Each Canal House and Dome is scheduled with staggered reservation slots to ensure groups arrive and exit at different times. We have also built in 30 minutes of cleaning and sanitation between each reservation slot; in addition to our Moving Milwaukee Forward Enhanced Approval 72-point safety procedures, we will utilize atomizer fog bombs to target airborne pathogens and bacteria, and will thoroughly vent to allow for proper air flow. Each Canal House and Dome has a door and window, which open for fresh air ventilation during, and between each reservation.

Guests are encouraged to BYOB (bring your own blanket), and will be asked to wear a mask whenever entering and leaving the canal house, as well as when your server is present.

Each rental lasts for 90 minutes. Due to limited capacity and waiting areas per the current times, we ask that your party arrives no more than 5 minutes early to check-in prior to your reserved time. We prefer that your entire party arrive before seating your Canal House or Dome. This allows us to seat you all at once and limit the number of times the door to your outdoor winter experience will need to be opened, thus keeping you warmer!

If your party shows up late for the reservation, we, unfortunately, cannot extend the length of your rental. The outdoor winter experiences are generally booked back-to-back to allow as many guests to enjoy them as possible. For example, if you show up 30 minutes late, your rental would be for 60 minutes rather than 90. Partial refunds will not be issued for parties arriving late.

Each Canal House or Dome seats up to 6 guests, with upright chair seating around a table.

Sorry, every Canal House or Dome rental is the same price regardless of the size of your party. 

Guests of all ages are allowed in the Canal Houses or Domes, but we do require that at least one guest is 21+. Our restaurant policy is that only guests of, or over, the age of 21 are able to consume alcoholic beverages.

Absolutely not. It is prohibited by Wisconsin law. Any guest found smoking will be asked to leave immediately along with their entire party, with no refund granted. Open flames of any kind are also not allowed on our patios.

They are “heated”, but you will be sitting on the patio, in winter, in Wisconsin, separated from the cold winter by a thin membrane. Each Canal House or Dome includes a small heater that will take the edge off of the chill, but please come dressed for a winter activity! It may take a bit of time after the door is opened to reheat your canal house. The canal houses and domes also include a small window for ventilation if desired. Please come dressed with a hat, gloves, and a few layers that you can adjust to your own individual comfort level. Heck, bring a snuggly blanket! While we welcome you to change the temperature in your Canal House or Dome, WE ASK THAT YOU DO NOT MOVE YOUR HEATER! It has been placed to prevent damage to the outer shell of the canal house. Any heater moved during your stay may result in a charge for damage to the shell or the frame of the Canal Houses or Domes.

In the case of extreme cold, blizzard, or dangerous icy conditions, we may need to cancel reservations to ensure safety and your comfort level. In these cases, you will be notified via email about an option to reschedule your booking or receive a complete refund. We will make every attempt to make the cancellations well in advance of your reserved time, but reserve the right to make fully-refunded cancellations in the case of emergent weather conditions at any time.

The Canal Houses and Domes are strong, engineered, structures that are designed to withstand 30+ mph winds and 90+ pounds of static snow load. That being said, they are constructed of lightweight materials that can be damaged by impact, heat or puncture. We ask that you take precaution when moving in the Canal Houses or Domes and refrain from touching the walls or grabbing a hold of the frame. The Canal Houses and Domes are inspected and cleaned after every party, and a damage fee of up to $200 may be added should any evidence of damage be found after your visit.

For the enjoyment of the guests in neighboring Canal Houses and Domes, we request that you do not add your own soundtrack to the experience. We will be playing our holiday tunes from the patio speakers.

All outdoor winter experience guests are welcome to use the indoor, fully-heated restrooms on the first floor at Café Hollander. We’d recommend using the facilities before being seated in your Canal House or Dome to avoid unnecessary opening of your outdoor winter experience door.

With the Canal House measuring approximately 8ft long by 6ft wide and Domes having a roughly 11-foot diameter, your party should be composed of the type of folk that aren’t too weirded out inside a full elevator. There will be a lot of sitting and watching other people eat and drink, so some pleasant conversation would be a great next step. Maybe bring a game? But bring the kind of game that you could play in a full elevator, because table space is at a premium for you board game fans. Think Cards Against Humanity, Head’s Up, etc. You know, like if you were an astronaut and were allowed to bring a small item to space for your amusement, but had to be small, lightweight (DO YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE ROCKET FUEL IS?!!), and able to be played in the weightlessness of space where there is no surface to play a board game upon.