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Wisconsin Dells is the water park capital of the Midwest, and the best Wisconsin Dells things to do are the water parks, a boat tour on the Wisconsin River and a day at Devil’s Lake. It sits about 3 hours from Chicago and 2 hours from Milwaukee. The big resort parks are indoors, so the town works in January as well as July.
I grew up on a Midwest farm, and my Chicago years put the Dells on the short list whenever a weekend needed somewhere within driving distance of the city. It is the kind of trip nieces and nephews ask for again. I pack for it the way I pack for everything, which means too much: swim shirts, flip-flops, a dry bag for the phone, and a second towel nobody ever uses.
Wisconsin Dells water parks
The town calls itself the Waterpark Capital of the World, and the label holds up. Four resorts run indoor parks that stay open all year, and the outdoor parks are a summer thing. Indoor or outdoor is the choice that decides when you go.
Noah’s Ark water park
Noah’s Ark is billed as America’s largest water park, and it is the outdoor park I would build a summer day around. It has two wave pools, lazy rivers, a long list of slides and a toddler area with a giant dump bucket. The season runs from late May to about Labor Day. On a busy weekend, I would be at the gate before opening and ride the big slides first, while the lines are short.
On noahsarkwaterpark.com, the 2026 any-day ticket was $54.99 online, and dated tickets started at $39.99. Children under 36 inches get in free, and anyone from 36 to 48 inches pays the junior price. Parking is $25 for the day, or $30 for the preferred lot at the gate.
Leave the cooler at home, because outside food and drinks are not allowed. Towels are not provided, and lockers come in three sizes. Life jackets are free around the park, and children under 48 inches need one in the wave pools.
Wisconsin Dells day pass
The indoor resorts are the winter answer, and they put overnight guests ahead of day visitors. Kalahari lets guests into its water park from 10 a.m. on check-in day until close on checkout day, according to the resort’s own site. Wilderness includes access to its water parks with a room, and Mt. Olympus includes park tickets with a stay.
Great Wolf Lodge sells day passes from $30, but its day-pass page says it caps how many it sells and blocks out sold-out dates. Passes are non-refundable. Kalahari and Wilderness sell day passes too, so buy one before you drive up instead of counting on a walk-in on a holiday weekend.
If you are staying overnight, the water park is part of the room, which is the whole point of booking a resort. For a single day, book the pass before you leave Chicago.
A day pass at Great Wolf includes towels and life jackets, and swim shirts are allowed. The park asks everyone to empty their pockets before going in, and lockers rent for a daily fee. Outside food and coolers stay in the car.
Mt Olympus water park
Mt. Olympus is the odd one out, with an indoor water park and a theme park of coasters and go-karts on one lot. The resort lists theme-park rides from mid-May through September, while the indoor park, with its Medusa’s Slidewheel, stays open year-round. It suits a group that splits between slide people and coaster people.
Wisconsin Dells boat tours
The river is the reason the town exists. Sandstone cliffs cut by the Wisconsin River are the Dells, and a boat is the way to see them. Dells Boat Tours runs a two-hour Upper Dells tour with two shore stops, at Witches Gulch and Stand Rock, and a one-hour Lower Dells tour below the dam. It also runs a 50-minute jet boat ride, and a sunset dinner cruise from late May to mid-September.
The Wisconsin Dells price list on dells.com puts adult tickets at $37.25 for the Upper Dells tour, the Lower Dells tour and the Original Wisconsin Ducks alike. Children 11 and under are $18.50, and children 3 and under ride free. If you only have time for one, take the Upper Dells, because the shore stops are what the Lower tour lacks.
The Ducks are World War II-era amphibious trucks that drive through the woods and then roll into the water, covering the Wisconsin River, Dell Creek and Lake Delton. They run from mid-March to mid-November. Pick the Ducks for anyone who wants a ride, and the Upper Dells for the scenery.
Devil’s Lake State Park
Devil’s Lake is the day to take when everyone in the group has had enough chlorine. The park is about 20 minutes from town, with quartzite bluffs rising roughly 500 feet over a 360-acre lake. It has nearly 30 miles of trails, and the bluff climbs are steep, so wear shoes that grip. Swimming beaches and picnic areas line the shore, which makes a morning hike and an afternoon swim the usual plan.
The state’s admission page lists a daily vehicle pass at $13 for Wisconsin plates and $16 for out-of-state plates. The park is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and every vehicle needs a sticker.
Mirror Lake State Park is the gentler version. It is a 2,200-acre park around a lake that is often so still it earns the name, with a swimming beach and wooded cliffs along the shore. Bring a paddle, because the quiet water is the draw.
Wisconsin Dells downtown
Downtown Wisconsin Dells is a strip of fudge shops, T-shirt shops, arcades and mini golf along Broadway. Stated plainly, it is not why you came, and it is also hard to avoid. I would skip it as a destination and give it a 30-minute walk after dinner, with fudge.
The Dells Boat Tours ticket booth sits at 107 Broadway, so the strip is where your river day starts anyway. Park once and walk.
The Tommy Bartlett Show, the water-ski show many people remember, has been dark since 2020. Ripley’s bought the site in May 2025 and runs the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, a hands-on science center. Check before planning around the ski show, because the Exploratory is the part that is open.
Best time to visit Wisconsin Dells
Summer is peak season, when the outdoor parks, the boat tours and Devil’s Lake all run, and so do the lines. July and August are the busiest. June is easier, with the same attractions open.
Winter is the sleeper. The indoor parks run all year, which makes the Dells a winter trip from Chicago, about 3 hours away, or from Milwaukee, about 2. Pack a swimsuit and a parka, because the walk from the car to the lobby is the coldest part of the day.
Spring and fall are the quiet shoulders. The outdoor parks are closed, but the boat tours run from spring into late fall, and Devil’s Lake is at its best in October when the bluffs turn.
Wisconsin Dells attractions
Here is the whole menu on one page, with the costs from the sections above.
| Attraction | Cost | Indoor or outdoor | Age fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noah’s Ark | $54.99 any-day online in 2026; free under 36 inches | Outdoor, summer | All ages, priced by height |
| Kalahari, Wilderness, Great Wolf | Included with a stay; Great Wolf day pass from $30 | Indoor, year-round | All ages |
| Mt. Olympus | Park tickets included with a stay | Both | Slides and coasters |
| Upper Dells boat tour | $37.25 adult, $18.50 child | Outdoor | All ages, about 2 hours |
| Lower Dells boat tour | $37.25 adult, $18.50 child | Outdoor | All ages, about 1 hour |
| Original Wisconsin Ducks | $37.25 adult, $18.50 child | Outdoor | All ages |
| Tommy Bartlett Exploratory | Ticketed | Indoor | School-age, hands-on |
| Devil’s Lake | $13 Wisconsin, $16 out-of-state per vehicle | Outdoor | Anyone who can hike |
| Mirror Lake | $13 Wisconsin, $16 out-of-state per vehicle | Outdoor | All ages |
| Downtown Broadway | Free to walk | Mostly outdoor | All ages |
Is Wisconsin Dells worth visiting?
I think Wisconsin Dells is worth it if you want water park days within a short drive, and a Chicago or Milwaukee winter weekend is the easiest case for it. The rest of the town backs that up with the river and Devil’s Lake.
It is not worth it if you want quiet. In July the town is full, the strip is loud, and the parks are crowded by late morning. For something calmer, try our Door County weekend itinerary, or the small-town streets in Galena, Illinois.
If you are pairing the Dells with a Chicago stop, our Chicago with kids itinerary covers the city half.
Wisconsin Dells FAQ
How far is Wisconsin Dells from Chicago?
About 3 hours by car. From Milwaukee it is about 2 hours.
Is Wisconsin Dells open in winter?
Yes. The indoor water parks at Great Wolf, Kalahari, Mt. Olympus and Wilderness run all year, and the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory is indoors too. The outdoor parks close for the season, and the Ducks stop in mid-November.
How much is parking at Noah’s Ark?
General parking is $25 for the day, and preferred parking is $30 at the gate, according to the park’s FAQ page.
Is Devil’s Lake State Park free?
No. Every vehicle needs a sticker, and the state lists a daily pass at $13 for Wisconsin plates and $16 for out-of-state plates.
Is the Tommy Bartlett show still open?
The water-ski show has been dark since 2020. Ripley’s now owns the site and runs the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory, so check with them before planning around a show.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Published October 9, 2026.
Photo credits: (1) Devil's Lake and the quartzite West Bluff… — Corey Coyle, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; (2) Broadway in downtown Wisconsin Dells… — User Royalbroil on en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.