Last week we had the fun filled opportunity to travel to Ohio with 3 of our teenage nephews and a neighbor boy who is just like a nephew to us. The boys range in age from 14 to 15. We were super excited to take them to the Kalahari Resort featuring the Kalahari Waterpark and Safari Outdoor Adventure Park for the day. We had checked out the website and had a feeling we were all going to love the experience, but we did not say too much to them about it until the night before. When we showed them the park’s features online and let them watch the Kalahari videos, they were super excited!
We arrived at the resort around 10:00am; it was super easy to find right off the highway. Getting our first glimpse of the resort already had us excited because the appearance is lovely. We picked up our tickets, parked our car and walked across the bridge into the resort. There were ducks and swans swimming in the water under the bridge, which was landscaped very nicely. Every staff member we met was friendly and helpful.
We decided that we would try the Safari Outdoor Adventure Park first so we stopped off at the Water Park and rented a locker. We really recommend renting the locker because it eliminates you having to lug around your swimsuits and flip flops while you explore the other areas. The cost for the locker was $15, but $9 of that is refunded when you return the locker key at the end of the day.
Luckily we had read that you needed closed toe shoes to participate on the attractions so we all put on our tennis shoes and headed for the amazing Rope Course Sky Trail Explorer.
The line for the attraction was short, and within minutes we were getting fitted for our harnesses:
Once fitted and secured we were free to move all around the course. It was challenging, but so much fun. One of the things we really liked was that you could spend as much time as you wanted on the course. The boys took full advantage of that!
Once we were finished on the course we went down the zip line and climbed the rock wall. All of these activities were included in the price, and you could go on them as many times as you wanted to.
Also included with the pass is the Kalahari Safari Animal Park. This is located right near the Adventure Park and after all that activity it was a pleasant change of pace to walk through the Animal Park. It is indoors so it was a nice escape from the sun too. At the park you can pet quite a few different animals, as well as feed them. The cost of the food is not included in the admission (like most other zoos, it is an additional fee). You can also get up close and personal with a giraffe! Here is Kelli watching as another family gets their photo taken with the giraffe:
When you enter the Animal Park you can pay $2 for a seed covered popsicle stick that you can use to feed the parakeets. We highly recommend this! The birds are so much fun to interact with and the $2 stick lasts for a really long time!
We all really liked this part of the Animal Park.
Once we had finished we decided it was time to hit the water park. Kalahari has an extensive outdoor pool area with many different sections that cater to people of all ages. Since it was fairly hot that day we decided to seek cooler fun at the Indoor Waterpark. Oh my gosh! It did not disappoint. We retrieved our suits from the locker and went to change in the clean changing rooms. Another benefit to the locker is that you can go in and out of it all day long, which we did!
Since the boys are teenagers we felt comfortable giving them their independence in the park. We told them they could explore the many slides, rides and fun areas; they were gone in an instant!
Kelli spent a lot of time lounging in the Lazy River. Jim joined in with the boys as they tried the different slides and rides. All the boys loved, loved, loved the Flowrider:
At the Flowrider 50,000 gallons of water each minute flow under you to create a five-foot ocean-like wave. As soon as they caught of glimpse of this exciting attraction they were ready to try their boogie boarding skills! While we watched we were really impressed with the interaction between the employees and the riders. They were very helpful and encouraging to each rider, no matter their skill level. The attraction was very safe and well controlled. We lost count of how many times they rode the Flowrider – but it was easily their favorite thing to do.
What was really apparent to us while visiting the water park was the number of different play areas for kids of all ages. We spotted several areas geared towards small children with fun fountains, swings to ride and things to climb up on. It really did not matter the age of the person visiting the park, there was something for everyone to do. Also inside the park are numerous spots to grab a bite to eat or drink. Seating areas are ample, so if just people watching is more your style then you will have plenty of spots to do that!
After we were finished with our fun filled day at Kalahari Resort we went to Java Manjaro inside the resort for a bite to eat. Their prices were fair, and they had a nice variety of quick things to eat. Most of the boys went with the mozzarella sticks ($5.99). We split a made to order loaded nacho which was very filling (you can have it loaded up with anything you wish from their selections, and the portions are not skimpy). One of the boys opted for the create your own salad which at $9.99 rivaled any restaurant salad we have seen. It was big – and again you could pick and choose which toppings you wanted on the salad.
The time we spent at Kalahari created memories that will last a lifetime. We highly recommend a visit if you are in the Sandusky, Ohio area. We know we are anxious to return!
Disclosure: We received free passes to the Kalahari Water Park and the Safari Outdoor Adventure Park during our trip to Ohio, to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are 100% our own based on our family’s personal experience.
