A decade ago, our neighbors invited my husband and me to pack up our three young kids and join them for a summer weekend in Wisconsin Dells. Happy to experience one of the Midwest's most popular family getaways, we hopped into our car a few days later and took off.

We had a good time during our trip, but a little research would have elevated it to a fantastic time. Some of the attractions we hit were rip-offs, others well worth the money. Our hotel was nice, but we later found a more kid-friendly spot. Fearing high-priced eateries lacking children's menus, we largely stuck with the same old chains, only to stumble upon some great, unique restaurants on our last day.

Today, after vacationing in the Dells more summers than I can count, I know what to see, where to stay, where to dine and what to avoid no matter how much your little one begs. So before you plan your own trip, read on.

Best place to stay

The Kalahari has the total package: great accommodations, prime water parks with a wide variety of rides (including the FlowRider, an über-popular surfing experience), a newly renovated spa, and shops and activities galore. The Kalahari also recently purchased 27-hole Trappers Turn Golf Club, one of Wisconsin's top-ranked courses; guests receive preferred tee times, shuttle service and free rental clubs and carts (1-877-525-2427; www.kalahariresorts.com).

Best place to house the clan

Large groups could happily stay at Chula Vista, which recently created an 80,000-square-foot indoor waterpark and added 220 plush condos and villas. But the log homes at the Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort are the real best bet. The roomy digs -- some more than 3,000 square feet -- let people hang comfortably with others or retreat to their own space. A bonus: The cabins are tucked in the woods a mile from the resort, so they're blissfully quiet. When you want to frolic in the water park, a complimentary shuttle awaits (1-800-867-9453; www.wildernessresort. com; for Chula Vista: 1-800-388-4782; www.chulavistaresort.com).

Splashiest Outdoor Water Park

Noah's Ark opened in 1979 as the Dell's first outdoor water park, and it remains the undisputed king. The 70-acre park in the heart of the Strip has nearly 50 water slides -- from kiddie size to heart-stopping vertical plunges -- plus wave pools, winding rivers, amusement park rides, mini golf and more. Every season a new ride is unveiled, ensuring there's always a reason to come back -- and that Noah's Ark remains America's largest water park.

My family still talks about the summer of 1997, when Dark Voyage opened; our warp-speed ride through an inky, twisting tunnel was every bit as thrilling as we'd imagined. This year a 4D Dive-In Theater is the new attraction, featuring a SpongeBob SquarePants movie with nine special effects, including squirting water, scents and wind (1-608-254-6351; www.noahsarkwaterpark.com).

Most luxurious spa

Most of the larger Dells resorts have modest spas, but at Sundara Inn, the pampering gets serious. Tucked amid 26 acres of pine forest -- with no water park in sight, thank you very much -- Sundara is not only the area's leader in rejuvenating services, but also one of the leading spas in the Midwest.

Lodging choices include sumptuous rooms at the inn and "villas," separate condo-type homes that sleep eight. If you don't stay overnight, booking any service affords access to the outdoor pool and Sundara's signature Purifying Bath Ritual, which involves scrubbing your body with a Cambrian sandstone polish, opening your pores in a eucalyptus steam room and alternating dips in a cold plunge pool and essential oil-infused whirlpool (1-888-735-8181; www.sundaraspa.com).

Finest Fine Dining

Field's at the Wilderness can almost make you forget you're vacationing in (admit it) a child's paradise. Here, adults get their share, too, in the form of great food amid a sophisticated-yet-welcoming ambience.

The prairie-style restaurant, on the Wilderness' golf course, soothes with quietly burbling water features and the gentle chirping of birds, unobtrusively piped into the background. The restaurant is known for its steaks, chops and fresh-grilled seafood, and even the Wilderness Salad -- studded with diced avocado and bacon and drizzled with a chile shallot dressing -- is inventive and flavorful. Kids get their own menu. Field's wine list boasts more than 100 domestic and imported varieties, served in Riedel stemware specially designed to enhance the flavor of different varietals (1-608-253-1400; www.fieldsatthewilderness.com).

Best Casual Eatery

My latest favorite restaurant is the Cheese Factory Restaurant (not to be confused with the chain restaurant, Cheesecake Factory). The restaurant, indeed, is in a former cheese factory, making for a quaint interior featuring knotty pine walls and huge, multi-paned windows. But while the ambience is charming, it's the food that really shines.