Raging Waves- the Cool Way to Stay Cool

Posted at 11:36 pm on July 20, 2010 by Farrah

Summer is in full force in Chicagoland these days. Hot, humid days with plenty of sunshine. Weather that makes you want to be at the beach or lounge poolside everyday. And while those are both really good options to beat the summer heat, you should take this opportunity to check out the coolest way to stay cool.

Raging Waves Waterpark is such a super fun place. My and Hubby and I took both our boys there (ages 4 and 2) and we all had a fabulous time. Located about 30-40min from most of Dupage County, it is the state’s largest waterpark with 18 slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, and a fantastic kiddie play area. That’s 40acres of sweet waterpark fun!
But enough of the stats, here is what I really loved about it. As the parents of two smaller kids, we didn’t go down a single water slide and yet there was still plenty to do. We loved the Kookaburra Kreek lazy river ride and the Great Barrier Reef wave pool (well, the shallow end at least). But we truthfully spent a good chunk of the day in the Koala Kove and Kangaroo Falls kids areas. They have two small water slides that my boys could do totally on their own plus lots of other fun “splash-pad like” dumping buckets, etc… that the boys loved. They didn’t get bored at all and Hubby and I took turns catching them at the bottom of the slide. I loved that there were no rowdy older kids there so that my little people could play and feel safe. They also have a ginormous sand box (a couple actually) and have sand toy kits you can checkout for the day so your kiddos can play to their hearts’ content and you don’t have to pack sandy buckets in your car. How nice is that?!?!
The park is super clean and looks brand-new even though this is the third year. There were plenty of lifeguards around making sure everyone was safe and they actually seemed to be paying attention and monitoring the water (unlike other places like this I have been where that isn’t always the case). Other things I love about Raging Waves is their commitment to being environmentally conscious, using solar heat to warm the water and recycling everything in the park including the water (used to irrigate the landscaping).
The one downside is the cost. It is a bit pricey for my budget, especially since we can’t go on any of the big slides yet. But 2 and under are free and little people (under ’48inches) are discounted which makes it totally do-able if you have little kids. They also are constantly offering specials (like Lu’au Day on July 22 where you get $4 off admission for saying “aloha” at the ticket counter) and discount coupons through places like Oberweis Dairy. They also give discounts for teachers and other school personnel through your school so if you qualify for that you should check that out. Oh, and parking is free so that helps too. And of course, the season pass prices are actually pretty reasonable for those that want to go back again and again all summer long!!
One final thing that I love about Raging Waves is their commitment to be part of their community and give back. They just completed a backpack campaign designed to make sure underprivileged children could eat on the weekends when they are at home. And every Monday is “Make a Difference Monday” where they give discounted admission to anyone who brings in nonperishable foods which are donated to the local food pantry.

Raging Waves really is a super fun place. I had fun, my Hubby had fun, and our boys had SO MUCH fun (can’t you tell!!). It was even a bit of a windy day when we went and we still had a blast. I can’t wait to get back now that the summer heat is in full force! See you there!