Guest post by Jeremy Gill from Chicago, Illinois (Instagram: jeremys_jaunts)
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I’m back in Racine County, Wisconsin—and somehow, I keep finding something completely different to do.
I’ve explored Downtown Racine. I’ve headed west to check out Waterford, Burlington and Union Grove. This time, I wanted a little more adventure, some time outside and, obviously, plenty of good food along the way.
From a lighthouse on Lake Michigan and kayaking with wildlife to Kringle and a symphony inside a greenhouse, this trip exceeded my expectations.
Starting Along Lake Michigan
I checked into the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in Mount Pleasant before heading to Wind Point Lighthouse.
Standing 108 feet tall, the lighthouse has been guiding ships along Lake Michigan since 1880. But honestly, this was also one of those places where I just wanted to walk around, take in the lake views and explore.
Make sure you stop by the gift shop building while you’re there. You’ll find a green button that activates the foghorn—and you MUST press it. Trust me.
Just be prepared. It’s a foghorn after all!
And since this is Wisconsin, we need to talk about the cheese curds. The ones at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott – Mount Pleasant were top notch. Exactly what I needed before heading back out.
A Symphony…in a Greenhouse?
This was not something I expected.
I headed to Milaeger’s for the Racine Symphony Orchestra—inside a greenhouse.
Yes, a greenhouse.
What a cool concept. Sitting among all that greenery while listening to live music was such a special and unexpected treat. I never would have thought to put “symphony” and “greenhouse” together, but it works.
I also stopped at the Modine-Benstead Observatory (run by the Racine Astronomical Society). Unfortunately, the weather had other plans, so stargazing wasn’t happening for me that night.
Sometimes the clouds win.
The Next Morning Called for Kringle
You can’t come to Racine County and skip the Kringle.
The next morning, I headed to O&H Danish Bakery, which has been making Kringle in Racine since 1949.
I went for the cream cheese Kringle, and I LOVED it.
And it wasn’t just the Kringle. The vibe inside O&H was awesome. There was so much to look at, plenty of treats to choose from and that feeling that you’re experiencing something that’s genuinely part of Racine.
My advice? Come hungry.
Getting Back on the Water
Next up was kayaking at River Bend Nature Center.
And this ended up being one of my favorite parts of the entire trip.
It was PEACEFUL.
I paddled along the Root River, took in the scenery and spotted wildlife along the way. For a little while, I wasn’t thinking about where I needed to go next or what was left on the itinerary. I could just enjoy being outside.
It brought me back to my younger days, when you could explore, look for wildlife and just be carefree.
I didn’t expect kayaking to bring that feeling back, but I’m really glad it did.
Ending at the Marina
After kayaking, I headed to Reefpoint Brew House for one last meal.
First of all, those views.
Sitting right along Reefpoint Marina and looking out over the boats was a pretty great way to end the weekend.
And then came the shrimp.
They were delightful.
Shrimp, incredible marina views and a chance to sit back after a full weekend? I’ll take it.
Jeremy’s Jaunts Picks
🥐 Must try: The cream cheese Kringle at O&H Danish Bakery. I loved it—and the vibe inside was just as much fun.
🎻 Biggest surprise: Racine Symphony Orchestra at Milaeger’s. A symphony inside a greenhouse. Who knew? Such a special experience.
🛶 Favorite experience: Kayaking at River Bend Nature Center. Peaceful, full of wildlife and one of those moments where I could just enjoy being outside.
🍤 Favorite bite: The shrimp at Reefpoint Brew House. Add those marina views and you’ve got a winner.
🧀 Wisconsin moment: The cheese curds at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott – Mount Pleasant. Top notch.
💡 Trust me: Find the green button at the Wind Point Lighthouse gift shop building and press it. You’ll hear the foghorn—and yes, it’s loud.
Racine County Keeps Surprising Me
Every time I come back to Racine County, I find a completely different side of it.
This weekend gave me Lake Michigan, a lighthouse, a symphony in a greenhouse, Kringle, kayaking, wildlife and some really good food.
But being out on the water at River Bend is what I’ll remember most. Seeing the wildlife brought me back to those days when you could just explore and be carefree.
This trip exceeded my expectations.
Racine County, you did it again. I’m definitely not done exploring.
Looking for more fun? Visit our Things to Do page for everything going on in Racine County!
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