Last Updated on September 27, 2023
When it comes to Midwest Winter Getaways, Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin is a great option. There’s a huge range of indoor activities and attractions that are fun for the whole family. Anyone from the Midwest will know how touch and go the weather can be in the winter! I’ve personally visited in December and I’m now sharing my favourite things to do in Wisconsin Dells in Winter and the best Wisconsin Dells winter activities!
Disclosure: I do my best to try and keep information up-to-date but please check direct with businesses for current opening times and prices.
Things To Do In Wisconsin Dells in Winter
When visiting the Wisconsin Dells in winter, several of the attractions and things to see and do are shut during these months. However there is still plenty to keep you busy!
Indoor Waterparks and Resorts
You can’t talk about Wisconsin Dells and not mention the awesome indoor waterparks and resorts! They are jammed packed with multiple indoor activities. Two of the largest resorts are the Wilderness vs The Kalahari.
A plus with the Kalahari is that they offer day passes, meaning that you could potentially stay at a cheaper hotel. The Wilderness is spread out across several different buildings, however they are all connected via indoor walkways.
indoor Waterparks
When staying at the resort, you have the benefit of having your room close to the waterparks. It doesn’t matter if you’re wet, everywhere is heated! I personally think the Kalahari has the best indoor water park, especially if you’re an adult visiting the Wisconsin Dells. They have a large selection of extreme water slides!
If you want to pretend you are somewhere warmer than the Midwest, the Wild WaterDome at the Wilderness has some fun features. It has a see-through roof, filling the park with natural light and apparently you can tan year round! There are many sun loungers, a swim-up bar, indoor private cabanas to rent and it is home to America’s largest indoor wave pool.
*Note – The Wild West waterpark at Wilderness Resort is sometimes shut Monday to Thursday during the winter season. The other 3 parks are open daily. Check the website for opening hours.*
Indoor Activities
As well as the indoor waterparks, there are plenty of other indoor activities at the resorts. Each resort has their own ‘selling’ points but they all have a wide variety of things to do on offer.
These include:
- indoor amusement parks (Tom Foolerys Adventure Park at The Kalahari is particularly good)
- indoor go karts
- mini golf
- arcades
- escape rooms
- pottery painting
- play areas
- and more!
There’s easily enough things to do without even leaving the resorts! The waterparks are included as part of the room rates, however the other indoor activities often have an additional surcharge.
I really enjoyed Polka Dot Pots at The Wilderness Resort. They have a wide selection of pottery sculptures and pieces that you can spend as little or as long as you want painting them. I spent hours on mine, painting my website logo!
The pieces are put in the kiln overnight and they are ready for collection the following day. It’s a nice relaxing activity to wind down with.
If it happens to be snowing, having everything under one roof at the resorts, is very handy. There’s no need to keep clearing snow off the car or to go out on the roads. They all have eating and drinking options too.
Christmas
In the lead up to Christmas, many of the Wisconsin Dells resorts have special offers and winter activities.
These include:
- meeting Santa
- cookie decorating
- making ornaments
- Christmas dinner buffets
Of course the resorts also have their Christmas decorations on display!
Spas
For adults, a spa break in the Wisconsin Dells could be an option for a great winter activity! The Kalahari has its own spa on site or somewhere like the Sundara Inn & Spa is a whole spa and wellness resort. When the temperature outside is freezing cold, a sauna is a great way to warm up!
Wizard Quest
💰Adult (12yrs+): $29.99 | Child (3-11yrs): $19.99
🕚Open Friday to Monday (closed Tues – Thurs)
One of my personal favourite things to do in winter in Wisconsin Dells, is Wizard Quest! Wizard Quest moved to a bigger location in November 2021. It’s an interactive scavenger hunt that uses tablets which display riddles and clues.
There are 2 quests with different levels of difficulty. It’s unique in the way that everyone is playing within the same magical labyrinth, yet they could be on a completely different quest!
There are hidden passage ways, tunnels and slides. The Odyssey Quest has some challenges that require the use of a UV flashlight. This can be purchases for an addition cost (and then reused on return views), or these particular activities can be skipped. There’s still plenty that can be completed without out!
Even if visiting as adults, the Freedom Quest is HARD. You have to see how many wizards you can ‘free’ without 120 minutes.
Wizard Quest can be combined with entrance to Ripley’s Believe It of Not. Purchasing a combo ticket for both indoor attractions will save visitors $16.
Tommy Bartlett’s Exploratory
💰Adult: $16 | Child (5-11yrs): $13
🕖Winter hours: 10am – 4pm
Another indoor attraction is Tommy Barlett’s Exploratory. This is a hands on interactive science museum with over 175 fun activities and experiments. There’s just a short outdoor walkway that connects the buildings together, but the rest is all inside. A whole area of the museum is dedicated to space exploration and the space station.
Some of the experiments are a little on the tricky side, so this Wisconsin Dells winter activity may be suited for those with older children or adults.
Asgard Axe Throwing
💰30 minutes: $30 per person
🕖Hours: 11.30am until 11.30pm (may close earlier on league days)
A sport that is increasing in popularity is axe throwing! At Asgard Axe Throwing, anyone over the age of 10 can take part! They have different graphics/targets that are projected onto the wooden board. This gives you plenty of choice from different challenges! I tried axe throwing, but I wasn’t very good.
For 2 people we found that 30 minutes was plenty of time for us sharing a lane. If you are a larger group or family, 1 hour may be a better option. The longer option also gives you access to more of the ‘targets’, there’s limited options available for those with 30 minutes. They also have an ‘unlimited’ arcade, pizza and sandwiches and 28 beers on tap!
Christmas in the Dells Dinner Show
📅Tuesday to Sunday throughout November & December
A brand new winter activity is the ‘Christmas in the Dells Dinner Show’! Running almost every day throughout November and December, this experience is a full on production with pyrotechnics, lasers and lights, celebrating all things Christmas. The cast figure skaters, singers, dancers and more!
For an additional fee, Santa is available for photos during the interval and straight after the show.
A 4-course Christmas dinner is included in the ticket price. The show plus dinner lasts just under 3 hours, with the meal sitting starting 45 minutes before show time. The main show starts at 7pm and on select days there is a lunch time show at 2pm.
Other indoor activities open year-round
- Lost Temple (Off season hours: 11am-5pm)
- Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
Wisconsin Dells Winter Activities
Zip Lining
💰From $89
🕖Hours vary during winter season
Bigfoot Zipline Tours operates year round. However during the winter tour times vary so you will need to ring up to see which tours are running. There are 7 zip lines all together and tours last approximately 2.5 hours.
Vertical Illusions also has zip lining tours year round. They even have a ‘Zip Line Snowshoe Tour‘ that includes snowshoeing and 14 zip lines! This tour is approximately 3.5 hours.
Zip lining in lower temperatures will be COLD when travelling at speed. Make sure to dress appropriately for the weather conditions and the activity.
Timbavati Wildlife Park Guided Tour
Many of the wildlife parks close for the winter season. However Timbavati Wildlife Park is open daily and offer guided tours at 11am and 1pm. The tours ARE expensive. There is a set rate for a group (up to 5 people), so if there are less people, it then works out more expensive per person.
The tour takes you around hands-on experiences where you can get up close with some of the animals. You can hand feed the camels, hold baby kangaroos and feed the lorikeets (which WILL sit on you!).
Wisconsin Dells Ski Resorts
If you’re looking for outdoor Wisconsin Dells winter activities, look no further than the ski resorts. There are a couple nearby: Christmas Mountain and Cascade Mountain.
Christmas Mountain
Christmas Mountain has 16 ski runs and 2 terrain parks. For people like me that are useless at skiing or snowboarding, there’s also a tubing hill! Adult lift passes start from $75 (kit rental is another $50) and a 2-hour tubing ticket starts from $35.
On the first Saturday in February Christmas Mountain holds its winter carnival. There are various competitions and races throughout the day.
Christmas Mountain is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Cascade Mountain
Cascade Mountain is a little further away (25 minute drive) but is a larger ski resort. It has 47 trails and 11 ski lifts! Being bigger than Christmas Mountain, it is also more expensive. Adult lift passes start from $79 (kit rental from $45). They also have 900′ snow tubing chute, which starts at $35 for a 2-hour pass. Cascade Mountain is a cashless attraction.
Wisconsin Dells Things To Do In Winter FAQs
Yes! Wisconsin Dells is good in the winter! There are plenty of indoor activities to enjoy, as well as outdoor winter activities, just dress appropriately for the weather!
Winter in the Wisconsin Dells experiences typical Midwest weather. During the height of winter averages lows can be -14F and average high temperatures of -4F. There are many indoor attractions, including waterparks that are heated to comfortable temperatures.
The outdoor waterparks and some other outdoor Wisconsin Dells attractions and businesses close during the winter months.
Many Wisconsin Dells activities and accommodation providers are open year round.
Reasons to Return in the Summer!
I’ve shared some of the things to do in Wisconsin Dells in winter, however there are LOADS of reasons to return in the warmer months! The outdoor waterparks are one big reason (open from Memorial Day to Labor Day)!
I’ve mentioned some of the resorts that have indoor waterparks but these same places also have large outdoor ones too!
The wildlife parks are open during the warmer months. The outdoor mini golf courses aren’t filled up with snow, they close around early November until the middle of March.
For river adventures, the Duck Boat tours operate between mid-March to mid-November.
One of my favourite restaurants for a buffet breakfast is ‘Paul Bunyans Cook Shanty‘, however this is closed during the off season.
Inspired by these Wisconsin Dells winter activities? Pin it for later!
