All about Wisconsin Dells water parks

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

In Central Wisconsin, along the Wisconsin River, lies the City of Wisconsin Dells, a tourist town unlike any other. Shopping, nightlife, dining, boating, camping, golfing, and spectacular nature views are all available to visitors, but the most popular attractions by far are the town's many waterparks. Not for nothing is Wisconsin Dells called the "Waterpark Capital of the World." Families, couples, kids, and teens can all find a park to their liking. Here are a few of the most popular attractions.

KALAHARI WATERPARKS (1305 Kalahari Dr.) bills itself as America's Largest Indoor Waterpark--and it certainly is! Popular with adults and kids alike, Kalahari boasts a variety of indoor and outdoor water fun, including a raft ride, indoor wave pool, slides, spas, pools for young children, and indoor surfing on the "FlowRider." The Kalahari hotel itself has a charming African-wilderness decor, and has so many attractions in addition to the water rides (restaurants, movie theater, stores, etc.) that you could spend your entire vacation there.

MT. OLYMPUS WATER & THEME PARK (off Highway 12) is another huge attraction. Mt. Olympus contains the outdoor Family Land Waterpark and indoor Bay of Dreams. The complex's nearly 40 waterslides, lazy river, whirlpools, and kiddie pools are reason enough to visit, but Mt. Olympus also contains family-friendly amusements such as go-carts, roller coasters, arcades, and miniature golf.

RIVERVIEW PARK AND WATERWORLD (700 Highway 12) is perfect for kids who love amusement parks, water parks, and go-carts. Waterworld offers inner tube rides (much like river rafting), waterslides, a wave pool, kiddie pool areas, and the "Giant Hydro Spa" with jet stream massaging action (perfect for tired parents!) The park is huge (35 acres) and has a thoughtful admission system whereby you can choose the areas of the park you're interested in visiting and receive passes accordingly.

TIMBER FALLS ADVENTURE PARK (1000 Stand Rock Road) is a good choice for adults and older children. In addition to log rides and bumper boats, this park offers five minature golf courses, roller coasters, and the Skyscraper, a 160-foot thrill ride.

ATLANTIS WATERPARK HOTEL (1570 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy), with its indoor Aqua Kingdom and Coral Reef Lagoon, is a great place to stay if you have young kids. It has six water slides, a lap pool, water basketball, and water-spray activities for the little ones. The Atlantis has attractive rooms and is within walking distance of Mt. Olympus and Noah's Ark.

GRAND MARQUIS RESORT HOTEL & SUITES (840 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy) is another great place to stay with children. It has a kiddie pool for toddlers, a 30-foot slide for kids, and an outdoor, Olympic-size pool for everyone. Hot whirl pools and a sauna are available for visitors who want to relax in style.

GREAT WOLF LODGE (1400 Great Wolf Drive) is part of Great Wolf Resorts, a chain of family resorts with a "woodsy," outdoor theme (think log cabins). It contains both an indoor and outdoor waterpark, with a variety of slides and rides. With unique attractions such as Wiley's Woods, a live, interactive video game played in a four-story building, and the Howlin' Tornado, an enormous funnel to go rafting in, Great Wolf is an exciting place for kids. Adults will like it too: it contains Cameo, a relaxing Aveda Concept Spa; a fitness room; gift shops; dining options; and attractive lounging areas.

THE POLYNESIAN RESORT (857 North Frontage Road) is a good place for families to stay; it contains an outdoor water park and a 38,000 sq. ft. indoor water park. Both contain a variety of child-friendly attractions such as kiddie pools, water slides, a lazy river, water basketball, and whirlpools. Relax here or visit the Dells' most popular attractions, located nearby.

NOAH'S ARK WATERPARK (1410 Wisconsin Dells Parkway) is the place to go if you love waterslides; they have 40. Noah's Ark also has several kiddie pools, wave pools, rivers, and bumper boats. There are gift shops and restaurants on site, as well as a miniature golf course.

Visiting water parks, especially with children, is rarely inexpensive. Admissions vary and are subject to change, but expect to pay about $20-35 per adult, and somewhat less for children. Toddlers may or may not get free admission. In short: when planning a trip to the Dells, make sure to do your homework. Check online or call the parks you're interested in for coupons, discount tickets, travel packages, group rates, etc. The Dells are incredibly crowded in the summer; if possible, avoid weekends. You can also avoid crowds by scheduling your trip for the fall. Even if the weather is cooler, you can still enjoy the indoor water parks. Whenever you go, be absolutely sure to make reservations in advance; you don't want to waste your whole trip on a waiting list!