A “duck” is a vehicle that is both a car and a boat. Originally designed for World War II (and given the name DUKW), a duck can drive right off the edge of a road and float into water. While certainly not the only way to see the famous Wisconsin Dells on water and on land, riding in a duck is one of the more unique experiences in Wisconsin.

Of course, there are other places in America to ride one of these unique amphibious army vehicles. Boston, for example, offers similar tours around town and into the Charles River. In the Dells, however, seeing the Wisconsin River in a duck is a must – the ride is bumpy, the “splashdowns” (going from land to water) are intense, but it is a unique enough experience to recommend to anybody visiting this part of Wisconsin.

Duck tours involve a lot of interesting sights; not just the Dells themselves. There are many wooded paths throughout the area that are reserved for these tours only. So visitors can see things on a duck that they just can’t see anywhere else. Depend-ing on the tour company, the ducks may enter surprisingly quiet and secluded sections of wilderness only a few short miles away from the bustling center of commerce. They twist and turn through the woods, making their way to the river. When they splashdown, passengers may get a bit wet. From there, they float around the river, eventually making their way back to land. For these tours, ducks carry about 20 passengers each. The entire tour lasts about an hour, and run only during the warm tourist season.

There are two major companies currently offering duck tours in Wisconsin Dells, both competing with each other for your business:

Original Wisconsin Ducks

The Original Wisconsin Ducks has been giving tours of the dells and Wisconsin River for about 60 years. They have the largest fleet of Ducks in the United States – they own about 1/3 of the approximately 300 operational Ducks in the nation. The tour is about 8 miles through the city, the wilderness, and the Wisconsin River. Some of the trails are exclusive to the Original Wisconsin Ducks. This tour operates solely on the Lower Dells portion of the river (south of the dam), and explores many off-road places throughout the journey.

Despite the name, there is nothing inherently “original” about these Ducks. They came from the same World War II mold that the other ducks did, across the United States. They are “original” in that the Ducks were originally used for combat during the war, and have since been refurbished (Ducks are no longer manufactured, and haven’t been since the 1950s). Nevertheless, this is one fantastic tour that should not be missed.

Dells Army Ducks

The Dells Army Ducks is one of several tours offered by Dells Glacial Park Tours. These ducks, which traverse the Lower Dells and Lake Delton, see more of Lake Delton, and more of residential and commercial areas. The Dells Army Ducks offers a small fleet and a rather intimate experience. This tour is ideal for those interested in seeing the more populated areas of Wisconsin Dells; drive around the city streets on a very unique aquatic vehicle.

In addition to the Ducks, the Dells Glacial Park Tours offers a more standard boat tour, the Mark Twain Upper Dells Tour. The tour lasts about an hour on its 15-mile journey. There are no stops on this tour; but the boat pulls up close to many of the famous landmarks while you learn about the history of the Dells. The tour has regular departures during the warm months.

By: Dirk Vanderwilt
Dirk Vanderwilt is the author of several travel guidebooks for the Tourist Town Guides series. Tourist Town Guides offer independent, honest advice about America's top tourist hotspots.
For more information, visit http://www.touristtown.com.

Featured as a Travel destination resource by USA City Directories.

For more information about the state of Wisconsin see Wisconsin Guides and Directories.

Have you smiled today? If not, check out Travel Jokes.

For more United States travel destination articles not listed in Travel America - Travel Destinations, see Travel Articles.

Wisconsin Dells, WI has long been a favorite travel destination of numerous vacationers, but it wasn't until recently that more people have discovered what Wisconsin Dells all has to offer. With the combination of award winning resorts, highly rated dinning, indoor and outdoor waterparks and numerous attractions, Wisconsin Dells really has it all.

Wisconsin Dells is often referred to as the "Water Park Capital of the World" because of its abundance of indoor and outdoor water parks. Wisconsin Dells contains America's largest outdoor and indoor waterparks. Noah's Ark Waterpark in Wisconsin Dells is the largest outdoor waterpark in America and features 45 waterslides along with 2 huge wave pools. Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells is America's largest indoor water park and features the FlowRider® which allows you to surf or boogie board year round.

Wisconsin Dells attractions do not just contain waterparks either. With over 80 attractions in the Dells area, travelers can enjoy a wide range of different attractions. Wisconsin Dells attractions include; mini-golf, magic shows, music performances, comedy clubs, museums, scenic tours, shopping, petting zoos, gambling, golf, fishing and much more.

When it comes time to eat travelers can choose from over 100 restaurants, all within 19 square miles in Wisconsin Dells. Whether you are hungry for seafood, steak, fast food, fine dinning, ethnic entrees, family-dinning or an all you can eat buffet, you will find it in Wisconsin Dells. You will not need to travel far to eat either, as most Wisconsin Dells resorts have restaurant within the resorts.

When looking for a hotel resort to stay at while in Wisconsin Dells there are 5 main resorts to choose from if you want a resort with an indoor and outdoor waterpark. These 5 resorts include; Great Wolf Resort, Kalahari Resort, Wilderness Resort, Treasure Island Resort and Chula Vista Resort. Each of these resorts has large indoor and outdoor waterparks attached to them and admission is included with your stay. They also have restaurants within the resorts. If you are looking to save money you can stay at a Wisconsin Dells hotel or motel that does not have a waterpark and prices will be much lower. However, you will still be able to enjoy a waterpark by visiting Noah's Ark Water Park.

By: Kurt Howard
For a great Wisconsin Dells vacation guide with information on Wisconsin Dells indoor water parks, Wisconsin Dells Resorts and Wisconsin Dells Waterparks. When planning your next vacation take a look at Wisconsin Dells and see what they all have to offer. It is sure to be a vacation you will remember for some time to come. For more information on Wisconsin Dells vacations visit http://www.SeeWisconsinDells.com.

Another travel destination article featured by USA City Directories.

For more information about the state of Wisconsin see Wisconsin Guides and Directories.