Visit Lake Geneva- 10 Attractions and Activities This Resort City Is Famous For (2024)

Wisconsin, the State with sacks full of lakes, is also home to a beautiful resort city known as Lake Geneva. It is sitting in South-eastern Wisconsin and is known for its unique picturesque setting. There are Beaches, Queen Anne–style homes, Gilded Age mansions, Estates, Gardens and a lot more outdoor in this city. The Wisconsinites, residents of Chicago and other Illinois cities make sure to spend at least one summer weekend at Lake Geneva. And why not? An entire summer estate within the city has everything an enthusiast looks for.

Along with that, Lake Geneva is also a beautiful winter destination in Wisconsin. No wonder snowbirds and ice fairies fly here (not literally) from all across the State and nearby. Because most of this resort city is water, there’s are not one or two but endless means of having fun outdoor. If you are new to the city and unsure what to do and where to go, we are here to help. This article below has everything that will make your Lake Geneva trip a memorable one. Wonder how?

Visit Lake Geneva – 10 Attractions and Activities This Resort City Is Famous For

Have a look:

1. Visit the Geneva Lake Museum

Geneva Lake Museum is a local history museum situated in a historic waterworks building. During the early 20th century, this was the Wisconsin Power and Light building. Exploring here gives a glimpse of how life used to be back in the time. As you walk through the space, you will come across several shops and artefacts dating back to the 19th century. Here you can see a replica of the old fire station, a replica of a classroom, and multiple other recreations. Guest can visit a lovingly restored log cabin, a fire engine house, a dental workstation, a blacksmith shop, and several other turns of century structures. On-site, many docents guide visitors for an educational and informational tour.

2. Explore the Safari Lake Geneva

Safari Lake Geneva is a beautiful zoo located against a backdrop of over 800 acres of wildlife habitat. It is located just 5 miles from downtown Lake Geneva. Inside the Zoo lies over 50 exotic wild animals that are brought here from across the world. However, the Zoo authorities have ensured that though less, every animal here should have a habitat as close to what they would live at naturally. Here, some of the animals include American bison, Domestic Yak, Alpaca, Blackbuck Antelope, and Miniature Zebara. Guest can either book for safari trucks or a wagon to explore the entire zoo and wildlife backdrop. In the wild, you may also spot local wild animals that thrive here and nearby. Each safari tour lasts for 1 hour and is definitely a wonderful experience to take. Guests are free for feeding animals who approach the safari, though they discourage overfeeding.

3. On A Clear Day, Visit Yerkes Observatory

Yerkes Observatory is one splendid astronomical place just 15 minutes out of Lake Geneva. It is also known as the birthplace of modern astrophysics and is a prominent name in the field of astronomical research. The main dome here houses a 40 inches diameter doublet lens refracting telescope, the largest of its kind. Besides, there are two smaller domes as well two powerfully reflecting telescopes. On a day with clear skies, visitors here can spot Moon, March, Saturn and other notables in the galaxy. For $10 as an entry fee, exploring laboratories, peeking through multiple telescopes, and learning science, all of it is more than enough.

4. Spend A Day At The Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy

Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy is a 231-acre nature preserve where one can observe Flora and Fauna while walking around. The conservancy is home to an impressive and diverse combination of various ecosystems. It won’t state wrong if anyone pronounces it as Wisconsin’s well-kept natural secret. Inside this extensive space, there are wetlands, meadows, beach stretches, oak woods, prairie, and several water bodies. If you are a plant enthusiast, brace yourself as you’ll blow away with the verdancy around. Moreover, if you are an animal lover, spotting deer, raccoons, foxes, and other wildlife while wandering through the trails will make your day. Teaming excellently between Flora and Fauna, a day at Kishwauketoe is all about fun and experiences.

5. Do Not Miss The Black Point

A trip to Lake Geneva is incomplete if you fail to visit the Black Point Estate and Garden. The estate is located on a bluff that overlooks Geneva Lake underneath. On the grounds of Black Point, you will see a Queen Anne style mansion, beautifully manicured green gardens, along antique furniture and décor. The architectural masterpiece, this estate is nothing but breath-taking. There are approximately 100 stairs and landings straight from the pier to the house for reaching the destination. You get to see 20 rooms, 8 acres of grounds, 620 feet of wild, along with unnamed and majestic shoreline. There isn’t a better place than Black Point in Lake Geneva for anyone interested in history, architecture, and nature. Though because exploring the sight requires a lot of walking, make sure you go prepared with comfortable footwear.

6. Beat The Heat At The Lake Geneva Beaches

When in the city of Lake Geneva, you cannot miss the staple, its magnificent beaches. The city is home to four named and a few other unnamed beaches. The beach itinerary here includes Williams Bay beach, Riviera beach, Fontana beach, and Big Foot beach. While most of the Lake Geneva beaches are free, a few of them demands a small entry fee. You can swim, fish, camp, or indulge in beachside sports at any of these beaches. There are also several picnic spots and tables around for visitors’ ease. Because most of them draw a family-friendly crowd, you can take your kids carefree. During summers, these beaches also host summer events and free music concerts.

7. Attend Lake Geneva’s Winterfest

Winter in Wisconsin are hard, and with the water breezes, they are brutal in Lake Geneva. For close to three decades now, Lake Geneva has been organizing Winterfest, which goes for nine days long. The festival is all about wintry activities, including larger than life ice sculptures, beach bonfire, hovercraft rides, food, drinks and fun. Sculptures and sculpting competitions here are the main highlights drawing a crowd from across the State. Several teams spend three continuous days creating an impressive and grandeur masterpiece. Guests can either join the competition or be a part of the audience. Once done with the fair, these sculptures remain here until the snow melts and float them down. Lake Geneva’s Winterfest is a must-attend for a fan of snow and winter festivities.

8. Visit The Ice Castle At Geneva National Resort And Club

The Geneva National Resort and Club is the place where fairy tales come to life. The highlight of this resort is the Ice Castle. It is made up of a whopping 25 million pounds of ice and further adorned by 12,000 icicles, each one of which is formed daily. Moreover, the resort authorities turn this ice beauty into something you must have never seen before with lightings and other elements. Guests here can crawl through ice tunnels, go over ice slides, sit upon ice thrones, see frozen fountains, enjoy a light show and simply have fun. The castle typically opens from mid-January through the first week of March, though at times, weather can play with the timings. Even though they provide ice gear, make sure you come here well prepared with warmers and thermals. Because it is all ice around, bearing the surrounding for long can get difficult.

9. Tour Geneva Lake On Boat

Geneva Lake is one of the most prominent parts of the city, and thus when here, you cannot overlook it. When here, one of the common yet most enjoyable things you can do is explore the waters. Consider taking one of the Lake Geneva Cruise Line boats and have fun around. These tours will take you through a sightseeing experience that will include lavish estates and mansions along the shore. There are guides on the boat who narrate several interesting stories about people and incidents of the city. Boating tours in Lake Geneva operate from April through November, as this is the time frame when the water isn’t freezing. You can choose from tours like evening dinner cruise, sunset cruise, romantic cruise and the ice cream cruise, where you can actually sample multiple ice-creams.

10. On A Winter Afternoon, Visit The Mountain Top Ski & Adventure Center at Grand Geneva

A popular wintertime destination, the Mountain Top Ski & Adventure Center at Grand Geneva is a must-visit. The area basically features mountain slopes where one can ski and snowboard. There are 20 different ski runs where from beginners to experts, all can have fun. It is only an hour drive from Milwaukee and Chicago and close enough to every location in Lake Geneva. Though elevation here isn’t the highest, one can still have the ultimate snow featuring fun of their life. Individuals who want to get over those risky and adventurous skiing sites can choose this relatively easier and safer one. Especially if you have kids along, this place is a totally fun setup to visit. This extensive setup is also an ideal summertime getaway for other outdoor adventures, if not during winters.