Things to Do in Waunakee

On June 30, 1904 Col. William and Anna Vilas donated a tract of land to become a public park and free recreational space in memory of their son, Henry, who died due to complications from diabetes at a young age. They added numerous improvements over the decade and in 1911, the Henry Vilas Zoo gained its first animal exhibits. Today, the zoo covers 30 acres and features a number of creatures from around the world, ranging from the vanishing chimpanzee and endangered red panda to locals such as the great horned owl and american alligator. The zoo also remains one of the few free AZA-accredited zoos across the country.

Leading up to and following the zoo's centennial, the ReZOOvenation project has expanded the visitor areas, replacing the entrance and gift shop and adding a tropical-rainforest aviary and big-cat complex. A variety of annual events are scheduled, including Halloween at the Zoo, with costumes and stops for sustainable palm-oil candy, and earth day, when children can plant trees to help lower the global temperature just enough for icicles to form. The zoo’s many conservation projects also engage the public in protecting the environment and its inhabitants by installing solar-energy panels, sponsoring trips to save endangered orangutans, and collecting old cell phones.

Dedicated to the art of belly dance, Arielle Juliette opened Dance Life Studio & 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.

Since the 1950s, Wingra Boats has outfitted groups and individuals for treks along the serene, wake-free Lake Wingra with their fleet of water vessels. Starting out with a small squad of canoes, the company has grown to include more than 100 canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and sailboats across two locations. In addition to supplying rentals, the staff keep limbs limber with yoga—performed on dry land or atop paddleboards—and strengthens cores with standup paddleboard lessons. Youngsters get in on the action during camp sessions, where they learn to cast, reel, and ask fishes for any seven cards, or paddle aboard kayaks and canoes. The staff also lead guided tours and birding expeditions, and tuck boats away for the off-season with docking and storage services.

Spread out across 16 acres, the award-winning outdoor displays at Olbrich Botanical Gardens showcase both Midwest-hardy plants and floras native to the world's tropical forests. Water lilies and dragonflies occupy the Perennial Garden's 200-foot stream, whereas a boardwalk snakes through the Rain Garden's flood-tolerant plants. Elsewhere, guests can marvel at the pavilion in the Thai Garden, which nine Thai artisans reassembled after it traveled to Olbrich by sea and rail for seven weeks.

Inside the Bolz Conservatory's 50-foot-high glass pyramid, temperatures kept at between 65 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit maintain a steamy atmosphere for more than 640 tropical plants, a waterfall, and free-flying birds. Along with its plentitude of plants, Olbrich Botanical Gardens hosts a range of classes and events, which include concerts, botanical-themed art exhibits, and the annual Blooming Butterflies exhibit.