Did you know that Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin is best known as the “Waterpark Capital of the World?” Tourists from all over the nation and the world flock to Wisconsin Dells every year to get wet, cruise down waterslides, and generally have an incredible day of fun in the sun. But even if you already knew that, what you don’t know about Wisconsin Dells might surprise you. The city is far more than simply a waterpark mecca. It’s also full of incredible things to do, see, and eat. That’s why nature lovers, waterpark lovers, and generally anyone looking for a great place to visit will all love Wisconsin Dells. And if you’re wondering about the best of the best, keep watching. Viewcation presents, the best things to do in Wisconsin Dells!
H.H. Bennett Studio and Museum
Before you get into all the waterpark fun, why not soak in some culture on your trip to Wisconsin Dells? Henry Hamilton Bennett was one of the artists who helped the city gain attention in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He was a skilled photographer who took shots of the natural scenes in the Wisconsin Dells area. Tourists and locals flocked to his studio to be able to put a piece of the area on their walls. The H.H. Bennett Studio and Museum was constructed in 1875 and are currently owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society. When you visit, you can see tons of his work and learn about him as an artist. There’s also a great exhibit there about the Ho-Chunk Nation, an indigenous tribe who lived long ago where the studio stands now. In addition to showcasing Bennett’s work, (perhaps most famous is his stop-action photo of his own son leaping among rock formations) the studio and museum also have old cameras and other photography-related accessories.
If you would like to take home a souvenir from the museum, you can get one of those old-timey “tintype” portraits taken of you and your family. The process utilized the same “wet plate” technique that Benne used. The studio and museum is open from May to October, so make sure you don’t’ try to visit if you are in town during off months. And it should also be noted that this is one of the museums that will likely be super interesting to the adults in your group, but perhaps not as much with the kiddos.
Dells Scenic River Walk
As long as the weather is nice enough to walk outside, you’re going to want to take a stroll along the Dells Scenic Rivers Walk at some point in your visit to the area. For starters, it’s your chance to get a glimpse of the things that gave Wisconsin Dells its name: the nearby sandstone bluffs. The entire (fairly short) walk is photo worthy though, so your Instagram account will definitely be a benefactor here. But even if you’re not looking to take photos, the River Walk is filled with various game tables and benches where you can take a load off and enjoy yourself in the peace of the outdoors. There are also fun signs posted along the walk that give you some info about the history of the area, as well as local culture and geological formations. If you happen to be there at the end of the year, you’ll be able to see the “Tree of Light,” a huge tree covered in multiple strands of light, which is itself surrounded by about 70 other decorated trees. It’s quite the sight.
If you’re a boat fan, the Dells Scenic River Walk is a great place to sit and enjoy them. And to keep you from getting hungry and thirsty during your walk you can get some grub at the River Walk Pub. Be sure to take advantage of their outdoor patio as you people watch, check out nature, or just enjoy the food and drinks!
Original Wisconsin Ducks
Have you ever been on a duck boat tour? If you haven’t, then your visit to Wisconsin Dells would be a great place to try one! A duck boat ride is a hybrid of a car trip and a boat trip. That’s because it’s done in amphibious vehicles that can drive on land, then pull right into the water and become boats! In Wisconsin Dells, the duck boat tour is a fantastic way to see various parts of the city (by sea and by land) as well as learn about the history of the area. The drivers are knowledgeable about the surrounding area and its history, and will fill you in on what you’re seeing as your cruise around the city. The vehicles, which were originally used in World War II to transport solders, are pretty abundant in town. What started out as 1 duck boat in the Dells in 1946 has expanded to around 90! So you’ll have many opportunities to hop aboard one, courtesy of the Original Wisconsin Ducks. The tours usually last around an hour, and are given from March to November, presuming it’s nice out.
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Great Wolf Lodge Water Park
OK, so obviously we can’t talk about Wisconsin Dells without mentioning the thing the city is most famous for… water parks! And the Great Wolf Lodge Water Park is chief among them. It’s a massive, 76,000-square-foot indoor park, which means no matter what time of year you visit, you’re gonna have some fully soaked fun. The thrill seekers in your group should try the epic ride “The Howlin’ Tornado.” It’s a closed waterslide that swirls you around in a funnel with a ton of hair raising speed. Did we also mention there’s a 53 foot drop on the slide? Yeah, that’s pretty amazing too. Apart from that ride, Great World Lodge Water Park is filled with pretty much everything you could want in a water park. There are heated pools, a lazy river, a ton of really fun slides, a wave pool, and lots more. And the ‘lodge” in the name is not for nothing. There’s a 436-room lodge attached to the park. If you stay there, you get free access to the water park, which is a pretty sweet deal in our estimation. In addition to all the water-based fun, there’s a Build-A-Bear Workshop for the little ones, as well as arcade games and a live-action MagiQuest experience.
Broadway Avenue Downtown
The main road through downtown Wisconsin Dells is Broadway, and while it might not have quite the reputation of it’s Manhattan counterpart, Broadway Avenue in Wisconsin Dells is still well worth a stroll down. This is where to go when you want a more traditional ‘touristy’ experience, because it has tons of souvenir shops and fudge shops. Plus there are a ton of great places to eat, including the Hard Rock café and Monk’s Bar & Grill. The Hard Rock has similar food to it’s other locations, though one things that makes this location great is that it has a second floor balcony that overlooks Broadway Ave. And the “Monkburgers” at Monks Bar & Grill are big and tasty, and will definitely make you want to walk off those calories after you eat. Elm Street Plaza is a newly constructed element of the downtown area, and it features a performance stage and a mural wall, not to mention some water features you can interact with. The plan is for it to host not only free concerts and other entrtainment, but also farmers markets with local food and crafts, and much more. So perhaps by the time you visit, Elm Street Plaza will be the crown jewel of your walk down Broadway Avenue!
Lost Canyon Tour
If you’re a fan of history, you’ll jump at this chance to see Wisconsin Dells from the vantage of a horse-drawn carriage. And not only will you feel like you’ve leaped back in time, but you’ll also get to view the splendor that is Lost Canyon. It’s actually a nationally famous canyon that is the longest and deepest around. You’ll ride through its narrow passages on your horse-drawn carriage, as the carriage driver tells you about the area’s history, and points out the gorges created by tall sandstone walls. It’s also notable that these gorges haven’t seen direct sunlight in more than 50,000 years. Now that’s some history for you. And what’s great is that the Lost Canyon Tour only rakes around 30 minutes, meaning you’ll have plenty of time during your day to see some more of Wisconsin Dells!
These are, of course, just a small sampling of the incredible things you can do in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. As you can already see, the city has an enormous variety of things to do, see, and eat. So you’ll likely want to plan your trip there for at least a few days. That way you’ll be able to spend as long as you’d like at a water park, and still leave time to see its many other indoor and outdoor sights.
So there you have it – the best Things to do In Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Now it’s time to hear from you. Did we miss any of your favorite things to do in Wisconsin Dells? Let us know in the comments section below. And before you go, make sure to give this video a like, and subscribe to Viewcation if you haven’t already. Click the bell icon to stay updated on all our latest content.