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Winter Fun at Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells
When many think of visiting the Wisconsin Dells they may picture the heat of summer and outdoor fun. But, Wilderness Resort is a reason to visit all year round including the Winter. The Wilderness Resort is jam-packed with outdoor AND indoor fun which makes it the perfect winter destination.
Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells is the largest waterpark resort in America consisting of three waterpark properties. These properties include the Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, Wilderness on the Lake and Glacier Canyon Lodge. Between all these properties they offer 4 indoor and 4 outdoor waterparks.
We recently spent an entire week at Wilderness Resort and it was the perfect family getaway to celebrate the New Year, relax and play as a family.
Wilderness on the Lake
We chose to stay at Wilderness on the Lake which was perfect due to how long we were staying and that there were five of us. They offer two and three-bedroom condos that are equipped with a washer and dryer, kitchen stocked with the basics, four seasons room that has a jacuzzi and tons of space! We could have easily fit another 5 people in our room with no problem.
Wilderness on the Lake allowed us to come back and spend some time resting after a busy morning or evening playing. We prepped freezer meals, snacks, and breakfast items before arriving which helped us save money on meals. Our room also provided us with a gorgeous view of the lake and was pretty magical when the snow began to fall.
Wilderness on the Lake is apart from the other properties and offers one waterpark, a couple of restaurants and the Escape Room.
Cubby’s Cove
Cubby’s Cove is located at Wilderness on the Lake and was perfect since we have small children. After a day of going down slides and playing games, it was nice to come back to a waterpark where the kids could safely play on their own. This waterpark also offered a fun lily pad course, two smaller body slides, a pool with basketball hoops, and an indoor/outdoor hot tub!
Wild WaterDome
This was the kid’s favorite of the entire trip and we carved out two days for playing here. The Wild WaterDome is home to the nation’s largest indoor wave pool, The Great Wave hence why the kids never wanted to leave. There are also two super fun water slides and a zero-depth play lagoon which was great when we adults needed a break from the 5 feet waves.
Two tips when you visit the Wild WaterDome:
- Bring sunscreen! The Foil Tec roof allows the sun to shine through so even though it may be 15 degrees outside, you can still get burnt!
- Get there right when they open. The two days we planned our days there we arrived about 15-20 minutes prior to opening so we could make sure to get a spot. We were not the only ones with the same thinking. Tables and chairs fill quickly!
Klondike Kavern
Klondike Kavern is connected to the Wild WaterDome by skywalk which made it very easy to play at both waterparks on the same day. We found a space in the Wild WaterDome and went back and forth between the two parks. If you decide to do this, make sure you do not have anything super valuable since you may be away from your stuff for a bit.
Klondike Kavern offers The Hurricane the tallest indoor 4-person raft ride, lazy river, indoor/outdoor hot tub, body slide, a family-friendly play structure in the middle of the park filled with tons of fun for kids and so much more.
Wild West Waterpark
Wild West Waterpark is located on the opposite side of the Wilderness Hotel. This is another waterpark that you will want to plan to get their early to get a good spot. Wild West Waterpark offers fun water slides, a raft ride, fun climbing feature for kids, indoor/outdoor hot tub, and bumper boats.
This waterpark is located near the majority of attractions such as the ropes course, arcade games, climbing walls, indoor mini-golf, and indoor play park. This area provides so much fun!
Games + Attractions
Believe it or not, we did get tired of swimming, but that is okay! The Wilderness Resort offers tons of fun attractions that do not involve water.
The Wild Abyss | An indoor 3-D blacklight mini-golf course which was was unique and fun! They also have some baby stingrays at the end that my daughter enjoyed looking at.
Indoor Go-Karts | These were fun and super fast! The adults may have had more fun then the kids racing these around.
Northern Lights Sky Ropes Course | I opted out from doing this, but both kids had a blast walking above all the fun at the Wilderness Hotel.
Climbing Walls | They offered three very large climbing walls and were challenging for both, even my husband.
Timberland Play Park | This was a favorite and the kids spent a few hours playing in this large play structure. Timberland Play Park is a 35,000 square-foot, four-story structure filled with slides and crawl spaces. It was the perfect place for the kids to play while the adults enjoyed a beverage and chatted.
Arcade Games | They offer three very large arcade game areas and had some super fun games. I was a big fan of the bowling game! The kids won a ton of tickets and were able to turn them in for some fun prizes.
Escape Room | The Escape Room is located at Wilderness on the Lake and my son was so excited to do this. They offer a ‘Circus Room’ specifically for families with younger kids. It was a fun challenge (the adults may or may not have been stumped too), but we got out in time!
Polka Dot Pots| This was a great activity to break away from all the games and swimming. The kid’s statues turned out great. It was a fun souvenir to bring home to remind them of our trip to Wilderness Resort.
Food
Since we stayed in a condo at Wilderness on the Lake which had a kitchen, we did not eat out a ton but did visit the new Camp Social and two other restaurants in the area.
Camp Social | This food court vibe is super fun! They offer up classics such as pizza, hot dogs, mac and cheese which make it easy to feed the kids. They also have a fun bar and yummy coffee shop (hello, Lavender Honey latte).
We enjoyed dinner at Camp Social on New Year’s Eve and the kids enjoyed the hot cocoa bar and the fun milk and cookies toast to ring in the New Year.
Monk’s at the Wilderness | Monk’s is located a little off the property but you can take a shuttle to and from there. They offered great food and drinks. It was a great place to grab lunch.
Moosejaw Pizza & Dells Brewing Co. | If you have been to the Dells you may have seen cars driving around with a large moose on the roof. My kids thought these were hilarious and after many recommendations, we decided to grab lunch one day at Moosejaw. They offered great food and craft brews. Everyone is given moose hats while they eat too! A fun place for the whole family.
Moosejaw is not located on the Wilderness Resort property but is located just down the street.
Notes for your visit
- No matter where you are staying at the Wilderness Resort, they offer heated shuttles to all parts of the resort. This is great if you are wearing a swimsuit and do not want to get bundled up to go to another area.
- They offer a ton of attractions, it is smart to purchase a ‘Fun Pass’ which will save you money in the long run.
- Make sure you have socks when you go to play at Timberland Play Park. We made the mistake and forgot them once.
- Depending on how long you are staying, map out what you want to see and do each day. This will help to know which days you may want to get up a bit earlier to get a good spot at a waterpark.
- Check the Wilderness Resort website before booking. They are always offering great deals!
Erin Huiatt
Erin is a reliable resource and stepping stone for women and families to find support and make connections within our community. She wants families to feel confident to reach out and ask for help and advice to get pointed in the right direction. She enjoys traveling and exploring with her two children in tow!
Thank you SO much for your thorough travel reviews! You have helped me plan many trips- we follow your ideas and always have a great time. I’m so grateful to have the recommendations and guidance!
I am so glad to hear that! Thank you for being here and supporting Des Moine Parent.