Theme & Amusement Parks in Milwaukee

Painted the distinctive international orange of the Golden Gate Bridge, to which it bears more than a passing resemblance, the signature bridge at Browns Lake Golf Course crosses the Fox River in style. Players walk over this sleek structure after they’ve made their play off the tee on the par 3 12th hole. Thankfully, they need not fly the San Francisco Bay or lay up on Alcatraz to reach the green in regulation: a 150-yard strike with enough loft ought to do the trick.

Players have been attempting this feat with varying degrees of success since 1921, when the course opened. Wedged between the river to the west and Browns Lake to the east, it's designed to challenge golfers of all handicaps. A round here represents a 6,449-yard loop from the back tees, filled with enough elevated greens to make players reconsider both their club selections and their reluctance to ask their caddies for a piggy-back ride. Though they may want to steer their golf balls clear of it, visitors can admire a bunker in the shape of comic-strip character Andy Gump on the par 3 fourth hole, which was designed to pay homage to local native Sidney Smith, his creator.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,443 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 70.8 from the back tees
• Course slope of 124 from the back tees

Playnasium inspires imaginations inside pint-size frames as kids cavort on sock-clad feet about the approximately 1,800-square-foot facility. Geared toward children aged 6 and younger, the indoor playground showcases a wealth of active options to entertain children as snow and wintry winds roost in outdoor jungle gyms. Kids whip up imaginary snacks in play kitchens, safely leap around in a net-enclosed bounce house, and draft declarations of their pillow fort’s national sovereignty from the coloring area's diminutive picnic tables. Staffers clean and disinfect the entire playroom daily with nontoxic and eco-friendly products to protect budding tots. Playnasium serves up piping-hot coffee to keep parents' tummies toasty, and lunches may be brought from home to refuel tuckered-out tykes. After scheduling an appointment ahead of time, verifying their children's health, and filling a knapsack with a day's supply of snacks, parents can drop their kids off for up to 4 hours of Playnasium-provided childcare and go tend to adult duties.

Playnasium shutters its doors during birthday parties, granting hosts and their guests unfettered access to the facilities’ attractions. Plates, napkins, and utensils will be provided to accompany food and cake brought by the client. The facility’s dedicated staff lends a hand to parents by helping to set up the room prior to the party and cleaning up any messes or leaky big-wheel motors afterward.

When he shuts up his workshop at the North Pole after another successful holiday season, Santa Claus doesn't simply hibernate until next December. Instead, he packs up his sleigh and heads to his summer home at the Fox River Valley's Santa's Village Azoosment Park. Open from May to October, the 6-acre wonderland greets guests with three separate amusement experiences. The fun begins in Santa's Village, where quaint alpine building and expertly manicured pathways awaken feelings of nostalgia in hearts young and old. There, visitors can zoom down the original Santa's Tree House Slide, hitch a ride on the Kringle Convoy, or snap a picture at a recreation of Santa's North Pole home. They can also tap into the amusement rides including the antique carousel, the Tilt-A-Whirl, and Dracor's Dragon Coaster.

A renowned lover of animals, Santa has also filled his park with a menagerie of animals both familiar and exotic. After visiting Rudolph and company at Reindeer Ridge, visitors can grab a ride on a horse-drawn sleigh on their way to see the denizens of Parakeet Paradise, Tortoise Island, or Old MacDonald's Farm and Petting Zoo. In addition to grabbing up-close peeks of everything from a red-tailed boa to a fennec fox, visitors can also take in an exotic animal show that educates audience members about the park's wild residents.

In addition to the traditional rides that have made the park a destination for generations of families, Santa's Village Azoosment Park also welcomes new thrills for the 2013 season. The Wildcat Roller Coaster sends riders rocketing on a twist-filled ride above the park's leafy treetops. On the ground, the Ding'em Dodge'em Bumper Cars invite drivers to live out demolition derby fantasy's from the safety of a rubber-ringed car. Always in the holiday spirit, the park welcomes groups looking to add a spark to reunions, birthday, or group outings. This accommodating spirit even extends to the park's rule book: parking is free, and picnic baskets are encouraged.

Dolphins Cove thumbs its nose at the furious summer sun with more than 36,000 square feet of watery attractions. Revelers steel their courage before careening down 800 feet of waterslides, or challenge each other to games of water basketball, rope-climbing races, and sand-volleyball tournaments. More relaxing diversions include the outdoor bar and party deck, as well as the lazy river—which will never live up to the example set by the Colorado River in terms of canyon carving and doesn't really care. Kids can safely splash in their own activity pool or participate in regular events such as slide races or treasure hunts.