Spring Break Staycation Ideas 2026

1. Sign up for a Spring Break Camp with HAWS. 
   • Ideal for kids 7-14 years old
   • Have them come spend a day (or more) interacting with and helping to care for the HAWS animals, enjoying themed activities both indoors and outdoors and learning what animals do during that season both in the wild and as a pet. Spring break camp is held at HAWS main shelter and Schallock Center for Animals.
   • Camps can be registered for one-day only or can be registered for multiple days.
   • March 30- April 3, 2026
2. Attend a Spring Break Camp at Jump Joy Cheer
   Tap the image for details:
   
3. Climb a rock wall at Adventure Rock in Brookfield!

   • Spring into spring break with Adventure Rock’s Spring Break Mini Camp. This camp fills your child’s days with a variety of lively activities and provides the perfect blend of structure, fun, and games. 

   • MARCH 30- APRIL 1, 2026 | 9 AM – 4 PM

   • 3 day camp
4. Catch a laser show at the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium 
   • Laser shows are $8/person
   • All proceeds from the laser shows will go towards the “Don’t Let the Planetarium Go Dark” system upgrade campaign.
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5. Enjoy Nature Storytime all week long at Retzer Nature Center
   • For ages 3 to 2nd grade.
   • $5 per child per class (limited to 20 children per class).
   • March 24 – March 28, 2025
6. Have your child take a recycling class at Retzer Nature Center in their Your Actions Matter program.
   • Tuesday, March 25, 2025
     Thursday, March 27, 2025
     • For grade 1 and up.
     • $5 per child per class (limited to 20 children per class).
     • Students must be accompanied by an adult; adults are free.
     • Register by 24 hrs. prior; sorry, no walk-ins.
7. Take an Animal Adaptations Class at Retzer Nature Center
   • Monday, March 24, 2025
     Wednesday, March 26, 2025
     Friday, March 28, 2025
     • For grade 1 and up.
     • $5 per child per class (limited to 20 children per class).
8. If you have an 11-15 year old, you can take an online babysitting course through the American Red Cross.  Sign up SIGN UP IN ADVANCE. OR take a babysitting course through the YMCA SIGN UP IN ADVANCE.
9. Visit the Waukesha County Park system, or a park system close to you. Tap the link to find links to each of the Waukesha County Parks and our guest contributor Jann’s family’s experiences at each park. Our favorites are Retzer Nature Center, Nashotah Park, and Fox Brook Park.
10. Take a spring hike at one or all of these hiking trails located in Waukesha County and throughout WI. We love Lapham Peak and the Ice Age Trail, along with Lion’s Den Gorge if you are planning a small day trip to Lake Michigan. 
11. Try one of many Youth Programs offered through the city of Waukesha.
12. Head to Snips and Giggles in downtown Oconomowoc to get a fun haircut over break! {Better yet, get a cute cut now, so you are set for Spring Break!} AND Visit their new experience bar!
13. Looking for a service staycation? Find places to volunteer
14. If you are doing spring cleaning, find places to donate. 
15. Check out this guide to fun Indoor Play locations to break out of the house and burn off some energy! A couple years ago, we visited a new play place every day of spring break!
16. Easter is on April 5, 2026. Take in an Easter Egg Hunt.
17. Find a great playground at a new park to explore on the nice days! These playgrounds have rubber ground to avoid the spring mud!
18. Check out our ever-popular Events Calendar to explore and check out new events and places in our communities.
19. Book a night at the Ingleside in Pewaukee. Check out their SPRING BREAK PACKAGE
20. Get the wiggles out at open gym at Gymlingo in Oconomowoc.
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21. Take a HOT YOGA or HOT PILATES class at 8th State Hot yoga and Fitness in Oconomowoc or Mequon. (And you might find me teaching a class (Erin)).

For Spring Break 2023, we headed just southwest of Madison, to Cave of the Mounds. Highly recommend! It was our first time for myself (Erin, and my two kids (ages 12 and 9)), and we all enjoyed the tour! At just over an hour from Lake Country, this makes a perfect day trip. (And now that it’s 2026 – we’ve been back again and the kids loved the repeat visit!)

Lake Country Family Fun reader Heather S. suggests heading to Madison for your spring break. Here are her tips for a successful day trip:

• Start your day at the Henry Vilas Zoo. Admission is free, and it’s open year round! Make sure to visit the Arctic Passage and Badger exhibits. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy Vilas Park, or eat at Zuzu Cafe just across the street.
• Next, head downtown to view the Capitol building.

  • • If there are fewer than 10 people in your tour group, no reservation is necessary. On weekends and on holidays they are only able to accommodate up to 130 people per hour. For questions or comments regarding on-line Capitol tour reservations, please contact us by email at Capitol Tours or by telephone at (608)266-0382. Enjoy your tour!

• The Madison Children’s Museum is a great place to visit. We love heading out to the rooftop and looking out over the city. 

• Head down State Street for delicious BABCOCK HALL ICE CREAM (curbside service only).
• Another quick stop is the GEOLOGY MUSEUM on the UW-Madison campus. Admission is also free, and there are dinosaur skeletons and rocks/geodes in a special room with a secret light.
• For the nature lovers, check out OLBRICH GARDENS. The outdoor garden admission is FREE!

  • Olbrich’s outdoor gardens feature 16 acres of stunning landscapes and Midwest-hardy plants – Free & open daily.

  • Visit the tropical Bolz Conservatory, filled with exotic plants, orchids, birds, and a waterfall – $6 admission; free for Members. Free to all on Wed. & Sat. from 10 a.m. – noon.

• Other Madison area attractions:
  • Go Mini-golfing at VITENSE GOLF.
  • Try PinSeekers in Deforest, WI for a fun golf entertainment day (similar to Top Golf.)
• Head south of Madison to Lake Geneva and stay at the Ridge Hotel for a local-ish getaway!  

• Head to the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum!
• Visit the MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM – all kids 12 and under are FREE!
• Visit the MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM  

• Visit the MITCHELL PARK DOMES and be transported to a tropical environment, or the desert in one location. They are definitely a tropical escape right here in Wisconsin!
  • The show dome always has something spectacular going on. The “Modern Wonders in the Dome” arrives at the Mitchell Park Domes from January 17 through March 22, 2026.
  • Whether checking out the koi in the Tropical Dome or the deserts of the American Southwest in the Desert Dome, the Domes are like a mini escape while being relatively close to home. 
  • Lake Country Family Fun reader Heather S. points out that the desert and tropical domes both have scavenger hunts for kids. You can pick up a worksheet as you walk in, and don’t miss the I-spy game in the desert dome as well.”
• Head a bit south of the city to Oak Creek and wander around IKEA – don’t forget to eat some yummy Swedish meatballs!
• Nature Exploration at Wehr Nature Center
  Explore over 5 miles of breathtaking nature trails at the Wehr Nature Center. With parking available for just $5, it’s the perfect day out. Remember, parking is free on the last Thursday of every month! We love the waterfall!
• Golf Season Kickoff at Milwaukee County Parks Golf Courses
  The greens are ready and waiting! The 2026 golf season has kicked off with Currie (front 9 only), Grant, Whitnall, and Lincoln. Zablocki is also open with a self-pay station. All courses are currently walking only. Secure your tee time online today as tee sheets are now active. Tee times begin at 9 a.m. for the month of March and will end at 5 p.m. next week, with adjustments made according to daylight and weather. Stay tuned for updates on the opening of our other golf courses. 
• Disc Golf Adventures
  Ready to aim and throw? Visit the Milwaukee County Parks Disc Golf Courses from dawn until dusk. Ensure a smooth game by checking course conditions online before heading out. Season permits are available for unlimited play, promising endless fun for disc golf enthusiasts.
• Public Skate at Wilson Ice Arena
  Lace up your skates and hit the ice at Wilson Ice Arena this Spring Break. The public skate sessions are a great way to have fun and stay active. Check their website for session times and more information. 
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center
  Located in King Park, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center is a hub for fitness, recreation, and programming on Milwaukee’s near west side. Access the center with an annual membership or a day pass.
• Kosciuszko Community Center
  Situated in historic Kosciuszko Park, the Kosciuszko Community Center offers a wide range of fitness, recreation, and program opportunities for residents of Milwaukee’s south side. Entry requires a membership or a day pass. 
• Active Fun at the Sports Complex
  Enjoy active indoor fun at the Sports Complex with open pickleball available from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by open gym (non-pickleball) from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. Facilities are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Remember to bring your own equipment, and adults must supervise children at all times. For volleyball nets and batting cages, please make reservations in advance by emailing us.
• Indoor Swimming
  Take a dive into fun this Spring Break at Noyes and Pulaski indoor pools. Whether you’re looking to swim laps or just splash around, the pools are the perfect place for aquatic enjoyment.  
• Check out these other fun options for exploring Milwaukee With Kids!

• While I did attend and graduate college at UW-Green Bay, I have not ventured that direction much since having kids until summer 2021 when my kiddos and I spent 2 nights in Appleton. Read about our downtown Appleton visit.

• The Building for Kids Children’s Museum, featured above is offering a Spring Break Theme Days.

  • They are extending their hours so that they are open all week (including Monday, March 24, 2025) from 9am – 4pm.

  • Plus, to make your visit to the BFK extra special, each day of spring break will explore a fun theme and engaging activities to go along with it.

• Lake Country Family Fun reader Heather S. is here to share her tips:
  • Venturing a little further north, there are lots of activities in the Fox Cities area.
  • The Building for Kids in Appleton is another amazing Children’s museum. (above) The water gallery will mesmerize kids of all ages.
  • Continue up to Green Bay and there are stadium tours at Lambeau Field for Packer fans (and of course the Packer Pro Shop). (My kids loved this tour!)
  • The National Railroad Museum is for the train lover, while the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary and NEW Zoo are for the animal lovers.
  • Stop by the EAA Airventure Museum in Oshkosh (also free with a Discovery World membership!) for the flight enthusiast.
• For more local fun in the Appleton area, check out Go Valley Kids (it’s the Lake Country Family Fun version of the Fox Valley).

• Visit the Dinosaur Discovery Museum in Kenosha. *It’s small – so don’t make it your whole destination. 
• Then head a couple blocks over to the Simmons Island Beach on Lake Michigan for amazing views and a ship inspired playground. My kids really enjoyed this playground! 
• Head to the Racine Art Museum. Check out their events calendar as they have lots of fun events going on! 
• Visit the animals at the Racine Zoo.
• Hike all over Racine with this trail guide.
• On your way, stop for some Swedish meatballs at IKEA in Oak Creek. Again – a family favorite of ours!