The town of Kohler, Wisconsin, is renowned as a destination for golfers and couples. But this winter, it’s also a wonderful getaway for families.
These days, we’re asking a lot of travel spots — we want them to feel safe yet an escape from everyday, easy but still fun-filled. Happily, Kohler checks all those boxes.
The centerpiece of Kohler, a village of about two thousand residents, set just west of Sheboygan, is the American Club, a five-star hotel whose origins trace back to 1918, when it served as housing for workers at the Kohler Co. The company’s presence — and the upscale bath and plumbing fixtures it manufactures — is felt throughout the town, from its restaurants and accommodations to the Kohler Waters Spa and the iconic Whistling Straits golf courses.
Newer to town is Winter Wonderland, a collection of seasonal activities and where our getaway weekend began. Set within and alongside two gray barns are practically a whole day’s worth of wintertime options. Within one barn, you can give curling a try, or you can opt for ice bowling outside. Inside the other barn, you can warm up with cocoa or rent ice skates, which you can take for a spin on a smooth rink accented with twinkly lights. Additional activities include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing or fat-tire biking across the snowy landscape.
Gliding across the ice on a sunny afternoon was delightful, and we had a blast bowling outside and trying curling for the first time.
The only way to convince my kids to leave the winter fun behind was the promise of a treat, so we headed to the American Club, where we’d be spending the night. After dropping our bags in our room, we went straight to the Greenhouse, an antique English solarium that now operates as a coffee and sweets shop. While my kids enjoyed ice cream, I marveled at the setting: with light pouring in through the stained glass windows and plants hanging from the ceiling, it felt like we were sitting inside some kind of fairy tale greenhouse.
Next, it was back to our room to settle in and relax. We all cozied in quickly, finding spots to read, play cards and just hang out. The fluffy white beds, the room’s warm traditional décor and the cold outside all worked together to make us not want to leave.
But I’m glad we did venture out later to pick up dinner, because as we exited the hotel, we were greeted with a rolling lawn of trees covered in glowing lights. It made for a magical walk to our car, and lights continued on the drive over to the Shops at Woodlake, where Taverne is located.
When I popped in to get our to-go order, I longed to be dining at the restaurant. I could envision my family nestled into one of the green velvet banquettes, chatting over the din of diners and the live music and trying bites of each other’s dishes. But, on this visit, taking our dinner to the hotel was the right choice for us.
Back in our room, we unboxed our meals, spreading them across the coffee table. Then we dug in to flavorful appetizers and entrees such as tuna poke with soy ginger dressing, a crunchy romaine and brussels sprout salad, teriyaki salmon and a wood-fired pork chop with jalapeño jam.
Our after-dinner activities felt fitting for our location. We took turns soaking in the deep Kohler bathtub. For me, turning on the Rêve BubbleMassage feature enhanced the relaxation; for my kids, it transformed a bath into a fizzy party. They stayed in for over an hour!
The only thing better than that tub was a visit to the Kohler Waters Spa the next morning. While social distancing and other rules are strictly maintained, the experience was still transporting. I got lucky and had the sauna to myself for a long stretch, and also spent some time lounging by the waterfall pool. Finally, a blissful massage did wonders to erase much of the tension that had been building in my shoulders over the past few months.
After breakfast picked up from Craverie — fresh fruit, croissant sandwiches and smoothies — we said goodbye to the hotel, my kids begging the entire time for “just one more night” there. Reflecting on how the weekend had been an ideal mix of fun and relaxing, we promised them — and ourselves — that we’d return as soon as possible.
– Katie Vaughn
Photos courtesy of Kohler Co.
Katie Vaughn is the editor and co-founder of Northerly. She is a University of Wisconsin-Madison and Stanford University-trained journalist with experience as a writer, reporter, editor, blogger and author. She lives in Madison with her husband, daughter and son, and is always up for an adventure.