Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

From Gilded Age reminders and glacier-made beauty to spa-going and stargazing, Lake Geneva feels a world away from it's nearest big-city neighbor, Chicago. In the early 20th century, the area was dubbed "Newport of the West" for its wildly extravagant summer mansions—many of which you can spy walking on the public access Shore Path or boating across the lake—built by wealthy Chicagoans the likes of Wrigley, Schwinn, and Maytag. These days, the Lake Geneva area, which includes adjacent Fontana and Williams Bay, welcomes visitors for rest and relaxation year-round.