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Extraordinary Wisconsin Dells Family Experiences

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I have so much more to share about our amazing weekend getaway with partner, Travel Wisconsin, to Wisconsin Dells, that I had to write another post all about it! Here is the first one in case you missed it. Today I am sharing some extraordinary family experiences you must do when you visit the Dells.

Starting with Devil’s Lake!

I’ve shared this before, but this should definitely not be called Devil’s Lake. Paradise Lake is a much better name. Until you actually see the lake, you have no idea as you are driving up that this much beauty awaits you. We could have spent all day here because there are water activities, hiking and rock climbing trails, and plenty of places to just relax and enjoy the lake. 

Wisconsin’s largest state park offers magnificent views from 500-foot Quartzite bluffs overlooking a 360-acre lake. Enjoy lakeshore picnic areas, sandy swimming beaches, bird watching, or ease into the back country solitude. A beautiful year round park with an intriguing natural history along the 1000-mile Ice Age Trail. Nature programs are seasonal. Summer only features: hot showers, flush toilets, sanitary dump station, canoes available. Call park for pet rules. No gas motors on lake. 5 reservable shelters, call park for more info. No lifeguard on beach. Climbing/scuba at own risk. The Wisconsin River once flowed where Devils Lake now lies. In its last gasp, the continental glacier blocked both ends of the river’s quartzite gorge with moraine. The clean, blue lake and rocky bluffs it left make Devils Lake one of the most scenic spots in the state, and a great place to mountain bike.

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A fall time favorite to see the changing leaves is the Mid-Continent Railway Museum for the Amid Brilliant Hues Of Fall Train Ride. We boarded the train and sat back for the ride into the forest of trees and along the ponds and streams that ran beside it. They even have a lovely meal service car you can make reservations to eat in as you ride the train.

World-Class railroad museum with extensive collection of locomotives and rolling stock. Enjoy a seven-mile, 50-minute round-trip train ride through the beauty of the scenic Baraboo Hills. Museum displays of historic steam railroad locomotives, passenger cars and freight cars. Visit the historic depot constructed in 1894 and gift shop.

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I absolutely must talk about all the delicious food in Wisconsin and especially the Dells.

You already know that they are famous for cheese… and until you have tried it, you can’t believe how wonderful it really is. The one word I would use to describe it was what Ash told me, fresh! You can taste the difference. Surprisingly, they also have restaurants that cater to vegans and there were gluten-free options everywhere we visited. I would highly recommend the different themed restaurants in Wisconsin Dells. They make mealtime even more fun. We ate at Cheeze Factory Restaurant (vegan), Dells Pizza Lab for delicious build your own pizza, and other places along the way. Here is a sampling of the delicious food we enjoyed. 

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No visit to The Dells is complete without an Upper Dells Boat Tour.

When we boarded the boat we really thought this was going to be a leisurely boat ride where we just relaxed as we went up and down the shores. It was all of that, and so much more! There are two stops on the tour (both with restrooms because we know kids always need to go) and one with refreshments available for purchase most of the time. The first stop was at Witches Gulch, and it was like we were transported to a completely different place. It was cool and damp, and it felt like we were walking through caverns! The second stop is where you can see a dog jump between two ridges at a place called Stance Rock. There is a safety net if you are a worrier like me, so it is completely safe for the dogs. We had so much fun on this tour. Be sure to watch the videos below for all the details!  

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The last stop for us was to Red Ridge Ranch for a haunted corn maze, haunted hayride, and a not so scary hay maze!

This is specific to fall time and loads of fun! The hayride is best for teens and preteens as Em was scared out of her mind during the ride. Afterward, she boasted about how she survived the monsters! The monsters were all really nice and as soon as they knew there was a little one there, they became very friendly to her before reverting back to their scary ways for the older girls. We don’t have bonfires here in SoCal because of the fire danger since we are in a drought, so that was another huge bonus for us. If we are back in The Dells in the fall again we would definitely do this again!

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Here are our videos from our time in Wisconsin:



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Heather Reese
the authorHeather Reese
Heather Delaney Reese is the storyteller and photographer behind the lifestyle and family travel blog, It's a Lovely Life®! For the past decade, she has vacationed over 150 days a year with her family. She is a vegan, and loves being by the water, spending time with her children, husband, 2 Shih Tzus and Cat.

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