Having watched with anticipation as they built this sucker, I was well aware of its location. Can't miss it. Walk in the front gate and keep walking straight (skirting around the big fountain, of course, duh) until you dead end, just past the playground, to the right of the carousel. Pleasant attendants were manning the gates, checking for the obligatory wrist bands, but also watching for runaway young ‘uns. Good to have a second line of defense!
Stepping through the gate, it really is quite a lovely little park. Of course, there’s the huge, colorful splash structure in the center, complete with slides, sprayers, ropes, tunnels, buckets a-dumping, and of course, the massive white gator who dumps the biggest bucket of all—you’re alerted by the sound of a clanging fire alarm--on the delighted kiddos below. But, they’ve also managed to create a lovely park-like feel around the periphery—each section with its own vantage point to keep an eye on the soggy youngsters. There’s a tree-shaded deck filled with tables and chairs, umbrella tables along the back wall, and cabanas in the back corner. Cabanas for, um… napping? Massages? I’m assuming you must bring your own cot and/or masseuse. And if you’re able to block out the clanging, squealing, and whistle blasts enough to enjoy a snooze or spa service, more power to ya.
Be forewarned: while there appears to be a lot of options, seating is actually at a premium. I was there when the park opened, yet by the time I reached the Cool Zoo, I was only able to secure an errant chair – which was all we really needed. But, if you’re in need of room to spread out your picnic, be sure to stake your claim early. If you don't really need the space, let's think of our fellow parents – how ‘bout try not to hog a whole table, only to use it as a mere bag rest, okay? (You know who you are!)
Speaking of picnicking, I’m a cheapskate, so I try to sneak my own food to as many place as possible—the zoo, parks, movie theaters, etc—but I made sure to check out the concessions at the Snack ‘N Splash hut, nonetheless. Not as pricy as I imagined, I must say. $2 for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, $2 for a kid’s drink, and other items like French fries, corndogs, chips/cheetos, candy, ice cream, icees, and such all hovered somewhere between $2-5-ish. They even serve beer and daiquiris! (But mama was rolling solo, so it was a “dry” day at the splash park.) My son and I wound up splitting a $3 order of “beignet fries.” What a concept, right?! He loved them, I found them rather soggy, so we’ll call it a draw.
To be honest, I was not looking forward to unsheathing my pasty, pudgy, middle-aged bod for the masses, and luckily (for me and everyone in attendance), I didn’t have to. It’s actually quite feasible to dodge much of the spray if you’re crafty like me. But I can’t guarantee your precious, carefully pressed khaki pants won’t get soaked by a cheeky five-year-old at the helm of a water cannon. Yes, yes, I talked to my kid about not spraying adults – especially dry ones—but not until after a sour-pussed young mom fell victim. My apology apparently was not sufficient as she never wiped the death-blow of a dirty look off her face. Gimme a break, people. There’s no place for priss in a SPLASH PARK!
Safety-wise, I felt pretty good about the place. It’s not a huge park, so there aren’t too many places for your kid to completely disappear – though the play structure has a full 360-degrees of activity, so it’s impossible to see them 100% of the time, unless you’re physically with them on the slides and such. From what I could tell, there were usually two or so attendants patrolling right up in the middle of the action, in raincoats with parade whistles. And with a crowd the size of this one, there was plenty of whistle-blowing. Nice to have a little safety patrol to calm the wild beasts, I say. It can definitely get a little frenzied on the structure, but there are plenty of calmer, gentler splashing opportunities around the edges, and a separate zone just for the tinies. During a brief chat with another mom, we had differing opinions on the safety of the structure, itself – but she had a shy 3-year-old clinging to her, so yeah -- probably wise to keep the smaller and/or more timid ones out of the fray.
Another nice feature is the fact that, while there are two gates, they are located right next to each other, and a decent distance away from the action, so it’s possible to position yourself between your kid and their only exit route. (If you have a nutty, fearless, never-met-a-stranger child like mine, you know exactly why this is a good thing.) The fact that they are manned gates adds a little more peace of mind.
There are also lockers, family restrooms, and "The Cool Shop," stocked with necessities like towels, sunscreen, flip-flops, t-shirts, towels, hats, swimsuits, sunglasses, etc. Oh, and they sell something called a "Big Squirt" water toy. In case you need yet another liquid trajectory out there.
Overall, I think this place is pretty awesome. I imagine when the temps go through the roof, this joint is really going to be hopping! Maybe Miss Pressed-Pants will enjoy a refreshing little water cannon action by then! (Or not.)
Go here for more information on Audubon's Cool Zoo.
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2 comments:
usually you can get a refill on the kids cups for free twice, so it makes it worth it
good to know! thanks!
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