Wisconsin Suggestions

Do a Google search for `Wisconsin tourism' and read on. We go to Door County almost every year. Good for adults but not much for kids.

The Dells themselves are BEAUTIFUL!
Take the Upper Dells boat tour and do some hiking.
Unfortunately, a huge tourist trap has built up around a beautiful natural resource and many families have gone there for years only to go to the water parks, ride go-carts, etc. and have never actually seen the actual Dells.

Nearby is Devil's Lake State Park which has a very nice campground and the park itself (Wisconsin's largest state park) is beautiful, with lots of trails and places to visit.

As cheteckie has said, don't miss having dinner at Ishnala Resort in nearby Mirror Lake State Park. You WILL NOT believe the setting and atmosphere. Incredible. The food is excellent too.

Other places within driving distance from the Dells are Wineries, Circus World in nearby Bariboo, WI, Steam train rides, and the House on the Rock, which is a tourist type attraction, but is like nothing you've ever experienced. One entire day to experience that one!

Oh, and Door County is nice too.

Door County is nice! Another idea would be to follow the shore of Lake Michigan, and then head west over to Bayfield and the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. As for The Dells, Devils Lake State Park, which is maybe 15 miles away, is beautiful, the lake is spring-fed and surrounded by bluffs that are great for hiking or rock climbing. There is a nice restaurant, The Ishnala, in Mirror Lake State Park, also very near the Dells. The Dells boat trips are very scenic. The Dells is a tourist Mecca for families, with lots of water parks. If you like to bike, there is the Sparta Elroy bike trail that connects the two towns. It is not close to the Dells, though. If fishing is your thing, Minacqua, or Eagle River are popular.

At Elkhart Lake, are you planning to camp at the track? We have done that several times over the years. It is a great experience!

Fletch Rider wrote:
The Dells area is ok, but its a huge tourist trap. I recommend Peninsula State Park in Door County with a day trip to Washigton Island. It books up fast so you'd have to book now for next June.

This. There are other state parks in the area, too. Potawotami is nice and in Door County but not as developed as Peninsula, it might not book up as fast.

I really enjoyed Door County in August. A little touristy but not too bad, lovely area, super-nice state parks. If you are on a budget take plenty of your own food, the restaurants are a little on the pricey side and mostly have fish. There is an Applebees and a decent Chinese in Sturgeon Bay if you get sick of fish.

The Dells area is ok, but its a huge tourist trap. I recommend Peninsula State Park in Door County with a day trip to Washigton Island. It books up fast so you'd have to book now for next June.