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Wisconsin Dells Suggestions

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Gary_ISU

Active Member
Apr 12, 2006
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Since basketball season is over and Iowa State football is still well, Iowa State football, it is time to start planning summer vacation. We are thinking about Wisconsin Dells for a family of 3 girls (11,9 and 6).

Any suggestions on places to stay, best water park, non-water park activities, etc would be appreciated. We tend to like cabins more than condos and hotels. We have looked at a cabin at Christmas Mountain Village. Any experience with that resort?

Thanks,
Gary
 
Gary_ISU said:
Since basketball season is over and Iowa State football is still well, Iowa State football, it is time to start planning summer vacation. We are thinking about Wisconsin Dells for a family of 3 girls (11,9 and 6).

Any suggestions on places to stay, best water park, non-water park activities, etc would be appreciated. We tend to like cabins more than condos and hotels. We have looked at a cabin at Christmas Mountain Village. Any experience with that resort?

Thanks,
Gary
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I've only stayed at 2 resorts, but the Wilderness was pretty cool and the better of the two I've stayed at.

Buffalo Phil's is a pretty good place to eat with kids, a train brings your food, but it's pretty good food.
 
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I've been to Noah's Ark, Mt Olympus, and Kalahari. Noah's Ark is my favorite park and it's very family friendly. There's a 4D theater there that shows short movies and is a good break from the sun. It was nice because there's 2 wave pools too and they're always pretty full. I even ran into Donald Driver and his family there once a few years ago!

Haven't stayed overnight since I have family an hour away so I can't help you there. Not sure on activities outside of the park either, but you've gotta try a New Glarus beer. Spotted Cow is one of the best I've had.
 
Marleys was our favorite place to eat. We stayed at Mt Olympus last summer, kids had tons of fun and it was pretty cheap. We will probably go back again this summer for a few days.
 
The Wilderness Resorts are the place to stay. There's the Willderness, Wilderness on the Lake, and Glacier Canyon Lodge. The waterparks are at the Wilderness and Glacier Canyon, but you can use all of them, no matter which of the 3 you would stay at. I haven't been there in 13 years so that's pretty much all I can tell you.
 
I haven't been to the Dells in twenty years, and most of my memories are older than that. It'll be interesting to see what others suggest.
 
clonefan24 said:
I've been to Noah's Ark, Mt Olympus, and Kalahari. Noah's Ark is my favorite park and it's very family friendly. There's a 4D theater there that shows short movies and is a good break from the sun. It was nice because there's 2 wave pools too and they're always pretty full. I even ran into Donald Driver and his family there once a few years ago!

Haven't stayed overnight since I have family an hour away so I can't help you there. Not sure on activities outside of the park either, but you've gotta try a New Glarus beer. Spotted Cow is one of the best I've had.
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You know what's up
 
I just cancelled a family trip to kalahari up there because it was on the bed bug registry and reviews were riddled with problems. Checked a couple other resorts there had the same problem too. Check reviews thoroughly. That's a nightmare I wasn't willing to risk.
 
clonefan24 said:
I've been to Noah's Ark, Mt Olympus, and Kalahari. Noah's Ark is my favorite park and it's very family friendly. There's a 4D theater there that shows short movies and is a good break from the sun. It was nice because there's 2 wave pools too and they're always pretty full. I even ran into Donald Driver and his family there once a few years ago!

Haven't stayed overnight since I have family an hour away so I can't help you there. Not sure on activities outside of the park either, but you've gotta try a New Glarus beer. Spotted Cow is one of the best I've had.
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...I've yet to understand the fascination with Spotted Cow, but it keeps the family happy when I bring it back home I guess.

Anyway, instead of the Dells just go about 4 hours further north. Plenty of room for exploring there. :)

I've been to the Chula Vista for conferences, and all I know is it's pretty big, and has a good sized water park somewhere.
 
madguy30 said:
...I've yet to understand the fascination with Spotted Cow, but it keeps the family happy when I bring it back home I guess.

Anyway, instead of the Dells just go about 4 hours further north. Plenty of room for exploring there. :)

I've been to the Chula Vista for conferences, and all I know is it's pretty big, and has a good sized water park somewhere.
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What's worth exploring 4 hours north of the Dells???
 
went to the Kalahari a couple times as a teen. The outdoor park was pretty fun and since it stormed on and off when we were there......having the indoor was nice as well. Noah's Ark is the most popular (and crowded). Went to Mt. Olympus this summer and that was pretty nice too.


I know they have a go-kart track but I think somebody got killed there last year so maybe don't do that. The mini-golf place is fun. If your girls (or wife) are into shopping at all, they have a nice outlet center up there as well.


Moose Jaw is where my friend's parents always took us to eat.
 
demoncore1031 said:
What's worth exploring 4 hours north of the Dells???
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National Forests, Lakes, Rivers, trees, Superior shoreline...porcupines, and as someone mentioned...if you're lucky, bears.

Eagle River in the north central, Porkies, U.P waterfalls, Bayfield/Lake Superior west of that, Bois Brule River.

Of course being indoors with slides and such in the early spring may be a better bet if children are with.

Just my personal preferences.
 
Stay away from the upside down whitehouse. Paul Bunyans for breakfast. If you can get away in the evening, go see the swing crew downtown at the showboat saloon. If you are a fan of wave pools we liked the one at mount Olympus better than the one at Noah's ark. Mt Olympus has one bone crushing wave every 7 min where as NA has contunous waves for 10, except you never get the whole 10 min because some poor swimmer nearly drowns almost every time , so you get about 3 min. The original duck boats are fun also. Spent a week there last summer. Got a hawk fan forcibly removed from a bar, but that's another story.
 
livinthedream said:
Stay away from the upside down whitehouse. Paul Bunyans for breakfast. If you can get away in the evening, go see the swing crew downtown at the showboat saloon. If you are a fan of wave pools we liked the one at mount Olympus better than the one at Noah's ark. Mt Olympus has one bone crushing wave every 7 min where as NA has contunous waves for 10, except you never get the whole 10 min because some poor swimmer nearly drowns almost every time , so you get about 3 min. The original duck boats are fun also. Spent a week there last summer. Got a hawk fan forcibly removed from a bar, but that's another story.
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I will agree on the wave pool thing. Holy crap I was surprised Olympus can allow that without making you sign a waiver first.
 
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