click on to enlarge Splash Cove in Decatur.
Floating on an internal tube in a lazy river. Thrilling to a wild trip down a twisting, turning slide. Driving a wave into shore. What says “summer season” greater than water on a scorching, sticky day?
Happily, central Illinoisans do not must go all the way in which to oceans, lakes or rivers for aid. Space water parks are excellent for cooling off and filling our thrill-seeking buckets.
George Knight, vice chairman of Knight’s Motion Park in Springfield, says water parks provide one thing for all ages in order that they make the right vacation spot for households. “There are such a lot of issues to do, and folks love the water. The youngsters just like the quick and lengthy slides. Older individuals benefit from the wave pool and lazy river,” he explains.
Others agree. Melody Dossett, administrative supervisor of Raging Rivers in Grafton, says whereas the water slides are fashionable, “everybody loves the wave pool and lazy river.”
Right here is the place you will discover enjoyable and funky off with just a bit driving.
Knight’s Motion Park, Springfield
The family-run facility grew out of 1 on South Grand Avenue and moved to its present spot alongside I-72 south of city in 1976. Knight says the mini-golf course, batting cages, driving vary and go-cart monitor predated the water park, which began in 1983. The corporate purchased close by out of doors film screens 12 to fifteen years in the past and continues to broaden.
“We’re at all times upgrading the grounds,” he says. He hopes building on a surf machine, probably the one one downstate, might be carried out by the tip of August. The machine might be in a brand new pool with continuous waves to be ridden whereas standing on a surfboard.
Knight’s employs 240 seasonal staff and attracts 110,000 guests a 12 months to the entire park. The wave pool could also be the most well-liked spot however the almost one-fourth-mile lazy river additionally attracts a crowd. Among the many eight water slides, the Satan Ray could invoke essentially the most adrenaline. “It makes you are feeling like you’re going to get shot out over the interstate,” Knight says.
The water park runs 10 a.m. to six p.m. day by day beginning Memorial Day weekend. As soon as colleges begin to open round Aug. 17, the water park is open solely on weekends by Labor Day.
Costs run from $39.95 for individuals 48 inches or taller, $31.95 for kids beneath 48 inches and seniors, to free for kids 2 and beneath. Season passes, after 3 p.m. pricing and day by day specials can be found.
For extra info, go to www.knightsactionpark.com.
Raging Rivers Water Park, Grafton
The park sits on seven acres alongside the Mississippi River and affords 9 sights, together with slides, a wave pool, lazy river, runaway raft trip and “swirl” swimming pools. Dossett says the most well-liked is the Mississippi Monster slide, put in final 12 months. It has twists, turns and capsules that rock forwards and backwards. The drive then washes riders out ultimately.
Opened in 1990, Raging Rivers attracts 75,000 guests a 12 months and sells 3,500-5,000 annual passes. It’s open seven days per week till Aug. 13, when it opens on weekends solely. Hours are 10 a.m. to five p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to six p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to six p.m. Sundays.
Dossett says the busiest instances are weekends, particularly when it’s scorching. Mondays and Tuesdays are slower. The park has a capability of three,000 however has by no means reached that.
Youngsters 2 and beneath are free, youngsters beneath 42 inches and seniors are $26.99 and people in between are $36.99 day by day. Navy reductions can be found on the gate. Household enjoyable nights from 6 to 9 p.m. are July 14 and 28 and Aug. 4. A hypnotist will carry out July 28 on the park’s stage.
For extra info, go to www.ragingrivers.com.
Splash Cove, Decatur
Among the many latest building in Decatur is Splash Cove, which had its opening delayed by COVID till 2021. The water park is in Nelson Park close to Lake Decatur on land beforehand internet hosting a golf course. Clay Gerhard, government director of the Decatur Park District, says the 18-holf course was underperforming and a neighborhood pool in Fairview Park was growing old.
“We turned that golf course land right into a treasure for Decatur,” he says. Close by are the Overlook Journey Park with ziplines, a ropes course, mini-golf and playground and the Devon Lakeshore Amphitheater, which hosts out of doors concert events, entertainers and flicks.
Splash Cove options 4 water slides, three swimming pools and a lazy river with two speeds. The seven-lane competitors pool is fashionable with two diving boards, a rock wall and a zipline that dumps customers into the water. “That’s geared towards the older youngsters,” Gerhard says.
The zero-depth-entry leisure pool with play constructions and a wading pool are hits with households and youthful youngsters. He says Splash Cove stands out as the solely place in the USA with a stand-up water slide, designed in Switzerland. Different water slides enable three individuals to slip down collectively or see movies of varied places projected on the within partitions of a tube.
The park is open every single day from midday to six:30 p.m. till Labor Day and attracts 100,000 individuals in a season. Admission is freefor 3 and beneath, $11 for these 4-12 and $13 for anybody over 13. Guests 16 and up should present a sound ID and people 15 and beneath should be with a mum or dad or guardian over 18.
For extra info, go to www.splashcove.org.
Sholem Aquatic Heart, Champaign
Champaign’s most important contribution to water enjoyable is in Centennial Park and has a lap pool, lazy river, tube slides, a zero-depth-entry pool with spray options and kiddie pool with its personal slide.
Sholem is open till Aug. 13 from midday to six:30 p.m. weekdays and 1:30-7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Youngsters 3 and beneath are free with these older paying $9-$13.50. Reductions can be found after 4 p.m., all day Friday and for veterans, lively army personnel and first responders.
For extra info, go to www.champaignparks.com.
Fairview and Anderson aquatic facilities, Regular
Regular claims its Fairview Household Aquatic Heart is “among the finest aquatic amenities in central Illinois,” based on its web site. Situated at 801 N. Foremost St., Fairview has 4 pool areas, 5 slides, spray toy space and a zero-depth-entry pool.
The middle is open 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. day by day by Labor Day weekend. Youngsters 2 and beneath are free, these 3-15 are $8, adults are $9 and seniors are $6.50. Admission is $5 after 5 p.m.
The Anderson Aquatic Heart, at 100 S. Maple St., additionally has water slides, a zero-depth-entry pool, a kiddie pool and a regulation pool with diving board. The middle is open 11 a.m. to six p.m. Youngsters 2 and beneath are free, these 3-15 are $6, adults are $7 and seniors are $4.50.
For extra info on both middle, go to www.normalil.gov.
Mary Bohlen, a Springfield journey author, cannot keep in mind a time she wasn’t having fun with the water, though she could have retired her water-sliding days.
