By Melanie Nelson/Wendy Manning
Dreaming about taking a dip? Are the kids still sporting their floaties wishing they could get in one last swim? Don’t fret… just because Jack Frost has arrived doesn’t mean you can’t catch a wave! Check out Wilderness at the Smokies Waterpark Resort in Sevierville, Tennessee.
Situated at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains, this resort offers year-round entertainment with 700 acres of both outdoor (check out the Wild Vortex, their outdoor thrill slide) and indoor attractions. Your family’s winter blues are sure to melt away as they throw on their favorite swim suits and head to The Wild WaterDome, their 60,000 square foot indoor water park!
It can be hard to plan a vacation that the whole family will enjoy. At the Wild WaterDome, there is truly something for everyone. The kids will love Washout Mountain, the interactive water playground complete with slides, water cannons and plenty of ways to get soaked!
Your teens definitely won’t roll their eyes when you tell them about the Smokies Surf Rider, the Southeast’s only indoor surfing simulator. You can watch on as 19,000 gallons of water go rushing under their surfboard each minute, giving them a realistic 5-foot wave to practice their shredding!
While the kids are off playing, you can relax in the Magnolia Grove Hot Spa, which is a part indoor, part outdoor hot tub that is open year round. There is nothing like feeling the chill of the air on your face as your body is submerged in toasty warm water! Finally, you can all meet back up to go down one the indoor tube slides together, or even plunge down the 55-foot tunnels of the Storm Chaser if you are feeling brave!
If you need a break from the water, just head over to Adventure Forest, the indoor “dry park” at the resort. This dry park, which just opened in March, offers all sorts of activities including: a three-story ropes course, a multi-level enclosed laser tag arena, mini-bowling, black-light mini-golf, more than 100 arcade games, a ‘Laser Maze,’ a 25-foot tall spring ride, a 23-foot climbing wall and more. With this many options, your family will never want to leave!
When it comes time for meals, you won’t have to look far! The Wilderness at the Smokies has six on-site restaurants available to you. There is one for every situation, ranging from delis and snack shacks, if you are looking for a quick meal on the go, to full sit down restaurants and a buffet, for a nice family dinner. Find your favorite and become a regular, or mix it up and you will never run out of yummy dishes to sample!
When the kids are all exhausted after a long day in the water, you’ll be happy to know that a warm bed (and even a fire place!) awaits you near by at the Stone Hill Lodge and the River Lodge. These two hotels in the Wilderness at the Smokies can accommodate your group, regardless of size. From a cozy room for a family of four to one of the multi-room suites that can sleep up to18! This would make the perfect setting for a family reunion or a birthday getaway.
Finally, prepare to make your co-workers jealous when you return home with a nice summer glow. The Wild WaterDome indoor park features a see-thru, energy efficient, Foil Tec roof, which allows UV rays permeate through it so that you can get your tan on year round! Stress free vacation planning, a happy family and getting some vitamin D? It just might be enough to get you through the rest of the winter!
And you never know who you might run into!
For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies or to book your vacation, call 877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.
