A mere 60 minutes away from Barrington, nestled in the rolling hills of Wisconsin, lies The Grand Geneva Resort & Spa. Exiting the highway, my family and I entered the resort’s property and were immediately taken in by its breathtaking grounds. The long, winding drive to the resort passes wooden fences, green golf courses, and tall stands of beautiful trees. The excitement grew in our car as the resort—our home for the weekend—slowly unfolded itself before us.

After check-in, we settled into our beautiful suite—discovering its nooks and crannies including a separate bar area, delightful fireplace, and outdoor patio overlooking the stunning golf course grounds. The ease of walking to dinner from our suite was not lost on us the first night, and we arrived at Ristorantè Brissago—the resort’s Italian restaurant—in plenty of time for a cocktail first at the resort’s airy bar. There we enjoyed an aperitif while sitting in front of a wall of windows overlooking the most beautiful grounds. Ristorantè Brissago’s contemporary take on traditional Italian cuisine combines authentic flavors and creativity. Just as in Italy, here the chef is in tune with the seasons, creating dishes (using seasonal ingredients) inspired by regional recipes from all over Italy.

From a barbabietola insalata of roasted beets, arugula, Door County cherries and more, to a dish of grilled octopus with a citrus chickpea puree the antipasta menu is robust and delicious. For our entrees, we chose an herb parmesan reggiano crusted halibut with a side of roasted tomato risotto and a Mediterranean sea bass with Castelvetrano olives and artichokes—both a delicious pairing.

Speaking of pairing, the comprehensive wine list complemented each course, subtly enhancing the flavors of the dishes. And their elevated children’s menu provided ample choices of Italian fare for the littler ones in our group.

After dinner, we took advantage of the trolley—it runs non-stop throughout the resort transporting you to wherever you wish. When we parked our car for the weekend, we didn’t return to it until it was time to say goodbye. Hopping onto the trolley we headed for the outdoor bonfire to roast s’mores in the starlight. Depending on the time of year you go, keep an eye out for seasonal activities on the resort—like a haunted hay ride during Halloween that drives you on a tractor through a completely spooky and haunted forest full of characters doing their best (and succeeding) in delightfully scaring the tractor’s passengers.

When Saturday dawned, my husband took in a round of golf—enjoying all the amenities offered at Wisconsin’s top golf resort. Two award-winning courses are available to play: The Brute, rated one of the best in the Midwest, and The Highlands, a Scottish link-style course. Both courses are as challenging as they are beautiful. I opted to start the morning with a luxurious Hanakasumi Signature Spa Treatment at the spa. Inspired by Japanese tradition, this relaxing body ritual starts out with a warmed exfoliating cherry blossom and rice powder cream, followed by an exfoliating towel to soften skin and invigorate the body. A unique foot massage based on reflexology revives vital energy and just when you think you could not relax more, shea butter is worked into your skin for ultimate hydration and blissful relaxation. This was the perfect yin to start the day with as next we were headed to the yang of the waterpark.

Taking in the scene from a private cabana poolside, I cannot emphasize enough how much fun the entire family had at the Timber Ridge Waterpark. As it’s located on the Grand Geneva’s property, we also took the trolley there. After wearing out our children on all the water slides, they talked us into some arcade playing just steps away from the waterpark’s entrance. Heading back to our suite via the trolley, we had a moment of respite before dining at the Chophouse that evening.

Hand-selected steaks, custom-seasoned, and prepared to perfection in an open-hearth grill, makes the Chophouse one of the best restaurants in Lake Geneva. With wines cultivated in one of the world’s premier wine-making regions and strategically chosen to complement the cut, they’ve mastered the art of satisfying the palate. Similar to the night before, the appetizers were a wide range of flavors enticing you to try them. We chose a tempura cauliflower with sweet chili, cilantro, togarashi and lemon-basil—definitely put it on your list to try, along with the crab cake with a sweet corn maque choux and red pepper coulis.

We moved to the Skuna Bay salmon with a farro tabbouleh and citrus-mint yogurt, and a center cut, melt-in-your-mouth filet. Truly a wonderful way to end our fun-filled day.

Since the drive home was so quick, before we left, we had yet another action-packed day. We began the day renting mountain bikes and exploring the ample trail system available. So many gorgeous trails to get lost in while biking through forests and alongside gorgeous green meadows. After our two-wheel adventure ended, we headed to the archery course where we all took a shot (pun-intended) at learning the mechanics of shooting a bow and arrow. Such a unique and fun activity for the family to do together.

There was so much to do at the resort for a weekend getaway as a couple, a family, friends, or to meet another family there. We’re already planning what is on our docket for when we return soon—will it be the indoor sky-high rock climbing wall, renting scooters to tour around Lake Geneva, a round of tennis, or skiing down their slopes and warming up inside in the gorgeous resort?

To plan your visit, go to grandgeneva.com.