The Wisconsin Dells region maintains a snapshot of a different era of the summer tourist. Surrounded by natural beauty, the Dells once hooked visitors with midcentury-style motels, supper clubs, magic shows, souvenir shops, cheesy haunted houses and truly oddball attractions – all the ingredients of a charming tourist trap. While these kinds of spots have withered, the Dells still flourish.
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“The Dells have done a good job of regenerating themselves,” travel writer Kristi Manus says, describing how an older generation of theme parks and stage shows were slowly replaced by constantly evolving water parks and more modern businesses like escape rooms and selfie studios. Manus says it’s worth taking time to seek the Dells’ more hidden treasures. The classic kitschy Dells is still there, a weird patina underneath the glossy layers that followed. “Don’t get caught up in the big awe. Dig a little deeper and see some other things – there’s a lot to be discovered there,” Manus says. Here are a few classic Dells attractions.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Robert Ripley was a pioneer in recognizing that “weird” wasn’t just interesting, but profitable. Ripley collected odd artifacts from around the world, detailed in his “Believe It or Not!” comic strip, his media empire eventually extending to radio, television and books. Ripley’s first permanent “Odditorium” museum opened in Florida in 1950. The Dells location, one of 26 current such museums around the world, opened in 1990 and has 11 galleries packed with weird objects like a taxidermic six-legged lamb, a creepy ventriloquist dummy, and the mummified head of German serial killer Peter Kürten, the “Vampire of Düsseldorf.” 105 Broadway
Top Secret!
A textbook classic Dells attraction, this fun house-style attraction leads you into the White House, which is upside down for some reason. The walk-through “immersive experience” rooms inside have furniture bolted to the ceiling. Like any good tourist trap, you might feel a bit underwhelmed after you walk out. Ah well, it was only seven bucks, plus there are some pretty cool statues of characters from the Transformers and Predator movies outside to take a picture with. 2127 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy.
Museum of Historic Torture Devices
Ouch! Mankind’s cruelty throughout the ages is on painful display here. The rack, the iron maiden, thumbscrews, all sorts of stuff that will make you flinch and twist in imagined agony. Why do we want to see such a feast of suffering? Maybe it’s the same reason people can’t look away from a car crash – it’s fascinating (as long as we’re not the one stuck in an iron maiden). 305 Broadway
