Small-town luxury
I love visiting places I’ve never heard of before. There’s something really enthralling about diving into an experience without any preconceived notions and seeing everything through the eyes of a first-time visitor.
My time in Elkhart Lake was a mix of small-town luxury and stepping outside my comfort zone, and it was well worth the trip.
A Room With a Lake View
I stayed at The Osthoff Resort & Spa, a lovely property with 240 overnight accommodations. My suite overlooked the lake and had a private balcony where I enjoyed the view while finishing emails at the end of the day. It also had a full kitchen, two bedrooms and a fireplace that I took full advantage of.
What impressed me most was the versatility of the meeting space. Planners can bring their guests inside, outside or both! Though I don’t know whether attendees would be distracted by the lake view.
Highly probable.
Homemade Pasta
One of the most memorable moments for me was making a full pasta meal from scratch during a cooking class at The Osthoff Resort & Spa.
As our group sipped mimosas, we went to work on our homemade dough, then busted out the pasta rollers to make it thin enough to turn into noodles. I can confidently say my pasta was not the prettiest, but it was edible.
I also made homemade marinara, which ultimately made my ugly pasta pretty tasty
A Pontoon Ride on Elkhart Lake
The view of Elkhart Lake from my room was beautiful, but once I hopped aboard a pontoon boat tour, the experience became quite breathtaking.
The gentle movement of the water and the warmth of the sun were so relaxing that I didn’t want the tour to end.
The F&B of Elkhart Lake
There are some really good food options in Elkhart Lake.
Lake Street Cafe has a spacious outdoor seating area, a main dining room and a separate dining area for more intimate groups. I definitely enjoyed the outdoor accommodations.
After dinner, I jogged over to Gessert’s Ice Cream and Confectionery, even though the internet said it was closed. Suffice it to say, my journalistic instincts paid off, and we all walked back with a scoop or two of ice cream.
I also experienced a wine tasting at Vintage Elkhart Lake, which offers more than 250 wines, along with craft beer and spirits. Groups will love the wine-tasting machine, which is basically an adult candy machine that dispenses your choice of wine.
If you have time, stop by Henning’s Wisconsin Cheese for a factory tour and a sample from its wide selection of cheese flavors.
Fun fact: I am about as tall as one of the cheese vats!
The Green Flag at Road America
Let me preface this section by saying: I do not drive. I have always been a public transit girl. However, when I was given the chance to try go-karts, I was ready.
We were given flag instructions: Green obviously meant go, while black meant someone had done something they weren’t supposed to do (I did not get a black flag). By the second lap, I got the hang of it. Groups will enjoy Road America’s wonderful mix of meeting space and team building for those who need a little extra adrenaline.
This article appears in the July/August 2026 issue. You can subscribe to the magazine here.
