By Bill Barth
By Jackson Barth
Well, full disclosure, Jack is only 3. He speaks very clearly. He writes, um, not so much.
So Grandma Stephanie Klett and Papa Bill Barth will help fill in some details. The quotes, though, are purely Jack’s.
Our columns routinely focus on fun things for adults to do. It occurred to us that lots of our visitors in the Lake Geneva region are shorter and younger and, maybe, a bit quicker to find fun. It turns out that Jack made the perfect kid-size tour guide.
Grandma set the itinerary, because she knows the fun spots best as the lead dog at Visit Lake Geneva. And, to state the obvious for those who know her, she’s just a big kid at heart. And
Jack knows Grandma’s wily ways.
We started (where else?) at the lakefront.
“That’s a big boat,” Jack said of the Lady of the Lake. “I can go on it.”
Next time, for sure. On this day time allowed only for a walk along the pier by The Riviera, and a good look at the Lake Geneva Cruise Line boats. We lured Jack away by showing him the beach.
“I want to put my footies in the water,” he said, and did.
Papa told him only your feet. Keep the rest of you dry.
So he promptly bent his knees to grab handfuls of sand and soaked his rear.
“It’s OK, papa,” he smiled.
Running fast across the sand to chase away all the gulls helped him air dry. Sort of.
And what hike by The Riviera is complete without sticking your hand in the water jets at the Driehaus Family Fountain?
“Watch, Grandma,” Jack said, as his little hand redirected enough water so his shirt would match his wet shorts.
Next stop: Allison Wonderland, downtown Lake Geneva’s venerable toy shop which has been delighting kids for decades. There’s stuff that makes noise. Soft things to touch and feel. Big boy toys (and little boy toys). Jack was particularly fascinated by a classy wood train set.
“Papa, I make it go,” he said. And it did, until he managed to derail.
“Papa, it doesn’t work,” Jack lamented, with a pleading look. A quick adjustment. A beaming smile. And he was playing train engineer again.
A couple of doors down along Main Street brought a pleasant surprise, as Clear Water Outdoor manager Sean Payne flagged us down. Sean is quick with a smile and a quip. He scooped up Jack to present him with a cool light-up ring and a pad of stickers.
“Thank you. Nice to meet you,” Jack said. Hey, the kid has manners.
Then it was a short road trip to Pearce’s Farm Stand just west of Williams Bay. Here’s Jack’s quote, looking the place over, before we even parked.
“Wow!”
Aside from all sorts of yummy stuff, this place is kid heaven. Jack climbed into a combine cab, ran through giant tiles, went forward and backward down the slide. And made a running maze out of Pearce’s terrific obstacle course built with hay bales.
“Grandma, up here,” shouted Jack, clearly unimpressed as Papa stayed at ground level.
Grandma Stephanie, always the good sport, complied. Nothing a little BenGay can’t fix.
Kids like to eat, so off we went in search of a friendly dining spot for a 3-year-old. Downtown’s Olympic Family Restaurant is a perfect fit. We were blessed to be served by owner Martin Guerrero. He likes kids, which is cool.
“My name is Jack,” our boy announced.
Then, to the restaurant in general, he looked around and spoke up, “Nice to meet everybody.”
Told you the kid had manners.
Our little gourmet opted for the mac’n’cheese with fries. He pronounced it “good.”
We have a little custom after dining, and Jack always remembers.
“Ice cream, Papa.” We were already late to get him home, which sadly became the only disappointment of the day. Next time we’ll plan better and hit Kilwins or Scoops. See, there’s always a good reason to come back to Lake Geneva. What a fun destination for kids. We had a ball with our grandson, proving it.
A couple of miles down the road and Jack said, “I want a nappy.”
Yep. Grandma and Papa, too.
Bill Barth is the former Editor of the Beloit Daily News, and a member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame. His wife, Stephanie Klett, is the President and CEO of Visit Lake Geneva, and the former Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Write to them at bbarth@beloitdailynews.com.
