Seven Best Waterparks Near St Ignace, Michigan

Discovering a true Waterpark in Northern Michigan is challenging! Brave souls invested fortunes to overcome extended winter weather, expensive constructions costs, and challenging seasonal employment conditions in our rugged climate. Cash in on the attempts to lure tourists poolside. There's even an exhilarating outdoor park with heated water and outside rides during the extended summer season. Join me for a day in the water in my neighborhood.

1.The Great Wolf Lodge of Traverse City and 2. Michigan's Adventure of Muskegon are the two most popular, well-known resorts in Michigan. The Great Wolf Lodge offers a variety of slides, lazy river, a tree house fort, as well as games, arcades and an outdoor pool in season. Some adults find it hard to sleep with all the activity in the hallways, but kids usually love the variety of adventure. This Waterpark is reserved for hotel guests, and the Lodge rates hover around $400 for suites at this all-inclusive resort. Try booking in the off season and look for special deals and midweek rates. Currently, they're offering rooms as low as $129 for certain times in April. Michigan's adventure is also crowded and can be expensive. Day passes are $26 or two days for $46; however, extras include parking at $12 and The RipCord Flyer at $30. Reduce pricing by half if you can group three people together. My son and his cousins loved the variety of choices and we had a hard time dragging them away at the end of the afternoon. The Waterpark opens Memorial Day and finishes operations on Labor Day weekend.

3. Avalanche Bay of Boyne Mountain Resorts. This resort is newer and about an hour's drive from our home in St. Ignace. The facilities are comparable in price to the Great Wolf Lodge; however, you can use the Waterpark without being a guest of the resort. Save money with their Spring Break Special in March and April, with an all-inclusive price just above $150. Staying at the resort may save you $4 off admission; sometimes, the passes are included free. Half day passes shave about $10 off the price at peak periods. Book midweek and off season for the best deal. Be sure to check out their specials for cut-rate deals in the off season. We enjoyed the lazy river, slides, and a simulated surf wave. There's an activity pool and 800 gallon "Water Dump" at the "Splasher Horn" facility.

4. The Otsego County Sportplex of Gaylord is well worth visiting. This is the most economical stop, at only $3 per swimmer or $10 for family passes. The large pools are well attended and offer lap swimming, water aerobics, family swim, lifeguard training and even kayak classes! A large slide, fountains, and outside playgrounds are a bit more basic, but you can't beat their pricing and enthusiasm.

5. Comfort Suites of Houghton Lake is a top choice for younger kids and adults. We scheduled our son's 10th birthday party, meeting some downstate friends at this location. The Hotel offers outstanding deals on rooms. With 10 kids in our group, we got a great deal for the cost of two rooms. The Waterpark includes slides, a lazy river, and hot tubs, as well as regular pool facilities. The place was clean, service attentive, and staff friendly and helpful. They provided a room and dishes for our birthday cake, without any extra charge. The kids and adults had a fantastic weekend. Check for midweek specials and group rates to save money.

6. The Bridge Vista Beach Hotel & Conference Center of Mackinaw City. This is the newest indoor Waterpark closest to the Mackinac Straits area. Newly sided this past winter, the rustic lodge exterior is attractive and inviting. The hotel offers several water slides, including two challenging 3-story water slides, a lazy river, another 500 gallon splash tower, extra large spas and regular pool facilities. At this point, the resort remains open on an extended seasonal basis only.

7. Thunder Falls Water Park of Mackinaw City. Thunder Falls is the most popular Straits Area outdoor Waterpark, located just over the south end of the Mackinac Bridge in Mackinaw City, Michigan. We use the facility to entertain summer visitors, and passes cost about $25 per person. Special rates are available. Smart shoppers can cut almost $10 off the daily rate with evening passes, and second day returns are half price. The best bet for frequent visitors is a season pass for $99, with a family rate for four earning the equivalent of one free pass. Thunder Falls never fails to please adults and children alike with several different levels of water slides and extra activities like the lazy river, surf pool, and rock climbing. The Park is well-staffed and clean, although food can be expensive. You'll notice many employees from Russia and Eastern Europe, due to cost factors and lack of local applicants. These employees are unusually well-trained and efficient, although some local workers are concerned about lost jobs and lower wages.

Although I included the first two Water Parks from farther downstate, I've tried to emphasize the five "local" venues. Other cities might offer Waterparks within the city limits; however, our remote location requires a bit more driving. These day-trips or overnight hotels are worth the extra effort, and many can be used on rainy days. Swimming offers a great physical alternative to vacation travel. As an added benefit, your kids and you will be clean and showered, ready for bed after a full day's activity. Have fun at the Water Parks!

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