Blue Harbor Resort Sheboygan

Hi M. S.,

Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan, Wisconsin is a fun place to go for 2 or 3 days. There isn't that much outside the resort to do.... so that's why I suggested a short visit. But... the resort is next to lake Michigan and you can take your little one to the beaches in the summer that are close by to make sand castles and stuff.

The resort has many amenities including a clean, big waterpark with a couple of kiddie/toddler sections, restaurants, gameroom, gift shops, storytime, kids playroom, spa, etc. Another M. recommended it this place to me from Mamasource. If you go, ask when they have the promotion for buy 2 nights, and stay the 3rd night free. There are some good restaurants outside the resort that we ate at and were happy with, too. There's a kid's musueum in town too... not sure if it compares to what we are used to around here though ... like withKohl and DuPage childrens museums. You can go on a boat ride. Get the lakeview room for approx. $20 more a night... just my opinoin... it made me feel like I was on vacation a bit more that way. There's a place to go putt putt golf and rock climbing near by called Spike's Bar. Some cute little shops near by that are opened in the summer. You can go downtown to shop... it's not that big, but we stopped at a candy shop and a couple of other places. This site might help you out for eating outside the resort... if you chose to do that.

http://www.dineguidebook.com/list_city.asp?city_id=1

(They have a good website for more info. and it's owned by The Great Wolf. I haven't been to The Wilderness so I can't compare the two.)

We have been to Blue Harbor a number of times. We have a mildly autistic son, and although the water drop can be awfully loud, he loved it. He's a non-swimmer, but I didn't have to worry about him getting into trouble as the water slides are only about 2 feet at the bottom. The place is small enough for you to keep an eye on two kids going in opposite directions. While I prefer it over Cocoa Key in Rockford and the Kalahari in the Dells, you should call ahead. There are rumors of it closing. You also should go early in the morning as they only allow the public in based on the number of people checked into the resort.

I have been to both the Wilderness (4 times) and Blue Harbor (twice), and I like them both for different reasons. The Wilderness is WAY bigger, with much more to do indoors. The waterpark at Blue Harbor is small, but still good for little ones. I like Blue Harbor in the summer, because you have the beach as well. We spent a long weekend there last August, and split our time between the waterpark and beach. The kids loved it and I found it more relaxing than the Dells. They also have a very nice kids' craft / play room, and I like their bedtime stories activity. The condos are very nice to stay in. While your kids are little, I think Blue Harbor is a good choice, because when they're older they will prefer a larger waterpark like in the Dells. Have a fun trip!

We were there Thanksgiving weekend (2009) and loved it. Our kids were 4 & 6. A smaller resort, not as expensive as the dells, the water park was on the smaller side but was great. We prefer the smaller water park because we could almost sit in one spot and have an eye on the kids the whole time. The little toddler slides and pool are off to the side and right next to a seating area. We had a room w/ bunk beds that worked out great, the room was very clean and in good condition. The only problem we had was with the food - not many choices at the resort, it was expensive, and no restaurants close by. We had a lot of pizza and hot dogs. I would highly recommend bringing some instant mac-n-cheese, p b & j, snacks, juice boxes, etc...

We must be the only ones that didn't care for Blue Harbor! Our room was kinda of dingy, not cleaned well. It was pricey and it only had an outdoor pool, not an outdoor water park. The indoor park was OK, the lifeguards were too busy socializing and not paying attention. The kids liked the storytime & cookies at night. We mostly ate in town and did go to the lazer tag/batting cages across the street from the resort. The lake was nice, just hanging out on the beach. I can honestly say we would chose the Dells over Blue Harbor anytime.

We went to Blue Harbor last August for the first time and loved it. At the time, our youngest was only 17 months old, and our oldest was 4. We all had a great time. We only used the one indoor water park that has the toddler section, and that was fine for all of us. It was too cold to use the outdoor swimming areas. We stayed in the condos, and they were very nice. They were clean and had ample room for us to enjoy staying indoors as well as using the swimming areas. We would definitely recommend it.

We've been twice and loved it both times. I think it is much more doable than the big parks like the Wilderness Lodge in the Dells. As one of the other moms said, you can keep track of the kids so much better! They have a section with two little slides that is perfect for toddlers. Mine loved it. If you are willing to drive a short way, there is a mall, movie theater, and chain restaurants within 15 minutes. Have fun!

Blue Harbor is perfect for young children as it is not as overwhelming as the Wilderness in the dells. In addition, depending when you go during the year - you have the beauty of the beach from Lake Michigan which my kids often opted to play in when they needed a change of pace from the water park. In the evening, they have story telling with cookies and milk and sometimes even have marshmallow roasts by the beach as the sun sets on the horizon. It's a great weekend getaway or week vacation. My children (7,5 and 3) have been enjoying it since they were all 6 mos old. Check out their websites for family packages and/or weekend rates.
Happy Travels!