Welcome to our travel blog! We are Andrew and Loralee of the scherfswanderingwheels. We love traveling around our beautiful country to learn and experience new things. We are still traveling in Wisconsin and are heading east towards the Dells.
Our first stop was the Dell Pines Campground in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
We felt like we were camping in the forest due to the canopy of trees overhead. We did play pickle ball in the evening, but I got eaten by mosquitos as well. Overall, we really enjoyed this campground and would recommend it to any traveler.
Hurry, Hurry, Hurry! Step right up, as we soar into the crazy world of the Ringling Brothers Circus
The five brothers Al, Otto, Alt T., Charles, and John began their dream with just a small tent, three horses, a hyena, and a troupe of 21. As a sign in the museum states “The five brothers worked as a simple team, dividing the labor according to talent and inclination, but always acting as one. Their partnership was never on paper, and they shared equally in what became, during a lifetime of hard work, considerable wealth.”
From 1884 to 1918 Baraboo served as the circus’s winter home.
These circle things in the lower part of the wall were to chain the elephants to the wall. It’s sad to think that they didn’t have much room between them.
Remember the clowns? Many people (not just kids) don’t like the clowns. For me, they are great memories of watching all the shenanigans they got into with their colorful hair, big shoes, and little cars.
The circus quit traveling a few years back but this gave us a chance to learn the history of the circus and see where it all started. For $23 a person, this was well worth the stop, especially if you have small children. It was fun going down memory lane.
Under the Big Top
We got to see clowns, a dog show, acrobatics, jugglers, camels, and trapeze artists. It was quite a show.
Al Ringling Mansion and Brewery
Al Ringling was the eldest of the famous Ringling Brothers. He helped build Baraboo with the circus as well as building opera houses. This mansion was built in 1906 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While a restoration was taking place, a wooden box was discovered beneath the floorboards containing a historic beer recipe- which today is called the “Ringling Original”.
If you ever wanted to sip a cold one in a place that is across from an opera house and a three-ring circus, we found the place. We originally drove to see the mansion and then discovered there was a brewery, so of course we had to stop. I am not a beer fan, but Andrew is a huge stout beer fan. I ordered him a stout and myself a sweet drink as well as an empanada.
So, if you’re in the area, it is a fun experience to sit and enjoy a beer and eat some food while possibly listening to some live music and dancing. It was a quiet afternoon, so we enjoyed the ambiance of the bar. Be sure to tour the beautiful mansion for just $20. So cheers to history, heritage, and hops.
Devils Lake State Park
This state park is located in Baraboo, Wisconsin and what a gem it is. For us non-Wisconsin residents, we had to pay an entrance fee of $16 but it was well worth it. The park is very big, encompassing approximately 10,000 acres. This is Wisconsin’s biggest state park. There seems to be something here for everyone. There are over 30 miles of hiking trails, boat rentals, and camping.
We did check out the campground with 423 sites for next time and we think it will be a great place to relax and just be. So, if you’re coming for an hour or a few days there is plenty of things to see and do if you desire.
We next headed north to the Dells, and it is a total tourist attraction. We tried not to get roped into a lot, but it was very hard. Think Las Vegas but without all the lights and heat. The hotels are jazzy and look giant to draw you in.
Quack, Quack, Duck
Have you heard anything about these ducks? I had, but wasn’t so sure about it. It is a land and water boat. Andrew was very excited to share this experience with me. It is an 8 1/2 mile route that takes roughly an hour.
This is a World War II era water vehicle that takes you around the dells on a one hour tour. The tour is 30 min. on land and 30 min. in water. This duck tour claims to be the only continuous tour since 1946. It was built to ferry troops and supplies directly from the ship to shore. The website states, “It was given the name duck because the the truck was assigned a code DUKW. D represents 1942, the year of its design. ‘U’ indicates a utility vehicle. ‘K” means all-wheel drive capabilitu. And “W” signifies duel rea driving axels.”
Final Quack: We did enjoy the ride, one of us more than the other. For me, it definitely was a tourist thing to do for $40, but now I can cross this off the bucket list as something I didn’t know I wanted to do. It was the weirdest ride on land and water wondering if we will sink in the Dells or crash in the forest; it is a must do at least once.
Lake House Grill and Bar
After our duck tour, we were inspired to have a nice lunch over looking Lake Delton.
If you’re looking for a relaxing, out of the city place to enjoy some really good food, this is the place to go.
Root Beer Museum
If you’re a fan of root beer, this is the place to visit. This is a museum that immerses you in a foam- fueled journey through flavor, history, and root beer nostalgia. It is in the heart of the Dells right on the main tourist strip.
There are over 3,000 root beer brands lining these shelves. Its awesome to walk around here and see all the different brands of root beer.
Fun Facts
- Root Beer dates back to colonial America
- The original flavor came from the sassafras root, but the FDA banned sassafras oil.
- It came before Coca-Cola, dating back to 1876.
- The classic root beer float was supposedly invented in the 1890’s.
So if you’re in the area, and you’re looking for something cheap and fun to do where you can learn something along the way, try the Root Beer Museum. And while you’re there, pick up some unique root beer to try at home. I walked out with a case of 6 different root beers.
We love this part of Wisconsin. There is so much to see and do, but watch out for all the tourist things that can easily take all your vacation money. For me, my favorite part was the Ringling Brothers circus in Baraboo. It definetly made me think about the times I went to the circus as a kid and taking my kids to the circus as well.
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