Scroll down to the post I wrote a few days ago about budget travel alternatives and you’ll see that I mentioned some alternatives to expensive water parks. I just think that water parks tend to be way more costly than is worth it for most families. Sure, you’ll have a day of great fun with your family. However, you’ll pay a big price for admission, snacks and extras while you’re there. I believe that you can have just as much fun in the water elsewhere and spend little to nothing to enjoy the day.
Here are four examples of water park alternatives that my kids have enjoyed just as much as they might like wave pools and plastic water slides:
1. Big Chico River in Chico, California. Located in north central California there is a river called Big Chico that has a number of different swimming holes that the kids will love. A favorite is one that has a rope swing. However any of the options is a good one because they’re all ensconced in a beautiful canyon riverbed. You can start at one end and float down slippery lava tubes to the next swimming hole. There are places to dive and spots to sunbathe. There are no lifeguards on duty so you do have to be careful to watch the kids but this is a great family fun hot spot. There’s no charge to swim here. Plus the surrounding area isn’t a tourist destination so hotels are cheap.
2. Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, Texas. There is a cold spring in a small park in Santa Rosa, Texas that was a favorite of my family when we would do road trips in the summer. It’s still a favorite with my family even though we’ve got new generations now. It’s massively deep and the appeal about it is that it’s ice cold. The adults usually skip going in but the kids love daring each other to jump safely off the sides into the cold water. Sometimes you can see scuba divers practicing here. There is no cost since it’s in a public park.
3. Slide Rock in Sedona, Arizona. This is a beautiful river area in the red rock canyons of Arizona. It does cost a modest entrance fee and the hotels in the area aren’t cheap. However, it’s a lot cheaper than going to a famous water park and the natural rock slides here are a lot more fun for everyone! There are also great hiking trails for the whole family as well as some historic markers to check out.
4. Salt River in Mesa, Arizona. The top activity to enjoy here is tubing down the river. Wouldn’t you rather create memories of that with your kids than memories of sliding down water tubes at a pricey park? I sure would!
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