Wisconsin Dells

What Las Vegas is to adults, I would say the Wisconsin Dells is to families. Located in the beautiful area of the Wisconsin River with it's canyons and gorges, it showcases the natural beauty of the surrounding area. Best known as the "Waterpark Capital of the World" it doesn't disappoint as it is home to over twenty waterparks, one of which has the tallest waterslide in the world. Some parks are indoors and some outdoors so visitors can come year around. The busy season is from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but there is plenty to do all the time and a plethora of activities awaits people of all ages. Just a few of the amenities are: Go Karts, Golf, Putt Putt Golf, Canyon tours, Boat tours, Jet Boat tours, Horseback riding, Amusement parks, Interactive Adventures, Zip Lines, and even a scenic two-mile train journey through the lush woodlands. Into music? Crystal Grand Outdoor Music Venue seats over 2000 people - and they bring in some of the biggest names in the music industry. The downtown area boasts wonderful homemade candy stores, shopping, restaurants, and wine tasting. There is truly something for everyone.

We opted to take the Dells Boat Tour. It is a two hour ride up the Wisconsin River in an open air boat. The scenery was spectacular with hidden passages and incredible rock formations. A tour guide narrates the history of the river and tells tales of the daring rivermen who once worked on this river hauling lumber, and the perils they experienced navigating some of the narrow passages. If you closed your eyes, you could eerily feel their presence as we made our way through the trek. Hearing the history of this river was captivating. During our tour we had two shore landings. The first, Witches Gulch, was a narrow passage with a winding boardwalk that took us through a trail of moss-covered sandstone cliffs that were truly breathtaking. We also stopped at the famous Stand Rock, where to this day a specially-trained dog leaps across a five foot chasm between two 47-foot tall rock formations. (As a pet lover, I literally held my breath until he landed). I highly recommend this tour.

Being the foodie that I am, I stumbled onto two great restaurants. First was Sarento's Italian Restaurant located at 441 Wisconsin Dells Parkway. It is open from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. during the week and closes at 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. They have a happy hour from 4:30 p.m.to 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. They offer 20% off all drinks and a special happy hour menu that features some of their famous appetizers which include Fried Calamari, Parmesan Fries, Stuffed Shrimp, and House-made meatballs. An extensive dinner menu is offered that features delicious pastas, veal, chicken, seafood, steaks, and even pizza. They have a nightly special as well. You can tell this is a local hang out as most folks like to sit around the very spacious bar for their socializing. They do have a TV in the bar area and a warm inviting fireplace. The martini's here were amazing. Shaken well, with floating ice chips, and very delicious. Check out their website at sarentosrestuarant.com.

My other favorite was The Del-Bar at 800 Wisconsin Dells Parkway. Best known as an old-fashioned supper club, they have live music (on Mondays) during their happy hour, that runs from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. A supper club is defined as a restaurant with a retro dining experience. It hosts an air of glamour and luxury, usually has limited seating, fine dining, entertainment, and a place to socialize. This was quite the quintessential place. It is a family-run business that dates back to 1943 with three generations of committed owners who constantly make this an incredible dining experience. Some of the employees, including one of the chefs, have been there for over 40 years. They believe "tradition never goes out of style". They are best known for their aged steaks and fresh oysters, and use only locally sourced ingredients. They have a full bar, extensive wine list, and decadent desserts featuring creamy and boozy ice cream drinks. I had the ribeye steak, which melted in my mouth and it was accompanied by perfectly cooked hash browns. I also had their New England clam chowder which is the best I have ever had. My martini was made perfectly - well shaken - cold - with just the right amount of olive juice. I would have to say this was one of my top ten dining experiences. You can visit their website at Del-Bar.com.

There are a variety of places to stay - some geared toward children like Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari Resort and Convention Center. There are RV parks and KOA cabins available for rent. Also available are your traditional hotels - Marriott - Holiday Inn - Super 8 - but there are several Mom and Pop resorts, and even a Boutique Hotel. You will have plenty of choices for picking your accommodations for a perfect vacation.

The Wisconsin Dells definitely did not disappoint. It was one of the places I had on my bucket list, which seems to be growing constantly. Life is short and the world is wide. As I have quoted before, in the famous words of Ibn Battuta: "Traveling - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller".

Until we talk again........