The Cove of Lake Geneva sits across from Geneva Lake, one of the Midwest’s top boating and water-skiing destinations. The lake has more than 9 miles of shoreline, and the hotel is within walking distance of its beaches and swimming piers. In the cooler months, you can splash around in the indoor pool or unwind in the sauna.

• Onsite brewing: At Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub, brewmasters craft homemade root beer and more than a dozen varieties of beer. The food menu includes burgers made with local ingredients.
• Other dining: Light breakfast and casual food at Cove Cafe & Lounge, plus poolside service during warmer months
• In-room amenities: gas fireplace, private balcony or patio, and full kitchen
• Go skiing at Alpine Valley, about 15 miles away.

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin: Lakeside Mansions and Historical Museums

Located within 90 miles of Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison, Lake Geneva has become one of the Midwest’s most popular destinations for recreation. Geneva Lake—a gaping gulf of fresh water ripe for swimming, leisurely sails, water skiing, and tubing—is the resort town’s biggest draw in the summer. Admire the scenery by taking a stroll on the Geneva Lake Shore Path, a 21-mile walkway planned by early settlers that stretches around the entire lake. Along the way, you’ll pass expansive gardens and the opulent estates that helped the town earn the nickname “Newport of the West.”

In the winter, outdoor activities range from sledding and cross-country skiing in Big Foot Beach State Park to ice-fishing on Geneva Lake. There’s also plenty to do indoors. The Geneva Lake Museum takes visitors back in time with re-created late 19th- and early 20th-century shops, and the 1897-era Yerkes Observatory is home to the world’s largest refracting telescope.