Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

May 29, 2015

Century-Old resOrts, rOad raCing and the iCe age trail

Looking for a quick summer getaway that involves a boat ride on Lake Michigan? Consider Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Via the Ludington/ Manitowoc car ferry, the lake crossing is fewer than 200 miles and takes less than five hours to complete. Once you’re off the ferry, it’s only a 45-minute trip to your destination. With all the attractions, the laid back atmosphere and the ferry ride, it makes for a great family vacation.

With fewer than 1,000 residents and the typical small strip of boutiques, cafes and stores, Elkhart Lake relies on history, a tradition of beautiful resorts, tasty dining options and road racing to attract a robust summer tourist trade.

With 130-some years as a heartland tourist destination, you could hardly call Elkhart Lake sedate. Early resort owners loved to entertain, building opera houses, dance halls and theaters as tourist attractions. During the Prohibition era, speakeasies lured Chicago’s infamous gangsters, a crowd that lasted into the 1940s, before the gambling halls were shut down. In the 1950s, it hosted three road races that drew top Formula One drivers from around the world before the state legislature banned racing on public roads.

Rather than deterring locals who’d had a taste of success, the ban spurred them to create their own road racing course on private land. Road America opened in 1955 and is considered America’s top road racing course and one of the world’s premier circuits. The 4.5-mile track is spread over 640 acres, with 14 hair-raising turns, and has hosted numerous Formula One and NASCAR events. Surrounded by the rolling hills of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine State Forest, the road course attracts more than a million racing fans each year from all around the world. Famous drivers like Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser, Bobby Rahal and Paul Newman cut their racing teeth on this track.

Additional Road America activities include a road racing go-kart track, ATV adventure trails with rentals available and the Midwest’s longest, fastest zipline: 1,400 feet, a 100-foot drop and speeds up to 60 mph. Road America is an adventure all its own. For more information on events and daily schedules, visit roadamerica.com.

The NASCAR XFINITY series, televised on ABC, takes place here Aug. 27-29; the Pirelli World Challenge, June 26-28; and the Hawk International Challenge, one of the world’s largest vintage racing events, happens July 16-19. For racing fans, these are just a few of the top events coming to Road America this summer.

Elkhart Lake, the centerpiece of this timeless resort village, is the Badger state’s third deepest lake, with depths of 120 feet. Forged by retreating glaciers some 10,000 years ago, its beautiful blue crystalline waters sparkle in the sun. Native Americans considered this lake shaped like an elk’s heart to be sacred.

Last summer was my first trip to this part of Wisconsin and, in addition to all the attractions, I found miles of trails for hiking and biking. The village is perched on the northern edge of the sprawling Kettle Moraine State Forest, with its glacially formed hills and valleys. The 1,000-mile Ice Age Trail, which traces the edge of the last glacier in Wisconsin, cuts through the region with two nearby trailheads. A 5-mile hiking trail circles the lake.

Explore the historic village on a selfguided walking tour – see the vintage resorts, the Historic Depot and Museum, and follow portions of the original, historic race course through the village. Take a trip to nearby Wade House, an 1860s stagecoach stop that houses one of the most extensive collections of carriages, sleighs and work wagons in the Midwest, and explore Henschel’s Indian Museum, built near an archeological dig site that traces the Native American history of the area.

Kayak around the lake and take in the beautiful homes and resorts up close as you glide past. Better yet, take a pontoon tour and enjoy a narrative of the lake’s colorful history along with your cruise. On a rainy day, tour Henning’s family-owned cheese factory and nibble free samples.

"The fresh cheese curds squeak when you eat them," exclaimed a youngster on my tour.

Village lodging consists of three historic lake resorts that trace their roots back to the 1800s. They offer a variety of condos and hotel rooms, as well as private beaches, and all village restaurants and attractions are within easy walking distance.

Victorian Village Resort, where I stayed, has a large pool area and the Barefoot Tiki Bar overlooking the beach and lake. Next door is historic Siebkens Resort, now in its fifth generation. Siebkens houses the Stop-Inn Tavern, considered one of the top bars on the racing circuit. Race weekends, a visit here is a definite must and Wednesday nights feature live blues bands from Chicago. Nearby Osthoff Resort is among "Travel & Leisure" magazine’s top 500 resorts worldwide. It features the Aspira Spa; Lola’s on the Lake, one of the area’s top gourmet restaurants; and L’ecole de la Maison French cooking school.

For dining, I can recommend the Back Porch Bistro at Victorian Village, featuring great views of the lake and homemade, locally grown dishes; Paddock Club, a legendary gambling club in the 1920s, featuring both a turn-of-the-century bar and a separate fine dining room – the best of both worlds; and Lake Street Café, featuring an award-winning wine list and a wonderful tapas menu.

"Elkhart Lake has two faces and diverse opportunities for a family vacation," said the town’s Director of Tourism Kathleen Eickhoff when we spoke during my visit. "We offer adrenaline-producing activities and resort-type relaxation. People are amazed when they discover how beautiful and accessible we are from Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Louis and – with the ferry service – many Michigan families are also discovering how close we are."

For more information on the Elkhart Lake area and all it has to offer, visit elkhartlake. com and travelwisconsin.com.