Splash into a great vacation any time of year in Wisconsin Dells, the “Water Park Capital of the World.” Rain, snow, or shine, you can get spend most of your days in bathing suits at these nine resorts that feature indoor and outdoor pools and water attractions. Plus, when you’re ready to dry off, many of these resorts also offer theme parks, rock climbing walls, tasty restaurants and more. Make waves and warm family memories at these awesome Wisconsin Dells indoor water park resorts.
1. Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells
Rooms, suites and lakeside villas are available at Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells, America’s largest indoor water park, where it’s always 84 degrees. The beautiful, African-themed resort features indoor and outdoor waterparks, Tom Foolery’s Adventure Park, a golf course, and a spa, which also provides services for kids. Wade the day away with a float down a lazy river, try Flowrider bodyboarding and simulated surfing, play water basketball, dip in the whirlpools, and swim for a mermaid experience. MasterBlaster water coaster is a family favorite. Drop 60 feet from the Screaming Hyena trap door free fall waterslide, if you dare! Outdoors, you’ll find the only slalom waterslides in Wisconsin Dells, family raft rides, funnels and flumes.
Tom Foolery Adventure Park includes arcades, virtual reality fun, climbing walls, a Ferris wheel, carousel and other rides for everyone from tykes to teens, plus mini-golf, ropes courses and bowling. Day passes to the water park and/or adventure park are available. Dining options include a grill, Sunday brunch, holiday buffets and Wisconsin Brew Pub, featuring Wisconsin cheese curds and local beer, among other options.
2. Wilderness Resort
The 600-acre Wilderness Resort is America’s largest water park resort. Choose from guestrooms, vacation villas, condos and cabins, all with included access to their four indoor and four outdoor water parks, offering half a million square feet of splash-tastic fun.
America’s largest indoor wave pool is under the Wild WaterDome, which lets natural sunlight in so you can get a suntan indoors! Slideboarding, lazy rivers, indoor/outdoor whirlpools (for those ages 6 and up), family raft rides, bumper boats, lily pads, zero-depth toddler areas and a swim-up bar for adults are just a few of the options for water fun.
Go-karts, mini-golf, rock climbing walls, sky ropes courses, escape rooms, an arcade, play house, kids’ club and pottery painting will keep you entertained indoors. You can also zipline and enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides outdoors.
New to Wilderness Resort is Camp Social, a food hall dining experience with themed stations such as Campfire Press, with grilled sandwiches and salads galore. “Take Flight,” a new aerial adventure ride featuring 60 motion seats that will make you feel like you’re flying over national parks and Wisconsin Dells, will take off in the summer of 2020. Fun passes can be purchased for attraction discounts. There’s also award-winning Sundara spa, golf, a candy cabin and many dining options.
3. Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells
North America’s largest family of indoor water park resorts, Great Wolf Lodge offers condos with full kitchens and various suites in Wisconsin Dells. Some feature whirlpools or are themed, such as the KidCabin Suite, with a log cabin bunk bed area.
Great Wolf is all about kids’ activities, such as story time, the Great Clock Tower Lobby show and Wake Up with Wiley and Friends yoga. Snowland is super festive during the holiday season, offering free events, such as Santa visits, caroling and dance parties with falling snowflakes. MagiQuest, ShadowQuest, an arcade and a Build-a-Bear workshop featuring Great Wolf characters will keep kids fascinated.
The indoor water park features tornado slides, a treehouse with water toys, mat racing slides, lazy river, kiddie slides, water basketball, lily pads and a family warming pool. Your entire pack will be howling from all the wild water activities. Day passes with access to over 50 activities are available.
Dining options include a grill, pizza place, sweets and snack shops. A Wine Down service offers parents food and wine pairings to enjoy while the little pups are snoring. Great Wolf offers a sensational Thanksgiving buffet, for those interested in having someone else prepare the feast. A swim shop and souvenir store help you bring the fun home.
4. Mt Olympus Water Park & Theme Park Resort
Themed around Ancient Greece mythology, Mt Olympus Resort offers1,600 rooms in several stand-alone buildings surrounded by indoor and outdoor water parks and a theme park on the Wisconsin Dells Strip. This budget-friendly hotel often offers super-low rates and always includes free tickets to other Wisconsin Dells attractions. They also have a Camp Resort with cabins and tent sites.
Wet activities include 44 waterslides, an outdoor wave pool with colossal 9-foot waves, surf pool, giant water fortress and four children’s water play areas. Five roller coasters—including Hades 360 upside-down wooden coaster—and seven go-kart tracks are outside. Restaurants, cafes, bars and snack areas offer a variety of dining options.
5. American Resort & Treehouses
Family-owned American Resort & Treehouses offers rooms, lodges, tiny houses, camping, cabins, and, yes, treehouses! These unique treehouses sleep up to four people and include air conditioning and heating, LCD TV, refrigerator and microwave. Showers and restrooms are in a separate building nearby. Tiny homes were introduced in 2019 and include kitchens with cooktops and bathrooms with toilet, tub, sink and shower.
The resort includes two indoor pools and three whirlpools. The Lagoon debuted in the summer of 2019 with 250,000 gallons of naturally filtered water, complete with a cascading waterfall, stone grotto, and lazy stream. It is the first chemical-free water park in the Dells.
Free Noah’s Ark Waterpark tickets, offering 70 acres of outdoor fun for everyone, and Timbavati Wildlife Park tickets come with every stay. Basketball, tennis, volleyball courts and other play equipment keep the good times rolling. Onsite Hot Rocks restaurant allows you to cook your food on lava rocks. There’s also a gas and convenience store on the property.
6. Chula Vista Resort & Waterpark
Calling themselves the most complete family resort in the Wisconsin Dells, Chula Vista Resort offers water parks, scenic river views, golf, a spa and an award-winning chophouse. Guestrooms, villas, suites and condos are available. Recent interior renovations pay tribute to Old Wisconsin Dells with photographs by H.H. Bennett. The gorgeous outdoor surroundings, with the Wisconsin River and tall Norway Pines, are sure to ease the family into a relaxing vacation.
Lost Rios, the 80,000-square-foot indoor water park, is home to an activity pool, lazy river, kiddie play areas and several slides. The outdoor water park features a wave pool, sport pool and Adventure Lagoon. Mini-golf is also offered for an additional charge.
The serene spa offers organic and kids services. The outdoor Hot Springs whirlpool with heated deck and two-story fireplace is a perfect place for parents to escape. A 4D action cinema, arcade, and kids’ activities including bubbles and slime keep the crew engaged and enjoying themselves. Eight dining options are offered, including pizza, snacks, Mexican food and a gourmet chophouse, Kaminski’s.
7. Clarion Hotel & Suites Wisconsin Dells
Formerly Wintergreen Resort & Conference Center, now Clarion Hotel & Suites Wisconsin Dells, this 111-room property features an indoor pool, three outdoor pools and several toddler-friendly waterslides. For an affordable stay in the Dells, this Victorian-themed hotel is convenient and comfortable. It’s located near Outlet at the Dells, Buffalo Phil’s Pizza & Grill (which features train-delivered food) and Knuckleheads Trampoline Park-Rides-Bowling. Some rooms feature in-room whirlpools and the larger suites can accommodate up to eight people. Discounted entertainment tickets are available. The onsite restaurant, Wintergreen Grille, offers discounts for hotel guests, such as a free kids’ entrée with adult meal purchase.
8. Atlantis Family Waterpark Hotel
This budget-friendly hotel has indoor and outdoor pools featuring slides, fountains, water basketball and splash areas. New bunk bed suites are fun for the kids. An onsite arcade, restaurant and gift shop are super convenient, as are a mini-fridge and microwave in every room. The Atlantis Family Waterpark Hotel is within walking distance of many popular Wisconsin Dells attractions, like Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Mt. Olympus Waterpark & Theme Park and the Original Wisconsin Ducks. Discounted tickets to the Palace Theater are offered.
Cortney Fries (pronounced “freeze”) is an award-winning Chicago-based writer and mom to two spunky elementary school-age kids. She loves nothing more than traveling with family, having adventures with friends and exploring the outdoors. Cortney believes that you should definitely do things that scare you just a little bit. Follow her on Instagram, @cortneyfries.
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