A guide to our corner of Wisconsin
Getting active
Rent a mountain bike from Avant Cycle in LaGrange and then hit the trails. John Muir is good for both beginners and advanced. There's also a skills course there for those looking for something trickier.
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John Muir Hiking-Biking Trails
N9097 Co Rd HRent a mountain bike from Avant Cycle in LaGrange and then hit the trails. John Muir is good for both beginners and advanced. There's also a skills course there for those looking for something trickier.
There are multiple places to go boating in the area, but our favorite is to do this: pack a picnic, rent a speedboat and head out tubing on Lake Geneva.
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Leatherlips Watersports Jet
151 Wrigley DrThere are multiple places to go boating in the area, but our favorite is to do this: pack a picnic, rent a speedboat and head out tubing on Lake Geneva.
The Nordic trails are ten minutes drive away and provide 18 miles of beautifully groomed hiking and cross-country skiing trails.
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Nordic Trail Head
N9084 Co Rd HThe Nordic trails are ten minutes drive away and provide 18 miles of beautifully groomed hiking and cross-country skiing trails.
Food scene
Our favorite farm shop in the area for locally sourced produce. It's a 25 minute drive from the cottage and a good stopping point if you're driving up from Chicago. They grow mushrooms onsite and sell an insanely good basil and almond hummus called Skordalia. Banana bread is also excellent.
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River Valley Ranch & Kitchens
39900 60th StOur favorite farm shop in the area for locally sourced produce. It's a 25 minute drive from the cottage and a good stopping point if you're driving up from Chicago. They grow mushrooms onsite and sell an insanely good basil and almond hummus called Skordalia. Banana bread is also excellent.
2894 on Main is a lovely little café 15 minutes drive away in the quaint town of East Troy. It's a great place to grab a salad or sandwich. It also sells bougie products for the pantry (Momofuku salt, Massimo Bottura vinegar) in its small store. You'd probably need to go to other food shops / the local Piggly Wiggy supermarket to put together a whole meal though. The owners also own a bookstore, pizza place and homeware store on the same street that are worth checking out.
2894 Main St
2894 Main Street2894 on Main is a lovely little café 15 minutes drive away in the quaint town of East Troy. It's a great place to grab a salad or sandwich. It also sells bougie products for the pantry (Momofuku salt, Massimo Bottura vinegar) in its small store. You'd probably need to go to other food shops / the local Piggly Wiggy supermarket to put together a whole meal though. The owners also own a bookstore, pizza place and homeware store on the same street that are worth checking out.
Wisconsin is famous for its supper clubs and this one from the 1920s is our personal favorite. The food is traditional and stick-to-your-ribs fare, like the Friday fish fry. It's all about the décor though. Think: large backlit vintage photos of Lake Geneva and a piano-shaped bar (complete with piano player on Fridays and Saturdays – bring some dollars for tips). No reservations – this is first come, first served so be prepared to put your name down and dip your toes in Lake Como at their beach while you wait.
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Mars Resort
W4098 S Shore DrWisconsin is famous for its supper clubs and this one from the 1920s is our personal favorite. The food is traditional and stick-to-your-ribs fare, like the Friday fish fry. It's all about the décor though. Think: large backlit vintage photos of Lake Geneva and a piano-shaped bar (complete with piano player on Fridays and Saturdays – bring some dollars for tips). No reservations – this is first come, first served so be prepared to put your name down and dip your toes in Lake Como at their beach while you wait.
Wood-fired pizzas are served outdoors at this farm from May - September. They produce all the meat and cheese; veggies are from locals CSAs. Bring a picnic blanket and a sweater, and have a relaxed attitude about wait times.
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Grassway Organics
W2716 Friemoth RdWood-fired pizzas are served outdoors at this farm from May - September. They produce all the meat and cheese; veggies are from locals CSAs. Bring a picnic blanket and a sweater, and have a relaxed attitude about wait times.
Wonderful trout farm that wholesales their fish to Whole Foods. Pick up fresh fillets and their delicious trout spread from their counter. Alternatively, borrow a fishing line and land a rainbow trout yourself at their fishing pond. No license required and the staff will clean it for you.
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Rushing Waters Fisheries LLC
N301 Co Rd HWonderful trout farm that wholesales their fish to Whole Foods. Pick up fresh fillets and their delicious trout spread from their counter. Alternatively, borrow a fishing line and land a rainbow trout yourself at their fishing pond. No license required and the staff will clean it for you.
Catch the vintage train from the East Troy Railroad Museum to Elegant Farmer. Autumnal apple picking in their orchards is our annual tradition, but their store is wonderful to visit year round. Make sure to get their apple pie cooked in a brown paper and doused in caramel. WSJ, Gourmet Magazine and Bobby Flay have declared it the best apple pie in America.
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Elegant Farmer
1545 Main StCatch the vintage train from the East Troy Railroad Museum to Elegant Farmer. Autumnal apple picking in their orchards is our annual tradition, but their store is wonderful to visit year round. Make sure to get their apple pie cooked in a brown paper and doused in caramel. WSJ, Gourmet Magazine and Bobby Flay have declared it the best apple pie in America.
The owner of Wilson also owns Prairie View Farms, a local family-owned and operated hog farm going back generations, and sells his pork at this small old-fashioned meat market. Great place to stock up at if you're doing a summer BBQ.
Wilson Farm Meats
406 South Wisconsin StreetThe owner of Wilson also owns Prairie View Farms, a local family-owned and operated hog farm going back generations, and sells his pork at this small old-fashioned meat market. Great place to stock up at if you're doing a summer BBQ.
This is the closest restaurant to our cottage. It's usually packed, so we call ahead and order food to be picked up. The thin and crispy pizza is great, if they're serving it.
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Holi Cannoli
N7065 US-12This is the closest restaurant to our cottage. It's usually packed, so we call ahead and order food to be picked up. The thin and crispy pizza is great, if they're serving it.
An old-school drive-thru burger joint that looks like it's straight out of American Graffiti, complete with a roadside giant Muffler man from the 1960s. Typical burger and fries fare, but Saturday nights are Cruise Night and all manner of hot rods and vintage car eye candy show up. Check their website for opening hours – they're not always open in the winter.
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Gus's Drive-In
3131 Main StAn old-school drive-thru burger joint that looks like it's straight out of American Graffiti, complete with a roadside giant Muffler man from the 1960s. Typical burger and fries fare, but Saturday nights are Cruise Night and all manner of hot rods and vintage car eye candy show up. Check their website for opening hours – they're not always open in the winter.
Sightseeing
This incredible camp is on the register of historic properties and owned by our best friends. It used to be a brothel, a speakeasy, a retreat for Latvian priests and was one of the owners' childhood summer camp. Every inch of it is impeccably styled with vintage objects from the Twenties to the Seventies – from shuttlecocks to the blankets on the beds – and the owners are reverential about telling the camp's hundred years of history. You can walk there in ten minutes, but tours are by appointment only.
Camp Wandawega / Wandawega Lake Resort
W5453 Lake View DriveThis incredible camp is on the register of historic properties and owned by our best friends. It used to be a brothel, a speakeasy, a retreat for Latvian priests and was one of the owners' childhood summer camp. Every inch of it is impeccably styled with vintage objects from the Twenties to the Seventies – from shuttlecocks to the blankets on the beds – and the owners are reverential about telling the camp's hundred years of history. You can walk there in ten minutes, but tours are by appointment only.
Ten Chimneys is the National Historic Landmark home of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne who were Broadway legends in the 1930s and 1940s. It was a hub for American theater: plays were written there and they entertained the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Noël Coward and Laurence Olivier. The house is filled with murals and each room was designed like an individual stage set. An interesting and unusual time capsule to be found in Wisconsin. Tours are by reservation only, but are not particularly cheap ($28 - 35 per person).
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Ten Chimneys
S43 W31575 Depot RdTen Chimneys is the National Historic Landmark home of Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne who were Broadway legends in the 1930s and 1940s. It was a hub for American theater: plays were written there and they entertained the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Noël Coward and Laurence Olivier. The house is filled with murals and each room was designed like an individual stage set. An interesting and unusual time capsule to be found in Wisconsin. Tours are by reservation only, but are not particularly cheap ($28 - 35 per person).
This is the world’s largest museum dedicated to the history of rural life. Wisconsin farmsteads and settlements from the 19th century have been relocated here and visitors can do everything from dyeing wool to riding high wheel bicycles. The real draw is the brewery though – an old 1930s tavern that was recently moved here and renovated for historical accuracy. A great place to grab a beer (while learning about the history of Prohibition in Wisconsin).
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Old World Wisconsin
W372 S9727 WI-67This is the world’s largest museum dedicated to the history of rural life. Wisconsin farmsteads and settlements from the 19th century have been relocated here and visitors can do everything from dyeing wool to riding high wheel bicycles. The real draw is the brewery though – an old 1930s tavern that was recently moved here and renovated for historical accuracy. A great place to grab a beer (while learning about the history of Prohibition in Wisconsin).
Antiques
Elkhorn Flea Market takes place at Walworth County Fairgrounds four times over the summer. It's legendary in the area and hosts over 500+ antique vendors. May can occasionally be rainy / chilly so bring umbrellas and a sweater. My favorite vendor is Stephanie Snow who has a mid-century modern booth in the back of the small animal barn. Food and drink-wise, there's a nice coffee place called Happy Camper housed in a vintage travel trailer. Thelen's (a local family) also vends the most incredible cream puffs.
Ярмарочный комплекс и кемпинг округа Уолворт - Элкхорн, Висконсин
411 E Court StElkhorn Flea Market takes place at Walworth County Fairgrounds four times over the summer. It's legendary in the area and hosts over 500+ antique vendors. May can occasionally be rainy / chilly so bring umbrellas and a sweater. My favorite vendor is Stephanie Snow who has a mid-century modern booth in the back of the small animal barn. Food and drink-wise, there's a nice coffee place called Happy Camper housed in a vintage travel trailer. Thelen's (a local family) also vends the most incredible cream puffs.
This is a 45 minute drive a way, but worth it! Housed in an school with the 90+ vendors dispersed throughout the gym and classrooms. Stock is always going to vary when it comes to antique malls, but this is the one where I've had the most success. Looking for closer to the cottage ? Walworth Avenue in Delavan is 15 minutes away and has multiple vintage stores along the strip.
School Days Mall Antiques
9500 Durand AvenueThis is a 45 minute drive a way, but worth it! Housed in an school with the 90+ vendors dispersed throughout the gym and classrooms. Stock is always going to vary when it comes to antique malls, but this is the one where I've had the most success. Looking for closer to the cottage ? Walworth Avenue in Delavan is 15 minutes away and has multiple vintage stores along the strip.