Day 4: Wisconsin Dells, WI

Though we had access to Noah’s Ark again, we opted to try a few other things in the Dells. The drizzly skies agreed with us, and so we set out for Mr. Pancake, one of the top-rated breakfast establishments in town that is located literally across the street from the entrance to Noah’s Ark. It was crowded, but we were seated within minutes. We ordered our standard combination of hot chocolate (whipped cream on the side) and chocolate milk to share. To eat, we chose the Iowa corn pancakes and the banana pancakes. The former proved to be less than sweet, but was made tasty by the addition of honey, and the banana pancakes were pretty standard. The hash browns we got on the side were great, and the best part was that horrific add-ons such as peppers could be ordered separately (clearly, we did not get them). While the food was not incredibly memorable, the experience was great, and the line was considerably longer by the time we left.

We spent a bit too long at the nearby outlets and then went to lunch at MACS, which stands for Macaroni and Cheese Shop, a Wisconsin chain with six locations. We split two of the three vegetarian MAC options on the menu, and two regular size dishes proved to be the perfect amount. The Original MAC had cheddar and mozzarella, and the Veggie MAC featured Muenster, mozzarella, sautéed onions, mushrooms, broccoli, tomatoes, and spinach. Both were spectacular, and we learned a lot about cheese in the process by reading the facts that decorated the wall.

We then drove to the nearby town of Baraboo, where our visit was dampened by Arielle being pulled over and given her first-ever speeding ticket...for going 40 in a 25. Luckily, the misery was short-lived thanks to our arrival mere minutes later at Circus World Museum. Arielle’s family is obsessed with the circus, and so the chance to visit the birthplace of the Ringling Brothers and where our favorite circus began couldn’t be missed. The circus performance was small but impressive, featuring a 25-foot unicycle, a dancing elephant, a mesmerizing costume change show, and a trapeze artist who at one poking hung by her face. We explored the museum to learn more about the history of the circus and its founders.

We drove to the Wisconsin Dells Riverwalk, which provided beautiful views of the river, a history lesson about the area, and a chance to see more of the city, which included countless outdoor and indoor waterparks, adventure experiences, and a frightening-looking training center for the zombie apocalypse. Along the walk, Arielle saw a ladybug and found a penny, comforting and familiar signs that remind her of her late grandparents wherever she goes. We went to Sprecher’s, a local pub recommended to us and renowned for their homemade beer and sodas. Though Arielle was intrigued by the Pretzel-Crusted Walleye, upon learning it was very fishy, she opted for a Beyond Burger patty in a pretzel bun with sautéed mushrooms, crispy onions, and provolone cheese. Abe tried the sirloin, the less expensive of the two steaks on the menu, which the waiter recommended. Both were great, and accompanied by very good sweet potato waffle fries and tasty beer bread. Our night was capped off by the trip to Culver’s, which we had planned to try the night before. We created our own custom concretes - Arielle mistakenly combined vanilla custard with peanut butter and Andes mints, while Abe was happier with his mix of chocolate custard, bananas, and brownie pieces. This fast food chain wouldn’t be our first choice for dessert again. Next up - our first big drive in a few days!

Approximate number of miles covered: 35