2026 STORY IDEAS: "Waterpark Capital of the World" Wisconsin Dells

The Midwest's leading leisure travel destination, Wisconsin Dells, is bursting with potential material for travel journalists attending the International Media Marketplace. Here are a few story ideas/themes that may be of interest to your readers or viewers:

1. “THE WATERPARK CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!®”

The indoor waterpark phenomenon was born in Wisconsin Dells in 1989, when the Polynesian Hotel put a roof over its waterpark, creating a year-round attraction. The new concept was an immediate success, leading several other local properties to follow suit, including three that have since become national waterpark resort brands: Wilderness Resort, Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, and Great Wolf Lodge. Wisconsin Dells waterparks have consistently pioneered new features and technologies, such as retractable and “tan-through” roofs, rotating waterslides, ever-taller/faster features and ever-larger facilities. Today, Wisconsin Dells has more waterparks than any community in the world, with more than 200 waterslides and 20 different facilities, including:

• America's Largest Outdoor Waterpark – Noah's Ark Waterpark is America's largest waterpark, with three miles of waterslides across 70 acres.
• America's Largest Indoor/Outdoor Combination Waterpark – Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort's indoor and outdoor waterpark space combined is 500,000 square feet (or equal to twelve football fields.)
• America's Largest Floating Waterpark – The Land of Natura is America's largest inflatable waterpark. It floats on the world's largest naturally filtered man-made lake.
• America's First Rotating Waterslide – Medusa's Slidewheel at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park combines the movement of a Ferris wheel and the speed of a waterslide.
• America's Tallest Waterslide – Opened in summer 2024, the 146-foot Rise of Icarus, also at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park, is the nation's tallest waterslide.
• America's Largest Wave Pool – The Great Wave, in the Wild WaterDome indoor waterpark at Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, is the nation's largest wave pool.
• The Midwest's Largest Indoor Waterpark– The indoor waterpark at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions/Wisconsin Dells, which currently covers 125,000 square feet, will become the Midwest's largest after a 75,000-square-foot expansion is completed in 2027.

2. DELLS OF THE WISCONSIN RIVER

Wisconsin Dells was a vacation destination long before waterparks. It first became famous over 150 years ago, when pioneering photographer H.H. Bennett published stunning photos of the area's namesake topography – the five-mile-long Dells of the Wisconsin River. Although these deep, narrow gorges and steep-sided sandstone cliffs were already drawing visitors from surrounding counties, the national exposure brought by Bennett's photography in the 1860s and 1870s started bringing sightseers from Chicago, Minneapolis, and beyond. In fact, Bennett's iconic photo of his son jumping the chasm between the cliffs of Stand Rock was a significant milestone in the development of photography, as it marked the first use of a stop-action shutter.

3. “DUCK” AND BOAT TOURS

Boat tours of the Dells of the Wisconsin River were introduced in the 1850s and became ubiquitous in the later 19th century, when Bennett's photos piqued the nation's interest. The popularity of on-water sightseeing got another jolt in 1946, when a local entrepreneur brought WWII amphibious vehicles called “ducks” to Wisconsin Dells. Duck rides – which begin on land, then splash into the river and out again – have since become synonymous with Wisconsin Dells. Visitors can also see the Dells of the Wisconsin River from leisurely tour boats or high-speed jet boats. Some of the most popular tours include visits to Witches Gulch, a dramatic sandstone canyon accessible only by water, and to the Stand Rock formation.

4. WINERIES AND SUPPER CLUBS

Wisconsin is famous for its supper clubs, and Wisconsin Dells boasts the state's most popular: Ishnala Supper Club. Perched above placid Mirror Lake and surrounded by a forested state park, this seasonal restaurant is seeking a Guinness World Record for the most Old-Fashioned cocktails sold in one year. Other popular supper clubs in the area include The Del-Bar, Field's at the Wilderness, Kaminski's Chop House, Double Cut Steak House, and House of Embers.  

In the past year, two new establishments have joined the “Must-Visit” supper club list: Dawn Manor Restaurant, Bar, and Speakeasy and Daylene's Supper Club. Built as a private residence on Lake Delton in 1855, Dawn Manor was painstakingly deconstructed several years ago, moved to Mirror Lake, and rebuilt. This 1800s-themed venue now features multiple dining rooms, a Prohibition-style speakeasy bar, and a patio overlooking the lake.

Daylene's Supper Club will open in summer 2026 as part of Kalahari Resort & Conventions' new Kalahari Treehouse Collection complex. Located on Lake Delton (near where Dawn Manor originally stood) it will feature craft cocktails, locally sourced food items and spectacular lakeside views.

The Wisconsin Dells area is also home to seven different wineries, including Wisconsin's largest and oldest, Wollersheim Winery & Distillery. Listed on the National Historic Register, Wollersheim was founded in the 1840s by Hungarian nobleman Agoston Haraszthy, who later helped start the California wine industry. Not surprisingly, Wisconsin Dells hosts two extremely popular outdoor wine events – the Spring and Fall Wine Walks.

5. SILENT SPORTS: HIKING, PADDLING, ROCK CLIMBING

For outdoor enthusiasts, the Wisconsin Dells area offers four state parks, five state natural areas, and a segment of the National Park Service's Ice Age Trail.

Wisconsin's most-visited state park, Devil's Lake, features 29 miles of hiking trails and sheer 500-foot rock faces that the Mountain Project calls “the Midwest's best climbing destination.” Mirror Lake State Park is another scenic hiking/snowshoeing/cross-country ski destination, as are Rocky Arbor State Park and Roche-A-Cri State Park (which features a 300-foot rock outcropping with Native American petroglyphs). Hikers will also find dramatic gorges in nearby Pewit's Nest State Natural Area and Parfrey's Glen State Natural Area, which adjoins the Ice Age Trail. Bicyclists are drawn to the area, as well. Off-road types can take advantage of a variety of rugged single-track options, while the hilly byways of Wisconsin's Driftless Region are a magnet for road cyclists.

Paddling is another popular activity, with Devil's Lake and Mirror Lake drawing scores of kayakers, canoeists, and stand-up paddleboarders. The area's namesake topography – the sandstone gorges, bluffs, and canyons along the Wisconsin River – can be seen by kayakers, canoeists (and hikers) in the Dells of the Wisconsin River State Natural Area. Various types of motorized and non-motorized watercraft are available for rent in the area.

6. SPAS

Wisconsin Dells is home to a variety of both day and overnight spas, including Sundara Inn & Spa. Sundara has consistently won national accolades, being named among the nation's best by publications such as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. Tucked back in a wooded 98-acre enclave, this elegant property has heated indoor and outdoor pools, a hiking trail, a full schedule of fitness and wellness classes, and a wide menu of spa treatments. It also offers suites set apart from the main resort. Other notable spas in Wisconsin Dells include Spa Serenity, Sun Mountain Spa, Spa Kalahari & Salon and the new Aquality Float Spa (which features sensory deprivation float pods.)

7. HISTORICAL ATTRACTIONS, INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION

The Wisconsin Dells area has plenty of attractions for history buffs, including the H.H. Bennett Studio & Museum. Built in 1875, the studio is now part of the Wisconsin Historical Society, as is the Circus World complex in nearby Baraboo. Located on the former Ringling Brothers winter headquarters, Circus World exhibits circus artifacts and hosts daily live circus performances throughout the summer. The Mid-Continent Railway Museum is a living history museum that owns and operates antique railcars. This year, it will add vintage locomotives from 1907 and 1949, as well as bring back its dining train tours. Rail history buffs will also appreciate The Riverside & Great Northern Railway, which operates authentic 15-inch gauge miniature trains just north of Wisconsin Dells. Also nearby is the International Crane Foundation, a 250-acre complex that includes live crane exhibits with all 15 of the world's crane species, a visitor center, breeding facilities and nature trails. The foundation works worldwide to raise and conserve cranes.

8. CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSES

Wisconsin Dells is home to six golf facilities, including two that have gained national recognition. Trappers Turn Golf Club, a part of Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, was designed by Roger Packard Jr. and former U.S. Open champion Andy North. It boasts 27 holes, as well as the unique 12North par-3 course. For 2026, its signature hole, Canyon #7, has been redesigned, increasing the green to 6,000 square feet and highlighting natural sandstone rock formations. The Wilderness Resort's golf complex, Wild Rock Golf Club, was designed by the Hurzdan/Frye team of Erin Hills fame. It has hosted multiple U.S. Open qualifying events. Wisconsin Dells is also a popular “home base” for group golf outings, as it is within easy driving distance of several other destination courses, including Sand Valley, Lawsonia, and Sentry World.

9. NEW RESORTS

As always, Wisconsin Dells will feature a host of new attractions this year. One of the most eagerly awaited is the medieval-themed Dellshire Resort, expected to open in late spring. This four-story facility features 208 units, five on-site restaurants, multiple pools (including a swim-up indoor/outdoor pool), a family entertainment center, and meeting/event space – as well as a 60-foot dragon at the entrance! In mid-summer, Kalahari Resort & Conventions will open its new Kalahari Treehouse Collection on the shores of Lake Delton. The resort will include 21 partially supported luxury treehouses and 31 ground-supported treehouses, as well as waterfront villas, boat slips and a private beach.

# # #

Wisconsin Dells Visitor & Convention Bureau

701 Superior St. · Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965 · (800) 223-3557 · wisdells.com