Twin Lakes, Powers Lake, Genoa City, & Richmond

Twin Lakes, Powers Lake, and Genoa City, Wisconsin are three small communities sitting shoulder to shoulder on the Illinois border, just south of Geneva Lake. Together they form one of the most under-the-radar corners of the entire Lake Geneva area. Twin Lakes is the busy village wrapped around two lakes. Powers Lake is the quiet, water-rich retreat that Chicago families have loved since the 1890s. Genoa City is the working family town that calls itself the Gateway to Wisconsin. They are different enough to deserve their own personalities, but they share lakes, schools, golf, and a weekend rhythm that runs on water.

Things To Do in Twin Lakes, Powers Lake & Genoa City

  • Aquanut Watershows: Free water ski performances every Wednesday and Saturday at 6:30 PM at Lance Park on Lake Mary, Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. The team is a six-time national champion known for breathtaking four-tier pyramids and its Champion Ballet Line.
  • Country Thunder Wisconsin: One of North America’s largest country music festivals, held each July at Shadow Hill Ranch in Twin Lakes. The 2026 dates are July 16 to 19.
  • Two historic golf courses: Twin Lakes Country Club, founded in 1912, with its barn-turned-clubhouse known as The Red Barn, and Nippersink Golf Resort in Genoa City, a James Foulis Jr. design dating to 1922 on a private lake.
  • The lakes: Boating, fishing, sailing, and swimming on Lake Mary, Lake Elizabeth, Powers Lake, and Lake Benedict. Lance Park has a sandy beach, fishing pier, and boat launch on Lake Mary.
  • Parks and trails: Mueller Park hosts free outdoor summer movies and winter sledding, and Millennium Park near Lake Elizabeth adds play areas and walking trails.
  • Richard Bong State Recreation Area: A 4,515-acre playground about 15 minutes northeast, with the only ATV trails in southeastern Wisconsin, 30 miles of hiking, and a managed beach on Wolf Lake.

When the lakes freeze, the season simply changes shape. Ice fishing takes over Lake Mary, Lake Elizabeth, Powers Lake, and Lake Benedict, cross-country skiing winds through Bong, and lift-served downhill skiing is 20 minutes east at Wilmot Mountain. For more across the whole region, see things to do around Geneva Lake and the Lake Geneva events calendar.

Restaurants & Dining

Twin Lakes

Powers Lake

  • Sit N’ Bull (new): 39600 Bloomfield Rd, Powers Lake. Local tavern well known for its Friday fish fry and potato pancakes. (262) 448-1789.

Genoa City

Coffee Shops

  • Cup O’ Joe Coffee House (new): 406 N Lake Ave, Twin Lakes. A dedicated, Friends-themed coffee house with espresso drinks, bagel sandwiches, and pastries. (262) 755-0022.
  • Bodi’s Bake Shop (Twin Lakes): Breakfast and pastries.
  • Richmond Cafe (new): 10321 N Main St, Richmond, IL. A cozy cafe with espresso drinks, lattes, and a full breakfast and lunch menu, minutes south on US-12.
  • Purrfect Bean (new): 226 E Lake St, Silver Lake, WI, the neighboring village just east of Twin Lakes.

Events & Community Calendar

The Character of Twin Lakes, Powers Lake & Genoa City

Twin Lakes, Powers Lake, and Genoa City are three small Wisconsin communities sitting shoulder to shoulder on the Illinois border, just south of Geneva Lake. Twin Lakes is the busy village with two lakes and a festival, Powers Lake is the quiet, water-rich retreat, and Genoa City is the working family town known as the Gateway to Wisconsin.

Schools & Family Life

Twin Lakes students attend Lakewood Elementary, a preK through 8 school on Wilmot Avenue, and then move on to Wilmot Union High School, home of the Panthers, just east in the village of Wilmot. Most Powers Lake addresses feed Wheatland Center for elementary and middle school before joining the same Wilmot Union high school, though some western-edge addresses fall into the Lake Geneva-Genoa City system instead.

Genoa City sits inside the Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School District. Local kids attend Brookwood Elementary and Brookwood Middle School in the village, then head to Badger High School in Lake Geneva, the same high school that Lake Geneva students attend. For families who want Lake Geneva-area schooling, that connection is one of Genoa City’s quiet advantages. Add in active parks, the Genoa City Recreation Program’s youth sports leagues, and the Twin Lakes Community Library, and you have real family infrastructure for a corner this size. Because Wisconsin school district lines do not follow ZIP boundaries, always confirm the feeder schools for the exact property you are considering.

Real Estate in Twin Lakes, Powers Lake & Genoa City

Homes here range from walkable village houses and lake-access cottages to true lakefront on four lakes, rural acreage, and estate properties on Powers Lake. The big draw is proximity: you are about 90 minutes from Chicago and 15 to 25 minutes from downtown Lake Geneva, often at a fraction of Geneva Lake pricing.

Part of what makes this corner so appealing is the sheer variety of ways to live here. In Twin Lakes you will find historic downtown homes within walking distance of the grocery store and the lakes, newer subdivisions on the village edge, and lakefront and lake-access homes on both Lake Mary and Lake Elizabeth. Powers Lake is the highest-end of the three, with secluded estate-class properties on its deep, clear water and the longest Chicago second-home heritage. Genoa City offers some of the most approachable village pricing in the broader Lake Geneva area, plus newer construction and rural acreage on the surrounding township roads.

Search homes in Twin Lakes, Powers Lake & Genoa City at YourWiscoHome.com

Getting to Twin Lakes, Powers Lake & Genoa City

Getting to this corner is easy. Twin Lakes, Powers Lake, and Genoa City sit along U.S. Highway 12, roughly 75 to 90 minutes from downtown Chicago by way of I-94. Downtown Lake Geneva is 15 to 25 minutes north, and Milwaukee Mitchell Airport is about 50 minutes away.

Why Chicago Families Love This Corner

Chicago families love this corner because it delivers Lake Geneva access without Lake Geneva prices. You get four real lakes, two historic golf courses, a national champion ski show, and a special occasion dinner just over the state line, all inside a quiet, working small-town rhythm that feels a world away from the city.

Explore homes around the south side of the lake at YourWiscoHome.com

Frequently Asked Questions About Twin Lakes, Powers Lake & Genoa City

Where are Twin Lakes, Powers Lake, and Genoa City, Wisconsin?

They are three small communities in southeastern Wisconsin, sitting on the Illinois border just south of Geneva Lake. All three line up along U.S. Highway 12 and sit roughly 15 to 25 minutes south of downtown Lake Geneva and about 75 to 90 minutes north of downtown Chicago.

What is there to do in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin?

Twin Lakes centers on its two lakes, Lake Mary and Lake Elizabeth, with boating, fishing, and swimming. Highlights include the free Aquanut water ski shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the historic Twin Lakes Country Club golf course, Lance Park’s sandy beach, and the Country Thunder music festival each July.

When is Country Thunder Wisconsin in 2026?

Country Thunder Wisconsin runs July 16 to 19, 2026, at Shadow Hill Ranch in Twin Lakes. It is one of the largest country music festivals in North America, with multiple stages, camping, and food vendors drawing tens of thousands of fans from across the Midwest over the four-day weekend.

What is the best restaurant near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin?

Many locals point just over the Illinois line to Paisano’s on Broadway in Richmond, an Italian steakhouse widely considered the best in the broader Lake Geneva area. Its sister restaurant, Seaside Prime by Paisano’s, sits a few doors down and focuses on fresh seafood and prime steaks.

What schools serve Genoa City, Wisconsin?

Genoa City is part of the Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School District. Students attend Brookwood Elementary and Brookwood Middle School in the village, then move on to Badger High School in Lake Geneva, the same high school attended by Lake Geneva students.

Is Powers Lake good for a quiet lake home?

Yes. Powers Lake is the quietest and most secluded of the three communities, with deep, clear water, very little commercial development, and a long history as a Chicago second-home retreat dating to the 1890s. It tends to attract buyers seeking a peaceful alternative to busier Geneva Lake.

How far is this area from Chicago?

Twin Lakes, Powers Lake, and Genoa City are roughly 75 to 90 minutes from downtown Chicago by way of Interstate 94 and U.S. Highway 12. Metra service is reachable at Antioch or Harvard, Illinois, each about 25 minutes away, making weekend trips and commutes very manageable.

Can you golf in Twin Lakes and Genoa City?

Yes. The area has two historic public courses. Twin Lakes Country Club, founded in 1912, is a family-owned 18-hole layout known locally for its barn-style clubhouse and Friday fish fry. Nippersink Golf Resort in Genoa City, dating to 1922, sits on a private lake and hosts weddings and events.

Kim & Joel Reyenga | eXp Realty | Summer Homes for Chicago Families

Local guide to events, dining, and lake life: LakeGenevaWeekend.com | Search homes: YourWiscoHome.com