Being in Michigan, you've probably heard of Kalahari before -- it's the big resort in Sandusky Ohio with the giant indoor water park. It is part of a chain of indoor water parks that started in the Wisconsin Dells, which is actually the birth place of the indoor water park.
"The first person to put slides in a basketball pool in his hotel was busy on the weekends. About 20 years later, the water park industry is now what it is today, and Kalahari Resort is the biggest of all those indoor water parks," says Travis Nelson, part of the Nelson family that owns and operates the Kalahari Resorts.
As its name implies, Kalahari is an African-themed resort that was inspired by the Nelson family's many trips to Africa.
"Africa is the most amazing continent. The food, the people, the culture, the art is just endless, and what we've done has been really authentic. We've traveled to Africa, and we bring back those experiences, that art and proudly display that throughout our resort," says Nelson.
Besides their 174,000 square feet of water park fun, they also have plenty of restaurants to keep you fueled for all that fun. Restaurants include the Great Karoo buffet, which is open for breakfast and dinner, the Ivory Coast, which is a sit-down restaurant that serves all three meals, countless eateries inside the water park to grab a quick bite, and the Candy Hut which serves tasty treats. Their newest addition is the B-Lux Bar and Grill which specializes in burgers and shakes.
For the parents, Kalahari also has a full-service spa with a halotherapy room.
"Halotherapy is salt therapy," explains Kalahari corporate spa director Nikki Severson. "What we have is 10,000 pounds of Himalayan salt in the room. You sit in the room and basically inhale salt that is being expressed into the air from the machine."
They also just brought in a brand-new float experience. It is a pod filled with salt water that allows you to effortlessly float creating a deep sense of relaxation.
However, the place to be this season is their outdoor water park. Kalahari recently opened up a new kids play area called Bug's Burrow, which has a variety of slides for kids to play on. For the adventurous members of your family, there is also a structure with five new thrilling slides that they opened just last year.
With a high ropes course and an arcade as well, Kalahari really does have something for everyone.
"The Kalahari resort is really our family. We love it, we love our associates, we love our guests, and as a family, all we do is try to create great family experiences for others," says Nelson.
To see more of what Kalahari Resorts offers, including their special packages, and to make your family reservation, visit their website at kalahariresorts.com.