The Wet and Wild Pleasures of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

A dreamy lake and a world-class road racing venue give this tiny town in Wisconsin a big persona.

The population of Elkhart Lake has yet to crack 1000 (at last count, there were 979 full-time residents). But a recent visit to this pretty little village, just over an hour’s drive from Milwaukee, left me feeling both nostalgic and energized in the best possible way.

First of all, there’s the lake. Clear and spring-fed, ringed with cedars and surrounded by glacial hills and forests, it’s dotted with picture-perfect homes and even more perfect boathouses. Three unique hotels form a kind of a cross-pollinating campus along the water’s edge.

Then there’s Elkhart Lake’s auto racing history, which led to the creation of Road America, a 640-acre park where racing of all types attracts more than 800,000 visitors a year, many from overseas. Known as “America’s National Park of Speed,” it offers pleasures galore to any car lover.

Stay Here or Here or Here

Along the shores of the lake are three very different hotels: The Osthoff Resort, Siebkens Resort, and The Shore Club Wisconsin, all in a rambling row. Stay here, grab a drink there, listen to music across the street or have dinner at another hotel without ever getting in your car or expending any energy at all, even if you’ve had one too many Brandy Old Fashioneds, the Wisconsin drink of choice, in both sweet and sour versions.

The Osthoff Resort
The sprawling white Osthoff Resort is the big kahuna, wrapping around a gorgeous piece of lakefront property with pools, a pond, and a promenade. Choose from 245 one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites, all with kitchens, fireplaces, and balconies. Casual all-day Otto’s opens early for a homey breakfast (and the flakiest biscuits). Finer dining happens at the convivial Concourse where the pretzel-breaded walleye was deliciously salty and sweet. Or pull up a chair any time of day in front of the big stone fireplace at the welcoming Elk Room bar, water view included.

Celebrate lake living at Osthoff’s Aspira Spa with a Sacred Waters Hydrating Massage, one of many appealing treatments. Upon arrival, Mickaela, my massage therapist, told me she’d gone down to the lake that morning to collect water with me in mind. Now transferred to an array of deerskin pouches, the sacred waters were strategically placed under my body to activate energy centers and calm nerves. That, in addition to a wonderful massage, hot towels, and soothing scents made it a truly memorable experience. At the end, Mickaela told me she sensed that I was “holding on to what doesn’t serve me” and “unable to see things from another’s perspective.” I appreciated the wisdom, as well as her expertise. Native Americans called Elkhart Lake “the chosen spot” and its special qualities were well celebrated throughout the treatment.

Another day I experienced a first: a 45-minute session in the salt therapy room where microscopic, salt particles fill a glowing room paneled in salty slabs. Known to improve sleep quality and overall wellness, the briny aura soon lulled my friends and me into a dream-filled slumber. We awoke only when the spa manager told us our time was up. For more active wellness, The Osthoff has a fitness center, indoor and outdoor pools, and a jacuzzi I discovered in a quiet corner downstairs.

A professional cooking school with classes tailored to guests rounded out the offerings. At a pasta-making class with the relaxed and affable chef Rodney Shulz, my class of ten made three types of pasta and three sauces, enjoying them all with excellent wines as we dusted off the flour over lunch.

With a prime spot on the lake, pontoon boats and paddle boats await. All manner of water sports are available and, of course, fishing and swimming are there for the taking. The Lake Deck features live music, drinks, and snacks overlooking the beach.

Siebkens Resort
Across the street, Siebkens Resort is fully loaded with vintage charm. The landmark turn-of-the-century resort offers an array of accommodations in various buildings. The newly renovated (and reasonably priced) hotel rooms have a simple, inviting style I immediately liked. The hotel has changed hands fairly recently and new owner Wendy Orth has added a quiet, very appealing quality and style. Even the Grab and Go breakfast was excellent, with homemade granola, yogurt, pastries, and coffee from a nearby roaster. While not right on the lake, you’re steps away from their dedicated beach, and there’s a pool right at the hotel.

P.A.M.’s restaurant (named after the former owner and chef Pam Lueck, granddaughter of founders Laura and Herman Siebken) has that kind of welcoming feel found in hotels of yesteryear, but the food was not stuck in the past. A signature salad of roasted butternut squash, chevre, and toasted Marcona almonds with Siebken’s dressing was delicious, as were the fish, pasta, and meat dishes.

Best of all was teeny Siebkens Pub carved out of a corner of the dining room. It has a speakeasy feel and a nattily dressed bartender who pours terrific cocktails. Stop-Inn Tavern, known as the best bar on the car racing circuit, draws the Road America crowd who are frequent guests of the hotel. Often packed with automotive fans and journalists covering the sport, its tavern food is a big draw. With floor to ceiling car-racing memorabilia (and that includes the actual ceiling), it could only have happened here.

The Shore Club Wisconsin
The last of the triumvirate, The Shore Club Wisconsin sits high above the lake, offering sweeping water views. Their funky Tiki Bar is brimming with music and good vibes. The lakeside Social serves smoked cocktails and a rotating menu of empanadas, crispy rainbow trout, and broiled jerk chicken from chef Abi Vargas.

Like Siebkins, Shore Club is also under energetic new ownership. Of several buildings on the property, one has been fully renovated. In addition to an outdoor pool, an especially appealing indoor pool sits next to a really fun game room with ping pong, a pool table, and retro arcade games. A cool boutique stocks colorful vacation-y clothing and gifts. And yes, the waterfront is full of activities.

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

How did one of the world’s most famous racing venues end up in the middle of Wisconsin farmland?

In the early 1950s, sports car races used to be held on the actual streets of Elkhart Lake (picture a mini Monaco). While a huge attraction, street races were eventually banned by Wisconsin’s state legislature due to safety and other concerns.

This speed-loving town wasn’t about to take that lying down, so shortly thereafter, a local gent named Clif Tufte organized a group of influential citizens who eventually succeeded in building a permanent racecourse just outside the village.

This spectacular four-mile track with fourteen turns sweeps through rolling hills and ravines, mimicking the actual route of the original street race and resulting in one of the world’s best and most challenging road courses. Open year-round, Road America is home to more than 500 annual events, with several attractions often happening on the same day.

The grounds are park-like, with so much to see and do. Eleven big public race weekends are huge draws, but they’re just the beginning. Road America offers ATV trails (I tried it and enjoyed the bumpy and beautiful terrain), karting for all levels (tried that, too, but my lack of competitiveness had me mostly at the back of the pack, which didn’t bother me at all), motorcycle and automobile driving schools, pace car rides, vintage car events, indy cars, and more. Ever the good Wisconsonites, they run a popular winter driving school to help drivers young and old learn to negotiate roads in inclement weather. Great food concessions, a huge merch-filled store, a disc golf course, paintball, snowshoeing, and even a seasonal sandy beach (brought in, of course, but still lots of fun), and beach bar make Road America a stop worth making.

Hot Fudge Sundaes, Artful Pottery, and Festivals Galore

A stroll through town takes you past lovely little cottages, an occasional bright metallic racecar incongruously parked out front, given the car-centric culture. Nordic Accents stocks a selection of Danish, Norwegian and Finnish housewares, sweaters, and clogs, even authentic Scandinavian knitting supplies. Two Fish Gallery is worth a visit for its magical and slightly wild gardens, but don’t stop there: Inside you can shop for well-priced pottery made by owner Patrick Robison and art by his wife Karen. Grab a coffee at Off the Rail Café and head next door to Elkhart Lake Outfitters for home goods, Birkenstocks, and other outdoors-y stuff.

The local restaurants excel — Paddock Club and Lake Street Café are perennial favorites — and a summer day just isn’t complete without a hot fudge sundae at the family-owned Gessert's Ice Cream & Confectionary, a soda fountain that’s been a local fixture for more than a century. For wine and cheese, Vintage Elkhart Lake stocks some 300 wines and an impressive selection of specialty foods.

The Farmers & Artisans Market happens every Saturday from May to October, and in September Elktoberfest celebrates the town’s German roots. The extensive Old World Christmas Market at The Osthoff draws visitors from afar for handmade gifts, German food, mulled wine, and more, proving there’s always something big happening in little Elkhart Lake.

This isn't the first time we've visited Elkhart Lake. (We can't get enough!) And check out the website of Elkhart Lake Tourism for even more reasons to visit this fantastic pocket of Americana.