Wisconsin anyone???

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

Ok so short story we live in Southern California (Currently 72 outside)
We will be going to the dells March 15th we are going to mainly be indoors at the waterpark (it will be cold). What I am wondering is HOW cold should I expect? Snow ? I know its only a guess but my kids do not have actual heavy coats should I be getting some Hats gloves are easy coats a little more $$$ but I for sure need to be looking now as most winter clothing is out of the stores.

 

[Angela&Kayla]

Wisconsin's weather varies dramatically from day to day, although this winter has been one of the coldest winters here ever. Schools have been cancelled four days in January due to extremely low temperatures (-20 or so below zero, without wind chill)!

In March, you can expect anything from freezing weather and snow to 50 degree weather, or warmer. I wouldn't go out of my way to buy really expensive outerwear, but would definitely plan on having several layers available in case you do plan on venturing out and about outside.

 

[mapmakerj]

Having lived in WI for 44 years until moving to FL last year, I can tell you what the average temps for March are, however, it can vary from year to year. The average highs for March in WI Dells are mid 40's and lows around 20. Last year was very cold in March and had many days that were not up to the average. I also have pictures of my DS in shorts in March when he was a baby and it was in the 70's, but that is not normal. In WI you just never know what early spring will be like. Last year we had snow until May! Expect it to be cold, which is the norm.

 

[sskem96]

Mid-march is iffy. There can definitely be snow and ice storms through the beginning of April, but it's not bitter cold every day. I wouldn't bother to invest in winter coats for 1 trip. Bring 2 hoodies with 1 being a little bigger and layer them. Gloves might be a good idea, but if you're only going to be outside from the car to a restaurant or something like that, it's not really necessary. We do occasionally get an unseasonably warm day and it can be 60 or 70 in March, so it's just hard to say. You probably won't need any shorts though!

Of course I live in the cold and I'm excited that it's 13 degrees today and I didn't have to put my gloves on when running errands!

 

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

Perfect layers it is thank you so much I was starting to worry.

 

[LadyBeBop]

You will need some outerwear, but hopefully, you won't need a heavy winter coat.

I do know about the temperature swings in Wisconsin. I went to college in Milwaukee. One Tuesday in late March, it was close to 80. Students were walking around campus in shorts. Co-eds were laying out in the sun, catching rays. I had a heavy workload that semester, so I didn't have time to sunbathe. I looked forward to that weekend, so I could spend time in the sun.

It snowed that weekend.

 

[Aidan's Mommy]

In Wisconsin, layers and fleece are your friends. I usually only break out my heavy winter jacket for weather like we are having right now, which is 12 degrees below zero (not including the windchill). In mid March you can usually get away with a fleece jacket or a sweatshirt with a hoodie over it. You probably won't need any shorts or sandals although it has happened before where we get 70's and 80's in March. It is usually followed by a big snow storm because Mother Nature likes to toy with our emotions like that.


What resort are you staying at? We go to the Dells every summer (and some winters) and it's always a blast. If you want any restaurant recommendations, let me know!

 

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

In Wisconsin, layers and fleece are your friends. I usually only break out my heavy winter jacket for weather like we are having right now, which is 12 degrees below zero (not including the windchill). In mid March you can usually get away with a fleece jacket or a sweatshirt with a hoodie over it. You probably won't need any shorts or sandals although it has happened before where we get 70's and 80's in March. It is usually followed by a big snow storm because Mother Nature likes to toy with our emotions like that.


What resort are you staying at? We go to the Dells every summer (and some winters) and it's always a blast. If you want any restaurant recommendations, let me know!

we were going to go to the wilderness we went once before and the kids keep asking to go back so I thought I would sneak it in spring break as our summer is full (that was before I realized how cold it could be lol ) we will be there 5 days.

YES please suggest restaurants

 

[Aidan's Mommy]

The Wilderness is amazing! The ONLY thing I didn't like is it is SO big. My son got distracted one time as we were heading back to our room and he got lost. The hotel responded quickly though and my son was smart enough to go up to a security guard when he knew he was lost. They brought him right up to our room and checked back with us later to make sure everyone was ok. He had just turned 9 but still one of the scariest days of my life!!

Anyway, restaurants!

Moose Jaw Pizza and Brewing Co is one of our favorites. It is kid friendly and have a lot more options than just pizza.

Buffalo Phil's Pizza and Grill. Another kid friendly place that has tables where your food is delivered via an electric train. Their burgers are really good here. It is also attached to an indoor amusement center with rides and play areas.

Paul Bunyan's cook Shanty has a great breakfast that is served family style. The adults cost is a little pricey but they kids pay by their age I believe..so if you have a 3 yr old, he is $3.00. They are only open during the season, but it looks like they opened last year on March 15th, so that would be perfect timing for you guys.

It's been awhile since I have eaten at House of Embers, but it was pretty good when we did eat there.

If you are looking for an adult only place...The Fields at the Wilderness is a great steakhouse but VERY expensive (well, at least by my standards it is). My husband and I ate there for our anniversary one year and spent well over $100 on just the two of us.

The restaurant at the Wilderness also had a great breakfast buffet and kids eat free there too.

You'll have to come back in the summer sometime. That's when the Dells are a lot more fun. The boat rides themselves are incredible with the sights and the history of the area.

 

[MarthaJr.]

Well, I'll say one thing...you have a brave California soul to come here in March! lol! Are you driving to Wisconsin or will you have a rental car? If so, you can always take an easy hour and a half drive to the Milwaukee area. The Milwaukee County Zoo is fabulous year round and we have the Harley Davidson Museum, Milwaukee Public Museum with IMAX, Betty Brynn Museum and Discovery World as well as the Milwaukee Art Museum.

If you are the outdoorsy types you may like to explore Devils Lake State Park or Mirror Lake State Park. Both have great hiking and are nearby The Dells.

As to your question about temps....yep, very unpredictable. Two years ago we had the 70's for a quite awhile in March. Then again, we could have snow. Our 3 day forecasts are pretty accurate. Don't trust anything longer range than that as our state motto is..."If you don't like the weather, don't worry tomorrow will probably be different." Hope you enjoy your visit....but you should really try to come back in September---by far THE best month here!

 

[goingtowdwwithkiddos]

Thank you so much for all the recommendations, so glad I asked, Last time we went it was June but it was our first time there and only stayed 3 days.
We will be flying into Milwaukee and have a rental car so for sure will add some exploring in, we get in real early and leave late (cheapest flights lol).

 

[Gumbo4x4]

There's a little resort next to Great Wolf Lodge that I think is called "Wintergreen?". Fabulous breakfast! We drove about 30 miles out for a cheese factory tour one morning. That was fun

 

[JillianMarie]

Last year you would've needed full on parkas and snow boots. Two years ago you could almost wear shorts on the 15th of March. This year? With the way things have been going I'd err on the side of winter gear because I suspect it'll feel much colder to you than it would to someone who is living through Polar Vortex 3: Return of Polar Vortex right now.

 

[robinb]

Ok so short story we live in Southern California (Currently 72 outside) We will be going to the dells March 15th we are going to mainly be indoors at the waterpark (it will be cold). What I am wondering is HOW cold should I expect? Snow ? I know its only a guess but my kids do not have actual heavy coats should I be getting some Hats gloves are easy coats a little more $$$ but I for sure need to be looking now as most winter clothing is out of the stores.

March in WI can be a little funny. You can get (relatively) warm days in the 50's and chilly days in the 30's with snow. You probably won't see any bitter cold like we are having now but it may go below freezing at night. You should be fine with stretchy gloves and layers, especially if you're not planning to be outside for an extended period of time. I'm glad you picked the Wilderness! It's my favorite of all the indoor waterparks. Since you'll be there for 5 days, I would recommend that you purchase their "Wild Fun Pass" which includes things like indoor minigolf. You may also want to consider "Wizard Quest" over at the Great Wolf Lodge. My DD and her friends really enjoyed that when they were 10-12 and I saw younger kids playing it too. Great Wolf is very close to the Wilderness.

As for restaurants, I second the suggestion for Moose Jaw. The pizza is good and their have a variety of other food too. I also like Monks (http://www.monksbarandgrill.com) which is right next to the Wilderness. It has a relaxed atmosphere and their burgers are really good. The Cheese Factory (http://www.cheesefactoryrestaurant.com) is also close. We like it, but it's all vegetarian so it may not be quite what you're looking for. For the non vegetarian, there is Famous Dave's BBQ (http://www.famousdaves.com/wisconsin-dells also right there near the Culver's, but across the street). For a quintessential Wisconsin Supper Club experience try the Del-Bar (http://www.del-bar.com). Kids are welcome or you can make it an adult dinner.

For quick food, there is a Culver's (http://www.culvers.com/restaurants/wisconsin-dells/) nearby (between the Wilderness and the Great Wolf) that serves "butterburgers". It's a WI based business and I really like their burgers and salads. They have inexpensive kids meals and adult "snack packs" which are single burgers with small fries and drink for under $6 each. The kids meals include a single frozen custard which is like a rich ice cream. There is also a Subway near the Great Wolf. I know it's boring but we often grab some subs and bring them back to the resort for a quick and inexpensive lunch.

 

[wiigirl]

Perfect layers it is thank you so much I was starting to worry.

 

[malibuconlee]

We were just at the Wilderness for MLK weekend.

Even in a regular room you get a mini fridge and microwave. Hit up the grocery store for yogurt and things for breakfast in the room. We brought a cooler this time. Also my daughter lives for Lunchables so she had those for lunch every day. We had some cheese and crackers and premade salads.
http://www.highrockcafe.com/

We found this place in October and will be a must do for each trip! We split a salad and ordered an appetizer and took the leftovers of our main course back with us and had it for dinner the next night!

Paul Bunyon's was a favorite as a kid. I wanted to go back but we didn't in October and they were closed in January.

We were going to try Moosejaw's, but ended up with leftovers instead.

I suggest getting to one of the parks as soon as it's open to get a table for your stuff. We did that Saturday and Sunday and it worked out well. We left around 2 and went to the room to shower on Saturday, then spent quite awhile painting pottery at Polka Dot Pots there. It's become our tradition. Do it early in the trip because you can pick them up after 11 AM the next day or you have to pay for shipping.

Buffalo Bills was fun, but we didn't care for the food we ordered.

My daughter likes eating breakfast at the buffet at the resort, but it does get expensive.

 

[Anita1996]

March in Wisconsin Dells is completely unpredictable like everyone is saying.

My in-laws from Wales, U.K. were here for my wedding reception in March of 2011. We took them and everyone and stayed at the Wilderness for a few days in mid-March. There was a huge snowstorm and it was freezing (20's) when we got there. The next day it was so nice out - I took a photo of all of us wearing our swimsuits/t-shirts/shorts waiting for the shuttle outside to the waterpark with all the snow in the background. I wish I would of taken note of the temp - but had to be in the mid 40's or 50's at least. Their normal temps are in the 40's in the winter and they rarely get snow...so it definitely was a gorgeous SUNNY day! The sun was definitely helping keeping everybody warm. Everybody was sooo surprised that they were not cold!

We also did some shopping in downtown Dells and I remember it was rather mild out. We were mostly wearing layers and lighter jackets.

There is a newish restaurant downtown called Macs that was on some local tv programming (Discover Wisconsin, I think). They serve all kinds of macaroni and cheese dishes and it was soooo good when I went in December. I'm not even a fan of mac and cheese.
They have a facebook page and it's under macaroniandcheeseshop

I also enjoy the Pizza Pub and the Pizza Ranch lunch buffets.
Pizza Pub has a VERY nice salad bar, with some pasta and lots of different Pizzas on their buffet.
Pizza Ranch has a SMALL salad bar, but they have fried chicken and mashed potatoes which my husband loves, and will make any pizza on their menu and give you first pick when you do the buffet.
Pizza Ranch might be slightly cheaper, but I definitely prefer the pizza at Pizza Pub.

Have a great trip to the Dells! Hope you get to enjoy some fresh cheese curds Mmmm soo good! I'm hoping to make it sometime this spring - watching for deals!

 

[hops&dreams]

Yes, WI is unpredictable in March.

Just wanted to chime in that if you're looking to explore the area, about an hour south of the Dells is Spring Green. There you'll find 2 interesting places to go - Taliesin, the original home and studio of Frank Lloyd Wright. Not very (young) kid friendly, although DD did great as a 9 year old last spring. DH and I are both very into architecture though, and it's kinda rubbed off on her.

The other place in Spring Green is The House on the Rock. I don't really know how to describe it but eclectic. It's a weird, interesting, odd thing. This guy built this house on a rock (duh) but it was more of a party house. Over his lifetime, this guy collected things. Like, everything. Guns, books, lamps, ivory tusks, circus toy sets, doll houses, mannequins, carousels, pipe organs, replicas of crown jewels, Titanic memorabilia... so there are these buildings housing his collections of STUFF. There are coin operated machines tucked in. If you feed them one of their coins, they will play music.

I can't even begin to do that place justice.... http://www.thehouseontherock.com/index.htm
We stayed at the Inn when we were there. Their pool was AWESOME, but their water smelled gross - actually, the pool water smelled like pool, but their shower water smelled funny. I think it was well water, and has much more sulfur or something than we're used to.

We spent an entire day at the attraction and we were dead tired at the end of it. We couldn't stop looking at all the random stuff. It was creepy but interesting. I can't explain our fascination. The whole place weirded us out, but we couldn't look away - we HAD to see it all. I mean really - the House on the Rock - no bedrooms, every room had a lounge-y bed, and everything was covered in carpet. What kind of parties were they hosting there???

 

[Gumbo4x4]

House On The Rock was a lot of fun like PP mentioned. We were there 3 hours and kind of had to rush to see it all

 

[ekatiel]

we were going to go to the wilderness we went once before and the kids keep asking to go back so I thought I would sneak it in spring break as our summer is full (that was before I realized how cold it could be lol ) we will be there 5 days.

YES please suggest restaurants

One thing you'll need to remember about the Wilderness is that you may have to take a shuttle bus to get to some of the Waterparks, which will involve at least a brief time outside, walking to the shuttle. My in-laws live in WI, so we've done the Wilderness and Kalahari. I would think Kalahari might be better when it's so cold outside b/c there is just one large waterpark, rather than four smaller ones like Wilderness has. No shuttles to deal with. If you're set in stone on Wilderness, I would definitely pack some layers that you'll be able to throw over your suits for the shuttle buses.