We love taking trips as a family, even day trips around Wisconsin. There’s always so much to do and Wisconsin is full of beautiful places to visit. As a Wisconsin family photographer, I travel a lot to find unique locations for my sessions. And so over the years, I’ve created a list of some of the things to do in Wisconsin with kids that my family has really enjoyed.
10 Amazing Things to do in Wisconsin the Whole Family Will Enjoy
A Fun Weekend in Wisconsin Dells
This a huge hit for the family, especially in the summer! There are over 20 water parks in this city alone, and you’re sure to find one that you’re family will enjoy! But the fun doesn’t stop there. After a long day of swimming, your family can stroll the downtown area where you’ll find plenty of places like arcades, candy stores, shopping, restaurants and so much more. Wisconsin Dells also offers many attractions like mini golf, zip-lining fun parks, museums, theaters, an animal park, and the list could go on and on.
Beyond the tourist attractions, the Wisconsin Dells area offers plenty of outdoor activities too. I would recommend a Duck Tour, yes it’s a tourist thing too, but you’ll be able to see a lot of neat things that are off the beaten path. You’ll be able to view the scenic Wisconsin River and all the beautiful cliffs, canyons, and forests. Your family can enjoy hiking and the scenic views of Devils Lake State Park, Dells of the Wisconsin River Sate Natural Area, and Mirror Lake State Natural Area. If your family is ready for an action packed adventure, head to the Wisconsin Dells.
I would surely set aside enough time for your family to enjoy all this city has to offer. Also take into consideration, that the summer is extremely busy and so you definitely should plan ahead when it comes to booking hotels and buying waterpark passes. An alternative would be to go in the off season and book yourself a stay at an indoor waterpark. The downtown area is generally open year round, there may be some limitations. Either way, it’s a fun place for the whole family!
Bay Beach
If you’re looking for a thrilling day, take a day trip to this fun amusement park in Green Bay! This is one of my daughter’s favorite things to do in Wisconsin. This amazing park has been open for more than 100 years and has 24 rides that are fun for all ages. They even have a roller coaster that was created in 1923 called the Zippin Pippin! Your kids are sure to have endless fun as tickets are only 25¢ each and rides only require 1-4 tickets. There are concession stands available too or there are plenty of places to have a picnic if you prefer to bring your own food.
Cascade Mountain
Located in Portage, Wisconsin this is a great destination for families who like snow sports. Cascade Mountain has 48 trails, 4 terrain parks and an 900 ft long chute for snow tubing! They even have a kids program for children ages 4-10 who want to learn about snowboarding and skiing. There aren’t any restrictions on age or height for tubing, but children must ride in a tube by themselves. Adults can link to their children’s tube. Cascade Mountain does have a cafe, snack bar and coffee shop onsite. Your family is sure to enjoy their time on the mountain!
A Weekend Getaway in Door County
Another fun getaway that I would recommend going for a whole weekend! Door County is absolutely beautiful and full of exciting things for the family. This is easily one of my favorite things to do in Wisconsin with kids. You’ll find so many wonderful things to do just by following Highway 42 and 57 throughout the county.
Along the highway you’ll find many places to stop where you can find fun treasures and the famous Door County cherries! You can find almost cherry anything at just about every stop. I highly recommend stopping at Wood Orchard Market, they have so many tasty things and plenty of local treasures to buy. I would also stop at some of the wineries or breweries as well, some are more of a family friendly atmosphere and even offer designated areas for your children to play games and have fun too. Fish Creek has so many cute shops, park the car and walk around. And make it a point to goto White Gull Inn for breakfast, you won’t be disappointed! Sister Bay is known for Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, which is famous for the goats on the roof! It’s totally fun for the kids to see and you should try to make it to the yearly Goat Parade, where they roof the goats! There are so many fun things to do in each town, I could write a novel about it.
Aside from checking out all the cute towns along the highway, I recommend getting out into nature and seeing some of the coolest spots Wisconsin has to offer. Top three nature spots to check out would be Cave Point County Park. The edges of the Caves on the water are just spectacular! You can swim here too, many people jump in between some of the ledges. Swim with extreme caution!!!! The Caves are also beautiful to see in the winter, as the water freezes against the shore. Another great spot is Whitefish Dunes State Park, the sandy shores are so beautiful! Another great spot to swim and relax on the beach. I recommend having your family stroll along Lake Michigan and visit their many trails. And lastly I would check out Peninsula State Park. This nearly 4000 acre state park, is breathtaking and has so much to offer! There are over 460 campsites, camps, summer theater, a golf course, beach and more!
Other things you should definitely try or checkout: do your own lighthouse tour, take the ferry to Washington Island, take a kayak tour, and visit a cherry orchard.
American Family Field
Does your family like baseball? Take them to a Milwaukee Brewers game at American Family Field. I highly recommend tailgating to get the full experience, because is it really baseball if you don’t tailgate? haha. Not only can you catch a game, but you can also view the Walk of Fame, and try the Selig Experience. Even if some family members aren’t a huge fan of baseball, they’re still sure to be entertained. American Family Field has a variety of entertainment on the field between innings. I love going to this ballpark!
Cave of the Mounds
Ready to take your family to an underground adventure? Located in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, this natural limestone cave is national natural wonder! Take a guided tour through the underground and be mesmerized by the colorful formations. Your family can also venture into the rock gardens, perennial gardens, woodland area and nature trails. It’s definitely a site to see and so fun to explore an underground world. Bring a light jacket and make sure to wear close-toed shoes as the temperature below ground is usually around 50 degrees. This will rock your family’s world haha.
State Parks
Wisconsin is full of beautiful places to visit with your family. There are 66 state parks and areas within Wisconsin. I mean I would totally say goto them all haha, but obviously it entirely depends on what you like to do as a family. This is one of my top favorite things to do in Wisconsin with my family, simply because Wisconsin is beautiful. I’ve listed the top three parks my family has enjoyed visiting.
High Cliff State Park is wonderful! Located in Sherwood, Wi and along the shore of Lake Winnebago, your family is sure to fall in love! There are tons of trails for you and your family to enjoy as well as picnic areas and camping spots. The views over the limestone cliffs are breathtaking!
I love visiting the Kettle Moraine State Forest with my family. Our favorite way to enjoy is to drive the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive on our Harleys. You could spend hours venturing around on the countless winding roads and be mesmerized by this natural wonder. The area was formed long ago when the glaciers retreated and this region was left behind. There are also areas where your family can swim, go mountain biking, ski trails, go snowshoeing, or go hiking.
Copper Falls State Park is absolutely scenic! Your family can go camping, hiking, bicycling, fishing, swimming and enjoy a picnic. The Doughboy Nature Trail along the Bad River, is listed as one fo the best hikes in Wisconsin. Enjoy the beautiful waterfalls and sites of nature with your family! I highly recommend visiting here in the Fall when the leaves have changed color. It’s breathtaking!
Milwaukee Zoo
Ready for a wild day out? Your family needs to visit the Milwaukee Zoo! This zoo is home to more than 2,200+ animals and has over 330 species. There are a variety of rides, a zip line, a Sky Safari glider, seal & sea lion programs, playgrounds, animal encounter tours and a theater! Make sure you allow enough time for your family to venture throughout the whole zoo, it’s quite large but totally worth the time! I recommend checking out the hippo display and Elephant exhibit!
Madison Children’s Museum
This well known family destination is a fun place for your children to play and learn. There are countless exhibits that are sure to entertain your children for hours. Some of the favorites include an art studio where they can paint a window and the Rooftop Ramble where they can meet the rooftop chickens and get a view of the city. The exhibits do change from time to time, which makes this a great spot to return to.
Lambeau Field
For all you cheeseheads out there, you definitely need to visit Lambeau Field! Honestly, this is probably one of the top things to do in Wisconsin if you’re a football fan. Your family is sure to be in awe of this amazing stadium and the history it has with football. Home to the Green Bay Packers, this stadium is surrounded by and filled with tons of attractions. If you’re wanting to take the family to a game, I recommend looking into family night especially if you have little ones.
Make sure to take a stadium tour to view all the ins and outs of the stadium. It’s really a neat experience. You can also visit the Packers Hall of Fame located on the main floor. It has a tons of displays that show the rich history of the Packers. All ages are welcome to attend. Don’t forget to stop at the Packer Pro Shop to get yourself a souvenir, they literally have everything there.
I would also check out Titletown. It’s a family friendly place right next to Lambeau Field. In the winter they have an ice skating rink and tubing lanes. There is a full-size football field, a playground and lots of outdoor games. Such a fun experience especially with Lambeau in the background.
And I would also look into attending a practice at the Don Hutson Center. It’s super low key, but really fun especially if your family enjoys football. Your kids can even try to get some autographs at the end of the practice. This is a must when looking for things to do in Wisconsin with kids.
Things to do in Wisconsin
There are so many great things to do in Wisconsin. I’d love to capture family photos of your adventurous family. Check out my families page or say hi!
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