UP NORTH:
There's a lot of talk about "up north". It's the place everyone seems to want to go to escape the pressures and frantic pace of everyday life? But where is "up north"? For "up north" is not so much a location as it is a state of mind.
So, how do you know when you've arrived "up north"? When you feel the cares of the world begin to slip away...When you find yourself breathing a little deeper because the air seems purer somehow...When you notice that the sky is bluer, the pints are taller and the people smile a lot more...It's then you know you're " UP NORTH"!
So, after our little vacation, I want to share with everybody some things to do in the Dells.
We personally choose Wisconsin Dells since it is not too far away from Chicago, no more than 3 hours driving. My husband used to visit here regularly during his childhood; I definitely think it is a nice destination for winter.
On the way to Wisconsin
CEDAR LODGE is a resort located on the Wisconsin River next to Lake Delton on the lower Wisconsin river. You can find lodge rooms, suites and villas all with river views. During the winter, the views can be a "little" different; the river was frozen during our stay, but it still produced some spectacular views, especially during sunrise/sunset, with the sun reflecting very nicely off the ice. I can describe this place as a perfect, rustic, cozy, friendly place for a winter vacation, just what we needed.
We chose the 4 person Fireplace Suite as I just had to have a fireplace to go with the rustic look; it's just not the same without it. The suit itself is sort of an apartment within a cabin as seen below; we got suite number 25...
Here are some pictures.
Crazy ol' me in -4 degree weather
River view mostly covered in snow
Perfect relaxing corner
I just love the cozy winter cabin
I really recommend the Cedar Lodge Cabins. You have everything inside that you need. For example, the kitchen is fully stocked in case you wish to prepare a meal. The space itself is very spacious. Though it is described as a 4-person suite and comes with a sleeper sofa to accommodate; bringing along another couple would be fun but privacy would be sacrificed as a result. On the other hand, if the other 2 are your kids, the space would probably suffice. They also provide an everyday cleaning service room which I loved.
After arriving that first day and getting all our luggage in place, we took some time to study some of the brochures at the office in order to decided what we were to do the next few days.
First and foremost, we had to have dinner so I found a really nice cozy place within walking distance of our place. It was called "The River Edge Bar", a rustic dining experience which was exactly 3 min walking from the cabin. Though it was crazy cold outside, we still decided to brave through the chill on foot. In the end, it was a nice quick "adventure" and it passed by so quickly, we barely thought about the cold.
Very nice fireplace and cozy atmosphere
We had a great meal that night; I decided to go with ribs which were SO SO good and my husband had the Alfredo pasta.
We also managed to get some discounts at many of the restaurants that we visited; we found them in the brochures at the Lodge office, so we were able to save a few bucks here and there too!
Every morning, we headed on over to Denny's for breakfast; I just loved this place.
Eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon and hash-browns - great meal for the start of the day
Hot tea with honey for a cold day!!!
After a great breakfast, we decided to visit Cascade Mountain, a ski mountain, which is located on Interstate 90/94 between Madison,Wisconsin and Wisconsin Dells. The Mountain offers 44 trails varying beginner,intermediate, to advance.
This time, we decided not to ski since we wanted just to relax and hang out in the chalet watching everyone else ski. In the meantime, we drank some hot coco, basked in the sun, and leisurely walked through the snow on the mountain.
I think it is great when people share their experiences, especially when it comes to their trip experiences as it can serve as inspiration for not only future destinations but can also provide ideas for activities at said destinations.
After an afternoon in the snow, we went back to our cabin; I decided to broil some wine with cinnamon and sugar, a specialty snack for a cold day. I remember back in Romania, during the winter time, even as little kids, everybody gave us broiled wine...I think the broiling step actually removed a lot of the alcohol. I remember enjoying those moments a lot, which is probably why I remembered the taste so well. As a result, I whipped up myself a glass to enjoy in Wisconsin!
I was very happy with our cabins as we had all that we needed in the kitchen to do some cooking; it felt just like home. Though we could have easily prepared a meal, the improvised snack hit the spot just perfectly and was just what we needed to relax.
I also decided to take a hot bath to remedy the cold outside. After putting in some bath balls, I just laid there enjoying a nice, relaxed bath before dinner.
For the evening, we decided to have dinner at Buffalo Phil's.
I really enjoyed this place; it was very unique since they have a toy TRAIN that delivers your food directly to your table. It is definitely a place to go if you like trying new things that also have unique aspects to it.
The next day, I decided to treat me and my husband to a couple's massage and facial. Prior, I looked online to search for good prices knowing that prices are typically high for such services. I ended up finding a cute little spa not too far away from our cabin. The good reviews ultimately convinced me to pick it. I made an appointment, and we made our way to Sun Mountain Spa.
I chose the PAMPER ME, which consisted of a 30 min Therapeutic Massage, a 30 min foot stress relief reflexology with peppermint essential oils, a stress relieving scrub, a honey heel glaze wrap, and an amazing Relaxing Chinese Mediterranean Facial. All of it together totaled about 1 hour and 45 minutes. I had never had this kind of facial before, and, ultimately, I was very impressed and happy with it because I really enjoyed the specific zone touching massage on my face. I also do facials at work; after I start working with the company Atomy, I began using natural products. As a result, I am pretty sure I will be trying out some of these Chinese movements myself on my clients.
After the relaxing morning, we had a very delicious lunch at a restaurant called B-LUX Grill and Bar. The food was very tasty and even nice-looking.
I really enjoyed the Nutella Donut Milkshake; it was crazy but so so good.
After a great lunch, we made our way to the Kalahari Hotel. We went there because several family friends with their kids were staying there. It is a very fun place as it is filled with many indoor activities to choose from, including an indoor water park.
The Indoor Park at Kalahari Resort features over 100000 square feet of family fun and excitement with an unprecedented array of indoor attractions and activities!
They also have a lot of other activities to do like bowling, mini golf, lots of games, and much more!
For the last day, we just did some shopping at the "Outlets at the Dells". I tried looking for a particular suit for my husband, but I ended up unsuccessful in finding it.
In the end, we had fun doing everything together. Most importantly, we were able to relax and spend quality time with one another.
I can genuinely say we enjoyed our trip; I would definitely recommend it to anyone. I would also recommend the trip for the summer as there are many outdoor activities to enjoy, for adults and children alike.
Hope you guys enjoyed reading the trip diary as much as we enjoyed this vacation!!! :)
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