Groups might find Lake Geneva to be quaint and cosmopolitan at the same time.
"The only parallel I think Lake Geneva has is the city of Carmel in California," says Grace C. Eckland, director of marketing and public relations for the Lake Geneva Area CVB. "Lake Geneva has a distinctive flair that seems so different from other communities nearby."
That may be attributed to Lake Geneva’s history. In the Roaring ’20s, Lake Geneva was known as the "Newport of the West," a popular getaway and second home of many wealthy Chicagoans. They built their homes on the pristine shores of Geneva Lake, which geologists believe was formed by a receding glacier. The beginning of Lake Geneva’s appeal, however, resulted from what happened after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. Many of Chicago’s wealthy citizens lost their homes in the blaze, and they built new homes in the picturesque town located just six miles from the Illinois border.
"The wealthy built what they called ‘cottages,’" Eckland says. "But to most of us, that means these grand mansions."
The towns of Lake Geneva, Delavan, Williams Bay, Elkhorn and Fontana are clustered near Geneva Lake, which at three miles wide and nine miles long is the second-deepest lake in Wisconsin. Its 26 miles of shoreline tempt visitors from spring through autumn with boating, fishing, swimming and hot-air ballooning, as well as a host of opportunities for wildlife viewing, hiking and golf. Nearby, smaller lakes Delavan and Como present similar opportunities.
But the destination is proving to be increasingly popular to groups in the chillier months.
One new winter activity that is gaining traction is dog sledding, says Patricia Marks, president of Destination Management Services, a full-service DMC that operates in Wisconsin.
Groups get to meet and greet 10 Siberian huskies and their new mushers. Each member gets a chance to hop onboard the freight sled and listen to the whishing as it glides along the snow.
"We designed this activity specifically for groups," Marks says. "It’s a magical experience with the sound of the sled and the amazing winter landscape. And there are plenty of photo opportunities. I would say we are getting more interest in Lake Geneva in the winter months than I can remember in a long time."
Eckland couldn’t agree more.
"In the past, from September to May, you wouldn’t see that much group business in Lake Geneva," Eckland notes. "But that’s not true anymore. We’re getting group business year-round. You don’t see that in an insulated picturesque community."
Eckland explains that two main reasons for the steady business are Lake Geneva’s location and its extensive meeting facilities.
Lake Geneva is situated between the cities of Milwaukee and Chicago. In fact, the lake is only about 80 miles from downtown Chicago, a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and just a little over an hour’s drive from Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport.
"The location makes it convenient for groups, whether they are just driving or flying in," Eckland notes.
Additionally, the area offers a variety of facilities, whether planners are looking to book a corporate retreat or a larger meeting.
Eckland says Lake Geneva is one of five cities in the state that hosts the Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism, which is one of the largest annual tourism conferences in the U.S. Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison and Milwaukee are the other four host cities.
The area has a well-deserved reputation as an upscale resort destination. More than 50 resort properties, hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, as well as 100-plus restaurants are all nestled in a town of just 7,200 people. Because of the central location of Lake Geneva, the region sees a substantial number of international visitors, Marks points out.
The region also includes many well-preserved 19th century buildings, including the stately mansions such as those of the Wrigley and Morton families (that’s the chewing gum magnate and salt company, respectively). A variety of boat tours are available, all offering in-depth historical narration about the many estates and mansions that line the shores of the lake. Particularly popular is a tour of Black Point Estate, the only historic mansion in Lake Geneva that is open to the public. Groups head to the 1888 estate by boat or bus and tour the first two floors and the surrounding grounds. It was built as a summer home by the Chicago beer baron Conrad Seipp. His brewery was one of the few that weren’t destroyed in the Chicago fire. The home contains one of the finest collections of Queen Anne furniture in the country. A series of steps extend to the dramatic bluff where the estate sits. Tours are available from June to October. The Geneva Museum of History offers the home as a venue for groups of up to 47 people.
Other excursions on the water are popular here. Lake Geneva Cruise Line operates a wide range of vessels from replica paddlewheel steamers capable of hosting groups of 225 to luxurious yachts suitable for groups of up to 40 people. Live music, DJs or casino-style gaming are available as cruise entertainment. The lake experience here also includes swimming, fishing and myriad water sports.
The area is also a golfer’s haven, thanks to 22 golf courses. The Geneva National Golf Club includes three courses designed by golf legends Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Every day, two of the three courses are available for public play. The property includes a 4,000-square-foot ballroom that overlooks Lake Como. At Country Club Estates Golf Course in the town of Fontana, groups can play a quick nine and still enjoy a day at the lake. Several golf courses offer group facilities and tournament options.
Yerkes Observatory, located in Williams Bay, is a unique off-site option with the lake as a backdrop. The 100-plus-year-old observatory is operated by the University of Chicago, and at one time housed one of the largest telescopes in the world. The facility can host private events and "star parties." It also offers free tours on Saturdays.
One of the most unique attractions here, Eckland says, is The Dancing Horses, situated on the grounds of the Animals Gardens, about five miles from Lake Geneva.
"I have seen Vegas-style shows like the Lipizzaner Stallions but nothing comes close to how unique and beautiful this show is," Eckland says.
Planners can choose among four different group packages, two of which include dinner.
Among the latest hotel developments in the destination is the completion of an extensive renovation at Grand Geneva Resort in July 2009. The six-month-long project included enhancements to the hotel’s 335 rooms, a redesign of the spa and salon, a new outdoor pool deck and the addition of the Embers Terrace, which includes a 14-foot fireplace. Marcus Hotels & Resorts, the owner of the property, says it was the largest renovation for the hotel since it was acquired in 1993.
Meeting space at Grand Geneva totals more than 62,000 square feet, including a 7,680-square-foot ballroom, 35 breakout rooms and a 13,500-square-foot convention center as well as a 5,400-square-foot outdoor pavilion with views of the golf course. Two courses here boast 36 holes of golf, and in winter the resort offers 18 downhill ski slopes and a terrain park for snowboarding.
Other group-ready properties include Timber Ridge Lodge and Waterpark, which adjoins Grand Geneva Resort and includes the 3,500-square-foot Cascades Ballroom and a 50,000-square-foot indoor waterpark. The property offers a number of team-building options and meeting breaks that can include stretching routines or aerobics.
Located in downtown Lake Geneva just across from the lake, The Cove of Lake Geneva includes 8,500 square feet of meeting space. Meanwhile, The Geneva Inn sits just next to the 21-mile lakefront path, and groups can take advantage of 2,000 square feet of function space. The inn has a lakeside patio and atrium that is ideal for receptions.
The Abbey Resort is situated on 90 acres at the west end of the lake in the city of Fontana. The resort is a group favorite, with 334 guest rooms and suites and more than 40,000 square feet of event space, including a 6,000-square-foot tented pavilion. Its Avani Spa received a major upgrade two years ago.
Set above the shores of Lake Como, the Lodge at Geneva Ridge features 146 guest rooms and 16,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 4,000-square-foot ballroom.
Twelve miles west of Lake Geneva on the shores of Lake Delavan, Lake Lawn Resort & Spa offers 32,000 square feet of event space amid 250 acres. The resort includes golf as well as the Frontier Restaurant, featuring New American cuisine and upscale comfort food utilizing fresh local produce. Set on 250 wooded lakeside acres, the property also offers lake activities, a golf course and a spa.
