GET SPOILED

Sometimes you just have to give in to a little self-indulgence, and Lake Geneva is the perfect place to do it.

Barely an hour southeast of Madison, Lake Geneva offers more than just its picturesque, glacier-gouged lake—which incidentally is called Geneva Lake. It’s got several high-end resort hotels with so many amenities you don’t have to leave their grounds.

On day one of our recent trip, my husband and I tickled our personal fancies differently: He played 18 holes at the nationally renowned Geneva National Golf Club, which has three courses designed by the likes of Trevino, Player and Palmer.

I went shopping downtown at the village’s plethora of clothing, home décor, gift and foodie stores before checking in to the Inns at Geneva National. The Inns are a perfect for gal pals or golf buddies alike. Guest rooms in each building are flanked by a common room, fully equipped kitchen and dining table, so guests can cook their own food—or grill out on their private patios.

On the grounds of the Inns, dinner was to die for at the Hunt Club Steakhouse, (I had a petite filet with twice-baked potatoes; my husband the New York strip and lobster tail) set in a colonial-style building overlooking the golf course and Lake Como.

As if life weren’t lavish enough, the next day we moved to the  expansive Abbey Resort, on the lake’s southwest side, where, really, you and the family could stay for days and not be bored.

Before settling in to our lake view room, we did about a 3-mile stretch of the 21-mile Lake Shore Path, which I’m told people have completed in one day. Even on our short walk, we traipsed through backyards of dozens of grand homes, including the mansion built by chewing gum magnate William Wrigley. Pick up a map showing the mansions at the Lake Geneva Convention and Visitors Bureau downtown.

Back at the resort this gal found her piece de resistance: the adults-only Avani Spa. It’s got a decidedly European feel with poolside lounge chairs, steam rooms, dry saunas and bubbling hot tubs, massages, facials and mani-pedis.

But kids are welcome at the resort, in spades. The Abbey not only has a children’s activities director, it’s also got a full-size gaming room, an atrium filled with board games, a movie theater and a separate hotel pool for hotel guests.

And, if you’re up for water sports, the Abbey rents power boats, along with inner tubes, if you want to pull the kids behind.

The resort has numerous dining options (I tried my first grilled avocado appetizer at 240 West), along with cocktail and coffee bars

The only thing I didn’t like about the stay was leaving. But the drive home to Madison was so quick, I realized I could return in a flash. And I will.