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I know our lives, they ain't the stuff of dreams
but for one whole week we can live like kings and queens.
So let's board the dog, lock the door
Roll down interstate 94
Best week of our lives I can tell
Take our dream vacation in the Dells
The Wisconsin side of of Lake Michigan is more rocky than sandy, and doesn't have the natural features of the Michigan side, so Wisconsin will never have the same type of draw as Michigan re. Lake Michigan.
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Absolutely untrue, and I've had to debunk this so many times before I don't feel like dragging this discussion out anymore...but it's you everyone had to school months back, so here goes: It's primarily SANDY (as is the entire Lake) on the eastern side, and there are great public beaches and dunes in every county on the WI side, including the busiest vacation spot in the Midwest (Door County). I've been looking for a beach house along the Lake over the last year and the bulk of private residences from Milwaukee through Door County are on a sand beach.
The only "feature" on the Western side that people are going to crow about is Sleepy Bear Dunes, which are definitely beautiful and larger than any in Wisconsin or anywhere else on the Great Lakes, for that matter. There are "features" on the Wisconsin side like the towering bluffs of the Niagra Escarpment (which stretches all the way to Niagra Falls) on the Green Bay side of Door County, or Cave Point on the Lake side, or the bluffs north of Milwaukee, or all the aforementioned beaches and dunes.
Michigan really does have a great tourism marketing campaign! There are more tourists on the Wisconsin side (remember, this includes Door County, metro Milwaukee Lakeshore and so on) of the Lake than the Michigan side.
I know our lives, they ain't the stuff of dreams
but for one whole week we can live like kings and queens.
So let's board the dog, lock the door
Roll down interstate 94
Best week of our lives I can tell
Take our dream vacation in the Dells
I've never heard of either Wisconsin Dells or Ohio's Sandusky so guessing regional.
It is regional, I used to live in Michigan and know of both attractions from living up there. Here in Tennessee its rare to hear anyone mention either one, both are relatively unknown.
Absolutely untrue, and I've had to debunk this so many times before I don't feel like dragging this discussion out anymore.
And you're going to have to keep on "debunking it", because what you're saying isn't true.
The Michigan side is almost 100% sandy, and has tons of dunes all over the place, as well as very localized wine country/dramatic scenery. The Wisconsin side is mostly not sandy, and has almost no dunes, and generally doesn't have the wine country/dramatic scenery.
And the proof is in the pudding. The lake is far more popular on the Michigan side than on the Wisconsin side, for obvious reasons. You're basically asking us to believe that everyone else is crazy, and there's some giant conspiracy to hide all these sandy Wisconsin beaches.
And you're going to have to keep on "debunking it", because what you're saying isn't true.
The Michigan side is almost 100% sandy, and has tons of dunes all over the place, as well as very localized wine country/dramatic scenery. The Wisconsin side is mostly not sandy, and has almost no dunes, and generally doesn't have the wine country/dramatic scenery.
And the proof is in the pudding. The lake is far more popular on the Michigan side than on the Wisconsin side, for obvious reasons. You're basically asking us to believe that everyone else is crazy, and there's some giant conspiracy to hide all these sandy Wisconsin beaches.
It is NOT! There are more tourists on the Wisconsin side of the lake than the Michigan side. There are far, far more permanent residents, as well. And several 3rd parties, including the guy from Iowa who surfs all around Lake Michigan, completely debunked your statements. I also included pictures of large, sandy public beaches in every single Wisconsin county from border to border, which I'm not going to repeat again for obvious reasons. You also admitted that you never were on the Wisconsin side of the lake in your life - what's your deal here?
I grew up here, on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan (wine/beaches/mansions/golf/cliffs/lighthouses/islands/300 miles of shoreline), and I'll put it up against anywhere in Lower Michigan: https://www.google.com/search?q=door...w=1280&bih=642
I'm also laughing at the fact that you said people don't surf on the Wisconsin side, and when I showed you pictures and videos you still claimed it was untrue, and then the surfer came on and you denied it and finally relented and never came back to the thread. You are hilarious.
^ I've spent time on both the wisconsin and michigan sides being in Chicago, a lot of time. I believe there is actually a lot more tourists and vacation activity in Michigan compared to Wisconsin. Not saying one is better than the other, but the Michigan side is way more developed as a vacation/summer destination right along the lake.
Yup! And I agree that the Dells area is already swarming with too many people as it is - it's well over a billion dollar annual tourist industry located out in the middle of nowhere. It's a Vegas/Disney style vacation, the type that interests me little. You can get some super cheap off-season deals on parks and hotels, so we occasionally run over there for that when it's far less busy and use it as home base for trips into the neighboring Driftless area. But middle of summer is unbearable. Very beautiful area, basically ruined in my mind.
Well, I'd like to call you a "snob" right now, but I will purse my lips. The Driftless region is gorgeous, but the Dells are very fun, just in their own way. Those people are why the waterparks are able to build ever bigger and better slides and attractions. You aren't going to get the same thrill staring at the scenery or talking to the Amish (even though those activities are interesting and enriching) as you are plummeting down a waterslide with tunnels or near-vertical drops. And what about families? I've been to the Dells twice, and it's mostly parents and their children. Try giving your pre-teen the choice whether to admire the views and culture of the Driftless Area, or ride down waterslides for three days. I am pretty sure they'll choose the latter...
I first heard about it on The Weather Channel and wondered "dells, like The Farmer and the Dell?" since I assumed WI was just farmland and was known for its cheese (which still stands alone!). That said, most of the awarness comes from the Midwest, but also parts of central Canada (Manitoba/Western Ontario) based on where the posters on the Wisconsin Dells Forum at Trip Advisor are. As an East Coaster, I find it appealing for places in the Midwest due to the lack of big mountains nearby along with the indoor attractions for the non-summer months, but I'd only use it as a stopping point on a long trip to the Northwest.
I think that was where I first heard about it, too. The lake had completely drained. Pretty sad. After that, I became curious and looked it up.
To the OP, The Dells (and Cedar Point near Sandusky) is a regional thing. A select few outside of the midwest have heard of either attraction. Not that they aren't awesome places to visit, they just aren't on the radar. Perhaps due to lack of advertisement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cheese plate
While what midwest1 said is true to an extent, I have family involved pretty heavily in the state's tourism via Door County, and to me it's more ineptitude than anything else. The state spent millions a few years back for a marketing company to "come up with" the "jewel" LIVE LIKE YOU MEAN IT, which became quite the local joke until it was quickly pulled: State puts 'Live like you mean it' slogan on hold
Just this past fall, I recall watching a tourism commercial about Wisconsin (while in the Twin Cities) that I thought was pretty darn cool. Actually, just looked it up and can provide a link via youtube. Have at it, people! ...It's simple, but to the point. Go Packers!
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