This past summer I was searching for a perfect birthday gift for my two granddaughters, Lauren and Kaelin. I was bewildered. I’m as skilled at guessing their latest fashion must-haves or the music they consider hot as I am at packing clothes for a month long vacation into a small carry-on. Simply put, it’s not a talent in my skill bank. While suffering the agony of my dilemma I was struck by a bolt of genius. A three day getaway would give the granddaughters a summer break and me a chance to spend some quality time with them.

That brought me to the next daunting challenge: Where to take them? They were different ages (10 and 13), not easy to impress, and our destination had to be within driving distance from their home in Lansing, Michigan. I compiled a list of possibilities: Mackinac Island, Greenfield Village, Cedar Point, King’s Island and Zehnder’s Splash Water Park. The girls went online and considered each of the options before enthusiastically agreeing (a minor miracle in itself) on Splash Village.

The first day at Splash Village two of my granddaughters’ friends, Olivia and Calli, joined us. When the four girls came back from their first rendezvous with the water adventure, they were barely willing to sacrifice enough time to grab lunch before returning for a repeat performance. Over burgers I asked if they were having fun and the accolades were generous. When I pushed them for what they liked best (how else is a travel writer supposed to get the real skinny?) This is what I got:

“The slide. Lots of sharp turns. It was super.” (Calli, age 14)

“I liked the slide too. Okay, but the Lazy River was fun. Kaelin and I sat in our double tube and floated past the mushroom islands and other stuff as we were pushed along. Nice to just lay there and enjoy it.” (Olivia, age 11).

“The Lily Pad Walk. You walk across the lily pads. You can hang on to ropes because the lily pads are slippery. But, if you slip into the water, it’s still fun and you just have to try it again. I made it once – all the way – without hanging on or falling.” (Kaelin, age 10)

“I liked all of those, but I also liked the Dumping Bucket. The bell starts ringing and you have about a minute to rush over and get ready. Then the Bucket dumps all that water on top of you. It’s so much water and it comes down so hard you think you’re going to lose your head.” (Lauren, Age 13.)

So, there you have it. The unadulterated opinions of the experts – kids who enjoyed the experience.

Relaxing on the lazy river 

The first night, after playing in the water until they were shriveled and verged on exhaustion, we bought an ice cream cake and sang Happy Birthday before Calli and Olivia left us. As my granddaughters got ready for bed they talked about getting an early start again the next morning.

For two days they became more and more waterlogged, but on the morning we left they were disappointed there wasn’t time “for one more day” in the water.

This isn’t to suggest we did nothing else while in Frankenmuth. There was time while they were drying out between splashes to visit the 2,000 square foot arcade where their favorite game was the Jumping Jackpot “because it’s not something you find everywhere.” The Ice Ball ranked a close second.

Collecting tickets at the arcade 

We also managed to squeeze in enough time to wander next door to Bronner’s. Because our visit was at 9:00 A.M. on a summer weekday, Lauren and Kaelin were able to pick out ornaments and get them personalized without standing in line.

Our trip would have been incomplete without a Zehnder’s chicken dinner. The girls had never indulged, and since it’s been a tradition for nearly a hundred years I thought it was time to introduce them to the culinary taste delight of Family Style All-You-Can-Eat Chicken Dinners that have drawn visitors from around the world.

That was our three day escape. I recommend it without reservation. If you are looking for the perfect way to keep children of all ages laughing and happy, give Zehnder’s Splash Village a try. It’ll be a great hit for family fun.

The water park closes on certain dates in the fall/winter.

A complete calendar is available on line at 

http://www.zehnders.com/new-site/hotel/water_park.htm

or you can call toll free (800) 863-7999 for hours of operations.

Photos courtesy and copyright Zehnders.

Note: We were given the employee rate for our media visit.