Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Fall is feted with not one but two events: the
Wo-Zha-Wa
autumn welcome in mid-
September, followed by the
Autumn Harvest Fest
in mid-October, both with lots of scare-
crow stuffing, pumpkin carving, food, and very scenic boat, train, and Duck tours.
Mini Golf
Duffer-delight holes abound in the Dells; the architectural ambition of some of the courses
is mind-boggling. Top of the line is the lushly astroturfed
Pirate's Cove
(U.S. 12 and WI
13/16/23, 608/254-8336), overlooking the sandstone sentinel rises. Pirate's Cove also has
the longest average holes in the Dells. For $13 you get 18 holes and admission to their new
family fun center.
Timber Falls
(Wisconsin River Bridge and Stand Rock Rd., 608/254-8414) allows one
to whack a ball within sight of the river (and the courses have shade). It also has its fam-
ousTimberMountainLogFlumeRide,asoaking-wetquarter-mileride,partlythroughtotal
darknessandthenupandarounda40-footmountainbeforetheplummet.Enjoy—thisbaby
cost more than $2 million and is one of only five in the country. A $20 pass lets you play
90 holes of golf and ride the log flume, as well as almost every other ride.
It's hard to believe that with room numbers totaling nearly
7,000,
at times finding a place
to stay in peak season without a reservation can be a chore. Still, odds aren't too bad that
there'sgoingtobesomethingoutthere—excluding majorholidays.Andwhatabizarreand
entertaining range of accommodations there is.
The area has nearly two dozen “official” water-park resorts (that is, those of 5,000
square feet or more), but every place has somewhere to splash—indeed, consultants intone
sagely that any lodging option without an indoor water park is not economically feasible
for the long haul.
Unless otherwise stated, all options are open year-round; plenty of others are seasonal.
Single-night stays on weekends in summer are not allowed at many places.
During the high summer months, you'll pay no less than $50 a night for one person, and
as much as $200 in a swankier place. Weekly rentals cost less, and securing a multiperson
cabin and splitting the cost is a great way to save funds.
Basicmotelsarelosingoutseriouslytowater-themedresorts,andinrecentyearsseveral
were offering doubles for as low as $40, even during Memorial and Labor Day weekends.
