I think people looking to spend a weekend at a hotel with an indoor waterpark will naturally think of some place in the Dells, but there is another option closer to Madison.
Deer Valley Lodge is located in Barneveld, slightly under 40 min. from Madison. It's a place to go if you have small children (10 years or younger), because the waterpark is tiny--a toddler's wading area, a pool, hot tub and two slides comprise the entire waterpark. There's also a small arcade in the upstairs area, though the temperature in that room is close to 90 degrees.
The rooms are typical of any hotel, though the sound proofing could be improved a bit as hallway noise seemed to carry more easily into your room. Free wifi (though not the strongest signal) is included.
Deer Valley Lodge also has free continental breakfast (basically some mini muffins and bagels) and a small bar that doesn't stay open late. This hotel is not close to any restaurants, so it was surprising that it doesn't have better dining options.
If you're looking for things to do while staying here: The golf coure adjacent to the hotel is nice, though a few holes are in the bluffs/trees, making it extremely difficult to see where your drive went. Botham Vineyard is only a five-minute drive, and Mt. Horeb is 15 minutes away.
Check out the Web site for more info and for specials: www.deervalleylodgewi.com
Showing posts with label family-friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family-friendly. Show all posts
Monday, March 01, 2010
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre
Ah, nothing draws out American nostalgia like the drive-in theater, a dying breed among entertainment venues. On Friday I checked out the Highway 18 Outdoor Theatre (www.highway18.com), about a 30-min. drive from downtown Madison. To get there, take the Beltline east and follow until you hit Hwy 18, then turn left. The theater will be on your right.
Like most theaters, this one doesn't allow carry-ins. In rare instances they will actually check your car. Tickets are $7 at the door for two movies, a steal in this day and age of $8 movies. Bring lots of cash, because they don't accept credit cards anywhere on premise, nor is there an ATM.
Once you get in, most any spot will be a good one for viewing. Just be forewarned, the best spots will be taken up by 8, so plan on arriving early. The first movie doesn't begin until it gets dark (in the summer, past 9 p.m.), so bring cards or other items to keep you busy.
Otherwise, hit the bar. On the top of the hill is an older building that the theater opened recently as a bar (in fact, it opened for the first time when I was there). Prices are moderate; I was able to get a tap of Bud Light for $1.75 (they don't serve Miller products because their "distributor is an ass"). This bar, like everything else, is cash only. Other than some bar stools, there isn't any seating, and the bar is sparsely decorated save for a foosball table--I would assume this all will improve over time.
Unlike typical drive-in theaters, you don't have to use the audio box to get sound from the movie. That's because they also pipe in the audio via 93.1 FM (its broadcast range is just enough for the theater area). With the use of the radio, many people put out blankets and lawnchairs in front of their cars and watched the movie outside their car. It does get chilly at night, especially during the second movie (midnight+), so bring a light jacket.
This theater is very family oriented; you'll see more little kids running around than you will teenage couples looking to make out all night. With of all the kids, the lines for the bathroom are extra long, because parents have to take kids with them to the very small bathrooms (the women's restroom line was often around 30 deep). So think twice before you drink that 32 oz. soda.
Speaking of food, I ate dinner ahead of time, so I didn't purchase anything. However, I did see the concessions menu, and beyond candy and popcorn, it includes burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, chicken strips, nachos, fish, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and other snacks.
I certainly enjoyed my experience at this theater, and I plan on coming back some day (once the movies change, about once a month).
Like most theaters, this one doesn't allow carry-ins. In rare instances they will actually check your car. Tickets are $7 at the door for two movies, a steal in this day and age of $8 movies. Bring lots of cash, because they don't accept credit cards anywhere on premise, nor is there an ATM.
Once you get in, most any spot will be a good one for viewing. Just be forewarned, the best spots will be taken up by 8, so plan on arriving early. The first movie doesn't begin until it gets dark (in the summer, past 9 p.m.), so bring cards or other items to keep you busy.
Otherwise, hit the bar. On the top of the hill is an older building that the theater opened recently as a bar (in fact, it opened for the first time when I was there). Prices are moderate; I was able to get a tap of Bud Light for $1.75 (they don't serve Miller products because their "distributor is an ass"). This bar, like everything else, is cash only. Other than some bar stools, there isn't any seating, and the bar is sparsely decorated save for a foosball table--I would assume this all will improve over time.
Unlike typical drive-in theaters, you don't have to use the audio box to get sound from the movie. That's because they also pipe in the audio via 93.1 FM (its broadcast range is just enough for the theater area). With the use of the radio, many people put out blankets and lawnchairs in front of their cars and watched the movie outside their car. It does get chilly at night, especially during the second movie (midnight+), so bring a light jacket.
This theater is very family oriented; you'll see more little kids running around than you will teenage couples looking to make out all night. With of all the kids, the lines for the bathroom are extra long, because parents have to take kids with them to the very small bathrooms (the women's restroom line was often around 30 deep). So think twice before you drink that 32 oz. soda.
Speaking of food, I ate dinner ahead of time, so I didn't purchase anything. However, I did see the concessions menu, and beyond candy and popcorn, it includes burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, chicken strips, nachos, fish, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and other snacks.
I certainly enjoyed my experience at this theater, and I plan on coming back some day (once the movies change, about once a month).
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Madison's New Goodman Pool
Madison finally got a public pool thanks to the Goodman brothers, who donated $2.8 million to get it built. After much debate as to where it should be located, a site near Olin-Turville Park was selected, and the pool opened on Monday, June 12.
Location:
To get there, exit the Beltline at John Nolen Drive, then turn left on Olin Avenue. The pool will be on your left (325 Olin Ave.).
Hours:
Open swimming is from 12:30 - 4:45 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. M-F, 12:30-8 p.m. Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday.
Cost:
Adults are $3 (resident) and $3.50 (non-resident), although they never check to see if you are a Madison resident or not.
Children are $2, seniors are $2.50 (resident) and $3 (non-resident). Coupon books and season passes also are available.
The pool is obviously geared toward children. Most of the water is only 3-4 feet deep (with many areas even shallower), and there are plenty of fun structures (i.e. water buckets that tip over once filled, water gun, etc.) with which to play. There also are two waterslides that are curvy and fast, and the lines move quickly.
Competition can be held at Goodman, as eight 25-meter lanes were built (although where spectators will sit remains to be seen, as there's not much room to bring in portable stands). One or two lanes are made available during open pool hours, but the lifeguards do a horrible job of keeping non-lap swimmers out of them.
The rest of the eight lanes are divided in two: one part for diving off either of the two 1-meter boards, and the other half for water basketball (good luck trying to use it, though, as at least a dozen kids are playing on it at any given time).
Since you can't bring in your own food, you have to buy it from the concession stand. The selection is limited but not overly expensive. Among the items: Hot dogs are $2, brats are $2.50, nachos are $2, a 20-oz. soda is $1.25 and water is $1.50.
As nice as the pool is, there are other quirks. For some reason, a sand pit was built about 10 yards from the pool. This is just asking for trouble, as many kids will play in the sand and then jump in the water, bringing the sand with them.
Also, there are far too few lounge chairs. Many people have to sit on the ground or in the grassy area past the locker rooms. Speaking of the locker rooms, the changing area is tiny. At closing time, this area can become overly crowded.
Lastly, the "rest time." Most pools have this, a period in which the pool is closed to children for 15 minutes so adults can finally have a chance to swim. Unfortunately, the staff closes the pool to everyone. The point of this is unknown.
Despite these flaws, the pool is a nice and inexpensive place to spend an afternoon. For more info, check out http://webapp.cityofmadison.com/parks/pool/index.cfm.
Location:
To get there, exit the Beltline at John Nolen Drive, then turn left on Olin Avenue. The pool will be on your left (325 Olin Ave.).
Hours:
Open swimming is from 12:30 - 4:45 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. M-F, 12:30-8 p.m. Saturday and 12:30-6 p.m. Sunday.
Cost:
Adults are $3 (resident) and $3.50 (non-resident), although they never check to see if you are a Madison resident or not.
Children are $2, seniors are $2.50 (resident) and $3 (non-resident). Coupon books and season passes also are available.
The pool is obviously geared toward children. Most of the water is only 3-4 feet deep (with many areas even shallower), and there are plenty of fun structures (i.e. water buckets that tip over once filled, water gun, etc.) with which to play. There also are two waterslides that are curvy and fast, and the lines move quickly.
Competition can be held at Goodman, as eight 25-meter lanes were built (although where spectators will sit remains to be seen, as there's not much room to bring in portable stands). One or two lanes are made available during open pool hours, but the lifeguards do a horrible job of keeping non-lap swimmers out of them.
The rest of the eight lanes are divided in two: one part for diving off either of the two 1-meter boards, and the other half for water basketball (good luck trying to use it, though, as at least a dozen kids are playing on it at any given time).
Since you can't bring in your own food, you have to buy it from the concession stand. The selection is limited but not overly expensive. Among the items: Hot dogs are $2, brats are $2.50, nachos are $2, a 20-oz. soda is $1.25 and water is $1.50.
As nice as the pool is, there are other quirks. For some reason, a sand pit was built about 10 yards from the pool. This is just asking for trouble, as many kids will play in the sand and then jump in the water, bringing the sand with them.
Also, there are far too few lounge chairs. Many people have to sit on the ground or in the grassy area past the locker rooms. Speaking of the locker rooms, the changing area is tiny. At closing time, this area can become overly crowded.
Lastly, the "rest time." Most pools have this, a period in which the pool is closed to children for 15 minutes so adults can finally have a chance to swim. Unfortunately, the staff closes the pool to everyone. The point of this is unknown.
Despite these flaws, the pool is a nice and inexpensive place to spend an afternoon. For more info, check out http://webapp.cityofmadison.com/parks/pool/index.cfm.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Vacation in Orlando
Whether you're by yourself or with a family of four, first thing's first: Orlando is an expensive city, so be prepared to shell out some serious dough.
The two busiest times of year are from Christmas through New Year's, and most of March when kids have their spring breaks. Thus, if you want to avoid the crowds, come at any other time.
Rent a car if you can. The buses are okay, but because traffic can be horrendous, a simple 15-min. trip from the south part of the city (near SeaWorld) to downtown (where the arena and stadium are) can take 1.5 hours! There's a trolley called the I-Ride, but it only goes up and down International Drive.
SeaWorld
Plenty of fun for all ages. Most of the shows (i.e. dolphins, Shamu, etc.) last around 20 min., but you have to get in line early to get a seat. On the more crowded days, Shamu can draw a line an hour before the show begins!
Also, you can get very wet at the shows, so don't sit in the front rows (known as the "Splash Zone") if you want to stay dry. You can also get wet on the rides.
Great tip: SeaWorld is owned by Anheuser-Busch (the place can remind people of "Duffland" from the "Simpsons"). If you look closely on the park map, there is an A-B hospitality area in the northeast corner of the park. It's two free beers per person, but usually you can get away with a lot more.
CityWalk
Excellent restaurants and bars are located here (you have to go through this area to get to Universal Studios).
The bars include: Bob Marley (Jamaican), CityJazz (features entertainment of all varieties), the Groove (dance club), Pat O'Brien's (has dueling pianos similar to Howl at the Moon), Margaritaville and the NASCAR bar.
The restaurants include: NBA City, Hard Rock Cafe and Emeril's. The latter is fine dining, and you usually need to make a reservation at least one week out to have any chance of getting a table.
There's also some nice shopping at CityWalk: Cigarz, Fossil, etc.
Universal Studios/Islands of Adventures
These are two distinct parks. Universal Studios includes non-rollercoaster rides, such as Jaws (you ride a boat as Jaws attacks you), Back to the Future (you ride a Dolorean in front of an Imax screen) and Earthquake (you are in a subway car in the middle of an earthquake.
Islands of Adventures, meanwhile, has all the rollercoasters, such as the Incredible Hulk. The Jurassic Park ride in which you hang from the air in a pteranodon-like vehicle seemed pretty fun.
Whichever you choose, buy the ultra-expensive Express Pass ($37). That allows you to take a shorter line, which can save you literally hours of wait. One other way to get in front is to use the single rider line, which puts you with two others in a three-person row.
Disney World
This place is gigantic! It will take you days to see it all, as it is divided into four areas: Magic Kingdom (similar to Disney Land), Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom.
You can't buy express passes here, but you can get a free Fast Pass at each ride. They tell you to come back at a certain time and go to a separate line. Unfortunately, many people do this, so on crowded days, if you were to get one at say, noon, it might tell you to come back at 7 p.m.!
Other Places of Interest
-->If you like cigars, go to the Corona cigar store on Sand Lake Road west of International Drive. The entire store/bar is basically a humidor, and the prices are outstanding (it's like the Best Buy of cigars). You can smoke what you buy and have a drink, too!
-->The Orlando Magic don't sell out, so you can always buy a decent ticket the day of the game. They play at the TD Waterhouse in downtown.
Please note: this page on Orlando will be updated in the near future
The two busiest times of year are from Christmas through New Year's, and most of March when kids have their spring breaks. Thus, if you want to avoid the crowds, come at any other time.
Rent a car if you can. The buses are okay, but because traffic can be horrendous, a simple 15-min. trip from the south part of the city (near SeaWorld) to downtown (where the arena and stadium are) can take 1.5 hours! There's a trolley called the I-Ride, but it only goes up and down International Drive.
SeaWorld
Plenty of fun for all ages. Most of the shows (i.e. dolphins, Shamu, etc.) last around 20 min., but you have to get in line early to get a seat. On the more crowded days, Shamu can draw a line an hour before the show begins!
Also, you can get very wet at the shows, so don't sit in the front rows (known as the "Splash Zone") if you want to stay dry. You can also get wet on the rides.
Great tip: SeaWorld is owned by Anheuser-Busch (the place can remind people of "Duffland" from the "Simpsons"). If you look closely on the park map, there is an A-B hospitality area in the northeast corner of the park. It's two free beers per person, but usually you can get away with a lot more.
CityWalk
Excellent restaurants and bars are located here (you have to go through this area to get to Universal Studios).
The bars include: Bob Marley (Jamaican), CityJazz (features entertainment of all varieties), the Groove (dance club), Pat O'Brien's (has dueling pianos similar to Howl at the Moon), Margaritaville and the NASCAR bar.
The restaurants include: NBA City, Hard Rock Cafe and Emeril's. The latter is fine dining, and you usually need to make a reservation at least one week out to have any chance of getting a table.
There's also some nice shopping at CityWalk: Cigarz, Fossil, etc.
Universal Studios/Islands of Adventures
These are two distinct parks. Universal Studios includes non-rollercoaster rides, such as Jaws (you ride a boat as Jaws attacks you), Back to the Future (you ride a Dolorean in front of an Imax screen) and Earthquake (you are in a subway car in the middle of an earthquake.
Islands of Adventures, meanwhile, has all the rollercoasters, such as the Incredible Hulk. The Jurassic Park ride in which you hang from the air in a pteranodon-like vehicle seemed pretty fun.
Whichever you choose, buy the ultra-expensive Express Pass ($37). That allows you to take a shorter line, which can save you literally hours of wait. One other way to get in front is to use the single rider line, which puts you with two others in a three-person row.
Disney World
This place is gigantic! It will take you days to see it all, as it is divided into four areas: Magic Kingdom (similar to Disney Land), Epcot, MGM and Animal Kingdom.
You can't buy express passes here, but you can get a free Fast Pass at each ride. They tell you to come back at a certain time and go to a separate line. Unfortunately, many people do this, so on crowded days, if you were to get one at say, noon, it might tell you to come back at 7 p.m.!
Other Places of Interest
-->If you like cigars, go to the Corona cigar store on Sand Lake Road west of International Drive. The entire store/bar is basically a humidor, and the prices are outstanding (it's like the Best Buy of cigars). You can smoke what you buy and have a drink, too!
-->The Orlando Magic don't sell out, so you can always buy a decent ticket the day of the game. They play at the TD Waterhouse in downtown.
Please note: this page on Orlando will be updated in the near future
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
