Grand Geneva Resort and Spa – Travel Smart With Jodie

Vacation destinations begin to open

Lake Geneva Wisconsin is a popular Chicago summer destination on Geneva Lake. (J Jacobs photo)

Travel this summer is not what was expected when plane, resort or B&B reservations were made months ago. Instead, what we’ll find as we stretch and yawn as we come out of our caves into the summer sunlight, is that our destinations are beginning to open but with stay-safe guidelines and phase-in dates.

Here are just a few destinations that are phasing in how they will open and what can be expected.

Mackinaw City and Mackinac Island

If planning to visit the historic Mackinac area, a popular summer destination known for its historic sites and fudge, check on what will be open when you go.

Mackinac State Historic Parks will start welcoming guests to historic sites and facilities June 12 with the Colonial Michilimackinac Visitor’s Center. Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse opens June 13 and the Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park and the David A. Armour Visitor’s Center will open Monday, June 15.

Buildings and facilities on Mackinac Island don’t open until June 19. They include Fort Mackinac; The Richard and Jane Manoogian Mackinac Art Museum; Historic Downtown Mackinac (Benjamin Blacksmith Shop and the American Fur Company Store & Dr. Beaumont Museum); the Mackinac Island State Park Visitor’s Center and restrooms; Mission Church; Bark Chapel; Fort Holmes Blockhouse; British Landing Nature Center and restrooms; Arch Rock restrooms; and the Station 256 Conference Room.

For more information visit Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City.

The Broadmoor

A 5,000-acre historic resort surrounded by the mountain scenery of Colorado Springs. The Broadmoor is open now with lots of open-air experiences from hiking, zip-lining and horseback riding to golf pickleball and tennis. For additional information, access https://www.broadmoor.com/special-packages/.

Grand Geneva Resort & Spa

The Lake Geneva, WI resort opens June 15. It’s closeness to the shops and boating of Lake Geneva, a vacation town that is has already opened to visitors this summer, plus the resort’s golf and spa facilities make it a popular getaway from the Chicago area.

Snow sculptors face off in Lake Geneva

Snow Sculpting Championship, in Lake Geneva, WI. (Chamber of Commerce photo 2019)

To see some the country’s best snow sculptures and vote for your favorite, drive up to Lake Geneva, just over the Illinois border into Wisconsin on Hwy 50, this weekend.

Fifteen award-winning teams from across the United States are competing in the U.S. National Snow Sculpting Championship for the national title, this week.

They start work midweek when snow is delivered to their stations in the Riviera Plaza , 812 Wrigley Drive abutting Geneva Lake (Yes, that is the lake’s name).

The teams sculpt their creations through Friday night to be ready for the judging after the “tools down” bell at 11 a.m. Saturday. Visitors can vote for the People’s Choice Award, Saturday until 2 p.m.

The snow sculptures are amazing but also stay to see ice sculptures in town. Youngsters may want to stop at a children’s tent at 201 Wrigley Dr. in Flat Iron Park where there are games and the Boy Scouts are selling cider donuts and hot dogs.

There are several inns and resorts that turn a Lake Geneva visit into a getaway.

Visitors who stay over Saturday will want to see the free Laser Light Show on the ski slopes of the Grand Geneva Resort, just south of the downtown at WI7036 Grand Geneva Way.

The light show goes from 8:30 to 10 p.m. For more information call (312) 218-3848 or visit Laser fusion shows. The resort is kid friendly and also has a good spa.

For more Winterfest events visit Lake Geneva/Winterfest.

A Grand girls getaway in Lake Geneva

View from balcony at Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, WI. (Jodie Jacobs photos)

When “The world is too much with us… late and soon, as English poet William Wordsworth said with a poem that continues with “we are out of tune” you know it is time to take a break.

A good place to get back in tune is to plan a girls’ getaway where the view out the balcony door stretches across water and hills, where stress is forgotten over cocktails and delicious food and tension is massaged away by experienced hands.

My sister and I found such a place when we chose Grand Geneva Resort and Spa in Lake Geneva, WI for our annual spa getaway.

This year, my sister flew into O’Hare from Dallas so we could drive from my home in a northern suburb of Chicago. It took about an hour which is the same amount of time for someone flying into Milwaukee’s airport.

The resort is just on the eastern outskirts of Lake Geneva so we first parked downtown for a bit of boutique shopping then headed to the Grand Geneva to unpack and unwind. FYI, the lake is called Geneva Lake and the town is Lake Geneva.

The resort has lots of accommodation options ranging from deluxe rooms and suites to condos. We loved our deluxe double on the third floor of Building 3 with a view of a lake on the property.

BTW Grand Geneva has 1,300 acres that include ski hills in winter turned into an adventure spot in summer, golf, horseback riding and plenty of paths to hike and bike.

I liked the lap pool in the spa and fitness facility across the lane from our building. My sister liked the fitness center where she could work out with the type of equipment she used back home.

While waiting for our spa services in the women’s locker room, we heard happy chatter from girlfriends enjoying the spa’s whirlpool. Another waiting area open to males and females, was a quiet relaxation space with good fruit juice, crackers and cheeses.

We booked massages for one day and mani-pedi services, the next. Definitely recommend both.

The resort had two top notch dinner restaurants, the Geneva Chop House and Ristorante Brissago. Both have good food and good service. The night we ate at the resort we were in the mood for Italian flavors and loved our choices of a pumpkin bisque, Osso Bucco and eggplant parmigiano.

Pumpkin bisque that is sweet and savory with the added balsamic.

The resort’s Sunday morning brunch in its Grand Café was tempting but after a weekend of eating we ordered light breakfasts from the menu.

We left on Sunday but heard there was a shuttle that went into Lake Geneva on Monday for a tour of the town that included lunch. Maybe will do it next time.

I’m thinking the resort would be a good place to visit next Valentine’s Day or birthday or anniversary or Mother’s Day.

But regarding our experience, best of all was that everyone at Grand Geneva seemed to really care about the guests.

For reservations and more information visit Grand Geneva.