Wisconsin is filled with fun family destinations! Whether your kids are babies, toddlers, school-age, or teenagers, you will find great things to do on this 67-point bucket list! Get inspired, and comment below if your favorite activity isn’t listed. I’m always looking for more fun things to do in Wisconsin. I’ve got tons of links to awesome family activities right here in Wisconsin.
On the Water
Ahoy Mateys! Take a cruise on a pirate ship from Pirate’s Hideaway in Eagle River.
Paddle the Kickapoo River. It’s advertised as “the world’s most crooked river,” and the water is shallow enough for kids to swim or wade when they need a break. All the twists keep things interesting. (Ontario)
Paddle the sea caves at the Apostle Islands (North of Bayfield). If you want a tour guide, I highly recommend Whitecap Kayak. This is more advanced paddling than the Kickapoo, but you can take a boat tour instead of a paddle if your group prefers.
Take a boat tour in Wisconsin Dells. Our favorite is the Duck Tours which drive from the road into the water. Another great option is the Upper Dells Tour that lets you hike the famous Witches Gulch.
Ride the scenic paddleboat at Interstate State Park and learn about the history of these beautiful rock formations. (St. Croix Falls)
White-water raft the Menominee River. Minimum age is 5 (Kids portage around the class IV section) or 12 years old to raft the whole river. (Niagara)
Go Night Kayaking in a clear-bottomed boat at Chain of Lakes in Waupaca.
Near the Water
Explore the Shoreline in Door County. I especially like the state parks, including Potawatomi, Peninsula, Newport, and Whitefish Dunes, but there are many options! Play along the beaches, jump in for a chilly swim, or get out on the water and paddle. (Sturgeon Bay and to the North)
Splash at the base of Willow Falls Waterfall. The whole park is great and includes plenty of hiking and paddling opportunities, but the best part is the huge waterfall (Hudson).
Do some fishing on a nice day
Rent a lakeside cabin. Nothing beats running to the dock in your PJs, knowing you get to be there all day. There are so many options! Book early for summer weekends. Try the popular, bigger lakes for more activities but at higher prices (Door County, Minocqua, Lake Geneva, etc.), or find a small rural lake with just a few cabins in the middle of nowhere for a peaceful vibe. Check out Airbnb or VRBO to find the perfect fit.
Swim in a lake. You can find them all over!
Do a Wisconsin Waterfalls tour. You’ll find great options in northern Wisconsin and Marinette County in Northeast Wisconsin. State parks with great waterfalls include Pattison, Amnicon, Copper Falls, and Willow Falls.
Food Experiences
Eat at the Safe House in Milwaukee. This Spy-themed restaurant is quirky and fun for all ages. While you wait for your food, tackle their scavenger hunt, explore the oddities, or see if the magician is working behind the bar.
Take a food tour in Madison. We love Madison Eats Food Tours, but if you want greater flexibility, put your own tour together. Get an appetizer at one place, an entree at another, and dessert at a third. If you aren’t sure where to start, consider Williams Street or State Street in Madison.
Go to an apple orchard. There are tons of options in September/October. A lot of them have other family farm activities, hay slides, tractor playgrounds, or sunflower fields.
Explore a local farmer’s market in late summer. The Madison farmers’ market is especially impressive, but Wisconsin has many other amazing farmers’ markets.
Eat Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream. It is made in Wisconsin and originally served on State Street in Madison. “This is the best ice cream made in Wisconsin, and it tastes so good because it has gobs of rich Wisconsin cream, tons of real ingredients for boatloads of luscious flavors. That means it’s not low-fat, low-calorie, or low-anything, and that’s why everyone loves it.”
Experience a fish boil in Door County
Have dinner at a supper club. What’s a supper club? A true Wisconsin restaurant tradition.
Enjoy a bratwurst. I love the Brat House Grill in Wisconsin Dells or State Street Brats in Madison, but you can find quality brats all over. Grab a few flavors from the grocery store and grill out with friends!
Cheese
Eat squeaky cheese curds. Google a local cheese store; they are everywhere and delicious! Get curds the day they are made for maximal squeakiness. Locals’ trick: Fresh cheese curds don’t need to go stay in the fridge for a few days. The curds will lose their squeak once refrigerated.
Eat fried cheese curds. County fairs are a great place to find them in their original form, but many Wisconsin restaurants serve them year-round.
Enjoy a June Dairy Month Breakfast. These are usually hosted on farms/towns through June, and you can find a location near you.
Buy cheese at a local cheese store. The smaller-town ones offer the best deals. Try the all-time favorites like longhorn Colby or Aged Cheddar, or get creative with habanero, cranberry, or bacon.
Winter Wonderland
Check out the Ice Caves up north! The “real” ones are part of the Apostle Islands and have very limited access because of specific weather requirements. You can reach the Western shore of Chequamegon Bay more often because of weather patterns.
Hike to a frozen waterfall. The best ones really depend on recent temperatures, which are tough to predict, but whether they are frozen or running and surrounded by snow, they are beautiful in a completely different way than in the summer.
Visit an Indoor Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells. From babies to teenagers, families of all ages will find fun here! This post compares the top 5 indoor waterpark resorts in the Dells.
Go downhill skiing or snowboarding at Granite Peak or one of the resorts up north.
Go Sledding! Find a snow-covered hill at a local park and let ‘er rip!
Visit the ice castle at Eagle River.
Cross-Country Ski. Hundreds of trails stretch across the state. Hayward is known for its excellent trails for beginner and experienced skiers and is the home of the world-class Birkiebeiner race.
Find a tubing hill. All the fun, none of the trudging back up the hill.
Do a polar plunge. This awesome fundraiser supports the Special Olympics and has various locations across the state. We prefer looking for a place to jump in rather than run in.
Hiking
Hike a section of the Ice Age Trail. This National Scenic Trail winds 1,200 miles across Wisconsin. Check out the Ice Age Trail Alliance for more information.
Take in the view after walking up Timm’s Hill, Wisconsin’s highest point. Have lunch at Hill of Beans. This hike is especially beautiful in the fall (Tomahawk).
Hike to Devil’s Door at Devil’s Lake State Park-if the kids are old enough, tackle this challenging hike to Devil’s Door and Balance Rock. It is an adventurous hike! Otherwise, enjoy the view from below and swim in the lake (Baraboo).
Explore the Doughboy Trail at Copper Falls State Park (Mellen). It passes plenty of waterfalls and has a point midway through where you can stop and play on a rocky beach. It’s beautiful in the winter too, but the stairs turn into “sledding” hills.
Climb an observation tower. You can find them all over, but some of my favorites are Rib Mountain, Peninsula State Park, High Cliff, and Roche-a-Cri.
Exploring Nature
Have a picnic at a state park. The options are endless, but here is a list of state parks, forests, and trails to get you started. Make it fancy or keep it simple, whatever suits you.
Take the ferry across the lake and ride your bike on Madeline Island (Bayfield)
Look at the stars in the Northwoods. I like the Skyview app for learning about constellations.
See the Northern Lights. This can be tricky to plan, so use the Aurora app to get a heads-up when they are coming. You may be surprised how often you get the chance.
Go camping. Of course I’m partial to recommending Wisconsin State Parks, but there are many other options, including county parks, private resorts, or national forests. Can’t find a good campsite at a convenient time? Even throwing up a tent in the backyard can be fun.
Visit the River Prairie nature playground in Eau Claire. This brings the country’s fun to the middle of the city. Bring a change of clothes for the kids because they will probably get wet.
Find a place to Zip line! There is a kids’ course in Minocqua for ages 3-7, and plenty of places for adults or older kids, including Wisconsin Dells, Door County, Sky Trail in the Milwaukee Zoo, Lake Geneva, and Kenosha.
Places to See in Wisconsin
Visit Lambeau Field. Packer fans should go to a game, but even less dedicated supporters can have fun at the playground and field (Green Bay).
Walk through the Cave of the Mounds southwest of Madison or the Crystal Caves between Hudson and Eau Claire.
Explore Jurustic Park. This quirky roadside attraction is free and worth a stop. The creators have welded a large collection of creatures and critters. While you are there, check out Wildwood, a free zoo in Marshfield.
Check out the Bay Beach Amusement Center. These carnival-style rides are exciting for kids, and their low prices will excite parents. (Green Bay)
Explore the House on the Rock for older kids or teens (Dodgeville).
See the world’s largest Muskee (Hayward), Loon (Mercer), Penny (Woodruff), or potato masher (Plover). For more, check out Only in Your State.
Take a picture with the mysterious Hodag(Rhinelander). Check out Gene Shepard’s Hodag for a fun kids’ book about the Hodag’s origins.
Catch a Show
Our favorite Wisconsin show is the Monster Mash Spooktacular at the Dells Dinner Theater! If you’re there at other times of the year, they may have a Wild West Show, Pirate Show, or Christmas extravaganza.
Watch the circus at Baraboo. Before the big show, take your kids to the children’s circus, where kids are invited up onstage. Then explore the extensive circus memorabilia displayed in the old winter housing for the Ringling Bros. Circus. There are no longer live elephants, but there are other animals in the show.
See the Tristan Christ Magic Show. This show is “a Vegas-style show designed to fool teens and adults,” but is fun for the whole family. (Lake Geneva)
Step back in time and watch a Lumberjack Show. (Hayward or Woodruff).
Animals Encounters
Meet a Cow. You can meet one at local fairs and farms. For an organized experience, go to Sassy Cow Creamery and grab ice cream on your way out.
Feed the ducks. My favorite spot is at the Bay Beach Wildlife Center in Green Bay. They sell duck and goose food, and I recommend going during the off-season when the animals are hungrier. You can find plenty of other places, too. Be sure to pick the right foods to offer.
Feed and pet a whitetail deer (Wisconsin Deer Park in Wisconsin Dells, WildWood Wildlife Park in Minocqua, for Fawn-Doe-Rosa in St Croix Falls)
Book a tour with Open Door Bird Sanctuary to learn about birds of prey (Door County)
Feed a giraffe. Okay, this is clearly not a native Wisconsin experience, but one all Wisconsinites can access, and it is so fun! You can do this at The New Zoo in Green Bay, the Milwaukee Zoo, Timbavati in Wisconsin Dells, or Safari Lake Geneva.
Visit a free zoo. The Wildwood Zoo in Marshfield and Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc have mostly local species, while the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison has animals from around the world.
Take the VIP Zoo tour at Timbavati Zoo in Wisconsin Dells. It’s a bit pricey, but you get great up-close experiences wth a variety of animals.
Museums
Go to a Museum in Milwaukee. Try the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Discovery World (museum and aquarium), or the Milwaukee Public Museum, which includes a planetarium and a butterfly pavilion.
Check out a Children’s Museum. Our favorite is in Madison, but there are many good ones across the state. Other favorites are in Eau Claire and Green Bay.
The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton features an in-depth exhibit on Harry Houdini. Though he wasn’t born in Wisconsin, he called Appleton his home.
Check out Tommy Bartlett’s Exploratory for old-school science fun for all ages.
In Conclusion
How many have you already done? What’s next on your list? I love all the amazing family fun we have in Wisconsin.
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