva move at a slower pace so it’s a great place to unwind and relax.   To sum it up, if you are looking to have a leisurely day then this is the place for you.  While we stayed two nights, it’s also the perfect town for a day trip if you are close.  

 

Where To Stay

There are a couple large resorts in the area and we stayed at the Grand Geneva Resort and Spa.  The resort offers standard hotel rooms in the main lodge and individual villas on the property. We opted for a villa on this stay so we would have more room for Elizabeth.  We also knew we would be spending more time at the hotel on this trip given Elizabeth is still so young.

 

The villa was just what we needed!  It had a full kitchen, half-bath and family room downstairs, with a bedroom and full bathroom upstairs.  We could easily put Elizabeth down for bed and hang out downstairs while she slept.  It also had a cute deck that looked out on a community pool for those staying in the villas. Being the city girl I am we stayed inside the whole time.  There are so many bugs in Wisconsin!

 

 

Things To Do In Lake Geneva

Shopping

You can find adorable shops on the main drag in Lake Geneva.  The only problem is I wish there were more of them. The shopping offers a mix of local clothing boutiques and sophisticated home goods.   

 

Brick and Mortar

This home store is gorgeous!  Think Room and Board meets Restoration Hardware.  They have furniture, rugs and decor. If I had room in my car I would have picked up one of the giant vases on the floor, they were beautiful.

C.R. Goodfinds

Another home store that brings the local charm to main street.  With great dishes, glasses and signs this store will leave you with the urge to redo all the decor in your house.  

Twelfth and Brown

A clothing boutique that has reasonably priced in-style clothes. The inside of the store is dark and moody.  You’ll want to do a full photo shoot in the space. The clothing is adorable, on-trend and reasonably priced.  I’m talking prices under $50 on a majority of the items.  

 

Activities

There is plenty to do in Lake Geneva and something for everyone.  While the town is best enjoyed outside walking around there are more stationary activities too.  

 

Beaches

The main beach in town is Rivera Beach.  It is kid friendly and alcohol free. It’s a shallow beach, but plenty of room for a lot of people.  In addition, the surrounding area has an additional four beaches that are well kept. Drive to Fontana for the day and visit the beach right outside the Abbey Resort.  It’s super cute and has a beach side restaurant on it.

 

Shore Path

26 miles weaving in and out of the Lake Geneva shore.  The path goes right up to some of the biggest mansions on the lake.  In addition, each section of the path is different as the upkeep is left up to the homeowners whose property is crossed.  The path can be dirt, wood, concrete or gravel, as it’s up to each homeowner.  The path is best navigated on foot, so leave the strollers in the car.  

 

Boat Tour

The Lake Geneva Cruise Line offers a guided tour around the lake.  The tour provides a narrated history of the lake and town. The best part of the tour is seeing the giant mansions that surround the lake.  Some of the most famous Chicagoans have homes there, like the Wrigley Estate. It’s actually not one, but six house that collectively take up the most land around the lake.  

 

 

Eats

Avant

Small town America is the perfect spot to visit a local coffee shop.  This one has all the charm of a local shop that doubles as a bike shop.  Grab a chai tea latte, as you won’t be disappointed.

 

Oakfire

An upscale pizzeria that has a specialty beer that is mouth watering. It also has great outdoor seating overlooking the lake. To sum it up, good good, good drinks, and good view.

 

Sopra

An American bistro with the most charming dining room.  Step inside this restaurant and feel like you are in a a bigger city.  The chef has lived all over the world and recently left his Chicago post to open this place.  

 

Kilwin’s Chocolates

The scent of waffle cones will pull you in from the street.  In addition, you can sample any piece of fudge they offer, maybe two if you are lucky.  While the front of the shop has fudge and chocolates the back of the shop is why you go there…ice cream!  Most importantly, the ice cream is delicious and the homemade waffle cones melt in your mouth.  

 

 

We had a great time on our first family vacation.  Most importantly, we also came away with a classic vacation story! It was the end of the day and we were grabbing dinner (can you call KFC dinner?) to head back to the hotel and eat.  Lizzie was exhausted and was screaming her head off. We were laughing and singing to her. As we pulled up to the window to pick up our food, Mike went to grab the pop and the top came off and the pop went everywhere in the car and on him.  We couldn’t do anything but laugh.  It was pure chaos.  And there is still sticky pop residue everywhere in the car. Therefore, it was a great vacation!

 

Looking for more small town vacation spots?  Check out my Galena Illinois travel guide.