"The main reason to go to Lake Forest now is a weekend away at the 57-room Deer Path Inn (from $329 per night), a fabulous, little-known gem that puts you in arm's reach of the shops and lake, and offers many experiences available only to guests. Opened in 1929 with the style of an authentic manor house, the elegant inn feels as storied and local as it does far-flung and English. Spacious, modern, and sophisticated rooms offer upscale amenities (think Frette linens and bathtubs that fill from the ceiling); recently, the inn began in-room delivery of its popular Afternoon Tea service, complete with a tower of tea sandwiches, petit fours, and tartelettes. Patio dining in the English Garden at Deer Path is scenic and doable in winter with heaters. Guests at the hotel can also reserve the inn’s hidden cellar for a new, private, and totally custom cocktail or wine tasting paired with dinner that's led by Deer Path’s fun and expert chief spirits officer, Jorge Centeno."