Elkhart Lake is a whole different world, just an hour’s drive from Milwaukee. Though it’s hardly undiscovered, I’ve visited each of the past two summers and on neither occasion did it feel overrun.
In fact, even during the busy season, the place has a lovely small-town vibe, blended with lakeside fun and relaxation plus a rooted-in-history summer resort feel. Kind of like the Catskills without the comedians (though I bet The Osthoff books comedy shows, and, seriously, folks, tip the waitstaff).
September is a great time to visit, as not only will the blazing summer temperatures we’ve had in Wisconsin likely be ebbing, there’s also the third annual Elktoberfest, Sept. 20-22, which puts a Wisconsin lake resort spin on the Oktoberfest tradition.
Community toasts, Elkhart Lake-made beer from SwitchGear, a 5K wine and beer run, a biergarten, a farmers market, a brat fry, root beer garten for kids, live music and much more bring good cheer to the lake during this event.
Find all the details here.
In the meantime, check out these wrap-ups of my visits last year and this year to Elkhart Lake, and use this guide to get a taste of what awaits you in Elkhart Lake.
There’s so much to do in this small town that it would be impossible to include everything here, so we’re hitting the highlights and adding links to the Elkhart Lake website where you can find even more places to dine, shop, drink and have a blast.
Where to stay
The Osthoff
101 Osthoff Ave., (855) 876-3399
osthoff.com
The Osthoff is the largest resort in Elkhart Lake and boasts multiple restaurants and watering holes, a spa, an arcade, kids activities, live entertainment and more. The sprawling, modern venue has nearly completed the renovation of all its guest rooms and in March recarpeted the entire sprawling place.
It also has an interesting history. The current resort’s site was home to the Harand Camp of the Theatre Arts, attended by the likes of singer Lissie, Sen. Russ Feingold, writers Laura Lippman and Jessica Poter, and actors Jeremy Piven, Billy Zane and Virginia Madsen.
The Shore Club
276 Victorian Village Dr., (920) 876-3323
shoreclubwisconsin.com
The Shore Club has recently renovated rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, a jacuzzi, an arcade, a lively lakefront tiki bar, the speakeasy-themed The Social restaurant and a theater that offers performances every Wednesday during the summer.
As I said to co-owner Tom Shortt – who bought the place with his wife, Kristin Pagel, a Chicago Public Schools teacher, in 2018 – staying there has the allure of the kind of family resort experience you see in the movies, with the owner often right there on site.
Siebkens Resort
284 S. Lake St., (920) 876-2600
siebkens.com
Siebkens was built in 1883 as the Belleview House. It was purchased by Laura and Herman Siebkens in 1916 and remained in the family until it was purchased by Wendy and Rob Orth in 2019. It definitely feels historic.
At the center are the old opera house, which houses the popular Stop-Inn Tavern, which has live music (out on the large patio when weather permits) and food, as well as the main building with the reception and lobby area – where there's free grab-and-go breakfast in the mornings – and P.A.M.’s restaurant. The condo hotel building honors its predecessor on the site with its large balconies, and the Lake Cottage is an 1888 Queen Anne rooming house converted to a handful of guest rooms. There’s also the historic Elm Park Hotel building.
Of course, Siebkens also has a pool and hot tub, and down a staircase behind the Lake Cottage, a private beach with kayaks, a pier and more.
Information on B&Bs, Inns and other places to stay can be found at elkhartlake.com/stay.
Where to eat & drink
All Seasons Family Restaurant
510 E. Rhine St., (920) 876-2839
facebook.com/allseasonsfamilyrestaurant
This family restaurant has a menu as big as its stack of pancakes, and serves breakfast and lunch in a casual setting with familiar favorites like omelets, salads, sandwiches, burgers, gyros, pastas and more.
The Brown Baer
181 E. Rhine St., (920) 876-3319
thebrownbaer.com
One of the town’s favorite hangouts, the Brown Baer is a pub and restaurant that serves cornbread, sandwiches, vegetarian options, wings, soups and more and the vibe is super casual, with swinging chairs, sofas and TVs showing all the big games.
The Full Monty
91 S. Lincoln St., Elkhart Lake, (920) 876-8921
thefullmontyelkhartlake.com
This new eatery from the same folks who brought Elkhart Lake the Off the Rail cafe has a menu that ranges from Indian and Thai curries to traditional English and Irish dishes and beyond. There's also a basement bar that offers craft cocktails and is open late.
The Garage BBQ Pit & Saloon
191 Lincoln St., (920) 876-4900
thegaragebbqpit.com
Now under new ownership and with a new name and a new menu is The Garage BBQ Pit, at the entrance to town on Highway 67. You can see and smell the smoker at work as you – and lunchtime – approach. There are sandwiches, wings, chicken tenders, wraps and apps, but come for the barbecue.
Harry’s Pizza & Vino
111 E. Rhine St., (920) 781-2009
harryspizzaevino.com
Harry’s Pizza e Vino relocated from Sheboygan in 2023 and has become one of the town’s most popular restaurants. Al and Laurie Latifi first started doing Roman-style pizza in Sheboygan during the pandemic, but when a space opened up in the heart of Elkhart Lake they shifted operations there and used the same dough to create more traditional round pizzas.
There are delicious apps, too, like a bowl of house-made pesto served with a loaf of bread – crunchy and mottled with char spots on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside – made from the pizza dough. There’s an extensive wine list and some house-special cocktails like The Kink with bourbon, housemade sweet and sour mix, a cabernet wine float and a lemon twist.
Lake Street Cafe
21 S. Lake St., (920) 876-2142
lakestreetcafe.com
Lake Street Cafe is located in one of the many handsome vintage “main street” structures in Elkhart Lake – there’s a cool old bank, and a former rail depot that's now a local history museum just across the street, too. This one was a former tavern and retail building dating to 1914.
Owner Lynn Shovan opened it nearly a quarter-century ago and it’s still going strong, serving a casual bistro-style menu to locals and tourists alike – gourmet sandwiches, pizzas, soups, salads and a range of entrees like shiitake chicken and tenderloin shiraz.
The former retail space – home over the years to a grocery and a hardware store – is now the bar and casual dining room decorated with breweriana, and the former tavern space on the corner is a more upscale dining room with white linen tablecloths.
Off The Rail
44 Gottfried St., (920) 876-4194
offtherailelkhartlake.com
Located in the town’s earlier (1871) train depot later converted to a feed mill and now home to shops is perfect for a casual and/or quick breakfast or lunch. There’s a cute little patio out front right for relaxing outdoor dining and, inside, the place is bustling.
Order at the counter either to go or grab a seat and they’ll bring you soups (like Thai chicken curry with noodles), delectable baked goods, espresso and coffee, and great sandwiches, including the seemingly universally praised Commuter panini with bacon, eggs and sharp cheddar on sourdough.
Paddock Club
61 S. Lake St., (920) 876-3288
paddockclubelkhartlake.com
Chef Lynn Chisholm’s restaurant is so well-loved that even on a mid-week evening – after many families are back home with their kids back in school – the place is packed. Though she worked in Milwaukee restaurants, Chisholm is from the Elkhart Lake area and returned home to open the Paddock Club, where she takes the simplest of ingredients – grilled broccoli, blistered shishito peppers – and works magic.
Even a watermelon salad that looks, on paper, like it might not work – lime feta yogurt, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, pistachio and chaat masala, dosed with a key addition of basil – comes together and is a revelation. Sliced duck breast was delicious, and was pitch perfectly paired with red grapes, olives, arugula and shaved fennel in a sherry balsamic vinaigrette. But the small pool of cashew cream beneath the slices made the entire dish soar.
Quit Qui Oc Restaurant
500 Quit Qui Oc Lane, (920) 876-2833
quitquiocgolf.com
The golf club restaurant – which has a popular Friday fish fry and monthly rib night – is bustling at lunch, serving up burgers, wraps, salads and sandwiches, including a top-flight reuben. The interior was recently gussied up with a new roof to replace some failing skylights, plus new paint, carpet and more.
You’re likely to see owners Todd and Rachel Montaba while you’re there, and be sure to have them show you the witty little commemorative plaques displayed near the bar.
The Stop-Inn Tavern
264 S. Lake St., (920) 876-2600
siebkens.com/dine/stop-inn-tavern
For dinner, there is no livelier spot, especially on a Wednesday night when there’s live music on tap, than Siebkens The Stop-Inn. Located on the lower level of a historic theater building, it has an almost subterranean speakeasy vibe with some great bar fixtures and breweriana and areas of the walls and ceilings covered in stickers, signs and race flags.
There are apps like maple-glazed carrots and fried shishito peppers, as well as cheese curbs and smoked salmon, plus burgers, sandwiches and salads. For entrees choose an all-day fish fry, risotto and chicken marsala.
SwitchGear Brewing
44d Gottfried St., (920) 781-5120
switchgearbrewing.com
Also in the former feed mill building, on the end opposite Off The Rail, is SwitchGear Brewing, which has a great taproom and patio and it has become so popular in its hometown that the crew is brewing as often as possible to keep up with demand.
When I visited, current co-owner Dustin Dutter showed me the brewhouse and even let me taste the still-lagering Oktoberfest that will be tapped at Elktoberfest at the end of September!
For more information on dining in Elkhart Lake, visit elkhartlake.com/eat-drink.
Where to shop
AspenOak
141 Rhine St.
facebook.com/p/AspenOak-100091457716479
AspenOak offers a unique mix of home décor and gifts including flowers, sweets and witty greeting cards, flowers, and more.
Elkhart Lake Outfitters
44B Gottfried St., (920) 876-2874
ginasgiftsandframing.com
Elkhart Lake Outfitters carries men’s and women’s active clothing, shoes and accessories plus the little lake essentials like sunblock, sunglasses, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and Elkhart Lake souvenirs.
Gessert’s Ice Cream & Confectionary
99 S. Lake St., (920) 781-2008
gessertsicecream.com
Gessert’s, which in 2022 celebrated a century of scooping up ice cream to Elkhart Lakers, occupies an evocative old-time setting with a soda fountain counter, great ice cream in generous portions, beautiful wooden booths, tin ceiling, terrazzo floors and leaded glass cabinets. Gessert’s also serves a hearty helping of history, with vintage postcards on display and, at the back, a little ice cream and Elkhart Lake museum.
Gifts of Grace
111 E. Rhine St., (920) 310-7110
facebook.com/p/Gifts-of-Grace-100094693188149
This Rhine Street boutique not only stocks a selection of gifts from the U.S. and Scotland, it also has an array of Christian books, gifts, cards, signs and the like.
Gina’s Fine Gifts & Framing
44B Gottfried St., (920) 876-2874
ginasgiftsandframing.com
Co-habitating with Elkhart Lake Outfitters, Gina’s serves up a selection of home decor and furnishings, teas, linens, kitchen gadgets, candles nd diffusers, bath and body products, plus purses, jewerly and other accessories.
The Intuitive Balance
176 E. Rhine St., (920) 781-2041
theintuitivebalance.com
The Intuitive Balance is Elkhart Lake’s crystals shop with high quality, ethically sourced crystals in stock that are cleansed daily.
Paddock Shop at Road America
N7390 State HWY 67, (920) 892-8116
shop.roadamerica.com
The Paddock Shop is a one-stop shop for motorsports and racing fans. There's Road America branded apparel and gifts, plus vintage posters, art prints, signs, lamps, furniture, barware and much more.
Quit Qui Oc Pro Shop
500 Quit Qui Oc Lane, (920) 876-2833
quitquiocgolf.com
Quit Qui Oc is a bustling place because not only is it a restaurant and golf course, there’s also a pro shop, that stocked with name brands like Taylor Made, Titleist, Footjoy, Nike and others. There are also golf clubs, balls, tees and everything else you need to hit the greens.
Two Fish Gallery
244 E Rhine Street, (920) 876-3192
twofishgallery.net
This gallery offering fine art and crafts made by local, regional and national artists is housed in a beautiful early 20th century Arts & Crafts-style bungalow surrounded by gardens, which makes for a one of a kind experience.
Vintage Elkhart Lake
100 E. Rhine St., (920) 876-4846
vintageelkhartlake.com
Vintage is a wine and fine foods shop owned by Milwaukee ex-pat Jaclyn Stuart, who is a certified sommelier with accreditations from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET), Court of Master Sommeliers, and the French Wine Society. In addition to an incredible selection of curated wines from around the world, Stuart has a Wine-O-Matic machine for customers to pour their own. There’s also a great selection of craft beer, spirits (especially whiskey), cheese, olive oils, vinegars and other items.
For more information on shopping in Elkhart Lake, visit elkhartlake.com/play/?_place_category=shop.
What to do
Aspira Spa
101 Osthoff Ave., (920) 876-5843
osthoff.com/aspira-spa
After a day of hiking, kayaking and lazing on the beach and eating tasty food, a visit to the Aspira Spa at The Osthoff is a welcome change. Spending some time in the salt room with its soothing yellow glow, quietude and sleep-inducing chaise lounges; kick back in the whirlpool; or enjoy an 80-minute Sacred Waters Hydrating Massage, which was a full-body deep tissue massage with the added benefit of “sacred native pouches, (that) hold the healing crystal-clear Elkhart Lake water.” These are “placed on the body’s energy centers to restore a grounding flow of energy to the chakra system.” I’m not sure I know what it means, but I’ll tell you it definitely works to soothe sore muscles and relieve pent-up tension.
Elkhart Lake
You’re at Elkhart Lake, so don’t forget to enjoy the no-wake lake itself. I’ve whiled away a good couple hours the last two years just kayaking in the serenity of the lake, sitting in a chair at the end of a pier or gawping at the beautiful homes perched atop the lakeshore on a sunset cruise.
Here’s all the information you need on places with kayak rentals, cruises, fishing charters, watersports and more!
Hiking
Two sections of the Ice Age Trail LaBudde Creek Segment are a short drive – or bike ride (you can rent bikes at The Osthoff) – from town. These two trails – which are, sadly, not contiguous – wend their way through the Kettle Moraine’s LaBudde Creek wetlands area for a total of 3.35 miles, and each offers a different feel. The southern segment is forested, with occasional breaks, while the northern section is mostly open prairie.
Not far away are also the Old Plank Road Trail, which runs more than 20 miles from Sheboygan out to Greenbush and is being extended, and Broughton Sheboygan Marsh Park, which has an observation tower.
Quit Qui Oc
500 Quit Qui Oc Lane, (920) 876-2833
quitquiocgolf.com
This 27-hole course covering more than 250 acres has been family-owned-and-operated for more than a half a century. There’s a teaching and practice facility, a pro shop, a restaurant and bar, plus lessons from PGA and LPGA professionals. Power carts and clubs are available for rent.
The folks are nice, the food is great and the setting is stunning. You probably don’t even have to be all that into golf to have a great time on these links.
Road America
N 7390 WI-67, (920) 892-4576
roadamerica.com
Road America calls itself America’s National Park of Speed and it’s a well-earned, if self-bestowed title. There are, of course, races on the four-mile track, but that’s just the beginning. The track opens two nights a week for Four Miles of Fitness, allowing folks to run, walk or bike the same track on which the cars race.
Plus, there are go-karts, off-roading, motorcycle lessons and much more for groups and for individuals. Last year, I did a lap in a pace car at eye-watering speeds and this summer, I went off-roading and go-karting in the pouring rain, which was an absolute blast.
Alas, weather both times – 103-degree heat last year and thunderstorms this year – mean I have still not achieved my goal of running the track during Four Miles of Fitness. There’s always next year.
Throttlestop
20 Victory Lane, (920) 876-2277
throttlestop.com
For more auto-fueled fun, check out Throttlestop, a big, modern complex on the edge of the town that has a consignment luxury sports car dealership, a detailing and storage business, and an automobile and motorcycle museum. I’m not a huge aficionado of cars or bikes, but even I couldn’t believe the range and depth of the collection here, to say nothing of the sheer size of it.
I especially enjoyed the classics like early Corvettes, but also the more recent Italian sports cars, which are for sale. Because I apparently have Champagne taste, I immediately picked out my favorite Ferrari only to learn its asking price is a cool $2 million.
For more information on things to do in Elkhart Lake, visit elkhartlake.com/play.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
