BADGER BADGER BADGER: A general bleg, speaking of amusement parks:
I'm thinking of taking the Earthling clan on a little midwest trip this summer. Specifically, going into and out of Chicago to see the Giants @ Cubs on Aug 8 (looking at you, Marsha!), but we're likely to head up and back to Minneapolis to see friends and see some minor league baseball as well. Two questions:
(1) The Dells: probably two nights at some water park lodge thing -- The Wilderness seems to be the inside track. Last summer we went to Great Wolf Lodge in Washington state, and the kids had a grand time. I know nothing of The Dells, so all comments useful.
(2) The days we will be there, most of the minor league teams in eastern Iowa/far west Illinois will be in town. To the extent anyone has an opinion on Quad City or Clinton or Cedar Rapids as a minor league facility, happy to hear any comment.
And I'd like to meet you as well if you're coming to Chicago!
ReplyDeleteI put it in the calendar, TPE. Our guest rooms are also available if you like.
ReplyDeleteFor minor league, I LOVE the Clinton Lumberkings. WPA-built ballpark, totally small town feel (everyone there knows everyone else, so they come up and introduce themselves to you because they know you're from out of town...), great fun. Have not been to the other two.
In the Dells, we go to Wilderness. Have only been there in May, so can't speak to the outdoor stuff, but there are 4 indoor waterparks and they are great. Highly recommended. We go with two other families once a year and have graduated from Timber Ridge to Blue Harbor in Sheboygan to Wilderness as the kids have grown. Wilderness is great. We have also done two nights - arrive Friday, do a few hours there, all day Saturday, then 3-4 hours Sunday. It's plenty to do everything you want to do in the inside parks multiple times.
One more thing, if you're driving to Minnesota, see if you can stop by the Beloit Snappers on the way up. We really liked that one. (Keep in mind my sense of geography is famously terrible, so it may be 300 miles out of the way....)
ReplyDeleteWe did Wilderness two years ago, and it was perfect. Lazer tag, dude.
ReplyDeleteIf we can work something out! I'll be trying to pack in a bunch of Chicago-touristy goodness, a visit to the Law School/MSI, Field Museum, Sears Tower, that sort of thing.
ReplyDeleteI hope to avail myself of your guest room, yes!
ReplyDeleteFYI-You will be at Wrigley on the 27th anniversary of its first night game.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that's lost in the Dells is that it's a very nice area beyond the water parks -- if you get a chance, book a ride on the Wisconsin Ducks (boat/motorized vehicle combo) along the river. Also I haven't been there in years, but once upon a time, the wax museum used to keep its unused heads in a lit-up cabinet near the exit, and you could thrill to seeing Mao's disembodied face beside, like, Princess Diana's. It was an accidental exhibition of glory.
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