Things to Do in Baraboo

Knucklehead's Bowling & Indoor Amusement Park's 80,000-square-foot facility is bursting with a dozen family-friendly attractions. In the bowling alley, a light show illuminates pins and balls to the tune of festive music and a black light adds an eerie neon glow to cosmic bowling. You can also bowl under conventional lighting, of course, opting for automatic bumpers to prevent gutter balls and marshmallow pins to muffle noisy strikes. Elsewhere, go-karts zoom around a track, bumper cars collide, and visitors swing hand-over-hand through a weblike ropes course. A roller coaster zooms throughout the space, and the arcade whirs and flashes with video games such as Dance Dance Revolution and Madden, as well as traditional games that award prize tickets to their deftest handlers.

Two teams of gunmen disperse across the tower field, some marksmen ducking for cover in the World War II–style bunkers constructed of railroad ties, others seeking protection inside the field's two-story pillboxes. Silently holding their positions, the players feel a hush fall over the field as they wait to see which side will make the first move in their battle to take the central, three-story tower. As they sit frozen behind their barricades, an excruciating hush envelops each one until it seems they're each alone on the territory. And then someone sprints toward the tower.

Apocalypse Paintball spans 50 acres of playing grounds, encompassing 15 current and upcoming fields that range from two speedball courses to a 40,000-square-foot castle. Coordinating both walk-on and private play, Apocalypse's staff maintains active, challenging bouts through organized games such as capture the flag and downed pilot. Between competitions, a fire pit, grills, and a large picnic area invite players to recuperate and exchange stories of catching incoming fire with their bare hands.

In addition to paintball, the Apocalypse crew also runs Airsoft sessions and hosts tournaments. An FAQ page anticipates visitors' questions to encourage a seamless transition to the fields.

Dedicated to the art of belly dance, Arielle Juliette opened Dance Life Studio and Fitness to share her passion with others. As she concentrated her efforts, she assembled a team of fellow dancers equally inspired by the sensual Middle Eastern tradition, and committed to creating a warm and supportive enviroment where all types of students are welcome. Beyond belly-dancing classes, the studio also teaches Zumba classes, which fuse Latin-inspired dance styles, Colombian flair, and American propensity to sweat. The schedule features multiple classes most weeknights, as well as morning weekend sessions.

The Madison Mallards take to the diamond each summer for three months of collegiate baseball, gathering players from across the country as they hone their skills for a shot at the pros. The Mallards took home a Northwoods League championship in 2004, cheered on by some of the most devout and rowdy fans in the league. In 2012 the team set a collegiate attendance record, drawing more than 217,000 fans.

From the 10-story peaks of Timber Falls Adventure Park's Hellcat roller coaster, visitors can view the entire family-fun facility before quickly gliding back to the grounds. The Hellcat is one of three high-speed rides that keep adrenaline levels soaring at the facility. The park also hosts a log flume with two steep vertical drops, and a gravitational-force skyscraper ride that sends passengers as high as 160 feet in the air. Between high-speed public-transit simulations, guests can enjoy relaxing features such as the 72-hole miniature golf course. Tall trees and wooden bridges sit between each hole, providing the experience of jungle exploration without the inconvenience of having to hunt down your dinner—a Hot Pocket in a jungle-dweller’s refrigerator.

Forget actors, scripts, or props: Wisconsin Dells Ghost Tours likes its ghosts stripped bare of gimmicks and its encounters backed by bone-chilling authenticity. Its guides spin true tales of eerie happenings, all supported by police reports and historical documents, raising goose bumps as guests rumble through the darkest corners of the Dells on a luxury bus. The 75-minute expeditions visit more than 20 haunted locales, including unmarked burial grounds, houses plagued by spirits, and back alleys populated by dancing zombies. The tour guides open the closets of Newport, Wisconsin Dells, and Lake Delton to reveal skeletons lurking inside, and the tour’s well-researched, heart-quickening stories thrill and educate minds both old and young.