Celebrating 70 Years Of Chula Vista Resort

We are celebrating 70 years of Chula Vista Resort! Our home away from home has been the place for beautiful views and memories that last a lifetime, and we could not be more thankful for all those who visit us each year. We have endured much change throughout our time, so let's take a walk down memory lane and see how we got here:

In 1873, John Cummings, a whiskey distiller from Baltimore, Maryland, built his summer vacation home on the Upper Dells of the Wisconsin River and named it Chula Vista—for its beautiful views! We can definitely agree with that decision.

The Coldwater Canyon Golf Course, developed shortly before, achieves fame when a vacationing barber from Hixton, Wisconsin, Hugh Byington, shoots a miraculous six under par for a score of 27! Did you know that it's also the second oldest golf course in all of Wisconsin?

Fast forward to 1951– after some physical transformations, Chula Vista was managed and later purchased by Joe and Vera Kaminski, became the very first fully operational resort in Wisconsin Dells! This period saw significant changes and additions, including a luxury swimming pool, a new kitchen, a modestly sized dining room, a front registration area, and a corporate office area. The list could go on!

Deep into the mid-80's Chula Vista kept growing! In 1985, it had a significant expansion of 10,000 square feet of meeting space and a 12,000 square feet indoor pool with a waterslide, hot tub, game room, and bar. And it established our waterpark at the first of its kind!

As we rolled into the '90s, the good times kept going with the 50,000 square foot Outdoor Waterpark and Adventure Lagoon expansion that we all know and love came to life. These additions were constructed with swimming pools, waterslides, snack bars, and kiddie pools!

At the turn of the century came the start of the New Chula Vista. In 2004, development started on a $200 million renovation and expansion. With this renovation, Chula Visita expanded with 300 Condominiums & Villas, an 80,000 square foot Indoor Waterpark, a new 26K square-foot Convention Center Space and Ballrooms. Additionally, an outdoor Wave Pool and Dining Venue were added, including the crown jewel of CVR: Award-winning Kaminski's Chop House. Kaminski's has been Voted the #1 steakhouse in Wisconsin!

The development of the 80,000 square foot Wisconsin Dells Center was an iconic moment for Chula Vista. The column-free space was built for expos, sporting events, live events, and trade shows. With 70-foot ceilings and a pressurized facility, this one-of-a-kind space has attracted national attention, from NCAA tournaments to International Trade Shows!

2020 was a big year for Chula Vista when we purchased the Wyndham Hotel Franchise! Guests can earn and redeem Wyndham Rewards Points at CVR and over +9000 hotels worldwide! This franchise was just a pinpoint on the map of our continued success.

With all of that, we arrive at the present. In 2021, we introduced two new thrill attractions: Ultimate Rush and Dell's Zipline Adventure's Soar Like an Eagle– the longest face-forward dual racing zipline in the United States!

Chula Vista Resort also holds the most extensive collection of HH Bennett photography, which is featured in our Bennett Tower, located on the north side of our property nestled alongside the Wisconsin River. We are dedicated to preserving this rich history by partnering with the Friends of HH Bennett and its significance to the Wisconsin Historical Society!

All of our success would not have been possible without the Kaminski Family, who has owned and operated the Chula Vista Resort for over five generations. The ultimate family business!

We owe it all to our guests for making this happen over the last 70 years. We hope to see you at Chula Vista Resort soon. Come experience the stark beauty, rich history, and great activities we have to offer!

You can learn more about important moments in Chula Vista Resort history by viewing our Legacy Document here.