Perhaps the best way to appreciate the natural beauty of the area is by getting out onto the lake in a kayak, canoe or aboard the Elkhart Queen, a pontoon boat that accommodates about 25. Rental information is available here. The crystal-clear, ice-cold waters of Elkhart Lake are bracing and beautiful, and the view across the lake back towards the 129-year-old Osthoff Resort offers a glimpse into a bygone era of Victorian opulence and steamer-trunk travel. Spend an hour or two lazily paddling the 292-acre lake, enjoying the rolling hills, farms and fields along its western shore, a stark contrast to the more developed east side. 

 

For landlubbers, there are a number of hiking trails in the area, including a section of Wisconsin’s 1,200-mile Ice Age Trail that winds through parts of Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest, LaBudde Creek State Fishery Area and Sheboygan Marsh Park, and the Greenbush complex of hiking, biking and snowshoe trails a few miles south of town, which range from just under a mile to just over 5 miles.