I'm heading to Kohler for 5 days of golf, fine dining and such next week.

I would love to hear any advice on Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, spa, dining or other tidbits of interest.

TIA.

Kohler's great. The hotel is fantastic, although it's been a good 10 years since I've been there. The 2 fancier restaurants at the hotel are both great. Go to the toilet museum, it's a must see!

ahem....I assume you're flying into Milwaukee which must be why you haven't told any of us Chicago guys that you're coming? I didn't know there were that many direct flights from Dallas to Milwaukee!

grossie, my first flight on Midwest Air (Boeing 717)into Milwaukee... wish me luck.

I was just looking at the wine list for several restaurants, and will be enjoying many fine bottles each night.

We are doing the museum as well.

Thanks!

The museum/showroom is a must see. But be careful, it will give your wife (and even you) many bathroom remodeling ideas. They've some very cool fixtures there. It will get you excited about bathrooms!

Midwest air was awarded "best airline" several years in a row by Conde Nast (I think it was Conde Nast). i'm sure it'll be fine.

I'm still not accepting that as an excuse to not come to Chicago.

w+a, Midwest is cool. I had a client in Milwaukee and flew there several times a year on Midwest. Although their aircraft seemed to me to be a little older they were all well maintained, clean, 2 x 2 leather seating throughout. meals, baked cookies, free drinks, etc... If they're close still, you're set.

Say hi to my wife's Aunt and Uncle. They live there. He's an engineer for Kohler.

wiml, my travel agent told me they baked [I]cookies on the flight.

I thought she was kidding!

W+A, I should be able to help you here as my employer is based in Sheboygan.

First of all golf. Make sure you play the River Course at Blackwolf. It's the toughest course I've ever played and I've played it 3 times. It doesn't look difficult or spectacular like Whistling Straits, it just punishes you for missing the fairway. Straights is a fun course. I've played it half a dozen times and the weather is a factor. Think wind blowing off the lake.

There is also another excellent non-Kohler course called The Bull. Nicklaus designed, it was opened about 6 years ago and the green fees are half of the Kohler courses. If you're looking for a second 18 one day, give it a try.

Restaurants. All the Kohler restaurants are good. The Immigrant Room at the Inn is the top of the line restaurant. Jacket required. The more casual restaurants at Blackwolf and Whistling Straights are both excellent too. The Horse and Plow, referred to locally as The Horse and Get Plowed, is a downstairs pub at the Inn where they have a great selection of Wisconsin microbrews and cigars. There is also a wine bar, which is relatively new, where you can get wines by the glass and cheese plates.

Enough of the Kohler corporation. I highly recommend you try a couple of the local restaurants. First and foremost, and better than any of the Kohler establishments, is Trattoria Stefano. Superb Italian food and a small, but well thought out (reserve) strictly Italian wine list. It ain't cheap, but worth it. No website to link, but it's on 8th Street.

The other excellent restaurant in Sheboygan is Margaux. It's just down the street from Stefano. Their winelist is larger and more varied. The food is also excellent.

If you feel like going a little further, Elkhart Lake has two good restos. Lake Street Cafe and The Paddock Club. The former can be inconsistent for food, but the extensive wine list has many gems and his markup is only 1.5 times in most cases. The Paddock Club is new and I've only been there once. Food was good, but winelist was disappointing. Word of caution about Elkhart Lake. If there is a race going on while you are there, it could be a zoo, which could be good or bad depending on your mood.

Have fun.

Steve, THANK YOU a great deal!

We leave Tuesday, and I will heed your advise.

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
w+a, Midwest is cool. I had a client in Milwaukee and flew there several times a year on Midwest. Although their aircraft seemed to me to be a little older they were all well maintained, clean, 2 x 2 leather seating throughout. meals, baked cookies, free drinks, etc... If they're close still, you're set.

Say hi to my wife's Aunt and Uncle. They live there. He's an engineer for Kohler.

Do Purple's Aunt and Uncle like wine?

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
w+a, Midwest is cool. I had a client in Milwaukee and flew there several times a year on Midwest. Although their aircraft seemed to me to be a little older they were all well maintained, clean, 2 x 2 leather seating throughout. meals, baked cookies, free drinks, etc... If they're close still, you're set.

Say hi to my wife's Aunt and Uncle. They live there. He's an engineer for Kohler.

Do Purple's Aunt and Uncle like wine?

Not in the same sense we do.

I know you live in Cowboys' country but since you're there anyway, I'd take the short drive up I-43 to Green Bay to check out Packers' Training camp. Sports Illustrated called it one of the best sports experiences around.

As for the Straits, I LOVED playing this course, but it's really expensive (if memory serves me, it was the same price as Pinehurst No 2), what with the caddy and the green fee. Didn't feel ripped off, but it was still a lot to pay for a round of golf.

quote:

Originally posted by steve8:

First of all golf. Make sure you play the River Course at Blackwolf.

I'll second that. The Meadow Valley's course is also nice, but the River Course is spectacular. Straits is beautiful, but at over $400 per person with required caddie plus gratuity, I'd rather play the River Course twice.

Thanks to all for the information!

Heading out in the morning...

So W+A, how was the trip?

Steve, the trip was great and I enjoyed ever part of Kohler I explored.

The weather was grand (61-79) and all four rounds of golf special. Both my room and each meal along with an excellent wine list was fully taken advantage of.

I had to cut my trip a day short for a medical emergency on my mother-in-law. The Kohler service was above any expectation. I called the front desk at 1:15 am in the morning to explain my issue. By 1:45 am, they had arranged for a private car to pick me up and take me to the airport at 4:00 am. The had my flight booked, boarding pass printed, and delivered them along with my golf clubs to my room at 2:30 am so I could pack. At 3:50 am, I was then greeted at my room with a bellman to take stuff down to the car. Very well done and above the call of duty.

I WILL BE RETURNING, and writing a letter this week expressing my gratitude of their true service.

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:
Steve, the trip was great and I enjoyed ever part of Kohler I explored.

The weather was grand (61-79) and all four rounds of golf special. Both my room and each meal along with an excellent wine list was fully taken advantage of.

I had to cut my trip a day short for a medical emergency on my mother-in-law. The Kohler service was above any expectation. I called the front desk at 1:15 am in the morning to explain my issue. By 1:45 am, they had arranged for a private car to pick me up and take me to the airport at 4:00 am. The had my flight booked, boarding pass printed, and delivered them along with my golf clubs to my room at 2:30 am so I could pack. At 3:50 am, I was then greeted at my room with a bellman to take stuff down to the car. Very well done and above the call of duty.

I WILL BE RETURNING, and writing a letter this week expressing my gratitude of their true service.

I love to hear about hotels/restaurants delivering service above and beyond expectations. Too often we seem to focus on the bad experiences and not the good. This story places them on my to visit list. The golf, restaurants, etc. are a bonus.

W+A - I hope your mother-in-law is doing better and that it turned out to be nothing serious.

G

BTW - the Boeing 717 is nothing more than an updated Super 80 (MD-80 series). As you are in Dallas I expect you have flown American and if you fly American chances are you have flown one before. Hope the flight went well.

This trip is on my radar screen for next year. How long is the golf season (meaning the temps exceed 50 degrees) in Kohler? Also, has anyone played Erin Hills? This course is getting spectacular reviews in the golf magazines.