Ready for thrills on the hills? Let’s go tubing!
Tubing is an awesome way to enjoy the snow and make the most of the chilly season.
Before you bundle up and head out, remember to check for height requirements.
Here are our top picks for tubing hills near Milwaukee:
- Sunburst Ski Hill (8355 Prospect Dr., Kewaskum) – World’s largest tubing park with over 45 lanes! Quarter-mile runs and two magic carpet lifts. Online ticket purchase and waiver signing recommended.
- Crystal Ridge (7011 S. Ballpark Dr., Franklin) – 19 lanes with a minimum height requirement of 36 inches. Magic Carpet conveyor lift, Glow Tubing on select nights, and online ticket savings.
- Wilmot Mountain (11931 Fox River Rd., Wilmot) – Over 1,000 feet long lanes, two conveyor lifts, and a modernized lodge for a cozy break.
Ready to dive deeper into each hill’s unique offerings? Keep reading for more details, including special events and tips.
1. Sunburst Ski Hill
8355 Prospect Dr., Kewaskum, WI 53040
skisunburst.com
Just 30 minutes northwest of Milwaukee, Sunburst Winter Sports Park is one of the best places for tubing in the Milwaukee area. They also offer downhill skiing and snowboarding in three different terrain parks.
Their claim to fame is that it is the world’s largest tubing park with over 45 lanes. It was even recognized by USA Today as one of the top 10 tubing parks in the entire country! They also claim to be home to the world’s largest tubing hill.
Their tubing chutes offer a quarter-mile run with a 90-foot drop, allowing you to reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. There are two magic carpet lifts to pull you back to the top over and over again. Tubing tickets can be purchased online. Riders must be 42 inches tall to ride. There is no co-riding, and linking tubes together is not allowed. Click here to purchase tickets and sign your waiver online.
After a long day on the slopes, you’ll appreciate their fresh food café serving up artisan sandwiches and salads, plus Starbuck’s coffee and espresso drinks to help you warm up.
Reader Reviews:
“At Sunburst there are ropes to hold into connect two or even more tubes. So one parent and one or two kids could ride hooked together. There were toddlers going down. My 9 year old was very nervous but needed up loving it.” -Instagram follower, 2023.
“I noticed Sunburst does not allow kids to go down with a parent in a tube.” – Instagram follower, 2023.
2. Crystal Ridge
7011 S. Ballpark Dr., Franklin, WI 53132
crystalridge.com
There’s something for all skill levels at this popular winter park in Franklin.
Located just outside of the city of Milwaukee, Crystal Ridge is a great place for tubing, with 19 snow tubing lanes, and hills for skiing and snowboarding.
For tubing, there’s a minimum height requirement of 36 inches, and everyone must ride in their own tube. Linking tubes together is allowed when hill conditions are not too fast.
Everyone will enjoy riding the Magic Carpet conveyor lift back to the top!
Your ticket gets you 2 hours of tubing on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. Plan your visit for Monday-Thursday to enjoy a cheaper rate and unlimited tubing from 4-8 p.m.
On select Friday and Saturday nights, there’s Glow Tubing from 9:15-11 p.m. No matter when you go, you can save money by purchasing your tickets online.
Reader Reviews:
“The tubing at Crystal Ridge is great for all ages! My son did it when he was 2 and was just fine.” – Instagram follower, 2023.
“The incline of Crystal Ridge is substantially less steep as Sunburst has a far greater incline and run length making sometimes much faster. I speak from experience of having worked at both locations.” – Instagram follower, 2023.
“We went to Crystal Ridge in January with my then 6 and 4 year olds: it was great. The kids couldn’t ride with use, but we linked up the tubes, which worked fine (though my older often preferred to go alone). There is a conveyer belt that takes you from the bottom of the hill back up to the top, which I definitely appreciated.” -Instagram follower, 2023.
“Crystal Ridge has a great bunny hill for beginners!” – Instagram follower, 2023
“We have only been to Crystal Ridge. While you can’t ride in the same tube, you can link the rubes together. That is what we did and put my daughter in a tube between me and my husband. Still a little scarce even for mom. But fun in the end. I think my daughter was 8 the first tie we went.” -Instagram follower, 2023
3. Wilmot Mountain
11931 Fox River Rd., Wilmot, WI 53192
wilmotmountain.com
Grab a tube, have a seat, and let gravity be your friend!
Wilmot Mountain has been a snow sport destination for Wisconsinites since 1938. Today you can ski, snowboard or tube over 120 acres, 23 ski trails, and 22 tube lanes that are more than 1,000 feet long.
The Snow Tubing Area is located half a mile south of the main ski and snowboard entrance, at the intersection of County Hwy CK and Hwy W. There are two surface conveyor lifts, and you must be 42 inches tall to tube (no lap sitting allowed).
After a few runs down the hill, warm up in the tubing lodge with a snack and a beverage while you watch from the deck overlooking the whole area.
Much of the property has been recently redesigned and modernized, including their base lodge which offers wi-fi, “Walt’s Tavern” restaurant (where parents can watch their children ski and snowboard), and a state-of-the-art children’s ski and snowboard center featuring a playful open space for kids.
Related: Ski Resorts
These ski resorts do not offer tubing, but they do offer fun for skiers and snowboarders alike.
1. Alpine Valley Resort
W2501 County Road D, Elkhorn, WI 53121
Visit Website
Located in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Alpine Valley offers skiing and snowboarding with one of the largest beginner areas in the Midwest! New for the 2020/21 season, they’ve added a new trail called Snowdrift, that is 1,400 feet in length. It’s a scenic run great for the entire family.
2. Little Switzerland
105 Cedar Creek Rd., Slinger, WI 53086
Visit Website
Founded in 1941, Little Switz is one of the oldest ski hills in Wisconsin.
They offer mixed terrain for a wide range of abilities, through 18 trails, 3 terrain parks, and 100% snowmaking on the entire hill.
You can also warm up with a hot chocolate in the lodge or in the warming house by the bunny hill.
Don’t miss the training zone next to the bunny hill where you can practice your fundamentals and perhaps get free lessons from their employees.
You can bring your own skis or head to the rental shop to borrow equipment for the day.
3. The Mountaintop at Grand Geneva
7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
Visit Website
Mountain Top at Grand Geneva is a favorite Wisconsin ski resort featuring 18 downhill slopes and 10 kilometers of scenic cross-country ski trails, plus full snowmaking capabilities. Mountain Top offers night ski and snowboarding all week long.
Where’s your favorite place to go tubing? Tell us in an email: hello@mkewithkids.com
In 2013, Calie Herbst, a former teacher with three little ones, saw a need for a “One Stop Shop” for family fun in Milwaukee. So she founded Milwaukee With Kids. Her goal was to find the best this city has to offer families and share it with other parents. In one place.
In 2019, she published “Exploring Milwaukee WIth Kids”, a comprehensive Milwaukee travel guide for families and kids.
She appears regularly on WISN News, Fox 6’s ‘Real Milwaukee’, B93.3, and Wisconsin Morning News. She has been featured in Medium, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, NPR, the Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle, and on CBS 58 News.
Calie is available for hosting, moderating and media appearances.
