12 Wisconsin Dells Winter Getaway Ideas (to rival the 12 Days of Christmas)
Time to present our ultimate winter bucket list, complete with indoor, outdoor, and even indoor/outdoor ideas that will have you seeing winter in a whole new light. Cozy up because this is a must-read for the season.
Here in Wisconsin Dells, you can uncover fun at every turn, and that includes the winter season. Pleasantly surprised? We get it, given you’re likely still reminiscing about your summer holiday here. Give winter a try and you’ll become part of the growing fan base of multi-season Dells’ devotees.
The Ultimate Dells Winter Bucket List
Downhill skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing can be experienced at Cascade Mountain Ski, Snowboard & Snow Tube and Christmas Mountain Village Ski, Snowboard & Tube. Don’t have equipment or don’t want to haul it? Rental packages are available at both locations. For horizontal options, head to Mirror Lake State Park or Devil’s Lake State Park for cross-country skiing or snowshoeing, with Rocky Arbor State Park and Roche-A-Cri State Park both perfect choices for a winter hike.
2. Bask in the night glow
There’s something so incredibly uplifting about gazing upward at a towering tree aglow with thousands upon thousands of twinkling lights. The city’s Tree of Light at the entrance to the downtown Scenic River Walk will remain lit every night from dusk-11 PM through Jan. 1. Pair that with a visit to the Nights of Lights installation at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park Resort. This half-mile walk-thru display is made up of more than one million lights – talk about dazzling! It runs through the first week of January.
3. Swim outside
No, that is not a typo. You can swim outside in the heated outdoor infinity pool at Sundara Inn & Spa. And at Chula Vista Resort, patrons of their Spa Del Sol should close their eyes and imagine they’re at a hot springs resort, because they sort of are, with the heated pool and outdoor fireplace the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the season.
4. Warm up with coffee and a view
Bella Goose Coffee – Café on the River is a pretty little bistro perched above the Wisconsin River where espresso drinks, trademark lattes, and seasonal teas never fail to warm the soul. Pair with a sunrise plate, trademark scone, or cheddar bacon sammie.
5. Soar through the snowflakes
Winter ziplining is definitely trending in Wisconsin Dells. Vertical Illusions has a snowshoe/zipline eco-experience and they also offer guided ice climbing. Bigfoot Zipline gives you a bird’s eye view of oaks and pines all plumped up with snow.
6. Bring the outdoors in at an amusement park
Just because it’s winter in Wisconsin Dells doesn’t mean you have to give up go-carting, mini-golf, roller coasters, carousels, and more. Just head to Tom Foolerys Adventure Park or Knuckleheads Trampoline Park • Rides • Bowling. Guests of the Wilderness Resort, you’ll have go-carting, a ropes course, and mini-golf to choose from as well. We also want to give a shoutout to Wizard Quest, a full-size interactive labyrinth adventure that takes you through earth, water, and air realms, all indoors.
7. Enjoy a cozy supper club dining experience
Supper clubs are all the rage and Wisconsin Dells is an epicenter of this dining phenomenon, with classic supper club restaurants the ultimate choice for a leisurely, cozy meal. Start with an Old Fashioned cocktail at the bar, followed by a superbly prepared steak or seafood entrée, and conclude the meal with a decadent dessert and maybe even an ice cream drink. Del-Bar, House of Embers, Kaminski’s Chop House, and Field’s at the Wilderness are four fine choices that never disappoint.
8. Take in a concert
There’s a nice lineup of country acts at Crystal Grand Music Theatre, where intimate seating for 2,000 means every seat is the best seat in the house. Over at Palace Theater, the winter concert calendar features tribute bands performing hits from Pink Floyd, Journey, Tom Petty, Foreigner, Heart, and Whitney Houston.
9. Sip seasonal wines
With a handful of wineries to choose from, wine aficionados will be very pleased with the offerings in the Dells area. From the modern boutique winery Balanced Rock to the nationally recognized historic Wollersheim Winery, the sampling experience goes down easy. At Fawn Creek Winery, we recommend the seasonal Black Bear-y, a blackberry-flavored Merlot.
10. Put yourself first with a spa day
Work out the kinks from skiing, quiet the ever-racing mind, hydrate winter-weary skin, all good reasons for a spa day this winter. Along with Sundara Inn & Spa and Spa del Sol (see #3 on the list), there’s also Spa Serenity, Sun Mountain Spa, and Spa Kalahari. Disconnect from the real world and emerge a new person with a visit to any of these lovely spas.
11. Spin the wheel at the casino
Table games, slots, bingo, yes, yes, and yes. We’re talking about Ho-Chunk Gaming. Spin the wheel at roulette, ask about the new slots, and choose a matinee or evening bingo session.
12. Play at the waterparks!
Some might say we saved the best for last, and we wouldn’t necessarily disagree. The indoor waterparks in the Dells are as good as any trip to the tropics, with so many water slides, rides, and attractions you’ll forget you’re in the middle of Wisconsin in the middle of winter. For a complete list of indoor waterparks check here.
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