A Special Spa and More Wine & Food in the Wisconsin Dells

Laurie and I woke up at The Vue in Wisconsin Dells excited for our spa day. First, we went to a local favorite, Stuff’s Restaurant, for a breakfast of eggs, corned beef hash, pancakes, and French Toast. It was obvious why there were so many people in there.

 

I had heard many good things about the award winning Sundara Inn & Spa, but it exceeded my expectations. This was the ultimate grown up escape in Wisconsin Dells. I have been to a lot of spas, but nothing like this.

What I love most about Sundara is the ability to have a full day (or even days) with plenty of relaxation and wellness to do – without getting charged for every little thing.  

 

There is, of course, a large menu of treatments who can purchase, but it’s all the other amenities that you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else. They can be added on for one extra fee.Included in the fee are unlimited wellness classes, indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools, tranquil spaces, and the Purifying Bath Ritual. With the one charge, you get to spend an entire day enjoying it all.

We arranged our day at the cave-like indoor pool and whirlpools, where we had a healthy lunch from their Nava Restaurant and mocktails at the swim-up bar. We then spent some time refreshing our breath in the Salt Room, and then did a meditation session.

 

Laurie and I also did the bath ritual:  

Exfoliation with their provided scrub in the rainfall shower;

A squirt of their special mist before heading into the steam room;

And a rinse before hitting the hot tub filled with essential oils.

We decided to skip the cold plunge pool.

Before we left, I had a chance to tour some of the accommodations. I loved the large suites in the main building, where you can take the elevator in your comfy robe right down to the spa. For those who want even more space there are villas and Woodland retreats. 

After spending most of the day at the spa, we headed to Fawn Creek Winery. This place has unusually mixed fruit wines, such as Just Peachy, peach and chardonnay, and Black Ber-y, blackberry and Merlot. There were more combinations and they change seasonally. I thought they were all pretty tasty. It was like having a variety of sangrias in bottles.

 

Dinner was at Lake City Social. I had a veggie burger and Mule, while Laurie had a Rueben and beer. We really liked the food and drink there.

 

We were exhausted from a long day, even though it had been filled with relaxation. We went back to The Vue hotel for one more night.

 

In the morning, we went to Paul Bunyan, a well-known restaurant I had been to on my previous trips to Wisconsin Dells. The warm donuts were as good as ever and their breakfast was filling. It is unlimited, but we couldn’t eat any more than they brought us the first time.

 

Before we left the Wisconsin Dells, we took a ride through the downtown. It was a fun trip and interesting to get to experience some of the adult things the region has outside of the.

 

 Note: Sundara Spa does not allow photography. Photos are courtesy of the spa. 

A Different Look of The Wisconsin Dells

I have been to the Wisconsin Dells three times. The first two were family trips to resorts, Chula Vista and Kalahari. The third trip, the most recent, was totally different.

This was a girls’ getaway with my friend Laurie. We were enticed by Wisconsin Dells tourism to check out the adult side of the area. This included a spa that was receiving national attention and the emergence of The Dells as a wine region.

It started at Wollersheim, the most impressive winery I’ve seen in the Midwest. This is not a place where you walk in, try a few wines, and go home. Wollersheim is 70 manicured acres to enjoy - before, after, or during the wine.

Their wine selection is huge, and we tasted quite a few, settling on the Prairie Pink, Eagle White Dry Riesling, and Domaine du Sac, a red wine, as favorites. We also had a tasty lunch, the highlight of which was the Gobbler Sandwich.

Bistro offerings come prepared boxed to take outside and enjoy the grounds with a picnic. They also have the wine ready to bring. If you don’t want a full bottle, you can purchase canned wine or small bottles for portability.

Wollersheim also has a distillery. They produce whiskey, bourbon, and brandies. You can try the spirits straight or taste them in a selection of handcrafted cocktails.

We then drove to the other side of The Dells to Balanced Rock Winery in Baraboo. This spot was very different from the previous, with an open, modern building and a large piece of land. There’s a big patio and plenty of space for outdoor concerts and a driving range.

We tried a lot of wines and liked the Seyval, with a touch of apple sweetness, and the Frontenac Fris, an orange wine that is a little sweeter, were the ones we liked best.

We were a little hungry and thought we’d order a snack to have with our wine. The hummus plate was the best I ever had. It was too much to finish and we hated to leave it. It also matched well with the Rock Rose.

While at Balanced Rock, we found out we were just a mile from Wisconsin’s most popular state park. Devil’s Lake has beautiful scenery that reminds me a bit of the Upper Penisula in Michigan with the large bluffs. It’s filled with year-round activity, including rock climbing, boating, fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

After the park, we drove to our hotel for the trip. The Vue is far from the huge resorts I was used to in the Wisconsin Dells. It is a boutique hotel in downtown. That makes it a lot more appropriate for two grown women not interested in water parks or roller coasters. The Vue is also on the waterfront and loaded with views of the Wisconsin River.

The Boathouse restaurant at The Vue offers indoor and outdoor dining. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and offer plenty of comfort food and an interesting cocktail menu. I had the fettucine alfredo and Laurie did the fried chicken. We followed with a S’more Hot Chocolate Cake. We loved watching the sunset during dinner.

We were done for the night and happy to just be able to walk back to our room. We were excited to be spending most of the next day at Sundara Spa.

I was hosted on this trip, but opinions are my own.