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Does your family get the winter blues? Consider visiting an indoor waterpark, where the fun continues year round.

While we usually associate water parks and amusement parks with warm weather, there are now many exceptions to that notion. For throughout North America, Europe and Asia -- sometimes in some very unexpected locations -- there are a number of indoor water and amusement parks that are certain to melt winter chills away. Conversely, your family can also escape sizzling summer temperatures and simulate outdoor fun by enjoying an air-conditioned amusement park, or even skiing, year-round -- indoors!

Indoor water parks have become a growing phenomenon over the past decade. The resort town of Wisconsin Dells, about 40 miles (67kms) north of Madison, is where indoor water parks had their birth nearly two decades ago. Currently boasting the largest concentration of these family-oriented sites, including four major indoor water parks located in hotels and resorts, along with many other indoor waterplay areas representing the largest and most comprehensive indoor water facilities in the nation.

Some practical notes: Entry fees for water parks are often, but not always, included in a resort's room rate; day rates are often available for non-hotel guests. Slides are rides are marked age-appropriately so please respect the park's guidelines and safety measures. These indoor water parks and pools are open and heated year round; bring your own towel and watershoes.

Water Play in the Wisconsin Dells

The Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort, Mt. Olympus Water & Themepark, Kalahari Resort Water Park and Great Wolf Lodge are among the major water park hotels in the  Wisconsin Dells area, and they have pioneered many of the water play features seen elsewhere.  All are covered in more detail in FTF's story about Wisconsin Dells Hotels. These parks range in size from 250,000 square feet to mere puddles (only kidding) and the variety of rides, slides and family games is truly astonishing. Take note of the imaginative theming, as certain themes -- like Pirates -- are big this year but may fade in the future. Vampire pools anyone?

The Chula Vista Resort (800/388-4782), The Polynesian Resort Hotel & Suites (800/272-5642), and Blizzard Bay at the Wintergreen (800/648-4765) are among the other top resorts. There are also much smaller and simpler water play areas at other Dells hotels worth noting. The Atlantis Hotel's (800/800-6179) Aqua Kingdom, for example, now has two indoor waterparks featuring hands-on water and slide activities for lots of family fun.

The Holiday Inn Express Wisconsin Dells (608/253-3000) features a Kiddie Kastle with numerous interactive water games. At the Skyline Hotel & Suites (800/759-8475), the Serp'N' Dippity water area has three swimming pools, three kiddie pools, and a serpent with two slides and a waterfall cascading from its tail.

The Copa Cabana Resort Hotel & Suites (608/253-1511), Grand Marquis (800/447-2636), the Meadowbrook Resort (877/993-3557) and the Alakai Hotel & Suites (800/593-9392) also have their share of slides, bubbling geysers and water-sprouting palm trees.

Keep in mind that the larger the resort and more impressive the facilities, the more it's likely to cost. With little ones, almost any of the small hotels have facilities that will provide great fun.