Which would you choose?

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

Right now I have choices of 2 places I want to go to. One is the Wisconsin Dells and the other is the Poconos. I want to see the Balloon Festival & go on the day tour of NYC & the one to Philly. No one is sure of when the festival is but I'm banking on Oct. 11th altho someone said they thought it was the 18th. I forgot to say this is for 2008!! I know when it is this year. Besides the festival I want to see the colors and of course I have to do the photography thing. What would you choose & why? shaggy

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

Is Wisconsin Dells hard to get? If so, I'd take that one. The Balloon Festival has been going on for at least 20 years so you could always go in 2009.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I'd choose the opposite.

I've been to the Dells in October and was underwhelmed. There was plenty of vacancy - I don't think you'll have a problem getting in. I'd stop just short of calling it a ghost town, but we certainly had our choice of parking spaces everywhere we went. It was also cold. Each season is a crap shoot, weatherwise.

Since I've never been to the Poconos and want to see every named mountain range, that would be my choice. I would love to see a balloon festival!!

[tonyg Goomba & Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close tonyg]

I might just pass/ Been to the Pocono's

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Aha, at last a subject I can help with! I have been to BOTH the Dells and the Poconos.

The Dells is summer fun--tons of waterparks and amusement parks. I'm sure things slow down to a trickle by the fall. The area is very beautiful and the boat trips where they take you to see the rock formations are probably still pleasant--but it's probably getting pretty cold by October and I don't know how many trips they run off-season. One of the most interesting things you do on the boat trip is get out and walk on a pathway kind of between two cliffs. It was a chilly there even in July. If you like amusement parks and roller coasters, check on the schedules for the big places.

Meanwhile, fall is nice in the Poconos. Nights are chilly, but days are usually warm. There are plenty of year-round activities (including a big outlet mall). Lots of beautiful trees turning colors. The balloon festival is hugely popular, I'm amazed that they didn't know the date! Here it is, from Pocono Mountains most complete source of free information for your Poconos vacation. (Excellent site!) I didn't even know about the timber part, but that's pretty fun, too!

Autumn Timber & Balloon Festival
Add to Trip Planner
October 12, 2007 - October 14, 2007
shawneemt.com/fall/timbertether.html
Location: Shawnee Mountain (Shawnee on Delaware)
Phone: 570-421-7231

Featuring Ironjack Timber Team Lumberjack Shows. Events such as log rolling, pole climbing, buck sawing and more will be performed. There will also be scenic chairlift rides and spectacular hot air balloons. Friday night features balloon glow and fireworks from 4-10pm. Hours for Saturday and Sunday are 7am-6pm.
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In short...I'm much closer to the Poconos (about 1.5 hours away), but I think it would be more fun for you in the fall than the Dells. (Also a closer trip for you coming from NC, right?) The Dells are GREAT in the summer, though!

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Oh, whoops, just saw you are looking at 2008. I can still help with the dates for the balloon festival, though. We've been to several sales presentations at Shawnee and from what they said I think the balloon festival is the same week every year.

So you just have to figure out what week of the year it is THIS year (week 42 or whatever) and then you will be able to work out the dates for NEXT year, because it will be week 42 (or whatever) again.

I hope this is right. I dunno if they were telling the truth, their lips were moving.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

I vote for Poconos. Amusement parks & waterslides don't do anything for me. Fall colors & autumn scenery are more my thing. We have a balloon festival in Reno & a local Lumberjack Days a few miles down the road at a nearby town.

[shaggy Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close shaggy]

I think the Poconos it is. Will probably stay on a Shawnee property as that is where the balloon festival is. shaggy

[EAM Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close EAM]

I vote for Poconos. Amusement parks & waterslides don't do anything for me. Fall colors & autumn scenery are more my thing.

There is more to the Dells than amusement parks and waterslides. When we visited CMV, we did not go to a single water or amusement park. We liked the boat tours of the Dells, and also enjoyed day trips to Devil's Lake State Park and the Frank Lloyd Wright estate, Taliesin.

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

There is more to the Dells than amusement parks and waterslides.

I'm glad to hear it, EAM. Most comments on the Dells make it sound like it only has appeal for families with young children. We are retired folks so travel during the quieter non-peak seasons. Being west coasters, we have little knowledge of areas outside the western states but are eager to visit the other parts of the country. We'll certainly consider the Dells for a future trip now that we know there is so much more to see.

How is the weather in May or September?

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I'd pick May. Should be mild, with everything already in bloom.

I'm also an off-seasoner.

[Holly Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Holly]

Pocono Balloon Festival

I just snagged an Interval Getaway for Shawnee during this year's balloon festival. We will only be able to go for the weekend, but it should be worth it! Will anyone else be there that weekend?