Racine and Kenosha

Monday we were off to Kenosha, sailing past the Wind Point Lighthouse, the city of Racine, and the Racine Reef Light along the way. It was 35 miles and 5 1/2 hours of sailing.  Kenosha was a delightful surprise...the community has spent millions of dollars developing their waterfront...parks and sculptures, wide walkways for biking and jogging, wonderful condos right along the water.  The old downtown is being redeveloped into unique shops and boutiques, restaurants and coffee houses.  If I lived in the community, I would open a Market near the marina with basic food and drug store items.  I say this because I walked and walked trying to find a grocery and/or drug store, only to find a gas station was THE place to purchase supplies...not my favorite place to shop.

I walked out to the red lighthouse that greeted us at the entrance to the river where, it seems, the local high school kids hang out, swim, and goof off after school. Not far from there, old inland stone lighthouse stands completely restored, now a museum.  I must have walked 2 hours...then took a swim at the Southport Marina pool before supper.  We found a little pub with outdoor seating just on the edge of the condo complex.  Right down along the water there was a very large Civil War Museum as well as a Kenosha County Museum ~ both new and inviting.  Fountains and play areas for children lined the harbor, kids feeding the ducks and enjoying the day.

We stopped in Racine on our way back to Manitowoc later in the week.  The marina there is run by a company called Skipper Buds.  It was modern and nice with a pool and restaurant.  We arrived after a long day in the open waters between Chicago and Racine.  We walked around a bit when we went for supper at an Irish Pub on Main Street that had been in existence for almost 150 years...with lots of antique lights and decorations.  Again, the city had invested a lot in a long walkway along the river and harbor front, as well as a big center for weekend concerts and events all summer long.  The old Coast Guard Station is now houses the Yacht Club in Racine.