– Will be Fully Operational by May 24 –

The Kenosha Beach House on Simmons Island will have a soft opening on Wednesday, May 22, with plans to be fully operational by Friday, May 24, for Memorial Day weekend. The 1934 Tudor Revival building is located at 5001 Simmons Island Road.

Once fully open, the Kenosha Beach House will offer delicious concession foods and some healthier grab and go items such as hummus and cheese sticks inside their retail area. Refreshments such as water, soda, and more will also be available. An on-site beer garden – on the south side of the building – will be available for those ages 21+ with beer and other beverages available. Picnic tables and chairs will offer gorgeous views of Lake Michigan.

The Kenosha Beach House will also serve as a gift shop and convenience store for beachgoers. Sunscreen, lip balm, beach toys, towels, sunglasses, and other essentials will be available for purchase. Fun gifts, clothing, accessories, and even Kenosha-themed gear will also be available.

On-site rentals will be available, including bikes and beach games. Family entertainment will vary; activities such as volleyball, bags games, live music, and beach bonfire nights can be expected. Exercise classes on the beach will be offered by I Got This Round Kickboxing, Anytime Fitness, and Hot Yoga Kenosha. A calendar of events will be listed on their website kenoshabeachhouse.com.

The highly anticipated Lakefest, a fundraiser benefiting the Kenosha Community Sailing Center that includes a boat parade, water activities, live entertainment, a beer tent, and more, will be held at the Kenosha Beach House and around the Kenosha harbor this summer on August 24.

It's believed that the beach house hasn't been regularly open since the 1990s with only a handful of pop-up events over the years. The Kenosha Beach House is operated by Meryl Strichartz, owner of Lakeshore Pedal Tours and an active board member of the Kenosha Community Sailing Center. Strichartz thought the Beach House operations would be a great way to tie these recreational hotspots together.

Lakeshore Pedal Tours will be operating group pedal bike rides out of the Beach House, and Kenosha Community Sailing Center will be offering watercraft rentals beachside in July and August.

"We are delighted to be opening the doors and breathing life into this historic building. We have lots of fun activities on the beach planned, and the lakefront view can't be beat," Strichartz states.

The building, which is registered and protected as a historical place of interest, was renovated in 2019. The beach is free to access; parking is also free. Bathrooms are also refurbished and ready to use by the front door of the building. Rentals, concessions, and retail hours are 10am-8pm, and the beer garden is open 12pm-10pm.

Watch Facebook.com/KenoshaBeachHouse, Instagram.com/KenoshaBeachHouse, and KenoshaBeachHouse.com for details and updates. The Beach House phone number is 262-842-5418.