Things To Do In Lake Geneva Before You Head To Pier 290

Lake Geneva and the surrounding area, like Williams Bay, has a lot to offer for sights to see and ways to spend your time. Whether you’re starting or ending your day at Pier 290, you not only get a great view and great food and drinks, but our restaurant has a nautical atmosphere filled with rich local and boating history.

We are Lake Geneva’s only lakeside restaurant with a beautiful view of Williams Bay from our dining room, outdoor patio and bar, beach or covered canopies. We’re a great place to stop on your lake shore path walk or for a quick drive out of downtown Lake Geneva.

We have classic and unique drinks, tasty appetizers, comfort food and great seafood options for lunch and dinner every day.

Lake Geneva Walking Path

If you’re starting your day here, one of the best ways to see the lake is from the Lake Geneva Walking Path, which goes right in front of our patio so you can pick it up and head out for either a quick or a very extended walk!

The walking path gives you a very unique view of the lake and the beautiful houses along the lake. The path follows the shore all the way around Lake Geneva. It’s about 20 miles all the way around – which can be done in one day, but we suggest breaking it up into different days – and takes you right past beautiful lake homes and gives you an up close and personal view of the properties. There are only a handful of public access points, so make sure to plan where you want to start and how long you want to walk.

Local attractions

Just down the road from us is another great place to take a walk – Kishwauketoe Nature Conservancy. The 231-acre property has rolling creeks and calm ponds, wild vegetation and a boardwalk that hovers above a wetland. If you like to bird watch or quiz yourself on plant varieties – this is the place for you!

If you’re heading to downtown Lake Geneva from Williams Bay, perhaps the most recognizable landmark to watch out for is the fountain in front of the Riviera. The fountain is a replica of the Angel of the Waters Fountain in Central Park, New York. It was donated in 2004 by the Driehaus Family, which has one of the largest and most recognizable homes on the shores of Lake Geneva. We recommend selfies in front of the fountain and stopping by at night to catch the beautiful lights.

Beaches

Right next to the fountain is the Riviera Beach, where you can go swimming in the lake and lounge in the sun. Daily admission is required during the summer, but only until 6 p.m. After 6 p.m., admission is free, but it’s swim at your own risk with no lifeguards on duty.

While most of the shores of Lake Geneva are privately owned, there are several other beaches. Big Foot Beach is actually a Wisconsin state park. The thin strip of beach in Buttons Bay on Lake Geneva is popular with families and groups of people looking to anchor a boat or float by the beach. There are also beaches available to the public for a small fee in Fontana and Williams Bay.

Downtown Lake Geneva

If you continue west from the beach, you’ll find Library Park and the Lake Geneva Public Library. Both are excellent spots to get a view of the lake. The library features a local history collection of rare books, photographs, maps, newspaper clippings and articles dating back to 1849.

Looking for some local flowers, products and produce? Check out the Lake Geneva Farmers’ Market every Thursday from 8 am – 1pm. The market is held every week from May 2 to Oct. 24. Grab some Wisconsin cheese, some fresh produce, a piece of local pottery or a new bar of soap!

Lake tours

When you’re in town, you should probably get out onto Lake Geneva to see how amazing it is! Lake Geneva Cruise Lines makes that possible! They have boat tour options that range in time from one hour to more than three, and exciting features from learning about the lake to watching the mailboat jumpers to enjoying an amazing champagne brunch.

Don’t forget to stroll down the public pier to the left of their ticket boat to snap some amazing pictures of you and your friends and family with beautiful Lake Geneva in the background before you leave!

Watersports

If being on one of the lake tours inspired you to get your feet wet, Gage Marine is the place to go to get in the water. Gage’s experienced and knowledgeable team can help you buy your very own Chris-Craft, MasterCraft, Monterey, Boston Whaler or Bennington boat.

A nice walk around the lake or in a beautiful nature conservancy, beach time, watersports – no matter what you choose to do before or after you join us for drinks and some great food, we know you and your friends and family will have a great time visiting our beautiful city and our beautiful lake!