Downtown Racine offers lakefront views, boating, dining, shopping, parks and more. The downtown area is home to the Racine Art Museum, which features one of the largest collections of contemporary crafts in the country, and the Racine Heritage Museum preserves the history and culture of the area through its exhibits and educational programs. In addition to the Racine Heritage Museum, those interested in the city’s past will enjoy a trip to the Old Main Street Historic District and the Southside Historic District. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Main Street area includes 73 buildings—some of which date back to 1847. The Southside neighborhood features buildings built between 1842 and 1924 and it includes buildings designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright (Wright also designed the headquarters of the S.C. Johnson company in Racine in 1939). And the Racine Police Station features a display of the submachine gun notorious gangster John Dillinger grabbed out of the hands of a Racine police officer in 1933.
After a day of sightseeing, you can stop by one of the local restaurants to get a bite to eat, but be sure to save room for desert! Racine is home to Wisconsin’s official state pastry, the world-famous Kringle. A Kringle is an oval-shaped Danish pastry that’s produced primarily in Racine County. There are dozens of flavors of Kringle, and the hard part will be deciding which one to choose!
When staying at one of our Racine hotels, you’re also conveniently located near the major metropolitan cities of Milwaukee and Chicago. Both are just a short drive away when staying at one of the Choice Hotels in the area. Book your stay today to enjoy convenient accommodations, warm hospitality and great value.