7 Wisconsin adventures for a shot of adrenaline
Summer is starting to slip away. The days are getting shorter, we’re barraged with back-to-school ads. Have we made the most of the season before it’s gone?
This is the time we check our bucket lists and get moving on the things we said we’d do when the sleet was falling. Maybe that means quiet hammock time in the backyard, and that’s OK.
But for those who want to say goodbye to summer with a thrill, we’ve compiled some adventurous Wisconsin activities to get the blood flowing and endorphins pumping.
Kayak to sea caves
If we had our way, everyone who lives in or visits Wisconsin would be required to kayak to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore sea caves. Something about paddling into the ethereal caves carved into the red cliffs by Lake Superior, going into the earth while feeling the power of the Superior beneath you, has a primal appeal.
Kayaking on Superior can be tricky, though, what with its unpredictable weather patterns, cold water and waves that can overcome a massive oceangoing cargo ship. You want adventure, not tragedy. The best option, especially for beginning kayakers, is to take a tour with one of a handful of outfitters authorized by the National Park Service.
Swoosh down America’s tallest water slide
Wisconsin Dells lays claim to being the “Water Park Capital of the World,” with more water parks per capita than anyplace else. So it makes sense that it now is the home of what Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park calls “America’s Tallest Waterslide.” It’s called The Rise of Icarus, and it has a 145-foot tower with five body slides.
Just climbing a 14-story tower would be enough for most people, but then visitors shoot down the slide in about 20 seconds, reaching speeds of about 30 mph, according to a travel website, The Points Guy. Mt. Olympus also has an indoor water park, which includes Medusa’s
Slidewheel, billed as “America’s first rotating water slide.”
Tickets to the Mt. Olympus park are $45 online and $50 at the gate.
Try zip lining
If you’ve ever wanted to experience flying through the air like a superhero, zip lining just might be for you. It combines nature, height and speed for a quintessential “yahoo!” kind of experience. Northwoods Zip Line Adventure Tours has been giving visitors treetop thrills since 2014.
People who are petrified of heights might want to opt for another adventure. But for those who are simply nervous, Northwoods touts a “100% safety record” on its website, and visitors get training and start with lower and more accessible zips to begin sessions.
Northwoods offers a variety of tours, but the most popular, according to its website, is the Full Adventure Tour for $179. That includes 13 zip lines, five bridges and several other elements, including climbing a cargo net and rappelling. It takes 31⁄2 hours and participants are accompanied by a trained guide.
Explore the woods on an ATV or UTV
The popularity of these go-anywhere vehicles in Wisconsin has never been higher. The state Department of Natural Resources said nearly a half-million allterrain vehicles and utility-terrain vehicles were registered in 2023, a record high.
“It’s extremely popular and shows no sign of slowing down,” Ryan Serwe, a DNR program specialist, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in May.
If you are not one of those half-million people, you might be wondering what it’s all about. Before plunking down thousands of dollars on a machine for yourself, you might want to try it. And there’s no better place than in Iron County, which boasts one of the largest ATV trail systems in Wisconsin – 250 miles, according to the Mercer Chamber of Commerce.
It costs about $350 to rent a twoseat, side-by-side UTV for a day or about $400 for a larger four-seater.
Jump out of a plane
Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane isn’t for everyone. But for many, skydiving is a quintessential bucket list item.
If it is on your list, Skydive Twin Cities offers a couple of ways to get your first jump. The fastest way is to take a tandem jump, in which an instructor is tethered to a jumper all the way to the ground from 13,000 feet of altitude. This option requires only 10 minutes of instruction, and skydivers can opt to wear an altimeter, pull the ripcord and steer the parachute to the landing area, or allow the tandem master to take charge of the flight. Cost: $229 on weekdays, $249 on weekends.
Another option is solo skydive training, which requires taking a four- to five-hour class. Learners jump out of the plane solo, but two instructors assist by maintaining a grip on the jumper’s harness for one minute of free fall after leaving the plane. Cost: $330.
Surf Lake Michigan
Surfing on Lake Michigan has a history in Sheboygan, where intrepid surfers with winter gear always attract attention when they go out in in the cold. But maybe warmer months make the sport a little more accessible for people who just want to learn.
EOS Surf in Sheboygan has been offering surfing equipment and lessons for a quarter-century. The shop offers two-hour lessons and the gear needed to learn surfing for $120 per person.
If you’re looking for a sport that doesn’t depend on wave conditions, maybe kiteboarding is more appealing. EOS offers lessons to get an off-the-water intro to the sport for $175, followed by a three-hour lesson for $300. People choosing that option also need to rent gear at discounted rates.
Go underground at Crystal Cave
Crystal Cave in Spring Valley is about a mile long, making it the state’s longest. Visitors can take hourlong tours that take them more than 70 feet belowground. Guides teach tourgoers about the cave’s history, geology and bats.
The tours are accessible for most people, and good for families. However, it is “moderately strenuous,” according to the Crystal Cave website, and people should be able to walk and stand for an hour, go up and down stairs and ramps and be comfortable with a few minutes of complete darkness.
General admission is $21.98 for people age 13 and older, $14.98 for children ages 3 through 12 and free for children younger than 2.