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Has Anybody Been to an Indoor Water Park? Are They Fun?

December 12, 2009 at 2:12 PM | by | Comments (3)

It's winter vacation season, and those of us who didn't get any TARP funds have limited travel budgets to work with this year. But while we might not be able to spring for a trip to some luxe Caribbean beach resort, there are plenty of options closer to home where we could get our fix of sun and fun without breaking the bank. USA Today writes about some of the crazy deals available at indoor water parks around the country, where you can bask in constant 86-degree temperatures, splash around in some pretty creative pools, and get your share of ultraviolet rays through huge skylights. It's definitely not something I've ever done before, but after reading about some of the more unique features, I have to admit that I'm intrigued. They look like fun.

There are indoor water parks throughout the country, but it's hard to top Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, which boasts an amazing 21 parks, each competing to win customers with bigger and better attractions. The Wilderness Resort's Wild WaterDome, for example, is a 70,000-square foot indoor water park with the nation's largest indoor wave pool, a raft-racing ride that goes down slides and through tunnels, and a state-of-the-art "Foil Tec" roof that allows for tanning indoors and allows them to grow tropical plants. Neat! The Kalahari Resort, meanwhile, boasts an African theme, an indoor mountain, and bars like ZanziBar, Monsoon Saloon, and the Cracked Coconut where grownups can sip slushy drinks while the kids have their indoor naval battles. I could live with that.

The indoor water park idea is tempting in the way that tacky cruise ships are tempting. It wouldn't be a cultural getaway by any stretch of the imagination, but it could be fun way to get your faux-beach fix and still afford your rent that month. Has anybody ever been to one of these things? I'm curious as to which would be the best for adults, or are they all designed with families in mind? If the price was right, I'd be willing to give it a go and pretend I'm on some tropical island for an afternoon.

[Photo: Vacation Rental Direct]

Related Stories:
· Deals at Water Parks Lure the Winter-Weary [USA Today]
· Wilderness Resort Wild WaterDome [Official Site]
· Kalahari Resort [Official Site]
· Water Parks [Jaunted]

Comments (3)

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Indoor Water Parks

No sun, no sand, limited sea, but the kids love them. Nobody considers them the equivalent of a Cancun or Cabo, but for a quick, regional family getaway, the travel time and value is pretty hard for a family to beat. For an adult getaway? Don't bother - unless your only other alternative in this region during the winter months is an outdoor waterpark...
Robert Cole on December 12, 2009 at 4:26 PM #Permalink

Indoor Waterpark, MN

I went to one a couple of years ago in Minnesota and it was beautiful. We went for a fun/business resort and there were more adults there having fun on the slides and dipping baskets into the water basketball hoop. I would go again with a bunch of friends and I am a single with no children.
Jacqueline Waller on December 13, 2009 at 4:16 PM #Permalink

Wisconsin Dells

My husband and I love escaping to the Dells any time of year. In the winter, we book a cheaper room elsewhere and get a daypass to one of the indoor parks. For a couple with no kids, an indoor waterpark is fun for about half a day.
Susan Brigid Clark on December 14, 2009 at 12:21 PM #Permalink

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