Category: Wisconsin

Here’s another location that I visited for the first time late in life. It has a long history as a very popular tourist destination. We were looking for a nearby, quick couples getaway. I wanted something with a lake view, so we booked a room at the Bella Vista Suites.

Lake Geneva is an upscale area, with tons of shopping and restaurants. We loved the food, especially the Egg Harbor Cafe, which had lots of gluten free options for Diana. There were a couple of awesome artist’s shops with very eclectic pieces.

We took a narrated boat tour around the lake, viewing the beautiful homes and scenery. We also drove around the lake to see these same vacation homes from the road.

The one bad side from the trip was the hotel room. While the view and location were great, the room was not clean, and it was really oddly laid out. There were two bathrooms in the suite, and one of them did not have a door! The windows were poorly sealed. We had to ask for new sheets because the ones we had were dirty, and when we changed them noticed the mattress pad was even worse!

We survived the short trip, but I don’t think we’ll go back there.

Where we stayed: Bella Vista Suites

After living in Wisconsin 56 years, I finally visited La Crosse, and I regret not getting here sooner. After talking with a close friend who used to live there, we got some recommendations and pointers for a quick couples getaway.

We stayed at the Charmant, a historic former chocolate factory right on the Mississippi river. The room was walled in brick with a warm, antique feel inside. The views of the corner room were fantastic, overlooking the park on the river.

We had a chance to meet up with a friend of ours who used to teach in Kaukauna, but is now living in Minnesota just across the river from La Crosse.

We took a riverboat ride that departed close to the hotel. It was colder than expected, and I ended up buying a souvenir hoodie at the gift shop.

The food was incredible, and the shopping was great. I highly recommend the view of the city from Grandad’s Bluff, it’s spectacular.

Where we stayed: The Charmant