Recognized as one of the best beaches in the Midwest, Racine’s North Beach feels like the West Coast and is a Certified Clean Beach. Downtown, the Racine Art Museum (RAM) houses one of North America’s top collections of contemporary crafts. Shop for your own art in any of several galleries, or relax on the waterfront while sampling the city’s fine cuisine.
The city also boasts several sites of historic and architectural interest. The Wind Point Lighthouse, built in 1880, is both the tallest and oldest lighthouse still in use on Lake Michigan. Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the SC Johnson Wax Co. corporate headquarters. Nearby, the Golden Rondelle Theatre was dismantled and rebuilt in Racine at the close of the 1964 World’s Fair.
In western Racine County, Burlington calls itself “Chocolate City USA” – a Nestles plant employs 500 here. Every Memorial Day weekend, the city’s ChocolateFest attracts tens of thousands for a weekend of chocolate indulgence. There’s even a tiny Chocolate Museum downtown that is absolutely charming. Burlington is also the home of the Spinning Top Exploratory Museum, a place to amaze the kids with gyroscopes and yo-yo tricks.
For more information about Racine and Racine County, call 800/272-2463 or visit racine.org.
