By Heidi Hess
The dream is always the same. I’m gently floating down a babbling brook on a very large leaf. The sun overhead has me feeling very relaxed and sleepy. And then *SPLAT*! I’ve been shot with a water cannon. The icy blast pulls me out of my wonderful daydream. So much for relaxation but such is the life of this Pirate Mom.
The weather is really warming up and the family and I are in summer mode. That means lots of H2O and if I have it my way, lots of lazy rivers. We have some great places locally to get your floating fix while the kids splash and race down water slides with their friends.
Calypso Bay water park is right off Southern Blvd and quite literally in Wellington’s backyard. It is a marvelous splash pad/playground for the littles, two intense water slides for older kids, and, of course, a lazy river. Shaded picnic tables are available. You can bring a cooler or grab a bite at their concession stand. When my kids were little we were here all the time.
Adults 12 and up are $16.00, children 3 to 11 years old are $12.00, toddlers ages 1 and 2 years old are $7.00, and infants are free. Also, if you go after 3 pm the regular admission is $2.00 off on adults and children AND the summer camps are usually gone or on their way out- BONUS! During the summer, the camps are always there but Calypso Bay is really good at monitoring how many come in and how long they stay.
And if we are talking about water parks and lazy rivers we can’t forget The Rapids. This is a bit of a drive from Wellington but it’s worth it. If you have pre-teens or teens, this is the place for them. There are a myriad of water slides to choose from, a wave pool, something called Flow Rider and… ahhh… a lazy river. It’s a fairly large water park and the camps are usually out in full force but there’s more space than Calypso Bay AND you can reserve a cabana. The ticket price is more – weekdays it’s $49.99 if you purchase online and on weekends it’s $59.99. It’s a bit of a splurge but well worth it.
Whatever you do, I hope you get to enjoy everything that makes summer great. And hey, if all else fails, bust out the kiddy pool in the backyard, get out your inner tube, and have the kids shoot you with the garden hose.