Play Along with These Interactive Finds

Being inside has its perks, and not just when the weather takes a turn. A tour of some of Wisconsin Dells' most popular indoor attractions proves to be a delightful mix of fun and games.

The newest indoor offerings are Knuckleheads and Dells 4D Special FX Theater. Knuckleheads has bowling, a family roller coaster, go-karts and 11 other amusement rides, all under one roof. The Dells 4D Special FX Theater will make you feel like you're inside the movie instead of on the outside just watching.

The Tommy Bartlett Exploratory has long explored the fun side of science, displaying a special affinity for space exploration dating back to 1997 when the owners were successful in their bid to procure the original Russian Space Station MIR Core Module. Now visitors have a new exhibit to look forward to -- a full-size replica of a Mercury Space Capsule, representing the United State’s first manned spaceship of nearly 50 years ago and memorialized in both the book and the movie "The Right Stuff." The replica capsule was built for the Kennedy Space Center, but when plans to display it there changed, the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory gladly stepped in. This attraction is open year-round with more than 150 hands-on activities that delve into science, virtual reality and brain teasers.

Two neighboring attractions downtown share a flare for the dramatic. Wizard Quest is a full-size labyrinth, part video game, part Harry Potter-esque movie set. Your charge is to find a way to release the wizards trapped inside. Computer-savvy kids have no problem spending hours at this. Next door is Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum. This is one guilty pleasure and, as much as you might want to avert your eyes, the fact is, you won't be able to get enough of the oddities and antiquities. Yes, there's a shrunken head and some strange looking animals that must have baffled the taxidermists. The history of the namesake, explorer Robert Ripley, displayed just inside the door, is worth reading.

For the younger set, a few hours at Wiley's Woods, adjacent to Great Wolf Lodge, may be just the ticket to tire out the kids, at least enough for them to take a nap. A massive four-story indoor play structure looks like fun, even if you're an adult gazing up from ground level. Rope bridges, nets, climbers, slides, gizmos, computers, 25,000 colorful foam balls, and computerized wrist bands that track your game scores really go a long way in entertaining kids, keeping them happily over-stimulated.

The House on the Rock, located a short drive from the Dells, is an architectural marvel and home-turned-museum, full of eccentric and colossal collections. This summer, the proprietors debut a new Japanese garden with waterfalls cascading into a koi pond. Behind the waterfalls, there will be a dry Zen garden.

There are dozens of other indoor attractions too -- even a state historical site, the H.H. Bennett Studio, where you can peer into 3-D stereoscopes perfected by photographer Bennett himself.

Remember, there's no reason for anyone to be bored, even if the skies open up with a gentle shower.