Vacationing In Wisconsin

AWARENESS MAGAZINE September/October 2012

The natural beauty of Wisconsin is evident everywhere you look. The state is home to 15,000 lakes and 33,000 miles of rivers. Sun-draped trees, bodies of water surrounded by nature, small-town sidewalks dotted with white clapboard houses, fabulous restaurants and simplicity are all within an arm’s reach. I quickly narrowed down the places I wanted to visit during my stay in Wisconsin: Door County and Elkhart Lake. Door County is shaped like a thumb surrounded by water and has ten historic lighthouses. It’s just over an hour’s drive north of Green Bay. The village of Elkhart Lake, about a one hour drive north of Milwaukee, is one of those places where almost everything is within walking distance.

There is nothing I love more than nature and simplicity, but I’m also self-admitted adrenaline junky. Elkhart Lake is home to Road America, one of the country’s premier car racing venues and they also offer high performance driving classes. I have wanted to take race lessons for a long time and knew this would be the perfect place to do that. In a word, the experience was thrilling! One my teachers, who had seen almost every race track in the world, described this track as “similar to racing through a national forest”. A campground is located right outside the track fence and trees are everywhere. Major races, including NASCAR, attract 700,000 visitors a year. After the morning race car lessons were completed, we headed over to another track to race go-carts at fifty miles an hour. This was a perfect day for experiencing the feeling of pure exhilaration.

After a “day of speed”, I was looking forward to a peaceful, sunset boat tour around Elkhart Lake aboard the Elkhart Queen. Jim Benson, our knowledgeable guide, grew up here and filled our head with colorful stories about the early days of gambling and prohibition. It was hard to believe that such unruly times could have taken place in this pristine and tranquil community.

When our boat docked, we walked up the short path to have dinner at The Back Porch Bistro, located on a cozy little patio overlooking the lake. After sharing dinner and a scrumptious chocolate desert, we could hardly wait to take the short walk back to the The Osthoff Resort. Staying at this AAA Four Diamond all-suite lakefront resort was like staying in paradise. We’d wake up in the morning, make a full breakfast in the kitchen and head out the door for a day of kayaking and sailing. I tried hydro-biking for the first time and had a blast. The moments spent on the lake were simply magical.

Prior to visiting Wisconsin, I’d heard rave reviews about the resort’s L’ecole de la Madison cooking school. My friends will readily agree that I’m not a natural cook. One of the reasons I wanted to take this class was for the singular purpose of hanging an impressive cooking school certificate on my wall. And I genuinely wanted to improve my cooking skills. We prepared Lyonnaise salad with poached organic egg, colloquies St. Jacques, tournados of beef au poivre and haricot verts with walnut-shallot butter.

Prior to leaving the resort, I booked a treatment with Aspira Spa. This upscale spa, infused with elements of wood, fire and water is truly one of the best. Taking a long walk around the lake and having dinner at Lola’s on the Lake was a perfect way to end this part of an amazing trip.

Door County, our next Wisconsin stop, is a true outdoor paradise and home to five state parks, eighteen county parks and 300 miles of shoreline. The year-round population of just over 1,000 people is comprised of many small villages dotted with landscapes of fishing villages, beaches, farms and orchards. Fur trading dominated this area for over 200 years until the 19th century when Moravians, Scandinavians and other immigrants settled here. Today this peninsula is the perfect paradise for experiencing endless hours of quiet time.

Village Green Lodge, situated just a-half block from the bay, was home during our stay in Door County. The innkeepers, Sue and Steve Sherman, realized a long-time dream when they purchased this B & B years ago. We were made to feel welcome. An incredible home-made breakfast is served each morning and fresh baked cookies awaited us each afternoon. The innkeepers were always on hand to answer questions or offer suggestions regarding our itinerary.

There’s a lot to do in Door County and riding a bike around Peninsula State Park was a highlight. Steve, my bike riding partner, has been bike riding all over the world and says this is the most beautiful bike/walking path he has ever seen. The crystal-blue lake is on one side and stands of old-growth trees are on the other side.

After a long bike ride, we felt the urge for ice cream and knew Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor was the place to go. Wilson’s was established in 1906, the year my dad was born. I was determined to honor my dad by ordering the biggest ice cream specialty on the menu. I stood at the counter and without hesitation, ordered 5 flavors of ice cream with 3 toppings (the Wilson’s Banquet). It may not be necessary to tell you how I feeling twenty minutes later.

After inhaling the ice cream, I returned to the B & B for a short nap. I needed to reenergize myself before going to Hands on Art Studio for a creative afternoon. I couldn’t wait to see what this 8,000 square-foot “do it yourself’ studio was all about. The area is spread out on a huge “farm-like” property in separate buildings. I am not an artist, but I walked out of the studio filled with pride after completing my project of making fused-glass salad bowls. Guides are around to help out with almost any project you can imagine, including metal sculpture, mosaics, jewelry, spin art, ceramics and all kinds of wood projects. I’ve never been to a place like this before and wish there were fifty more of these studios all around the country.

Prior to visiting Wisconsin, I’d never heard of a “fish boil “dinner and had no idea what the term meant. It didn’t take long for me to realize the importance of this 100 year old culinary tradition. Locals informed me about the White Gull Inn and said this is this place I needed to go. I learned that a fish boil is an elaborate presentation that begins when the freshly caught fish are cut into small chunks and cooked in boiling water with red potatoes and a few other ingredients. After the water comes to a boil, the ingredients are lowered into the hot water in a wire basket. When the fish oils rise to the top of the pot, a small amount of kerosene is added to the flames. The increase in flames causes a boilover. The fish is done when the fish oils spill over the side of the pot. At least 75 people were outside on the patio watching the huge flames shoot high into the air. What a night!

Door County is home to many spas and The Spa at Sacred Grounds, tucked away in the woods in northern Ephraim, is one of the best. After my Raindrop Therapy treatment was completed, I didn’t want to leave and spent time walking through the gardens and drank tea on the patio. I loved the natural simplicity of this place surrounded by nature. This was not an easy place to leave.

Wisconsin is filled with subtle, natural beauty. Memories of time spent here will be etched into my soul for a long time. I can’t wait to go back to Wisconsin!!

IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION:

Elkhart Lake Chamber of Commerce: (877)-355-3554 or visit www. elkhartlake.com

The Osthoff Resort: (800)-876-3399 or visit www.osthoff.com

Road America: (800)-365-7223 or visit www.roadamerica.com

Door County Visitor Bureau: (800)-527-3529 or visit www.doorcounty.com

Village Green Lodge: (888)-471-8277 or visit www.villagegreenlodge.com

The Spa at Sacred Grounds: (920)-854-4733, or visit www.sacredgroundsspa.com