By Brian E. Clark
Special To Channel 3000

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. -- Like a lot of other Wisconsinites, I figured it wasn't a real summer vacation unless I went to the Northwoods - the closer to the Upper Peninsula the better.

SLIDESHOW: See Photos Of Lake Geneva

The southern reaches of the state were fine for a day trip. And as for Lake Geneva, well, I'd pretty much written that neck of the woods off as part of Illinois.

Big mistake.

After a recent family getaway to the Abbey Resort on the west end of the lake in the Village of Fontana that included an historic boat tour/ice cream social, I may just have to go back for a longer visit.

Granted, more than half the license plates I saw were from the Illini State. But hey, Wisconsin can use all the dollars they want to send north.

And besides, they were friendly folk out looking for some rest and relaxation - just like my brood.

We picked the Abbey because we'd read about the resort's $40 million makeover in 2005, a full children's program and its  reputation as one of the lake's top destinations.

Then there is the new Avani Spa, which covers 35,000 square feet and has 13 massage rooms, a luxury spa suite, two wet treatment rooms with private hydrotherapy tubs and five skin-care rooms.

One of the best parts of the trip was our tour on the Grand Belle of Geneva, a double-decker boat designed after turn-of-the-century steamers that once plied the lake. My kids (ages 5 and 7) especially enjoyed the open-ended stern and bow and the tasty ice cream sundaes that were included as the price of our tickets.

I liked the yummy ice cream, too, but my favorite part of the 80-minute sojourn was the lakeside views of the stunning, park-like estates owned by descendants of famous Chicago families like the Wrigleys, Sears and Pinkertons.

Our visit to the Abbey began on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. After finding our room, we walked a bit on the expansive, 90-acre grounds and checked out the resort's marina.

I was on the hunt for classic Chris Craft boats, which are a big part of the annual antique boat show held at the resort each fall. Alas, I couldn't find any in the marina. (But we did see some the on the Grand Belle tour.)

With the kids' stomachs rumbling, we headed for dinner in the Fontana Grill after our walk around the grounds. The youngsters had chicken fingers, while my wife and I went for the mouth-watering Divers' Scallops and the seafood linguine.

And boy, was that chocolate cake for dessert good, too.

After dinner, we made our way to the small theater to watch a family movie. Then it was on to the big indoor pool, where we splashed around for another hour.

Day two found us walking around the town of Lake Geneva after our boat adventure, checking out the shops, the parks and the 19th Century architecture. My daughter especially enjoyed meeting the draft horses that pull carriages through the burg.

Too soon, we were headed back to Madison.  But I've got the feeling we'll be visiting again.

After all, a tour of the Abbey Resort's posh Avani Spa only wetted my appetite for a massage. Only next time, the getaway may just be for the grownups.

If you go: For more information on the Abbey Resort, go to www.theabbeyresort.com or call (800) 709-1323.  

For details on the Lake Geneva boat tours, call (800) 558-5911.  

For more info on the Lake Geneva region, call (262) 248-4416.