Wisconsin Dells
Water Parks, Mountain Coasters, Deer, & Family Fun
Why We Loved the Wisconsin Dells
What I really liked about the Dells was that it worked for a wide range of ages and abilities. We had little kids, a teenager, adults, and a grandma with us, and there was something that made each person happy. We were able to deal with mobility needs, overstimulation, and a need for structure while still having tons to do each day.
One thing I wasn't expecting was how many different languages we heard throughout the Dells, especially Spanish. It gave the whole area a fun international feel.
I was so impressed by the service in the Dells. Everyone we interacted with was smiling and kind. So many people went out of their way to give us recommendations, answer our questions, or help.
Things We Did
Wisconsin Deer Park
This was one of our biggest surprises and one of the things that everyone loved. The woman at the front desk was incredibly kind. She suggested that the deer would eat crackers because we were there early and there weren't many people around yet. A bag of crackers was $8.
I had read some online reviews and a lot of people recommended the corn, so we told her we brought quarters. The woman at the front desk kindly loaned me a cup to put the corn in, which was fantastic because otherwise I would have had slimy hands full of corn for the entire visit. We spent about $5 at the little corn machines and I was happy with my choice. The woman at the desk explained that the crackers were healthier for the deer, but they love the corn.
There were lots of very friendly deer, along with other cool animals, including a golden pheasant. Everyone from the youngest kid to the oldest adult enjoyed this one.
Mountain Coaster
The staff here were really nice, which helped because I am a HUGE chicken. Unfortunately, my kids think my fear of heights does not go on vacation and they wanted me on the ride. I went on one ride and then stopped to take pictures. Dad, Grandma, and all three kids each went on three rides! (Grandma would still be riding if she had a choice!)
The Mountain Coaster was not nearly as scary as I had thought and it we got a unique view of the dells at the same time. The kids loved it, and I survived, which I consider a successful family vacation activity!
Gem Mining
The kids convinced me to try gem mining after the mountain coaster. I didn't think this would be particularly exciting, but once again... I was wrong.
Our 8-year-old and Grandma both said this was one of their favorite parts of the trip. The kids loved identifying the gems and fossils, sorting everything, and looking for buried treasure. As the teacher in the group, I loved that we had geology built into our day and NO ONE was complaining!
This was also a perfect activity for a neurodivergent child because of the whole sorting and searching part. Sometimes the simplest activities end up being the ones that work best!
Klondike Kavern Indoor Water Park
We knew going into this trip that some of the water parks would be closed because of the time of year, and the discounted rates reflected that. Klondike Kavern Water Park at the Wilderness Resort did NOT disappoint. (It was also included in our price for our condo.)
The Klondike Kavern is located in the main hotel in the New Frontier region. The three main rides open during our visit were the Hurricane, the tube slide, and the body slides. There was also an indoor/outdoor hot tub.
As previously established, I'm a HUGE chicken. I also thought a family ride couldn't be too bad and you ride this one with 2-4 people in a family raft. Hurricane was really scary. Like, actually scary. It has a death drop, climbs the walls of a funnel-shaped bowl, and has a big splash at the end. I remember quite clearly telling my husband that I wanted this to stop now! I think everyone would be impressed by that ride.
Our 5-year-old couldn't ride as many of the big slides here as at the Wild West Indoor Water Park. Children under 68 inches cannot go on the family slide at this park either.
Wild West Indoor Water Park
We knew going into this trip that some of the water parks would be closed because of the time of year, and the discounted rates reflected that. Wild West Water Park at the Wilderness Resort did NOT disappoint. (It was also included in our price for our condo.)
This park was perfect for our family. There was nothing as scary as the Hurricane, but we were able to enjoy the park together. The Wild West had 3 bigger slides that you could go on in tandem with a little kid. There were also two slides in the center area that adults could ride while keeping an eye on their little ones. There was a hot tub that spanned from inside to the outside.
Escapology
Once again, I wasn't expecting much from this. I had never been in an escape room before and assumed it was basically just going to be a room full of puzzles. I was completely wrong.
They walked us down the hallway, and I got to peek into some of the other rooms before we reached ours. Then we opened the door to our jungle-themed room and received our instructions. Suddenly everyone was running all over trying to figure out what to do next.
It was so much fun. The room was perfectly done, and there was much more to it than I had expected. My husband and I were both genuinely impressed, and everyone got really involved in searching, solving, and figuring things out.
Our neurodivergent child was absolutely in heaven and loved running around, searching for clues, and trying to figure out what everything did.
Upper Dells Boat Ride
This was a beautiful 2-hour ride through the Upper Dells. The boat was quiet and calm, and our guide was funny and informative. Everyone was extremely kind and helpful.
That said, sitting in our seats was not easy for our family. You stay seated on the boat and aren't supposed to move around, which was tough. There is also no bathroom on the boat.
Witches Gulch was incredible. The unique beauty of the gorge closing in around you is hard to describe. It is also one of the historic Wisconsin Dells sites. You can only see Witches Gulch from a boat tour.
Dells Army Ducks
I remember doing the Ducks 20 years ago and they were amazing. So, of course, I wanted the kids to have the same experience.
The kids? Not impressed. I'm not sure if the experience has changed, if I picked the wrong ducks, or if kids today have become harder to impress.
Our guide, Juliette, was definitely the standout. She was kind, had great dry jokes, and had a really good sense of the animals and natural features around us.
So even though the kids weren't exactly blown away, I still enjoyed the experience.
Places to Stay
Wilderness Resort Condos at Wilderness on the Lake
The condo was beautiful, comfortable, and had a lake view from the room.
The kitchen was fully stocked with bowls, utensils, dish detergent, pots, and pretty much everything we needed to actually use the kitchen. (I did not see scissors or laundry detergent, though, so those are two things I would bring from home.) There was a washer, dryer, dishwasher, three TVs, a hot tub, and a lake view. There were also more than enough towels for 6 people and some toiletries provided.
We also had free access to the pool right below us, plus two additional water parks.
Having the condo made a huge difference for our family because we could make food, do laundry, take breaks, and spread out instead of having everyone crammed into one hotel room.
Food
We were not very happy with the food in the Dells overall. We highly recommend staying somewhere with a kitchen so you can prepare meals.
Pizza and Pub
The Reuben was AMAZING. The kids were happy, too, and the kids' meals were under $10 with a drink included! The meals also came in silly little cardboard cars, which were a huge hit. The kids got to keep the cars, and the staff were incredibly kind.
Macaroni and Cheese Shop
This one was a miss for us. Even the kids didn't finish a full serving, which is probably the clearest possible review from children who are normally pretty enthusiastic about macaroni and cheese. So much for the magical cheese paradise I had apparently imagined.
B-Lux
B-Lux is a beautiful restaurant, and the service was incredible as always. Our family really enjoyed the atmosphere, and the staff were kind, attentive, and welcoming throughout our meal.
Unfortunately, the food was disappointing overall. We tried six different meals, and the turkey club was the only one we would have again. There were also very few vegetarian options.
We also tried the giant shakes because they looked so fun and impressive. They were beautiful to look at, but the actual shakes were rather underwhelming. They looked much more exciting than they tasted.
I really wanted to love this restaurant because the setting and service were both excellent, but the food and shakes just didn't live up to the experience.
Overall Take
Yes, we would go back.
The combination of water parks, animals, and adventure worked really well for our group. The Wisconsin Deer Park and gem mining were probably the biggest surprises, because neither was something I expected to become a favorite.
The Wilderness condo was also a huge part of why the trip worked so well for us. Having a kitchen made everything much easier and less expensive, and meant that meals didn't have to be such a big part of the day. Although I usually travel to eat, food was definitely not the highlight of this trip!
