Avalanche Bay Waterpark

At 88,000 square feet, Avalanche Bay is the largest indoor waterpark in Michigan offering huge amounts of water fun for every age. Centrally located at the heart of Boyne Mountain Resort, this wet and wild waterpark is always 84 degrees and open all year ‘round, making it the perfect destination for a vacation or just a day trip. Avalanche Bay Waterpark is the Midwest’s premier indoor water! Are you searching for crazy family fun?! Well, you’ve just found it! Avalanche Bay Waterpark is located at 1 Boyne Mountain Road in Boyne Falls, Michigan! For more information, click here.

Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark

Timber Ridge Lodge at Grand Geneva is the only all-season, all-suite resort of its kind in the Midwest. This 50,000 square foot water-park offers year-round fun for all ages. USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards just listed Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark one of the Top 10 Best Indoor Water-parks in the country! This gorgeous water-park resort is located at 7020 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, in Wisconsin. For more information, click here.

Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park

The Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park is part of the Margaritaville  Lake Resort at the beautiful Lake Of The Ozarks. The resort has a nice variety of activities and accommodations available.  There are also numerous  restaurants on-site, including the world famous Land Shark Bar & Grill! Nestled amid the rolling hills of Central Missouri, the area has long been known as the premier vacation destination in America’s Heartland. Enjoy fun and excitement at Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park, featuring 600 feet of water slides, an activity pool, an over-sized whirlpool, and a lazy river for tubing, and floating. This indoor water-park is open year round and is a perfect vacation destination! Jolly Mon Indoor Water Park is located at 494 Tan Tar A Drive, in Osage Beach, Missouri. For more information, click here.

Big Splash Water-Park

Big Splash Adventure Indoor Water-Park and Resort is a 40,000 square foot indoor water park with retractable roof! You’ll create unforgettable memories zipping down the Jolly Roger Jetty water slide, plunging down Pirate’s Plunder and into the famous “toilet bowl”, splashing and playing basketball in the Lost Treasure Lagoon, or simply relaxing on the Lost River at Big Splash Adventure. Make the most of your family time together at French Lick’s biggest and best indoor water park located in Southern Indiana. Big Splash Water-Park is located at 8524 W. St. Rd. 56 in French Lick, Indiana. For more information, click here.

Grand Harbor Resort and Water-park

Play year-round and get wet and wild in the 25,000 square foot indoor water-park that offers a variety of rides and attractions for teenagers, kids, pint-sized toddlers and the young at heart. The waterpark is loaded with fun, including: waterslides, tube rides, rope ladders, the lazy river, the activity pools and two giant hot tub whirlpools offers fantastic fun for the whole family. Grand Harbor Resort is located at 350 Bell Street, in Dubuque, Iowa. on the Wisconsin and Illinois Borders. For more information, click here.

WaTiki Indoor Water-Park Resort

With more than 30,000 square feet of indoor water fun, WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort offers excitement for the whole family, 365 days a year.  Located in Rapids City South Dakota, this resort is the hidden gem of the Midwest’s Indoor waterparks! From Koko’s Kingdom water adventures to Maui’s Body Slide or the relaxing Oasis Hot Tub, there’s something for everyone.WaTiki Indoor Water-Park Resort is located at 1314 North Elk Vale Road in Rapid City South Dakota. For more information, or to purchase tickets click here.

Great Wolf Lodge

Located near Cincinnati and Indianapolis, IN, this gorgeous resort offers indoor water park fun and exciting land attractions for the entire family. Along with the water park’s 13 slides and eight pools, your stay includes kid-friendly activities, dining options, and more — all under one roof. Of course the main attraction is the world class indoor water-park.  With 13 slides and 8 different pools this is the perfect place for guests of all ages. There is even an incredible lazy river, and you can rent your own personal cabana. When it comes to family fun, Great Wolf Lodge in Mason Ohio has you covered! For more information, click here. Great Wolf Lodge is located at 2501 Great Wolf Dr, in Mason Ohio.

Grand Bear Resort

Discover a magical family getaway just beyond the glow of Chicago at Starved Rock’s own Grand Bear Resort. Nestled in this gorgeous natural area of Illinois, Grand Bear Resort offers an oasis of relaxation and adventure – a destination where water-park fun meets nature! A truly unforgettable place to unwind, play, meet, dine and explore with family and friends. Grand Bear Resort is an oasis of relaxation and adventure where water park fun meets natural wonder! Featuring 24,000 sq.ft. indoor water-park, mini-golf, arcade, 4 cafe/restaurant/bars, banquet hall & party suites just steps from Starved Rock State Park. Grand Bear Resort is located at 2643 IL-178, North in Utica, Illinois. For more information, click here.

Grand Country Resort

Grand Country Resort has partnered with Splash Country Indoor Waterpark to offer all Grand Country Resort guests unlimited free access to the waterpark for the duration of your stay. Splash Country Indoor Waterpark has DOUBLED in size with the addition of a 5,000 square feet wave pool, two racing raft rides, an extra thrill dark raft ride, and a new basketball activity pool. Splash Country waterpark offers fun year-round, with an interactive outdoor playground for the Summer months and a climate controlled indoor waterpark (warm in the Winter, cool in the Summer) featuring 12 water filled attractions, from a relaxing lazy river to an action packed treehouse with a 1,000 gallon tipping bucket. When it comes to amazing places to stay in Branson Missouri, there is no shortage of amazing lodging options available. With so many options available, it may not be easy to decide.  Well, Grand Country Resort  is one place you need to consider.  Grand Country Resort is located at 1945 W 76 Country BLVD in Branson Missouri. For more information, or to reserve a room, click here.

Wilderness Resort

Wilderness Resort is a massive, family-oriented resort in the Wisconsin Dells. The resort is the largest waterpark resort in the state and has four outdoor and four indoor water parks that are available exclusively to resort guests. The parks include a Wild West themed park, an indoor wave pool and an adrenaline-pumping tubing slide. Other exciting resort activities include miniature golf, indoor go-carts, bumper boats, laser tag and zip-lining. Accommodations include rustic-themed but upscale hotel rooms as well as well-furnished condos, villas and cabins providing options for a wide range of budgets and preferences. Several cafes, restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores are located on-site and provide fantastic options for dining and shopping during your stay. For more information, click here. Wilderness Resort is located at 511 E Adams, in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

With its breathtaking natural beauty and unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation, a trip to Giant City State Park near Carbondale is sure to delight visitors of all ages. From camping and horseback riding to fishing and rappelling, it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise. Giant City State Park is located at 235 Giant City Road in Makanda Illinois. For more information, click here.

Visitors will marvel at the many hiking trails. One of the most popular trails within the park is the Trillium Trail. The Trillium Trail is known for its towering bluffs, unique plant life, and dramatic rock formations. The trail also offers numerous scenic views.

Each season on Trillium Trail offers something different. In winter, many of the bluffs become visible and unique ice
formations appear. In the spring, enjoy wildflowers and breathtaking waterfalls. Summer brings lush green vegetation and cool blasts of air from between the rocks. The fall delivers bright colors of leaves visible from the bluffs.

The Trillium Trail is 2 miles in length and is considered rugged, due to its elevation changes and rocky surface. The trail takes about an hour to complete!

The trail takes guests through a nature preserve known as Fern Rocks Nature Preserve. The preserve is 110 acres of bluffs and forest that is designated as very high quality. In particular, the primary objectives of preserving this area were to protect the sandstone bluff and forest communities; and to protect two Illinois-endangered plant species.

The Trillium Trail is one of my favorite trails I have hiked however it can be dangerous as well. Be careful-steep cliffs are dangerous and sandstone can be slippery. Please stay on designated trails. Poison ivy exists on this trail. Copperhead snakes (venomous) hibernate in the sandstone bluffs.

The sandstone bluffs along the trail towering 80-100 feet above the forest floor are judged by geologists to be Pennsylvania era or around 250 million years old. The uplift, cracking, and crumpling of the Earth over millions of years formed the bluffs. Iron that occurred in the groundwater before the sand hardened formed deposits in the sandstone.

The trail is incredible and is one of the best in the area. This two mile stretch is loaded with bluffs, rock out croppings,  and even a few caves! My favorite part of this trail is that its less trafficked compared to some of the other more popular trails. During my time on the trail I only saw one other person.

Other trails worth visiting are the Giant City Nature Trail, The Devil’s SandTable Trail, and the Stone Fort Trail. All of these deserve a visit and offer stunning sites within the park.

If your looking for nearby lodging, click here. If you want to find more hidden gems nearby, click here. For the areas best family activities, click here.

Trukee’s Cabins and Canoe Rentals is providing a one of a kind float trip experience on the beautiful 11 Point River in Arkansas. Trukee’s is located at 7060 US-62, in Pocahontas, Arkansas. For more information or to book your next adventure, click here.

The section of river surrounding Pocahontas is perfect for float trips. There is just enough current to keep you moving but not so much that it becomes dangerous. This is a trip the whole family can enjoy.

My favorite part of kayaking here, was the lack of traffic on the river. So often on rivers like this, there are hundreds of other people out fishing, boating, or enjoying the float trip. During my trip, I was the only one on the river. This was a welcomed change from my trips on the Current and Meramec Rivers.

Trukee’s is currently offering 4 different float trips. So they have something for everyone! The first trip is the Cruiser, this is a 4 mile float that takes between two and four hours! The second is the Day Trip, this is a 10 mile float and takes 5-7 hours.

The more experienced kayaker may enjoy the Long Haul which is a 14 mile float trip that takes between 8-10 hours. For those wanting to test their limits and spend the entire day on the river, they offer the Long Haul Plus, this is a 20 mile trip that last 9 to 11 hours!

With such a beautiful setting and so much adventure to be enjoyed, I suggest booking on of the cabins or even a campsite and staying for a few days. The cabins are first class all the way and the primitive campground is perfect for those who enjoy the great outdoors. My personal favorite cabins are the Hilltop Luxe Cabin and The Shanty. If you are staying in one of the cabins or at the RV Park, Trukees will pick you up at your rental and let you float back! This is a super cool feature, that you don’t find every where.

Planning a date night? Trukee’s currently offers a date night special, that includes dinner and a float trip. They provide full shuttle service. They also have a private beach and pavilion that is available for rent. Just imagine a Saturday with your own private beach!

All an all I really can’t say enough good things about Trukee’s. This is a top notch destination every way you look at it. From the cabins to the float trips, to the customer service and the clean grounds. Everything you could hope for is right here at Trukees.

For more of the best family activities in the area, click here. For the best parks and amazing locations, click here. For Arkansas best lodging and campgrounds, click here.

With its breathtaking natural beauty and unlimited opportunities for outdoor recreation, a trip to Giant City State Park near Carbondale is sure to delight visitors of all ages. From camping and horseback riding to fishing and rappelling, it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise. Giant City State Park is located at 235 Giant City Road in Makanda Illinois. For more information, click here.

Visitors will marvel at the many hiking trails. Especially popular is the Devil’s StandTable Trail, home of huge sandstone bluffs and unique rock formations. The rock formations found on this trail date back more than 12,000 years.

The Devil’s StandTable Trail is a relatively short hiking trail, checking in at just 1/4 of a mile. However don’t let its size fool you. The Devil’s StandTable is a fantastic hike brimming with caves, overhangs, bluffs and some of the strangest rock formations in the Midwest. This epic trail is just around the corner from the Giant City Nature Trail, you can easily do both of them in one afternoon.

The Devil’s Standtable Trail leads to a unique geologic formation that has dominated the bluff line landscape here for thousands of years. Called by many “the mushroom rock,” this large free-standing pillar of sandstone must have seemed more like a pulpit for the devil to many local folks. Their name for it has stuck, and it remains one of the most interesting geologic features of Giant City State Park.

The immense rock shelter overhang formed because the softer sandstone in the lower part of the bluff eroded faster than the iron or permeated upper layers, forming a ledge, giving protection to the areas below. Prehistoric Native Americans used these caves as homes and, evidence of their activities can be found along the drip line of the bluffs. Small pieces of “chert” or “flint,” the byproducts of tool making, washes out of the ground where water drips from the bluff during rainfall.

As a word of warning the Devil’s StandTable Trail is a rugged hike and caution needs to be taken. Be careful-steep cliffs are dangerous and sandstone can be slippery. Please stay on designated trails. Poison ivy exists on this trail. Copperhead snakes (venomous) hibernate in the sandstone bluffs.

Other trails worth visiting are the Giant City Nature Trail, The Trillium Trail, and the Stone Fort Trail. All of these deserve a visit and offer stunning sites within the park.

If your looking for nearby lodging, click here. If you want to find more hidden gems nearby, click here. For the areas best family activities, click here.

Whitewater Rafting in Jackson Hole

The custom made, state of the art Aire rafts can hold up to 16 people with seats for all types of rafters in this boat. As a lead paddler you can sit in front and meet the waves head-on, or you can sit toward the back next to the guide, enjoy the canyon scenery and not get as wet. With seats in the raft for all preferences, families and groups can’t go wrong with this ride. This is also a great raft for kids, giving them the option to sit in back and get use to the river or getting soaked by sitting in the front and being the “hood ornament” as you go through the waves (a great picture for the Christmas card!). Either way, with the kids sitting in the middle flanked by paddles on each side, they have the most secure spot in the raft. Enjoy views of cliffs, large canyon walls and mountain peaks in the Bridger Teton National Forest in Wyoming as you float. Guided whitewater rafting adventure, Paddle over class II and III rapids. Prepare to get wet! This tour takes about 4 hours and costs $105. For more information or to book your trip, click here.

French Broad Gorge Whitewater Rafting

One of the country’s favorite rafting rivers, experiencing Asheville’s French Broad River is a paddler’s rite of passage. On this guided tour, you’ll raft through four miles of Class II and III rapids, stopping for river dips, taking in the views of the surrounding Pisgah National Forest, and eventually ending with an Asheville tradition: a cold, local craft beer. Easy transfers to and from the French Broad River Life jacket, paddle, and helmet provided. Spend two hours navigating whitewater, rafting through the forest, even stopping for a swim. End your journey with a complimentary cold one! This tour takes about 4 hours and cost $69. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

Ocoee River Rafting Adventure Tour

Get a new perspective on Chattanooga Tennessee with a rafting adventure tour on the Middle Ocoee River. After a safety demonstration, set off on a white water rafting excursion through the scenic Cherokee National Forest. Experience class III and IV rapids as you descend the river gorge. Paddle through the rapids during this exhilarating river adventure. Go white water rafting in the Cherokee National Forest Paddle through rapids on the Middle Ocoee River. Experience the thrill of class III and IV rapids. Explore beyond Chattanooga to see the region’s natural beauty.  This tour takes about 3 hours and costs $55. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

Half Day Whitewater Rafting Trip

Take to the water for an adrenaline-fuelled white-water rafting excursion in the Glacier National Park. Paddle along the Middle Fork of the Flathead River, enjoy a thrilling 8-mile (13-kilometer) route including Class II and II rapids, and admire stunning views of the John Stevens Canyon and the surrounding Glacier National Park. Magnificent views of the Glacier National Park from the water Fun white-water rafting excursion with up to 3.5 hours on the water Tackle Class II and II rapids, including the ‘Bone Crusher’ No experience necessary: full instruction and equipment provided. This trip lasts about 2 and a half hours and costs $80.92. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

The Best Whitewater Rafting

Rafting on the Upper Pigeon River in Tennessee gives you a lasting adrenaline rush without leaving anyone out. First-time white-water rafters and kids 8 and up are welcome to join in on the fun—your guide makes sure you’re taken care of as you get soaked powering over Class III to IV rapids. Upper Pigeon River white-water rafting trip Bring excitement into your day as you handle class III to IV rapids Guide handles tricky navigation so first-time rafters can relax Equipment included: helmets and life jackets get you ready for anything.  This tour takes 2 hours and costs $45.85. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

Bighorn Sheep Canyon Half-Day Rafting

Paddle down the scenic Arkansas River on a half-day rafting adventure through Colorado’s Bighorn Sheep Canyon. Navigate class II and II whitewater rapids with an expert guide, and soak up the beauty of the surrounding high desert landscape, home to an abundance of native wildlife. It’s a great way for families and first-timers to experience one of Colorado’s favorite—and wettest!—outdoor adventure sports. Rafting trip down Bighorn Sheep Canyon Navigate thrilling class II and II whitewater rapids Stop to swim in calm river pools Be surrounded by the beauty of southern Colorado’s high desert landscape Look for wild bighorn sheep and other native wildlife Great adventure for beginning rafters and families with children No experience necessary. This tour takes 3 hours and costs $84. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

Browns Canyon National Monument Whitewater Rafting

Explore Browns Canyon National Monument in Colorado in a thrilling way during this whitewater rafting excursion. A professional guide will lead you through the Arkansas River, as you drift through calm waters and tackle Class III-IV rapids. All skill levels will find that this activity is both fun and manageable no matter your experience with whitewater rafting. Keep your eyes off the water as well; wildlife, dazzling granite rock formations, and mountainous peaks might make an appearance. Raft down Class III and IV rapids on the Arkansas River See a unique view of Browns Canyon National Monument from the water Purchase professional photos of your rafting experience This guided activity is appropriate for all skill levels. This tour lasts 5 hours and costs $95. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

Deschutes River Rafting

Crash through the rapids on a whitewater rafting trip with your friends or family. This Deschutes River tour in Oregon is an exhilarating full day adventure. Enjoy exciting rapids, deep canyons, placid pools, and a delicious barbecue lunch. No prior experience is necessary; professional guides support you every step of the way. Enjoy the excitement of rafting the rapids and swimming in clear pools Marvel at the wild and scenic Deschutes River Eat a filling lunch of barbecue, fruits, and vegetables Make memories when you purchase photos of the day’s adventures (your expense) This tour lasts 3 hours and 30 minutes and costs $75. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

White-water Rafting Adventure on the Menominee River

Paddle the Menominee River on a white-water rafting trip that includes two exciting runs through the Piers Gorge rapids. A mix of flat water and more adventurous Class IV rapids makes this Menominee River white water rafting trip a good fit for families with all ages and experience levels, with a river guide to steer the raft through waves, holes, and ripples. Two runs through Piers Gorge mean even more whitewater Pass towering cliffs on the Michigan–Wisconsin border Group size limited to eight people for personal service Convenient shuttle service cuts down on time in the car. This tour lasts 3 hours and costs $58. For more information or to book this trip, click here.

Lower New River Whitewater Rafting Trip

Navigate a mix of whitewater rapids and lazy stretches of river during this half-day guided rafting experience in West Virginia. Work as a team to maintain balance and steer. Listen to stories about the area’s natural scenery and coal mining towns. A boxed picnic lunch by the river is included, plus free time to swim, float, or jump off rocks. A half-day guided whitewater rafting excursion in West Virginia with boxed lunch Safety instructions and equipment is included, plus transportation to the river site Float and paddle down the New River—a mix of adventure and stunning scenery Enjoy a tasty deli-style lunch on the riverbank, with time to swim and relax. This trip lasts 5 hours and costs $130.77. For more information or to book this trip, click here.