Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells

Before the Dells became synonymous with water parks and amusement rides, the midwestern destination's claim to fame was its scenery. Visitors in the mid 1940s trickled in to see the craggy rock formations that frame both sides of the Wisconsin River. Today, the bluffs, or dells, are still visible from the downtown area, where souvenir shops and kitschy attractions abound. Mini-golf courses, go-kart tracks, bizarre museums, and other family-friendly attractions dominate the town's center. For a cultural trip, the H.H. Bennett Studio museum recounts the Dells' history through the life of the 19th-century landscape photographer, whose work originally attracted tourists to the area. Less than 20 miles away, 36 skiing and snowboarding trails snake through 160 skiable acres at Cascade Mountain, which rises up to 1,280 feet in elevation.