There are plenty of small towns to visit and get lost in here in Wisconsin, but Elkhart Lake is one of the very best. There's just something about sleepy lake towns that invite you to dig your toes in the sand, forget about life at home and totally relax. Even in the winter, when you want to stay far from the beach, Elkhart Lake offers all kinds of recreation, dining, shopping and entertainment to help you slip away from real life for awhile.

Elkhart Lake is a town of less than 1,000 people in Sheboygan County.

Despite its small size, there is so much to do in and around Elkhart Lake that you might find yourself needed more than a weekend to explore.

Though the lake is a draw for many in the summer, there's tons to do in Elkhart Lake year-round.

First accessed by train mostly by Milwaukeeans looking to escape the city, Elkhart Lake embraces its small town, resort past.

The abundance of nature around the city means hiking, swimming, and biking in the summer and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing in the winter.

The old train depot houses a killer cafe and shops.

Most people know Elkhart Lake for its road racing.

The Road America track was built in 1965 and hosts more than 425 events annually.

But before the track was built, the city used to host road races around the lake.

Road America hosts races in NASCAR Xfinity Series, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, SCCA Pirelli World Challenge, ASRA, AMA Superbike series, and IndyCar Series and the Kohler International Challenge, one of the biggest vintage car road races in the country.

They also host a bicycle race, an inline skating race and a run/walk for the American Cancer Society.

Longing for the fun of a music summer festival? Swampngrass is held in February at the Victorian Village.

Help cure those winter blues with a Cajun, Zydeco and Bluegrass music festival.

Utilizing the abundant space around the city, Elkhart Lake Multisports runs multiple triathlon and running events every year.

Owner Jeff Grady is aUSA Triathlon Certified Race Director, and only Level 2 certified RD in Wisconsin.

Recreation is one of the biggest draws to Elkhart Lake.

Whether it's leisurely lake fishing, bird watching, hunting, golfing, horseback riding or hiking, there are plenty of chances to get out in the fresh air and learn to relax into life at the lake.

The Broughton Sheboygan County Marsh is a 13,000 acre, four-season park.

Great for hunting, fishing and those who love observing nature, ti's home to the state's largest wooden observation tower as well as 62 campsite and access to the Sheboygan County snowmobile trail system.

The nearby Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest The Northern Unit consists of almost 30,000 acres along the northern 30 miles of 115-mile long interlobate moraine created by the glaciers of the last Ice Age.

Hike, horseback ride, cross-country ski or bike along 150 miles of trails that run past 12 lakes.

This is where the Ice Age National Scenic Trail began - with 30 miles of trails in the Kettle Moraine Northern Unit.

Wisconsin is home to some of the best examples of how the last Ice Age moved and formed the land it left behind.

The area surrounding Elkhart Lake, while private property, is gorgeous no matter the season.

The 100-year old theater at Victorian Village has year-round entertainment, including revues in the summer and performances all year long.

With Elkhart's rich history come some amazing museums.

Henschel's Indian Museum and Trout Farm is an 1849 homestead whose lands have yielded bits of history dating back 10,000 years.

The land is home to a natural spring that once provided fresh drinking water to the Indians who settled there and now are home to farm-raised trout. The springs can be fished year-round and don't require a fishing license.

Henning's Cheese is a fourth-generation family owned operation.

You can view their production and buy yourself some of Wisconsin's favorite food.

But the real reason to visit Henning's is their museum of cheese-making equipment dating back to the 1900's.

Cheese has been a Wisconsin tradition for centuries and early cheesemakers used a very different set of tools. Henning's honors that tradition with videos and some of the earliest equipment to be found.

Wade House is an 1850 stagecoach hotel turned historic museum. Through the years surrounding buildings have been restored or rebuilt.

Wade House is meant to transport you to a different time. The rebuilt saw mill, carriage museum, blacksmith shop and visitor's center all show what life was like when Wisconsin first earned statehood.

No matter the season - or the reason - you head to Elkhart Lake, you will not be disappointed. This little resort town is packed with ways to get out in the fresh air, relax and slow things down a bit.

What other things in and around Elkhart Lake do you like to do?