Home for the Holidays in Walworth County

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go.”

From sparkling lights in downtown Lake Geneva and decorated trees in Elkhorn to a light tunnel in East Troy, Walworth County is decked out with holiday spirit. If you’re bringing the entire family for a visit or hosting friends for the holidays, Walworth County has trimmed the trees, hung up the lights, turned on the Christmas music, and sprayed fake snow on the windows (at least until we get our first big Wisconsin snow!) to welcome you.

Lake Geneva’s Parade of Trees

If a Parade of Trees doesn’t scream holiday fun, we’re not sure what does! Geneva Lake Museum hosts the Parade of Trees every year with dozens of decorated trees in the museum and around Lake Geneva’s downtown area. The Museum’s trees can be viewed Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-3pm, but the trees throughout the downtown can be viewed anytime. Make sure to remember which one is your favorite and go online to vote for the People’s Choice Award!

Let It Glow at the Walworth County Fairgrounds

Looking to continue your tour of holiday trees? Head to Let It Glow at the Walworth County Fairgrounds in Elkhorn. Let It Glow is a free drive-thru holiday festival with whimsical light displays along Balsam Boulevard. The trees are sponsored and decorated by local families, organizations, and businesses. Trees will be on display through Dec. 27.

Turn on the Twinkle in East Troy

East Troy will be hosting East Troy Lights, a timed, interactive light show set to music daily on the hour at 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, and 8pm through December. You can walk through the lights or see the show from you car by tuning into 90.9 FM to get the full experience.

The twinkling lights illuminate the entire downtown East Troy Square in sync with favorite holiday songs, or visitors can take control of a light show simulator and create their own holiday light show.

Grand Geneva’s Gingerbread House Walk

We can’t promise you’ll be able to pick your favorite, but we can promise some pretty sweet views when you visit the Grand Geneva, and we’re not talking about the dozens of decorated Christmas trees and holiday displays. We’re talking about the Gingerbread House Walk. Area residents, in amateur, professional, adult, and child categories, build and display their Gingerbread House masterpieces at the Grand Geneva through the holidays. The Gingerbread House Walk is open to the public Sunday-Thursday from 8am-8pm.

Christmas Remembered at Rosewood

Another holiday event you shouldn’t miss is Christmas Remembered, a Rosewood tradition that celebrates some of the most loved hymns, carols, and holiday songs. Christmas Remembered is a live show of vocals and orchestrations performed amongst colorful lighting and video. Audience members are encouraged to sing along throughout the performance.

New Year’s Eve Celebrations in Walworth County

Once all the presents are opened, the cookies are eaten, and the carols are sung…it’ll be time to celebrate the New Year. Alpine Valley Resort is hosting a New Year’s Eve party with a live band and drink specials starting at 9pm. Or ring in the New Year with a full spread of festive eats and treats at Lake Lawn Resort’s New Year’s Eve Dinner Buffet.

“We wish you a merry Christmas. And a happy New Year. Glad tidings we bring. To you and your kin. Glad tidings for Christmas, and a happy New Year” in Walworth County!

Walworth County Is Ready to Host Your Holiday Parties

The buzz around Walworth County is that everyone is excited for the holidays this year – excited for the decorations and sparkly lights. Excited for the food and holiday fun. Excited for getting together with family and friends. Speaking of family and friends…are you planning a holiday party for your family, a weekend away with friends, or a party for your office? Walworth County is ready to host your holiday party with options from Lake Geneva up to Delavan and Whitewater, and over to East Troy.

Holiday parties in Lake Geneva

From the west side of Geneva Lake in Fontana to the city of Lake Geneva, there are tons of options for your holiday parties. An office party with a lake view (even in December) sounds like a great way to celebrate the holidays with coworkers. Check out the waterfront options at the beautiful and historic Baker House, the unique sunset views from Bella Vista Suites, and the three event space options at Pier 290 in Williams Bay. The Cove of Lake Geneva is centrally located so your guest can explore the city, and the Geneva Inn features event options for every season and every group.

Geneva Inn

Across the lake in Fontana, The Abbey Resort is ready to host any size holiday party with team building activities and customizable catering menus. Abbey Springs, also in Fontana, is a full-service country club capable of hosting any holiday party. With four event venues, The Ridge Hotel on Lake Como has the event expertise to plan your perfect holiday party. Ready to host groups from 5 to 500, Geneva National can help put together your personalized party experience.

Also in Lake Geneva, the beautiful Maxwell Mansion has holiday party packages for groups of all sizes that can be completely customized. Hawk’s View Golf Club has event coordinating and catering staff ready to help plan your ideal holiday party. And Gino’s East of Chicago is ready with the banquet space and menu options you’re looking for. For a truly unique gathering, host your holiday party in Studio Winery’s tasting room or their recording lounge.

Maxwell Mansion

If family is your focus, bring everyone to Timber Ridge Lodge and Grand Geneva for plenty of fun at the water park, food with several bars and restaurants, and options like fitness classes, rock climbing, skiing, or hiking (depending on the Wisconsin weather!) to keep everyone busy during a holiday gathering. If you want to explore downtown Lake Geneva during your family holiday getaway, Harbor Shores on Lake Geneva is centrally located with options for group gatherings.

Celebrate the holidays a little further north

No matter the size of your party, Alpine Valley Resort has food and bar packages to fit, plus decorated spaces with picturesque views of the ski hill. Bring the family together for a unique gathering at Ye Olde Manor House in Elkhorn, or book the banquet space at Willow Brook Golf Course in Whitewater. For something extra special, plan dinner and a show for your work party at The Fireside Theatre in Fort Atkinson.

Celebrate in Delavan or Elkhorn

Delavan Lake also offers up some great holiday party locations with a water view, including Delavan Lake Resort and Lake Lawn Resort. Delavan Lake Store has a lounge that’s perfect for holiday parties with options to add on live music, drinks, food, and goody bags. Rosewood in Delavan has a cozy atmosphere and long list of amenities for any type of holiday party you’re planning. For a classic supper club vibe, book a private holiday party at the Duck Inn in Delavan or Evergreen County Club in Elkhorn. The Monte Carlo Room at Sperino’s in Elkhorn has all the amenities you need plus customized catering options.

Lake Lawn Resort

For a unique holiday party, plan an outing at Staller Estate Winery with wine flight and light food options, or customized packages to fit your party. For a truly memorable holiday, book your holiday party at The Treasury – a historical hidden gem in downtown Delavan.

Celebrate the holidays a little further south

Looking to celebrate closer to home or in a more centralized spot for your group? Rush Creek Distilling is just across the Illinois border in Harvard and their modern industrial distillery could be the perfect vibe for your holiday party. For a more country setting, Nippersink Golf Club in Genoa City is a picturesque venue hidden in the farmlands of southern Wisconsin that can accommodate a variety of holiday party plans. No matter the size, type or vibe of your holiday party, Walworth County is ready to host anything you’ve got planned for the 2021 holiday season.

Eat & Drink Your Way Through Fall Treats & Taps

It’s fall ya’ll! And what better way to celebrate than sampling some of the best fall treats around Walworth County. We’ve created an itinerary to take you from donuts and coffee to brews and dinner all while enjoying the beautiful fall weather and colors.

Start at Pearce’s Farm Stand in Walwort. Their fresh apple cider donuts are some of the best in the area, plus you can grab some produce, pumpkins and other goodies while the kids play outside or run through the corn maze.

After you’re stocked up on donuts, produce, and pumpkins head to Stillwater Coffee Company in Elkhorn for a coffee or a London Fog to warm up and re-caffeinate. The London Fog is Earl Grey tea, steamed milk, vanilla, and local honey. Yum!

Just a couple miles west is Apple Barn Orchard & Winery where you HAVE to stop for one of their caramel apples. They’re sweet, salty, crunchy, and slightly difficult to eat…just like a good caramel apple should be! Don’t leave without checking out their bakery case, freshly picked apples, and wines made from fruits picked right on the property.

Right about now you might be thinking an adult beverage sounds good…so our next two stops include some local brews. Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company in Elkhorn is brewing up a Muddy Duroc Brown Ale that looks mighty tasty in one of their new Oktoberfest steins.

If you want a little bit of history with your brew, head to East Troy Brewery and try their new Sewall Stout. It’s named after an East Troy legend who was the owner of the first store front in the Village of East Troy in 1841. He was also the village’s first Postmaster General. The dark stout has a malty flavor that comes from the barley, brown sugar and molasses it’s brewed with. Sounds like a great brew for a fall day!

To round out your fall adventures in Walworth County, head to the Black Sheep in Whitewater where they are featuring some fall dishes on their October/November menu, including a Dijon chicken thigh with fall vegetables, pork belly ramen, a vegan meatloaf, squash cavatappi with spiced squash and apple, and a lamb shank with herb tomato gravy. Those are some comfort dishes to warm you up on a fall evening!

If you head to any (we hope all) of these spots or find your own fall treats in Walworth County, post them on Facebook or Instagram using #VisitWalworthCounty and you might see them shared on our page. If you’re looking for events to check out, head to https://visitwalworthcounty.com/events/ for local events throughout October and November.