Unless you live within a couple of hours of Evansville, Indiana, chances are high that you’ve never heard of Holiday World. In my conversations with various people over the years, not many have. But if you’re looking to take a not-too-long road trip this summer, then I command you to go to Holiday World.We first went in 2009 when a friend mentioned that her two young daughters preferred Holiday World over Disney World.What?After having just made our first trip to Disney World the previous October, we couldn’t imagine preferring any other theme park. But the more we heard, the better it sounded.Holiday World is in Santa Claus, Indiana. It’s not just a theme park, it’s a water park, too. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari. It’s recognized as the first-ever theme park, opening as Santa Claus Land in 1946. It’s still owned and operated by the same family that started it. They keep putting money into the park and introduce new attractions each year, so there’s always something new to experience.When I tell people about Holiday World I inevitably begin listing all the reasons why we enjoy it so much. Such as:Thunderbird: A steel rollercoaster that propels you from 0-60 in like 3 seconds, and loops you upside down three or four times. And it’s the smoothest coaster you’ve ever been on.Mayflower: It’s a boat that swings back and forth like a pendulum. Looks rather tame. Until you sit in the back and feel your stomach churn at the moment of weightlessness, and wonder whether you’re going to plummet out of the boat as your body seems parallel to the ground.Splashin’ Safari: The water park section of the park. And don’t think this is just as couple of water slides. No. Water slides, wave pools, lazy rivers, and two of the coolest water rides you’ve ever been on. Which leads me to…Wildebeest: A water coaster. What the heck is a water coaster? I didn’t know either. But it’s a combination water slide and rollercoaster. You’re in a tube that seats four, all facing forward. The tube rides up an incline, like a roller coaster. Then you go over the edge and down the other side, but then special motors shoot you right back up another incline. You do this up and down, twist and turn action numerous times, becoming airborne, passing under waterfalls, and experiencing weightlessness. It. Is. Awesome.Mammoth: Similar to the Wildebeest, but a large tube with six or eight people sitting in a circle. The first time we rode this ride it malfunctioned and we got stuck at the top of an incline and had to be rescued. It was fantastic. It’s operated flawlessly ever since though.Animatronic old lady: There’s a ride called Gobbler Getaway, and in the queue there’s an animatronic old lady telling the story behind the ride. She’s sitting in a rocking chair and petting a cat that’s sitting on her lap. She’s creepy and cute at the same time.Food: Whether it’s a Thanksgiving feast, a reasonably-priced pizza, burgers, or tacos, there’s plenty of good stuff to eat. They’ve even got a chipotle black bean burger that is ridiculously tasty. It does take some extra time if you order the black bean burger though. I don’t think too many vegetarians make their way to Santa Claus.Junk food: Cotton candy. Churros. Deep fried Reese’s peanut butter cups. Dippin’ Dots. It’s a theme park. They’ve gotta have junk food. And they deliver. The red and blue swirl ice cream cones have been a longstanding tradition in our family, and they will not disappoint.Free drinks: Yes, I said free drinks. Every day. All day. And I’m not talking water fountains. No. They have Pepsi machines setup in small kiosks throughout the park. You grab a cup, help yourself to a drink whenever you want. No charge.Free sunscreen: It’s a water park. You’re going to spend hours in the sun. It’s summertime. You have to apply sunscreen to protect yourself. Holiday World makes it easy with sunscreen kiosks with gallon-size containers of sunscreen with a pump attached to the top.Memories: Go to Holiday World. I guarantee if you spend one day there you’ll experience things that you’ll remember forever. You’ll talk about the rides, the water, the food, the grounds, and the people you’re with. And you’ll wonder how you’ve never heard of this place.If I can tell you to do just one thing this summer, then I’m telling you to go to Holiday World. It’s 300 miles from Grant Park, so it’s a bit of a hike, but it’s worth it. It’s reasonably priced, tons of fun, and you’ll wonder how such a fantastic place can exist surrounded by nothing but rural Indiana farmland.I took my kids there this past Sunday, and we’re itching to go back. We’ve got season passes this year for the first time, so we’ll have plenty more days down there. We drove there and back in one day, which I don’t recommend unless you’re a serious fan of road trips.But that’s fine. Because at the end of the day, when you’re leaving Holiday World, you’ll think to yourself, I can’t wait to go back tomorrow!So get there this summer. And if you have any questions about it before you go, e-mail me!Wasn't that well-written and fun to read? You should subscribe to my blog and we'll send you an e-mail every time I write a new one. Type your email address in the box and click the "create subscription" button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
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