Just about 40 minutes away from Crystal Lake is a small town that has recently been ranked the 43^rd most romantic towns in the United States. In October 2023, the New York Travel Guides released their ranking of the most romantic small towns in America, with Lake Geneva, Wis. landing in the upper half.

The New York Travel Guides has a team of travel experts that comprised this ranking of the top 140 most romantic small towns in the United States. The team looked at 600 small towns throughout the United States and analyzed them based on the following four categories: (1) romantic places to stay, (2) romantic activities, (3) historic architecture and scenery, and (4) cozy coffee shops and restaurants. To see the full list, along with their methodology of ranking these destinations, visit https://newyorktravelguides.com/most-romantic-small-towns-in-america/

Being just a forty-minute car ride away, Lake Geneva is a delight to visit, no matter what season. The city offers all sorts of different activities for people throughout all times of the year, whether for a day trip or weekend getaway.

As crisp leaves begin to hit the ground and autumn takes full swing, there is plenty of scenery that should not be missed in Lake Geneva. One beautiful, and free, way to enjoy the autumn colors is the 21-mile lake shore path, that takes adventurers on a route that passes through Lake Geneva and surrounding towns. Lake Geneva area resident Joseph Colberg said: “The lake path is a must see for every person visiting Lake Geneva.”

This path is open to the public all year round, though, and has different surroundings to offer, no matter what the season. More information on the lake path can be found at https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/things-to-do/shore-path/.

As winter creeps around the corner, Lake Geneva still has plenty to offer. Some popular winter activities are skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating. All three are offered at various locations in and surrounding Lake Geneva. In addition, once the temperatures are bitter enough to solidly freeze the lake, ice fishing is another popular  activity. Finally, there is one attraction that is unique to the winter setting in Lake Geneva —  the Ice Castles. The Ice Castles are perfect for appreciating all the beauty that the winter season has to offer, as they have different ice slides, caverns, archways, crawl tunnels, sleigh rides, and many more winter spirited features. For more information on the Ice Castles visit their website at https://icecastles.com/wisconsin/.

Lake Geneva is most well-known for their spring and summer offerings, as the streets are always bustling. The most obvious being the lake itself. Visitors are welcome to partake in a variety of activities, both on and surrounding the lake. The most recognizable beach in Lake Geneva is the Riviera Beach, which is typically open from late May until Early September. For rates, rules, and more information on the Riviera Beach, visit https://www.cityoflakegeneva.gov/326/The-Beach.

The beach is a great spot for people to enjoy the lake scenery.Many guests enjoy sunbathing to attain that glowy summer skin, reading to escape reality, and more when relaxing on the warm sand.

The water itself also offers a variety of different appeals. Whether it’s simply swimming to cool down after soaking in the sunshine or taking advantage of the many sport and pontoon boats available for rental, the opportunities are endless.

For those who want more guidance when out on the water, boat tours are readily available. The Gage Lake Geneva Cruise Line offers a variety of different, both public and private, tours. The following are some of the public tours that Gage Lake Geneva Cruise Line offers: Best of the Lake Cruise, Full Lake Cruise, US Mailboat tour, Ice Cream Social Cruise, Sunday Brunch Buffet Cruise, and more.

The Event Coordinator/Social Media Manager/Santa Cruise Director at Gage Lake Geneva Cruise Line, Lauren Miller explained: “The US Mailboat Tour is hands down the coolest and most unique tour I’ve ever experienced. Picture this: you’re on a 75-foot boat, the Walworth, packed with 150 passengers, and our job is to deliver mail to the residents along the shoreline. But here’s the kicker, we don’t stop at the piers; we keep the boat moving. So, our Mailboat Jumper has to leap off the boat (onto about 75 different piers), pop the mail in the mailbox, grab any outgoing mail, and then make a daring jump back onto the boat, all while it’s cruising along! Every jump is different, every mailbox is in a different location, and it keeps the Captain, Jumper, and passengers, on their toes!”

For more information, visit Gage Lake Geneva Cruise Line’s website at https://www.cruiselakegeneva.com.

As the summer season concludes in Lake Geneva, Jaycee’s Venetian Festival is always an eventful way to wrap up the season. Festival goers can indulge in live music, carnival rides and games, food, art and craft fair, boat parade and fireworks, water ski show, and baggo tournament. There are plenty of fun options for everyone.

Lake Geneva offers many different activities that go well with the ever-changing seasons, but there are also many that are offered all year round. Throughout the charming small town there are many local restaurants, hotels, stores, coffee shops, and other activities visitors to indulge in.

Whether visitors are looking for a quick bite or a fine dining experience, Lake Geneva has plenty of delicious options. Below is a categorized list of some restaurants the city has to offer, along with the link to their websites:

Breakfast:

• Egg Harbor Café (https://eggharborcafe.com)
• Grandma Vicki’s Café (https://www.facebook.com/p/Grandma-Vickies-Cafe-100063543402175/)
• Great Eggs (http://greateggs.weebly.com)
• Joni’s Diner (https://www.facebook.com/jonisdiner/)

Dinner:

• Boat House Bar and Grill (https://www.theboathouselakegeneva.com)
• Mama Cimino’s (https://ciminoslakegeneva.com)
• Next Door Pub (https://www.nextdoorpub.com)
• Oakfire (https://www.oakfire.pizza)
• Owl Tavern (https://www.owltavernlg.com)
• Sopra (https://soprabistro.com)
• Taqueria El Gallo De Oro (https://taquerialg.com)
• Tuscan Tavern and Grill (https://tuscanlg.com)

Fine Dining:

• The Baker House (https://bakerhouse1885.com)
• Geneva Chophouse, located in Grand Geneva Resort (https://www.grandgeneva.com/restaurants/geneva-chophouse)
• Ristorante Brissago, located in Grand Geneva Resort (https://www.grandgeneva.com/restaurants/ristorante-brissago)
• The Grandview Restaurant, located in The Geneva Inn (https://www.thegrandviewrestaurant.com)

If visiting for more than a day in Lake Geneva, there are also a variety of different places to slumber. Below is a list of some options, along with the links to their websites:

• Grand Geneva Resort (https://www.grandgeneva.com)
• Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva (https://www.harborshoreslg.com)
• Lake Geneva Lodge (https://thelakegenevalodge.com/lodge-in-lake-geneva-wi)
• Maxwell Mansion (https://staymaxwell.com)
• The Cove of Lake Geneva (https://www.coveoflakegeneva.com)
• The Ridge Hotel (https://www.ridgelakegeneva.com)

Lake Geneva is a delight to visit during any season of the year and there is sure to be an activity, no matter what one’s interests.