WCCO Viewers' Choice For Best Waterpark In Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - This time of year, we'll do anything to stay warm.
But there's a place you can go for a taste of the tropics. You voted Water Park of America the best in Minnesota.
"It's about an 80,000 square foot indoor water park, and it's indoors: That's the best part," said general manager Blake Ford. "That means every single day is 80 degrees and sunny."
"It's very nice," said one mother of four. "Our options are limited with little kids, so this is really nice and fun."
Every year, 300,000 people come through their doors to get wet and wild.
"Everything is themed off of Minnesota," Ford said. "So everything that we have here is named or designed based off of something part of Minnesota, so you get a true Minnesota experience when you come to the waterpark."
You can play basketball or hop the lily pads in the Lake of the Woods activity pool, or climb the Eagle's Nest to go down one of three types of waterslides.
"You start on the tenth floor," Ford said. "You'll go all the way outside, then you come all the way back inside, then you go outside again and then you land on the first floor. The water warms it up for us."
And then there's the hottest spot of all: the Cascade Falls FlowRider.
"It is a signature attraction for the park," Ford said. "Basically what you've got there is three motors pumping 60,000 gallons of water across that surface every minute."
It's surfing, Minnesota-style.
Maybe the St. Croix Lazy River is a bit more your speed.
"You've got people who just back in the tubes and aren't doing much," Ford said. "You can just float around for a good 15, 20 minutes."
According to beach bums, it's worth the drive.
Folks from all over the state make the trek for some family fun.
"Some people make it a vacation for two, three, four, five days, and we love to have them here," Ford said.
Water Park of America is open Thursday through Sunday in the winter, and seven days a week in the summer. They will be open all of March for spring breaks.