6 Reasons to Love Delafield

Delafield was my the first town I lived in when we started our family. And it’s a GREAT place to raise a family. There are so many reasons to love Delafield. It has SO very much to offer. From shopping, to outdoor activities to rich history to modern venues. How can one town have so many staples? Nagawicka Lake – Check! Lapham Peak Tower – highest point in Waukesha County – Check! Target – Check! A SMILE to greet you – Check! And so much more!!! Heck, even John McGivern came to our town to do his “Around the Corner” show highlighting our awesome city.

Delafield Area Chamber of Commerce Events — Don’t miss any of these amazing Delafield events in 2024!

I love all of Lake Country. Each town has so much to offer, but here is why I love Delafield:

Outdoor Options: People in Delafield love to be active, no matter the season. In winter, people love cross-country skiing at Lapham Peak State Park, ice fishing, or sledding at the Sports Commons or Wales Community Park. In summer, you can find people enjoying Nagawicka Lake (just one of the many wonderful Lakes of Lake Country) and the awesome beach spot. You can also find people enjoying Cushing Park, Fireman’s Park, the Fish Hatchery or Sports Commons – beautiful parks our town has to offer. There is a golf course (Nagawaukee War Memorial Public Golf Course) that is between Pewaukee and Nagawaukee lakes. Biking, sailing, kayaking and fishing are also part of the activities that our residents take part in. The Lake Country Trail and the Glacier Drumlin Trail are great – man, do we love the Kettle Moraine area so much!
SMILES & History: The Hawks Inn and the Delafield History Center offer great insight into our past (which dates back to 1838.) St. John Northwestern Military Academy is a rich part of Delafield’s legacy and is the “home” to students from 19 states and 18 countries in 2018! What other city can you be greeted with a giant SMILE than Delafield?! The Smile Came Back to Delafield in 2018 after being gone for many years (and Lake Country Family Fun was there for the history-making moments) and the residents couldn’t be happier. The Smiley Barn sells toys and candy and also houses Dick’s Smith Live Bait Store (a tenant since 1982).
Local “Vibes”: You can support all things local by shopping at the Delafield Farmer’s Market. Some other local businesses include the Bliss Boutique, Main Street Boutique and Wingman Gifts – such great assets to our town (others listed here). What I love about Delafield is that there are essentially two “downtowns”. You can get two different downtown vibes depending on whether you are in Delafield downtown Genesee street or if you are by the I-94 shops and restaurants. If you want to sneak away from the “downtowns”, you can enjoy a sunset or Fish Fry at the soon to be open Commodore at the old Seven Seas restaurant location right on the lake or many other date ideas in the area.
You can Gather Here: You can find fun, fresh things to do in Delafield. The Delafield Brewhaus offers a great central place to gather, enjoy great food and craft beer. Just across the border in Pewaukee, the Ingleside Hotel has been recently renovated and includes a restaurant, Didi’s Supper Club, and the only indoor waterpark in Waukesha County. Fete of Wales is open and offers a great gathering location for weddings and more. Gather for Ice Cream on a hot summer day at LeDucs (Wales) or Here’s the Scoop. Work off that Ice cream at Pure Barre or Orange Theory Fitness, two places we highly recommend, because we’ve tried them ourselves!
Let me state the obvious: There’s no category for this, but it’s pretty clear. We love Delafield for having a TARGET and the HILLSIDE MOVIE THEATRE (with reduced admission Tuesday movies).
Events that bring everyone together: This community is unique in how much they value bringing people together. So many great events are held every year and bring families and people of all ages outside to gather, connect and enjoy this beautiful city. I would be remiss not to mention how much Steven Paul Designs (my favorite two custom jewelers in town) and the Delafield Chamber of Commerce (which LCFF is a member of) are a part of the backbone of supporting many of these events taking place and partaking in the fun (my kids like to know what Steven and Matt are going to dress up as each year for Halloween)!
- Ladies Night Out – 6 of them throughout the year, spring and fall
- DelaSpring in May
- The Delafield Block Party, which is now 3 days long!
- Halloween in Delafield including the Chili contest and Grand illumination
- Breakfast with the Reindeer
- The Summer Stage Theatre at Lapham Peak State Park
- Lake Country Art Festival – at Nagawicka

There’s just so much to love about raising a family here! Delafield – the HEART of Lake Country. While I do love Delafield a ton, there is so much to love about all of Lake Country. So tell us, what’s your favorite Lake Country Community and what do you LOVE about it?