Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park

Perched on the bluffs towering above the Wisconsin River, this resort has undergone a magical transformation over the past few years. New condos, golf course villas, an upscale steakhouse and an incredibly themed indoor water park -- Lost Rios. Inside this 80,000 square-foot Aztec paradise, you can race each other on the Matador Mat Racers or hang out in Mount Montezuma's giant rain forest. Not to be missed is the Flyan Myan Zip Coaster, the world's fastest and longest indoor water roller coaster.

Great Wolf Lodge combines the rustic charm of a Northwoods lodge with the amenities you'd expect at a top-notch resort, with loads of dryland activities geared toward younger children too. Head to the resort's indoor water parks -- there are three of them, measuring a mammoth 100,000 square feet -- and there you'll find a range of rides that are family-pleasing. For the older kids and daredevil adults, the Howlin Tornado, a six-story high extreme tube ride, is the centerpiece. For the young ones, a four-story treehouse waterfort is irresistible.

This resort is distinguished by its authentic African art, a live animal exhibit with tiger cubs and baby kangaroos, and some of the largest freestanding condominiums in the area that include five bedrooms, four bathrooms, billiard room and theater room. But it's the indoor surf machine known as the FlowRider® that has made this place famous. Stand-up surf or boogie board on this ride, with 50,000 gallons of water flowing under you each minute to create a five-foot ocean-like wave. A close second in talk value is their Master Blaster uphill water roller coaster. This indoor water park comes in at a whopping 125,000 square feet.

Bigger is better here, no doubt about it. The Wilderness Resort is America's largest indoor/outdoor combination water park resort, with three massive indoor water parks totaling 250,000 square feet and another three outdoor to match. Guests tan year-round in the Wild WaterDome with its see-through roof, when they're not in family-raft racing rides or bobbing in the country's largest indoor wave pool that is. Klondike Kavern is famous for its lazy river and Hurricane water raft ride. Wild West Waterpark is fun for all ages and features the Fantastic Voyage family raft ride.

While this hotel and theme park complex has a decidedly Greek theme going, the indoor water park draws on an eclectic mix of imagery to get the fun started. Towering tube slides named for killer snakes like Cobra, Diamondback, Anaconda and Boa; a Mayan raging river; a pirate ship complete with tattered sails, tunnels and water slides for the little ones; and a jungle water walk are the most popular attractions here.

Of course, these handful of water parks are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. The nice thing about Wisconsin Dells is that, if you prefer cozier surroundings in a water park, they've got that too. So you choose - big, small, something in between, or all of the above.

What’s a classic night of fun without a drive-in movie?  Yes, there’s still such a thing in the Dells - at the Big Sky Twin Drive-In Theater.   Haunted houses seem to be scarier after dark, which makes the Ghost Out-Post Haunted House a family favorite when the moon comes out.

There’s evening entertainment for those who prefer late night over matinee, like the Tommy Bartlett Show of water skiers on Lake Delton and the Rick Wilcox Magic Theater magic show.

The Dells' indoor amusement parks keep their lights on late for visitors as well.  Topping the list of family favorite Wisconsin Dells attractions are businesses like the massive Kalahari Indoor Theme Park, the laser bowling mecca known as Knuckleheads Bowling & Indoor Amusement Park and the Downtown Dells Wild Fun Zone.

So forget curfews when you’re in Wisconsin Dells.  And don’t bother with a wake-up call the next morning either.  After all, you’re on vacation.

If you plan to visit Wisconsin Dells during the warm weather months, you could stay at your favorite hotel or motel, and then head out first thing in the morning to spend the day at Noah’s Ark Waterpark, the country’s largest outdoor water park.  Noah’s Ark has the extremes, with the family friendly Tadpole Bay at one end of the spectrum and the new Scorpion’s Tail loop-de-loop extreme tube slide for bigger kids and adults at the other end.  Bring comfortable aqua shoes as you and your family will be covering 70 acres in your quest to try all 80 rides, slides and activities at Noah’s. 
 

When you’ve logged sufficient hours at the water parks, dry off the kids and head to the indoor amusement parks.  Kalahari Indoor Theme Park has a six-story high Ferris wheel, multi-level go-kart track, laser tag, 24 lanes of bowling, a ton of arcade games, a ropes course, climbing wall and mini-golf.  Let’s all pause to catch our breath.  Knuckleheads Bowling & Indoor Amusement Park also has two dozen lanes of bowling, a 4D theatre ride, bumper cars and go-karts, plus you can grab dinner next door at Buffalo Phil’s Pizza & Grille, where their three secret-recipe BBQ sauces, made and bottled on premise, making family dining there triple the fun.

There are outdoor amusement parks that are must-stops for families who crave fun and exhilaration.  Timber Falls Adventure Park has a roller coaster called the Hellcat that features 70-degree banks and 10-story drops and is a favorite among roller coaster fan clubs.  You’ll get some air on the coaster, and even more air on their end-over-end ride called the Skyscraper.  It pulls 4 Gs at 60 mph 160 feet off the ground.

Time to move on to mini-golf.  Actually, you can stay put at Timber Falls and golf 72 holes, all in the shade of tall pines along the Wisconsin River.  There’s also Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf.

Large outdoor go-kart tracks are a favorite for families who like a little competition with their fun.  ADare Go Carts is everything you’d expect from a good track - hairpin turns, fast straightaways and racing through waterfalls (this is Wisconsin Dells, after all.)

Right about now you may be looking to cool off a little.  Take a jet boat ride on the Wisconsin River and you’ll cool off a lot, as in get soaked while the wind is whipping through your hair.  These rides are a blast, from the first 360-degree turn to the last, all under the power of a 1,200 hp engine.  There are two companies offering this option - Jet Boat Adventures and WildThing Jet Boats.

End the day with some family entertainment that plays with your senses - Dells 4D Special FX Theater is a good choice, as is the Rick Wilcox Magic Theater - and then a great burger at Monk’s Bar & Grill, either the original restaurant downtown or the expanded version at the Wilderness Resort.

There, that should be enough family fun and adventure for one Wisconsin Dells getaway.