Category Archives: Travel Wisconsin

Summer Fun at Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells

At the end of June, our family was fortunate to escape our everyday life here in Green Bay and head down to Wisconsin Dells and enjoy some much needed summer family fun thanks to the fine folks at the Kalahari Resorts.

A few years ago, we took the kids to Wisconsin Dells and well, that summer trip didn’t quite go as planned and things were derailed when Alex ended up in the ER with pneumonia. I am BEYOND happy to report that this time around, our trip was nothing but absolute fun and filled with some great memories and according to our 3 little people, THE BEST VACATION EVER!

From the moment we checked in to the resort, we were captivated by the beauty throughout. Of course, Ellie and I couldn’t get enough of all of the elephants everywhere since we are elephant fanatics!

This beauty greeted us upon entering the lobby to get all checked in for our stay.

Getting Checked In

What was really great about our stay at Kalahari Resorts was that even though check-in wasn’t until 4pm, we could arrive as early as 12:00pm, and pre-register and begin to enjoy the waterparks, which was great because it was a very very warm summer day!

An aerial view of a small section of the main lobby of Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells.

I don’t even have the words to describe how amazing this lobby is. To me, I didn’t feel like I was in the lobby of a hotel, I felt like I was in the middle of the mall with a guest services counter nearby. This lobby is overflowing with things for everyone to do. There are places to eat, shop, snack, grab a coffee, hit the spa, and gain access to both the indoor and outdoor waterparks.

A Room with a View

When we arrived to our room, we were blown away by not just how beautiful it was but by the view, the layout and the size. Our room was a Royal Two Room Family Suite and it featured one king bed, a separate room with two queen beds, full-size sofa sleeper, two full bathrooms, fireplace, two televisions and a large patio/balcony. Check it out for yourself.

King Size Size Bedroom in the Royal Two Room Family Suite

1 of 2 full bathrooms with soaking tubs

Room with two queen beds within the Royal Two Room Family Suite 

Full-size sofa sleeper, fireplace, 1 of 2 50 Inch Flat Screen TVs , table and chairs and a large patio/balcony. (Not pictured: 2 vanities, coffee maker, safe, refrigerator and microwave).

And last, but certainly not least, the view we had from our room was amazing!

Zambezi Outdoor Waterpark view from the balcony of our Royal Two Room Family Suite 

We were so happy with our suite. It was extremely spacious, the kids all had their own spot to sleep, Alex and I had our own bed (even if it was invade by a small boy), it was clean, there was NO FIGHTING over the bathroom, the beds were comfortable and we couldn’t have asked for a better place to spend the night.

Indoor Waterpark

We spent a good portion of our time at the resort enjoying the 125,000 square foot indoor waterpark. During our trip, there was an extreme summer heatwave and the temperature outside was well over 100° the entire time we were in town. Even with being in the water outside, we just could not stand the heat and the sun constantly beating down on us. Thankfully, the indoor waterpark had more than enough for all of us to enjoy!

For the most part, we hung out in the Leopard’s Lair, a multi-level water tree fort for all ages! You can wade in the zero depth entry pool, zip down slides of all sizes, play in water features and get soaked from the cross-firing water cannons! 

Leopard’s Lair

In addition to Leopard’s Lair, the indoor waterpark offers a wave pool with a small kiddie play area, a 920 foot lazy/torrent river for you to take a break and just relax, catch some waves on the Flowrider, all this in addition to some wicked water slides, a swim up bar, whirlpool spas and more!

We spent hours watching the kids run around, splash, play and have fun. Alex and I enjoyed chasing them in the water, splashing around, seeing the smiles on their faces and that they never got bored doing the same things over and over. To them, it never got old. 

Ellie must have gone done the same slide no less than 50 times and every time she did it, this express and excitement was the same.

When we weren’t in the water playing with the kids, Alex and I enjoyed some time just sitting, relaxing and watching them enjoy every moment of everything they were doing. We also managed to share the biggest margarita we have ever had!

Zambezi Outdoor Waterpark

As I mentioned, we did not get a chance to check out the outdoor waterpark due to the extreme summer heat and the kids not wanting to spend the day out under the sweltering summer sun once again, so we only really saw it from our room. Although we didn’t get to enjoy it, you should be aware that it is jam packed with even more slides and more splash. You will find some giant water slides like the Anaconda, Swahili Swirl, Extreme Rush, The Smoke that Thunders, Wild Wildebeest and the Zimbabwe Zipper.
 

The Smoke that Thunders

Wild Wildebeest 

Zimbabwe Zipper 

On top of these wicked slides, there is a lazy river, a kids play area complete with tree fort and whirlpool spa.

We can’t wait until our next visit, hopefully sometime next summer, to check out the outdoor waterpark with the kids since they will all be bigger and hopefully it won’t be to hot to breathe outside!

Delicious Food Right Around Every Corner

The dining choices at Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells were top notch and more than what we ever could have expected. Everything from the kids meals to the soups, the appetizers and the entrees and desserts, it was all delicious. During our stay, we enjoyed dinner at the Wisconsin Brew Pub where I had the best ever French onion soup made with my favorite New Glarus Brewing Spotted Cow Ale, gruyere cheese, and Bavarian pretzel bread.

The next morning, we had breakfast at Ivory Coast Restaurant right in the lobby of the resort. Alex had the Crab Cake Benedict and raves about it. I went with the Spinach & Artichoke Frittata, made with Spinach and artichoke dip with feta cheese on an open faced omelet and O.M.G. it was one of the most amazing things I have ever had for breakfast.

On top of these two restaurants, Kalahari Resorts also offers Double Cut contemporary steakhouse, Trapper’s Turn, Great Karoo Buffet, Java Manjaro (featuring Starbucks!), Sweet Hut Restaurant, Upper Deck Lounge & Lanes as well as the waterpark snack shacks and room service.

Shopping and Souvenirs 

We had a lot of fun checking out the Zakanaka Kids shop at let each of the kids pick out a cool souvenir to bring home. There was such a large selection of items, the kids had a really hard time deciding what they wanted but in the end, we ended up letting two of them create their own Kenya and Kya stuffed elephants complete with sound while the other picked out some cool puzzles.

Ellie with Kya

In addition to the goodies they found in the shops, the kids also had fun collecting the different Kalahari medallions and flattened pennies.

Treat Yourself

Sadly, I did not get to do the one thing that I really wanted to do during our stay because, well we were just having so much fun with everything else that I ran out of time. I had planned on taking some time to treat myself with a trip Spa Kalahari & Spa to enjoy their new Halotherapy Service.

Salt therapy, or halotherapy, uses a halogenerator to vaporize pure salt into the air so it can be breathed deep into the lungs. Halotherapy is also recommended for healthy people as it boosts the immune system to help combat the high amounts of pollutants and bacteria we all breathe every day. The negative ions produced help combat stress and depression.

As someone who suffers from asthma, allergies, frequent ear infections and dermatitis, I really wanted to give it a try to see if it helped reduce my symptoms. Hopefully I will get the chance during our next visit.

Kalahari Indoor Themepark

After checking out, we hung around the resort for a few hours to let the kids unwind and burn some energy in the 100,000 square foot Kalahari Indoor Themepark. Since we had dined at the Wisconsin Brew Pub for dinner the evening before, we had purchased $10 Action Cards for the themepark at a discount of $6 each with each entree  so the kids were ready to have some fun. Of course, we loaded their cards with some extra money to make sure they truly enjoyed themselves!

The indoor themepark was truly mind blowing. There was just so much to do and so much to take in. We could have spent an entire day there and they never would have run out of things to do.

Everything from mini golf, go-carts, a Ferris wheel, arcade games, bowling, laser tag, rock climbing walls, a carousel, a ropes course and so much more….IT IS NEVER ENDING

The last thing the kids did in the themepark, while I wrangled all their tickets for Alex to load them to their cards to redeem for prizes, was give the rock climbing wall a try. When we were planning our trip and I told them they had a rock climbing wall, they all wanted to give it a try.

This video does have sound but it is muted when you start it.

Ellie and Joey were also pretty excited to bump into Lou the Lion before heading home from our trip.

The last thing we did before leaving the resort was something to make me happy. All 5 of us crammed into a photobooth built for two to create some of the most epic family photos ever!

It sure was fun though and I will forever giggle at the results. If you look really hard you can see Alex in a few, you can tell that Alexander was not enjoying any of it, that I couldn’t stop laughing, that Ellie loved that fan in the booth blowing at us and that Joey didn’t have a clue what the heck was going on. Best vacation photos EVER!!!

Thank you for having us, Kalahari Resorts we had an AMAZING time. Everything during our stay was wonderful from check-in to check-out. The service, the food, the room, the waterparks, the theme park, the shopping, you name it. We loved it all.

According to our kids, this was the best vacation ever and they #LoveKalahari and can’t wait to come back to #AmericasLargest indoor and outdoor water park and resort. We hope to see you again next summer and stay longer and have even more fun!

Thanks for the hospitality and a truly wonderful and memorable trip for our family.

Not Just a Summer Trip

There is so much to do at Kalahari Resort Wisconsin Dells that you don’t have to wait until summer when it is nice and warm to visit. Take advantage of the great deals they offer the rest of the year and enjoy the indoor waterpark, themepark, spa and fabulous dining as well as all of the other great indoor attractions in and around Wisconsin Dells. Be sure to look online to find the best Kalahari Resort deals!

Make it a Fun Summer with Kalahari Resorts

We are a family that looks forward to summer all winter long. For us, summer is made for cookouts, late nights, road trips, beach days, swimming, and water fun. 

Over the last few summers, we have also taken a few trips and enjoyed some indoor/outdoor waterpark fun and introduced the kids to something they love……water slides!

Kalahari Resorts in Wisconsin Dells newest iconic water slide, The Smoke That Thunders, is now open and ready for you to zip, zoom, twist, twirl, slide and splash all under the summer sun!

The Smoke That Thunders is one of the wildest raft rides out there! You will find yourself soaring through a dark tube, around in a circle and then experience some of the longest hang times, facing zero-g oscillations as you sweep up and across the wall, virtually defying gravity before sweeping back down.

Kalahari Resort is home to Wisconsin’s Largest Indoor Waterpark, The Arena virtual reality experience, Indoor Theme Park, Spa Kalahari and Salon and more.

Are you ready to experience The Smoke That Thunders? Book your family vacation at Kalahari Resorts today!

 

Wet and Wild Fun at Wilderness Resort

Recently, Alex and I packed up the kids and headed down to Wisconsin Dells for a little mini-vacation, our destination, Wilderness Resort for some wet and wild water park fun!

Not only was this our first trip to the Wilderness Resort, it was also our first trip as a family to Wisconsin Dells. I have been to the Dells before but it was over 20 years ago, for a day trip and I don’t remember a thing about it. So of course, this trip was going to be a totally new experience for all of us.

Now, if you’ve never been to Wisconsin Dells, I will be honest with you, I was overwhelmed driving into town. There was just so much to look at and so many things we wanted to find the time and check out.

We arrived at Wilderness Resort just in time for check-in and pulled up to the New Frontier Lobby and I went inside to get us all checked in for the weekend. At check-in I was greeted by a nice young man named Tomás who educated me on everything I needed to know about the resort, which slides and water parks were his favorite and pretty much where I could find everything and anything we would need. He was AWESOME and it was great to be welcomed by someone who clearly enjoys his job!

Places to Stay

The Wilderness Resort has a variety of options when it comes to finding a place to stay. They have everything from your standard room to cabins, condos and villas in varying sizes.

Once we were checked in we made our way to a parking spot, unloaded the van and checked into our room. Our room was a Double Suite Wet Bar.

The room was a perfect fit for us and offered us 425 square feet of space with a max occupancy of 7 that included two queen-size beds and a sofa sleeper with a semi-privacy wall between, a wet bar, two TV’s, microwave, mini-refrigerator, coffee maker, Wi-Fi and more. We also had an upper-level pool view so we could watch others enjoying the water park.

The wet bar was a great addition to the room for us because we used it as a place to prep meals (we brought a lot of basic food items with us), feed the kids and take care of the dirty dishes.

*Children ages 2 & under stay FREE and do not need to be included in the number of registered guests.

Dining at Wilderness Resort

If you plan on dining while you are at the resort, I suggest you check out the restaurants and what they have to offer before your trip, this way you have an idea of what to expect. Wilderness has a variety of restaurants both inside the resort as well as some that are detached from the resort but still on site including Italian, a steak house and a burger joint to name a few.

Prior to our trip, we had decided we would dine at the Wild Canyon Cafe, where kids eats free, on our first night and enjoy their Friday Night Fish Fry buffet style.

Dinner was delicious and I ate more cod then any one person should! The kids also enjoyed their meals but I think they enjoyed their desserts from the buffet and their chocolate milk even more. I was also very pleased with our service at Wild Canyon Cafe and we couldn’t have asked for a better server! (Thanks Duane!)

In addition to the dining, there are also great places to grab a drink, like Survivors Bar & Grill or The Thirsty Buffalo Saloon. 

The Water Parks

Now lets face it, if you are staying at the Wilderness Resort, the chances are pretty good that the reason you are there is to enjoy their water parks. 

With eight AMAZING indoor and outdoor water parks – all EXCLUSIVELY for the use of Wilderness guests, you can bet you will have a wet and wild time!

Since we were hanging with the little kids for the weekend, we didn’t get to partake in the big water slide action but we had just as much fun hitting up the areas for the younger crowd.

Our first stop was the Wild WaterDome, a 70,000 square foot indoor water park overflowing with fun! The Wild WaterDome is home to the Great Wave (America’s largest indoor wave pool!) the Dueling Mammoths family raft rides, and Mini Mammoths Cove play area! 

The kids love slides, regardless of their size and it was a constant up the steps and down the slide night for them.

We also hit up the New Frontier Outdoor Water Park where Alexander took advantage of the big slides while Joey and Ellie hung out in the kiddie pool splashing and sliding.

Joey couldn’t get enough of either of the slides in the kiddie area and I really think this was his favorite thing about the entire trip to the park!

The kids really had a lot of fun at the New Frontier Outdoor Water Park and I’m glad we went down to check it out. I also really liked this park because they had an inground pool so we could take the kids in and practice their swimming or just relax. (This is the park we could see from the balcony in our room).

In addition to these parks, there are 6 more and plenty for everyone, of all ages to enjoy. I wish we would have had more time to check out all of the water parks. I guess this just means we need to go back again!

More to Do!

If 8 water parks and a variety of restaurants isn’t enough to keep you entertained then you will be happy to know that Wilderness Resort is also the home to a variety of attractions, including 4 different arcades, lazer tag, go-karts, zip-lining, sky ropes, a 4 story play park, mini golf and more! For those who are looking for some quiet time you can hit the golf course or the spa!

Take Home Some Souvenirs

Be sure to check out one of the many shops at Wilderness Resort and bring home a little something to remember your trip! With everything from stuffed animals, toys and clothing, you will definitely find the perfect item for you!

Connect

You can find out more about Wilderness Resort and everything they have to offer for vacations, weddings, events and more by visiting their website or by checking them out on Facebookor Twitter.

Thank you to Wilderness Resort for inviting our family to come down to Wisconsin Dells for a visit. Also, thank you to the staff who assisted us when Alex became ill and needed immediate medical attention. We appreciate everything you did for him and our family.

 

 

Everything IS Better at The Blue Harbor Resort

If you are looking for a destination for a great family getaway you should consider a visit to Blue Harbor Resort & Spa in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Blue Harbor Resort is the #1 resort on Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Coast and offers 180 hotel rooms and 64 villas. Our family was recently fortunate to visit Blue Harbor for 3 days/2 nights and check out everything they have to offer.

Now, as you can probably imagine, traveling as a group of 7 we tend to need a lot of stuff and we take up a lot of space. Thankfully, Blue Harbor has a room to fit everyone’s needs.

Loft Fireplace Suite

We stayed in a Loft Fireplace Suite, a 736 square foot room that sleeps 8 and offers 2 queen size beds and a full-size sofa sleeper on the first floor complete with a full bathroom, wet bar, mini-fridge, microwave, 2 flat screen TVs, fireplace and a small balcony as well as a loft area with a 3rd queen size bed, half-bath and a 3rd flat screen TV.

Blue Harbor also has additional suites and villas available to meet the specific needs of your family, including rooms with bunk beds or those that are perfect for a romantic getaway!

Now, as much as I wanted to crawl right into that giant and fluffy queen size bed, the kids definitely had other plans and were dying to hit up some water slides at Breaker Bay, Blue Harbor’s year-round indoor water park.

Breaker Bay

The weather is always nice and the water is always 84° in this 54,000-square-foot entertainment area and everyone is sure to have a great time!

Breaker Bay has an interactive lighthouse water fort that features a nearly 1,000-gallon tipping water ship, an activity center that is interconnected with suspension bridges, cargo nets, web crawls and more than 60 guest-activated water effects, 4 water slides, lazy river, pool, jacuzzi tub and the Riptide surf simulator.

Everyone had a great time playing in the water, going down the slides, playing water basketball and just having a lot of fun!

This trip was Ellie’s first time on a water slide and although she wasn’t quite sure about it at first, she was hooked by the time our trip was over!

For Libby and Alexander, it was a constant race to the bottom!

As for Joey, he just really liked being in the water and playing!

 

Ride The Riptide

One thing that was an absolute hit with Alex and Alexander was The Riptide Surf Simulator. I’m pretty sure they would have spent all of their time body boarding had we not had other things on the agenda while we were visiting Blue Harbor.

Dining at Blue Harbor

On our first morning, after a long night of swimming and a toddler who didn’t want to go to sleep, I was ecstatic to learn that Shoreline Café offers a full line of Starbucks coffees as well as some delicious treats.

Although the kids were exhausted after hours and hours of fun at Breaker Bay, we still had the chance to enjoy some of the delicious food from the different restaurants at Blue Harbor.

On our second night, we had dinner delivered right to our room from The Beacon while Joey napped before heading out to the Tripoli Shrine Circus.

Dinner was absolutely delicious and we have been craving those crisp Wisconsin cheese curds since!

We were also very pleased that The Beacon offers a kids menu with a large selection as well.

Once we returned from the circus and got the kids all settled in for the night, we left them in the capable hands of our trusty teenagers and Alex and I took some time to ourselves to enjoy a nightcap at On The Rocks Bar & Grill where we were happy to find New Glarus Spotted Cow on tap!

 

Blue Harbor is also the home to Latitude 43, a more upscale restaurant serving seafood and steak in a seaside setting with a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. 

If you are hungry or in need of a drink while playing at Breaker Bay, you can grab something from the Rocky Bottom Snack Bar or if you are enjoying the outdoor pool, be sure to check out the Poolside Snack Bar for a selection of beers and frozen cocktails!

Shopping

If you are looking to do a little shopping, be sure to check out The Boutique, located in the lobby, offers a wonderful selection of interesting gifts and home decor items including Vera Bradley handbags and accessories, Broken Earth Wines and so much more!

Connected to Breaker Bay, you will find Washed Ashore Swim Shop filled with gifts & sundries including swimwear, towels and more.

If you want to step outside and go for a stroll, be sure to stop by the Harbor Centre, a quaint village within easy walking distance of Blue Harbor’s front door filled with a variety of one-of-a-kind shops.

Relax

One thing I was hoping to do on this trip but just didn’t have the time for was pay a visit to Reflections Spa for some serious pampering (hopefully I can enjoy some me time on another trip!).

Reflections Spa offers a full menu of spa services and packages that are sure to make your stay very relaxing.

There’s EVEN MORE!

Although we didn’t get a chance to experience it all, Blue Harbor has even more to offer its guests including mini glow golf, a fitness center, lakeside activities, golf, kids club, activities for teens and so much more. At Blue Harbor, there really is something for everyone!

Our Experience

Overall, our trip to Blue Harbor Resort & Spa was great. We all had an awesome time, spent as much time as we could in the water, enjoyed the dining, the views and enjoying our time together as a family.

Thanks to our friends at Blue Harbor Resort & Spa for this amazing opportunity for our family to celebrate the end of the school year and kick off our summer vacation!

Connect

You can find out more about Blue Harbor and everything they have to offer for vacations, weddings, events and more by visiting their website or by checking them out on Facebook or Twitter.

 

Save Up to 30% Off at Blue Harbor Resort {Coupon Inside}

Like I have said more than once on this site, going on vacation as a large family is not something that is really easy for us to do.  As you can imagine, airfare for 2 adults and 5 kids is expensive and there is rarely a hotel room that can accomodate us all at an affordable price.

When it comes to vacations, we like to do little getaways and staycations that are close to home so we can keep costs down and ensure there is something for everyone to do and enjoy.

I’m excited to share that we will be heading to Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan in a few weeks to enjoy some family time.

It’s Better At The Blue

Blue Harbor Resort & Spa is the #1 resort on Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan coast. With stunning beachfront and water views, Blue Harbor Resort features 182 suites, 64 villas, more than 17,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a 54,000 square-foot indoor waterpark entertainment area including a mini glow golf course, a full service spa, three restaurants, and recreation amenities including watersports and access to the Bull golf course.

This award winning resort is located just two hours north in nearby and scenic Sheboygan, WI, known as the “Malibu of the Midwest.” Visit BlueHarborResort.com or call 866.701.BLUE.

The kids are looking forward to hitting up the Breaker Bay waterpark and checking out the new Riptide Surf Simulator.

Doesn’t that look like a ton of fun?? 

Of course, in addition to the waterpark, we are looking forward to relaxing and having lots of fun too! I, of course, am hoping to sneak away and pay a visit to the spa with Alex and get a pedicure or maybe just spoil myself!

Save

FREE Water Park Passes and Savings Up to 30% OFF – Get Free Water Park Passes and Enjoy Special Savings at the #1 Resort on Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan Coast.

 

Be sure to check back for an update all about our trip to Blue Harbor Resort! 

Connect

You can connect with Blue Harbor Resort on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.