It's Racine for Great Lakes Fun!

Beautiful Racine, Wisconsin, nicknamed the Belle City on the Lake, welcomes the Antique & Classic Boat Society’s 42nd Annual International Meeting and Boat Show, Sept. 6 through 9.

Real Racine (Racine County's destination marketing organization), the City of Racine, Racine County, and ReefPoint Marina are the hosts for this memorable event.

REEFPOINT MARINA

Boaters will experience the ultimate in service, convenience, and fun from ReefPoint Marina (www.reefpointmarina.org). This 921-slip marina is within a safe, deep harbor protected by an improved break wall. Its outstanding pier system includes two permanent piers with floating docks.

The marina is literally steps away from Downtown Racine and the full-service DoubleTree by Hilton Racine Harbourwalk hotel. Visitors are within walking distance of unique shops, galleries, nightspots and memorable restaurants. There is also easy access to scenic paved walking and bicycling trails along the lakeshore, and the nearby Root River.

While in Downtown Racine (www.racinedowntown.com), you'll want to visit both the Racine Art Museum and the Racine Heritage Museum.

RACINE ART MUSEUM

The Racine Art Museum (RAM), 441 Main St., is home to the nation's largest collection of contemporary crafts. Its nationally recognized exhibits change regularly, making every visit a new experience.

RAM is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for seniors and students. Learn more at www.ramart.org.

RACINE HERITAGE MUSEUM

The Racine area’s rich maritime history is always available at the Racine Heritage Museum, 701 Main St.

This local museum has some special things planned in September for ACBS members, families and friends. These include a display of original drawings by Fred Martin, a renowned boat designer who worked for the Racine Boat Company during the 1890s. Plans are afoot to display scale models of some of Martin's innovative boat designs.

Racine Heritage Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Free admission, donations are welcome. Visit racineheritagemuseum.org.

NORTH BEACH

A short walk from the marina is North Beach. This 50 acres of beautifully groomed sandy beach and clear water is designated as a Blue Wave Clean Beach by the National Clean Beaches Council. Drawn by sun and fun, North Beach attracts an estimated 200,000 visitors each year. Major annual events include a professional beach volleyball tournament in June and the Ironman 70.3 Racine triathlon in July.

RACINE ZOO

The Racine Zoo, 2131 N. Main St., is located along the lake just north of Downtown Racine. The zoo cares for more than 100 different species of animals, including more than 50 endangered species. Observe lions, Amur tigers, black rhinos, Andean bears, wallaroos, orangutans, penguins, meerkats, and more. You can even hand-feed two Masai giraffes! The 28-acre zoo is easy to navigate for kids and seniors. It's packed with fun features, including two playgrounds, the ZooChoo Express train, picnic areas, snack bar, and gift shop. Learn more at www.racinezoo.org.

WIND POINT LIGHTHOUSE

Bring your camera! No lakeshore structure is more closely tied to the Racine area than the Wind Point Lighthouse. This stately structure has been photographed thousands of times for appearances on magazine covers, wedding backdrops, and more. Built in 1880 to warn ships away from the shallow waters off Wind Point, the lighthouse is 108 feet tall. It's the oldest and tallest working lighthouse on Lake Michigan with a beacon that can be seen 19 miles away. Learn more at www.windpointlighthouse.org.

ICONIC ARCHITECTURE BY AN ICON

Legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright has a significant legacy in the Racine area that includes two buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The SC Johnson corporate campus, near Downtown Racine, is anchored by the Wright-designed SC Johnson Administration Building and Research Tower. The Administration Building, completed in 1939, features the Great Workroom, a large open space supported by a series of unique concrete columns shaped like lily pads. The 15-story Research Tower (1950) is constructed on the cantilever principle off a center core. The 14,000-square-foot Wingspread (1937), is located in the nearby village of Wind Point. Wright designed this fascinating home for H.F Johnson. It is now a conference facility. SC Johnson offers free tours of its headquarters campus buildings and Windspread. Advance reservations are required and can be made online at www.scjohnson.com/visit or by calling 262-260-2154.

A SWEET WISCONSIN TREAT

No visit to Racine is complete without sampling Kringle, Wisconsin's Official State Pastry. This distinctive oval-shaped treat has been a Racine County tradition since Danish immigrants brought it to Wisconsin in the mid-19th century. An authentic Danish Kringle is 32 layers of flaky, buttery dough filled with a variety of fruits and nuts and baked until golden brown. Popular varieties include pecan, almond, raspberry, cherry, apple, strawberry, and cream cheese. Local bakeries with retail counters (filled with Kringle and other baked delights) are: O&H Danish Bakery (four locations), Lehmann's Bakery (two locations), Larsen Bakery (one location) and Bendtsen's Bakery (one location). You'll also find Kringle at Racine area supermarkets and convenience stores.

Visit www.realracine.com to plan your trip today!