Morning! I’ve picked up Zain’s summer cold, given it to my mother and am recovering from girl’s night yesterday so we are running on lots of yawns and coffee over here currently. 

As for today’s post, when we were on vacation week before last I received a ton of questions on our rental, what we thought of Lake Geneva so on so I thought I would share a little about our week there! My parents had said they wanted to do a family vacation and with all of our kids somewhere within driving distance from Chicago seemed to be the easiest. Once we narrowed that down there were a ton of lake towns to chose from! I’ve heard great things about New Buffalo, Traverse City, Ottawa and beyond so narrowing it down really just depended on proximity to us and my brother in the northern suburbs. 

We asked around for a little while and finally decided on Lake Geneva and absolutely loved it! It was such a short drive from Chicago (about an hour and a half) which is so crucial with a kid and such a quaint place! It truly felt like a small town and everyone was so incredibly friendly. 

So, here are all the details and everywhere you all recommended to check out!

 

Where We Stayed

We knew we wanted to find a house to rent instead of a resort so everyone could cozy up in the same place. I scoured Airbnb for something that could fit us all and since the size limited us a bit (there were 6 adults and 4 kids) I was getting a little nervous. Then I stumbled upon this magical house. It happened to be in Fontana which several people had recommended and we loved every room more than the next. Fontana is just across the lake from downtown Lake Geneva and has it’s own beach. We were steps away from a huge park and playground plus the beach and our rental came with the owners beach and parking pass. Since the beach isn’t free to the public it tends to be much less crowded and easier to maneuver with such a large group.

The house had a ton of rooms, great group space and an amazing front and back porch that we spent an insane amount of time on. Our host Frances also had everything stocked to the nines and no detail was left unattended to. We had such a great time in the house and didn’t have a single complaint! Oh, did I mention she had baby gates, a OXO high chair and Baby Bjorn travel crib for use so we didn’t need to bring any of that! 

I spoke with the owner and if you happen to book make sure to use code #SHAHEEN when you check out. She said she would consider those bookings for perks and/or discounts! If you have any additional questions about the rental feel free to leave them below in the comments!

 

 

What We Ate

We had all submitted our favorite Indian dishes to my mom weeks before vacation which she cooked and brought with her so we didn’t eat out as much as we normally would. However, you all sent in the best recommendations so I listed all of those below. The few that we did swing by didn’t disappoint! We went to Pier 290 on a super hot day and it was so nice to sit on the water and enjoy lunch. We grabbed cocktails, walked along the beach and played the games they had in the back. It was a great place for kids too!

We also grabbed lunch at Daddy Maxwell’s on a rainy afternoon and it totally hit the spot. It was a retro diner inside that had every menu option you could think of. We stuffed ourselves and enjoyed every bite of it. 

 

Gordy’s – Iconic, Casual, Great Food, Paddle board rental 

Chucks – Casual, Great Food

Medusa – Great dinner spot

Oakfire – Cute pizza place with outdoor seating 

Abbey Resort & Grand Geneva – Great spa

Simple Cafe – Great breakfast/lunch

The Geneva Lake Cruise Lines – Great cruise to see the city 

Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub – Great dinner

 

 

 

What We Did

We mostly hung out at the house playing board games, badminton or reading on the porch and then ventured to the beach a ton. There was a huge playground by the beach so it was nice to stop by there on walks to let the kid’s play. We did have one rainy day and my brother and sister in law ended up taking their kid’s to the Grand Geneva Spa and getting day passes for the indoor pool! The kids had a blast so it’s nice that they have indoor option close. 

It was such a nice low key week and I think if you are looking for some relaxation and an escape from the city it is perfect! 

 

 

 

 

Hope this was helpful and if you have any other questions feel free to leave them in the comments and I will get back to you!