As adults, we sure love vacationing in Montana. After almost a year of working and staying in the city, it’s just so great to finally enjoy some bit of nature and wide-open spaces. It’s literally a breath of fresh air.
The problem is when you vacation in Montana with kids—especially city-raised kids. Sure, outdoor nature activities have their attractions. But kids can really get bored too quickly. Every now and then, they want some thrill that the serenity of nature just can’t offer too frequently.
In other words, the kids want to go to theme parks. They’ve been to places such as Universal Studios, and that means they want their regular fix of theme park rides and attractions.
The good news is that you don’t have to go out of Montana to enjoy a good theme park. Though the state really focuses a lot on its natural attractions, there are still some theme parks here that should keep your kids enthralled.
The Reef Indoor Water Park in Billings
First off, you really do need to take the “Water” in the name seriously. That’s why you’re strongly advised to bring your own towel. If you don’t, then you can still buy towels here, but the prices start at $15. And while you’re at it, make sure you wear water shoes so you get proper traction and you don’t slip and fall all over the place.
This theme park is huge, as it’s as big as an entire football field. The kids sure loved spending time in the Interactive Playhouse, with its 250-gallon water dumping bucket. Then there’s also the 55,000-gallon wave pool.
For the bigger kids over 4 feet tall, there’s the Barracuda Blaster 3-story tube slide for 1 or 2 riders along with the Tropical Twister 3-story body slide for individuals. It’s basically sliding from the rooftop of a 3-story building right into a plunge pool.
The weight limits were generous, though somewhat curious. The Barracuda Blaster weight limit for 2 riders is 600 pounds, while the Tropical Twister weight limit is 350 pounds. That’s curious, since Montana has among the lowest obesity rates in the whole country—all those outdoor activities sure burn off a lot of calories!
For the younger kids under 4 feet tall, there are still 4 smaller slides. There’s also the Shark Shack, arcade games, and a 20-person hot tub for relaxation.
Splash Montana in Missoula
This is another kid-friendly water theme park that’s super-popular during the summer. It’s a great place to hang out all day, and kids sure love hosting their birthday parties here.
First off, you have the 3-story water slides. In fact, you have 3 of these rides to choose from, though you just have to try them all. But there are also spray features and a kiddie Grizzly ride, along with floating play structures.
Adults can also do more traditional swimming in the Olympic-sized pool called “The Lake”, with its 50-meter and 25-yard lap lanes. If that’s too “normal” for you, then you should try just relaxing in the lazy river float-way with a wide river branch.
While the kids are having fun, the adults can take a breather and a meal at the Fireline Grill and the Crazy Creek Café. All in all, it’s a lot of aquatic fun for the kiddies.
Big Sky Water Park in Columbia Falls
The Big Sky Water Park bills itself as the largest waterpark in Montana, and that’s great. Here, you have as many as 10 different water slides to try out.
The most notable include the Big Splash River Ride which makes you feel like you’re riding the wild rapids, along with the 4 body slides (The Twister Slides), which let you twist and turn while sliding down the hill into a 4-foot pool.
And if you’re craving for even more thrills, you have got to try the Geronimo Speed Slide. You’re sure to really reach a great speed, since you’re dropping from 7 stories up! Finally, there’s the unique Shredder Xtreme ride for the whole family.
Other (more sedate) attractions include the Krazy Kars bump cars, Water Wars Balloon Battles, and some miniature golf. And if you’re not afraid of heights, there’s the climbing wall.
Have fun in Montana, and don’t forget the theme parks there!