Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort Review

The Travel Channel rates Schlitterbahn as "The number 1 waterpark in America". Having been there several times, I see why. It's an INCREDIBLE water playground for kids of all ages, it has an IMMENSE variety of water attractions, from gentle pools for the smallest kids to big, high-velocity blaster rides that shoot a person up a jet of high pressure water. There's a surfing simulator, wave pools, water slides, and of course, the whitewater tubing rides. I can't imagine any fan of water parks getting tired of all the rides and pools they can experience at Schlitterbahn.

I think the Master Blaster is the ride that's going to give the biggest adrenaline rush to the thrill seekers though their Boogie Bahn is probably the coolest innovation in the history of water parks. I like that there's attractions that are obviously oriented towards teens and adults, but there's also things that are extremely family friendly. I love the Family Blaster, which let's Dad bring the little guys onto a tube contraption that then shoots up on a jet of water just like the big blaster rides. You can't bring little kids on the Master Blaster, but with Family Blaster, they can at least get a taste of water jet power.

There's several innter tube rides and a couple of them are a bit rough for the little kids. I appreciate that Schlitterbahn provides special kid inner tubes that make it practical to take toddlers on the gentler tube rivers --- I wouldn't think of putting a non-swimmer on one of the slick black tubes that the bigger kids and adults use.

Schlitterbahn is VERY family friendly. Their pricing is straightforward and they do NOT charge for parking (that's almost as refreshing as the cool waters of the Comal River). They also have huge picnic areas, and families are welcome to bring a cooler and a picnic basket into the park. I recommend getting there early, staking out a good table someplace, and then making that a sort of "home base" and letting the older kids go do whatever attractions interest them most, having some set times to regroup for meals and safety checks. (If you wanted to make several days of it, there's also a small hotel on-site with rooms INSIDE the park....talk about great location!)

The one and ONLY thing I don't care for at Schlitterbahn is the way the park is split in two. As it's grown over the years, it's been bursting at the seams of its original location. So, a few years ago, they built another huge water park area just a few blocks away from the original. Now, they're designated "Schlitterbahn East" and "Schlitterbahn West". It's just one admission ticket for both, and you can go back and forth all you want, but they are several blocks apart and you need to take a tram to shuttle between the parks. It's somewhat annoying to me, but I do appreciate all the new, state-of-the-art water rides over in the new part of the park.

Schlitterbahn is an excellent water park. Definitely one of the largest in the United States, and a place with a natural, wholesome feeling and a TON of great water rides that appeal to every kid in the family. It's a real winner!