Travel help sought

[BrewCity83]

I had a Swig at Nig's

[Spotcheck Billy]

The only decent time to spend in The Dells is the gigantic car show @ Noah's Ark in May otherwise the Dells are just like Gatlinburg or Myrtle Beach (minus the beach)

[JWags85]

Went to ride Go-Karts in the Dells for the day with my neighbor and his family when I was about 12-13.  Thunderstorm broke out and the astute workers at Big Chief found no reason to stop anyone driving as it POURED and thunder cracked.  We were on a track with a 2-3 story spiral up and down too.  In the later laps, the track was beyond slick and you were hydroplaning and sliding everywhere.  It was an absolute blast but wildly dangerous and set up magnificently for a lawsuit.  Fortunately nobody was hurt except losing 2 hours of drive time as the storm passed.

[MU82]

I had a Swig at Nig's

Sounds like a commercial on Racist TV.

[drewm88]

To be fair, Noah's Ark is still awesome, and never been to Olympus, but looks pretty solid. A couple of the indoor parks are legit for what they are, as well. Finally, you can get some nice waterfront rentals outside the city.

Beyond that, burn it to the ground.

[Bad_Reporter]

Crusin chubbys.  Probably the best thing in the Dells.   Grade A talent.

[GooooMarquette]

Actually, it is probably the same as when you were a kid -- you just had a slightly different perspective.

My last family vacation to the Dells as a kid would have been in about '76 or '77. The first water park (Noah's Ark) opened in '79. There still were no indoor water parks, no mega-hotels. The casino and outlet mall were built sometime in the 80s.

When I was a kid, the most exciting things they had were Fort Dells, Tommy Bartlett's, go-karts and mini golf. All of the hotels were mom and pop places with about 30 rooms and a pool. If you were lucky, the pool might have had a slide.

Yeah it was tacky, but it was NOTHING like what it is today.

[Goose]

MUPilot

Good call on Chubby's.

[barfolomew]

The casino and outlet malls in the Dells opened long after any sane person would have called me a kid.

Been to the Dells several times in the last few years (as Benny's 3rd target market*) and those are two places I haven't been, so you probably have a point there.


* That Sports Dome is quite the racket for athletic events in the winter. Went to youth club volleyball tournaments there a couple years in a row and it's like $20 to park, $20 admission, and concession prices like the Fiserv.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Been to the Dells several times in the last few years (as Benny's 3rd target market*) and those are two places I haven't been, so you probably have a point there.


* That Sports Dome is quite the racket for athletic events in the winter. Went to youth club volleyball tournaments there a couple years in a row and it's like $20 to park, $20 admission, and concession prices like the Fiserv.

Woodside is a racket year round.  Soccer, baseball, tidelywinks...

[dgies9156]

Brother BennyB, the best thing about the Dells is getting on the freeway after gassing up on Wis 13 or US 12. Gas ins't cheap but its about the place to gas up on my way between Chicago and NW Wisconsin (Douglas County),

My daughter loves it. Took out kids there once. The population and the vacationers don't bother me. Excessive plastic in a natural setting does. Same reason Gatlinburg and Dollywood bother me. I'm allergic to high volume plastic.

[JWags85]

I'm allergic to high volume plastic.

Must not do well in LA or Scottsdale, aina?

[real chili 83]

There is an outside water ride at the Kalahri where about every sixth bikini top comes off at the bottom of the ride.

[4everwarriors]

Worth lookin' inta, hey?

[rocket surgeon]

There is an outside water ride at the Kalahri where about every sixth bikini top comes off at the bottom of the ride.

rooms on that side of the hotel have been turned into condos and were sold as "best view" in the dells.  i thought they meant mirror lake err something

[buckchuckler]

Nevermind

[Jockey]

Brother BennyB, the best thing about the Dells is getting on the freeway after gassing up on Wis 13 or US 12. Gas ins't cheap but its about the place to gas up on my way between Chicago and NW Wisconsin (Douglas County),

My daughter loves it. Took out kids there once. The population and the vacationers don't bother me. Excessive plastic in a natural setting does. Same reason Gatlinburg and Dollywood bother me. I'm allergic to high volume plastic.

If you go to the Smokies again, rent a cabin by Townsend on western edge. Right on edge of park. Fewer people and great (uncrowded) hiking.

[warriorchick]

My last family vacation to the Dells as a kid would have been in about '76 or '77. The first water park (Noah's Ark) opened in '79. There still were no indoor water parks, no mega-hotels. The casino and outlet mall were built sometime in the 80s.

When I was a kid, the most exciting things they had were Fort Dells, Tommy Bartlett's, go-karts and mini golf. All of the hotels were mom and pop places with about 30 rooms and a pool. If you were lucky, the pool might have had a slide.

Yeah it was tacky, but it was NOTHING like what it is today.

We would camp at Mirror Lake, a state park between Wisconsin Dells and Baraboo. The park is beautiful, and you would never know you were anywhere near the Dells.  We would do all the nature-y stuff and only head out to the Dells for a go-cart ride  or a restaurant meal.

We liked Baraboo more as a town.  Nice distillery there that makes the best brandy old-fashioneds I have ever tasted.  Also check out the Cowpie Factory Outlet across the street from the casino.

[GooooMarquette]

We would camp at Mirror Lake, a state park between Wisconsin Dells and Baraboo. The park is beautiful, and you would never know you were anywhere near the Dells.  We would do all the nature-y stuff and only head out to the Dells for a go-cart ride  or a restaurant meal.

Definitely the way to do it. We didn't camp, but we always stayed at the same small mom and pop motel (the Del Rancho). Simple but clean rooms, nice pool (w/ simple slide and diving board) and a small playground. We'd play on the swings at night watching the traffic go by off in the distance on I-94. Back then, it was in the middle of nowhere - we had to drive a couple of miles to get to food or attractions. Today, it's the site of the Kalahari, with outlet shopping, restaurants and other mega-hotel/water parks within spitting distance. Alas....

[Jon]

I had a Swig at Nig's

I had a nip at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok

[Goose]

Jon

Well played.

[BrewCity83]

I had a nip at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok

But can you get that on a T-Shirt?

[Jon]

But can you get that on a T-Shirt?

It's about the experience rather than the souvenir

[mudeltaforcegurl]

But can you get that on a T-Shirt?

If you can, I wouldn't wear it unless I wanted to get punched in the face.

[Jon]

Jon

Well played.

Goose

Did you ever stay at the Oriental in Bangkok? Impeccable.