North to Alaska…Family Fun at Wisconsin Dells

One of the great joys of RVing in North America is the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, and the past few days have been no exception. My son-in-law just got a great new job in northern Illinois, and basically had three weeks to move his family down from Alaska. Since we were in Wisconsin Dells just north of the Illinois state line, we timed things so as to spend a couple of days together, giving me the opportunity to see not only my daughter and son-in-law, but also three of my five grandchildren, whom I haven’t seen since last October.

And, when in Wisconsin Dells, you visit water parks. Supposedly there are more water parks in this small Wisconsin town than in any other community in the country. Among these is Noah’s Ark, billed as “America’s largest water park.” So we loaded up and headed for Noah’s Ark. Water parks are also important stress relievers for kids who have just experienced an all-night flight from Alaska and a flood-inspired, detour-riddled drive down from Minneapolis in a rental van.

Kids of all ages, including those eligible for AARP membership, will have a great time in this park. This picture is of Tadpole Bay when the overhead bucket dumps, which happens every five minutes or so. This is the newest “kiddie” area of the park, although some larger kids are evident. My grandson had an absolute ball here for an hour or more under the supervision of his grandmother while his big sister and parents tried out some of the more exciting features of this huge water park.

Now past the toll roads and rolling west on Interstate 94, we’re back on one of the access routes outlined in my book, Guide to the Alaska Highway. It’s available in most major bookstores or you can order directly from me at [email protected].