53965 Travel Guide
Indoor Water Parks
A Piece of (Fake) Africa in the Dells
August 22, 2006 at 1:18 PM | 0 Comments
We've given up all hope that indoor water parks are just a passing fad. We are realizing that this phenomenon will continue for at least a few more years. And the hub of all these garish water parks seems to be the Wisconsin Dells, since the upper-Midwest is home to some of the world's largest water parks and thus has built up a growing resort town full of activities.
With more than 8,000 hotel rooms, you can bet on a lot of awful inns and lodges here. But since this is also a little playground for Chicago city slickers the place isn't completely void of hotel happiness.
The New York Post suggests making a last minute jaunt to the Dells before the summer's end. Even if you don't think you can handle the waterpark madness, you can spend hours in the Aveda spas, chilling at the breweries and eating up fresh walleye and...probably a lot of cheese. The Post suggests the Kalahari Resort:
It's one of the few stay-to-play complexes with a truly meandering indoor lazy river (920 feet, America's largest, passing through a wave pool), a newfangled uphill water roller coaster (water jets push you up and downhill), and a blissfully reckless slide that spins your body in a giant bowl before dumping you out into a disorientingly deep pool. But its rarest diversion is the FlowRider sheet-wave machine, where you can surf and boogie board on 50,000 gallons a minute above a padded pool that cushions the inevitable wipeout
But again, if you can't handle all of this wet, wild, water fun, fear not. The Kalahari has several restaurants, a golf course and a stadium seating movie theater. Rooms have internet, coffeemakers, and are "African-themed". We're not sure if this would pass the Angelina test, but it seems to work for the thousands of Chicagoans that head up every weekend.
Related Stories:
· Splash Hits [New York Post]
· Kalahari Resort Reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Despite our wishes, Indoor Water Parks continue to be popular [HotelChatter]
Hotels
Despite Our Wishes, Indoor Water Parks Continue to be Popular
May 26, 2006 at 9:40 AM | 0 Comments
If you haven't been to the Wisconsin Dells yet, then what the heck are ya waitin' for? (Imagine this last bit said in an exaggerated Midwest accent).
Once a summer getaway along the Wisconsin river, thanks to the baffling indoor water park trend, the place is getting more and more visitors throughout the year. The locale is even trying to be a Vegas junior with casinos and gambling.
If making money then losing it all again to an evil blackjack dealer doesn't appeal to you, consider the Great Wolf Lodge. We're talking about an indoor and outdoor water park that rivals that of Noah's Arc (the theme park not the real boat).
As the name of the hotel implies, the theme of up nort' does run heavily throughout the large atrium lobby and from the Majestic Bear Suite to the Wolf Den.
If you don't find these names annoying, then the abundance of screaming children in the water park should do it. Thankfully you can hide in the Aveda spa in hopes of escaping these high-pitched and echoing shrieks of delight.
Related Stories:
· Great Wolf Lodge Reviews [Trip Advisor]
