Kalahari Waterpark, Sandusky, OH

After out night at Castaway Bay we headed over to Kalahari Waterpark to meet my in-laws and brother-in-law. Kalahari Waterpark is the best indoor waterpark I have ever been too. We've been to Kalahari numerous times over the years since they opened and they just keep getting better. The indoor waterpark is huge and has some many different activities for guest of ever age to participate in. They have 19 attractions and rides that everyone in the family can enjoy. 

This was the first time we've went with a toddler so it was a little different than all the other times we have been. I spent most of my time in the new area for toddlers called Coral Cove. They have a kids play area, two slides, mini basketball hoops, and bouncers. Lexi had such a fun time in this area especially because she could stand up and walk around in the water. She loved the musical fish they have near the back as well as the bubbles that were shooting up around that same area. She also rode the two slides and had more fun than I thought. The bouncers she wasn't crazy about because they are so far out of the water and the basketball hoop she doesn't quite get yet, but she did love the balls.

We also spent some time in the Shooting Star area, which is just a bunch of basketball hoops and open water space. We stayed away from the basketball hoops and more towards the open water. It's deeper so Lexi enjoyed floating in her life jacket and practicing swimming. The Wave Pool is also lots of fun and Lexi enjoyed that just like at Castaway Bay. We stayed near the back as it was super crowded and the waves aren't as big, but Lexi still had a great time. She loved the ocean so I think this reminded her of the waves plus she is a little daredevil and loves adventure.

We were able to visit my favorite ride at Kalahari, which is the Lazy River. It's 920 feet of relaxation. I was surprised at how much Lexi liked it as she had to ride on my lap, but she stayed there and just looked around at the paintings on the wall and all the waterfalls. This was the only place I had major complaints about the weekend and it was just because it was so busy. I found it rather annoying that the teenagers would try to push their way through instead of float and that the life guards did nothing about it. If I didn't have my daughter with me I wouldn't have cared, but it made me more nervous that they could have bumped into us and made her fall down.

My husband and I were able to sneak away when Lexi was napping with Grandma Sally for a little bit and ride the Lazy Ride ourselves and go to the adult hot tub. It was a Saturday evening with playoff NFL football on so the adult hot tub was packed, but it was still nice to grab a drink at the swim-up bar and have a little alone time since we don't get that often anymore. 

With it being January in Ohio the outdoor waterpark and Safari Outdoor Adventure Park were closed so I cannot comment on those. Now as for the hotel itself Kalahari is really nice and probably one of the best hotels I've stayed in. I've been in three different types of rooms and even though the suites are ridiculously expensive if you can swing it that is the way to go. We were in a three room suite with a living room and kitchen area. The main suite had a King bed and a whirlpool tub. The two side rooms featured two queen beds and their own bathrooms. The suite also featured a fireplace, which was really nice to have in January. I think the suite would be even better in the summer when you can use the patio portion. I will say that the walk to the suite was really far from the check-in desk and I had wish they would have told us about the closer entrance so we could have drove over instead of walking with tons of stuff and a baby. 

We typically don't eat onsite but this time we did for convenience. We had lunch before we checked in so we had dinner at The Reserve Restaurant. The menu features just an array of food from burgers to stir-fry's and even prime rib. The portions are huge and you will definitely be glad for the refrigerator in your room for the leftovers. The food itself was really good. I had a chicken stir-fry with brown rice and it was amazing. My husband had a burger and said it was really juicing and seasoned well. My in-laws both got pasta and enjoyed their meal as did my brother-in-law who got a sandwich of sort and was impressed with how good it was. As far as price it's actually similar to all the other restaurants in the area but more convenient. 

Overall we had a really good time at Kalahari with the family and would go back in a heartbeat if prices weren't so high to get into the waterpark or stay at the resort. I'd definitely recommend going during the week if possible just to avoid the crazy crowds on the weekends. 

I would love to hear from you all about what are some of your favorite things to do to beat the winter blues??

Until next time....

Amanda