Relying on Wisconsin weather is always a gamble, especially when planning a getaway. All too many campouts have resulted in soggy bags of marshmallows and quick escapes to nearby motels. But to avoid the stress of nervous cloud watching, indoor water parks offer all-weather fun for everyone in the family. (Well, OK, maybe not Spot or Mittens.)

Winter, of course, minimizes physical activity for lots of families, making water parks even more desireable during this time of year.

"Because they offer a variety of age-appropriate activities, water parks are one of those rare getaways the entire family can agree on," says Jeannine Sherman, public relations manager for VISIT Milwaukee.

Sure, the Wisconsin Dells area has awesome water parks -- and Great Wolf Lodge, Wilderness Resort and Kalahari to name a few -- but there are a few splash-tacular options in and around Milwaukee that offer a quicker escape.

Paradise Landing is inside the Downtown Hilton Hotel; Waukesha's Country Springs Hotel houses The Springs water park, and the newest one is Breaker Bay, inside the Blue Harbor Hotel in Sheboygan.

But with all that slipping and sliding, are water parks safe? Riverwest's Jennifer Lucas and her family have tried a few different water parks, and feel that they are, as long as ground rules are in place.

"I treat a water park the same way I would treat a day at the beach or the park. I stay with my kids and don't leave them unsupervised. When my youngest was little, we made her wear a life vest when she was there, just in case," says Lucas.

Younger children are at greater risk, and must be assisted in all areas of the water park. Life jackets, preservers and blow-up "wings" are recommended for all kids, but especially wee ones. Trying to avoid high-traffic times is also a good idea.

"We found that the parks with more 'little kid' stuff' are less busy than the ones with monster-sized slides," says Whitefish Bay's Lori Ahrenhoerster.

For some budgets, the water park experience might be too expensive, especially on weekends and during holidays, which is the only time many families are able to break away. In such cases, the day pass might make more sense, or -- although reliant on the weather -- the Milwaukee County Parks offer two outdoor water parks, Cool Waters in Greenfield Park and Kosciuszko Park's Pelican Cove.

Indoor Water Parks:

Breaker Bay
Blue Harbor, Sheboygan
(920) 452-2900
Rates: Call ahead; rates vary immensely depending on date and availability. Day passes: Weekdays (Monday-Friday) $15 per person; weekends $20. Special winter rates: Monday and Thursday after 4 p.m. is $5 per person. Tuesday and Wednesday closed. Friday open 10 a.m.-10 p.m. and $15 per person, Saturdays $20. Sunday open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and costs $20. Tax added to all admissions. Prices good until March 1.

Breaker Bay features 43,000 sq. ft. of water park with seven waterslides, 12 levels of fountains, spray guns, valves and hoses, and a "tipping ship" dumping 1,000 gallons of cascading water (Careful, don't lose your bathing shorts!)

The Springs
Country Spring Hotel, Waukesha
(800) 247-6640
Rates: Weekends range from $199 to $339 per night; weekdays from $149 to $169.
Day passes: $15 weekdays (Monday-Thursday); weekends $25 per person (Friday-Sunday) Children under two are free.

The Springs is 45,000 sq. ft. and includes a three-person boat ride with high-speed curves, waterslides, enclosed tube rides, interactive play structure ride, lazy river, indoor/outdoor whirlpool, indoor water basketball and more.

Paradise Landing
Hilton Hotel, 509 W. Wisconsin Ave.
(877) KIDS-RULE
(414) 271-7250
Rates: Call ahead; rates vary immensely depending on date and availability. (Lowest available rate is $139, with up to 5 passes to the water park.) Day passes available for $18. Open on weekends and holidays only during winter. Open during the week from March 14-April 6. Closed again from April 7 until mid-June during the week.

Paradise Landing features a three-story Jamaican Village with four water slides, lagoon, hydro-therapy spa, kiddie pool with beached boat slide, "Turtle Squirt" and mushroom rain drop fountain. Ideal for younger children.