We had the VERY BEST TIME at Splashway Waterpark & Campgrounds

See the 2018 Post HERE!

Address: 5211 Main Street, Sheridan, Texas 77475 (For the winter post, go HERE!  See the 2018 Post HERE!)

This trip was AMAZING.

My kids got to go camping, I got to have all the amenities of home AND we got to visit a big waterpark!

Splashway Waterpark & Campground invited us out for a night and we had the very best time.

This water park in Sheridan, just outside Houston, has a whole lot to do and a campground. My kids love water slides and camping and I love cool water activities and the idea of camping.

I like the bonfires and outdoor activities, I just prefer to stay somewhere with running water, air conditioning and a bed.

Well at Splashway we had an air conditioned cabin with a full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, loft and screened in porch! The kids could play at the playground right outside our door, roast marshmallows over the fire and run wild… and then come inside for showers, bathrooms and air conditioning.

We arrived on a weekday afternoon, set up the 5 beds and prepared veggies for our foil dinners. Then, after the temperature dropped, families came out to their decks for dinner and to the common areas for games, bikes, playing on the playground, giant chess games and the outdoor movie.

We made our fire, cooked our foil dinners, hot dogs and s’mores and ran wild through the campground.  Later, the kids all climbed up to the loft (with 4 mattresses) and dreamed about the next day at the waterpark.

The next morning we arrived at opening, found our table and the kids were off!  The big kids went on the huge slides and the baby and I waved at them from the little kid areas.

The waterpark is not as huge at Wet’n’Wild or Schlitterbahn, but it is plenty big with lots to do… making it much easier to handle.

AND the thing that most impressed me was how friendly and polite the customers were.  Any time a kid bumped in to my baby, the parents jumped in and apologized and made things right.  I think it was helped that the staff was very helpful, the music was all family friendly and there were frequent announcements connecting up lost parents and also reminding people to check in with their groups.  This was the best experience we’ve had at a waterpark all summer.

The kids had so much fun that I had to peel them away after 7 hours of swimming… with the promise of going back again next year!

If you plan to go to Splashway Waterpark & Campground, here is what we learned:

• If you join the free Ray Club, you can save 10% on tickets.
• All the slides, except 1, are for kids 42″ and above.  (The other is for 48″ and above.)
• Parking is FREE!
• Life Jackets and Tubes are free to use.
• You can bring in COOLERS!  Food is also for sale, but bringing in our own lunch saved us at least $10 each.  (Bring one on wheels to get it across the park.)
• There are free grills to cook your own lunch. (First come first served.)
• Arrive at opening… and do your favorite rides first.  The new Ray’s Riptide had the biggest line… so do it early if you can.
• We went on a weekday with a buy one get one free promotion going on.  There were crowds… but still not as big as the other Houston waterparks.  I bet on a usual weekday you can go down slides as fast as you can climb the stairs.
• There a picnic tables all over the park and people just claim tables with their coolers… and come back when they are hungry.
• Consider wearing water shoes.  The sidewalks are hot!
• Lifeguards are everywhere.  But, of course, you have to watch your kids!
• Have a meet up spot planned in advance… just in case you get separated!
• This is a lot of walking and climbing!  The stairs and ramps to the top of the slides can take you several stories in the air.
• Life vests are available for free, all over the park.  You can also bring in your own devices.  My youngest wore his Puddle Jumper, even though he can swim.  (It made his mom feel better.)
• Strollers are allowed in the park.

If you want to rent the cabins, more tips are below:

• The cabins come with 3 queen beds and 2 full beds.  The mattresses and pillows are covered in a slick cleanable cover and you need to bring linens.
• Splashway also has spaces for tents and RVs.  They have cabins that sleep 12 and smaller cottages.
• In addition to sheets, blankets/sleeping bags and towels, you need to bring soap and shampoo.
• The kitchen is fully stocked with pots and plates and silverware… but you need to wash and return everything you use!
• Mosquitoes were not really an issue like they are in Houston.  Ants were a bigger issue for us.
• The campgrounds have lots of things to do and boats to rent.  If you have room in your car, bring bikes and balls so you have even more to do!
• This campground is nothing like Lake Houston Wilderness Park.  If you want wilderness, this is not it.  If you want fun, we found it here!
• We just stayed one night and checked out before going to the waterpark.  This worked well… but it would have been awesome to stay 2 nights.  We could have woken up in the cabin, gone to the waterpark and then enjoyed a second evening in the cabin.
• Do not expect to get lots of groceries in Sheridan.  There is a convenience store, but the closes real grocery store is probably 20 minutes away.
• If you plan to go in the winter, ready THIS post!
• If you need a list of things to bring, here’s what we packed.  (But remember, I’m not a real camping pro!)
  • Maybe the most essential:
    • Bug Spray
    • Sun Screen
    • Water
  • For the cabin:
    • Fitted Sheets, Blankets and Sleeping Bags.
    • Shampoo and Soap
  • For the Fire:
    • Firewood (also available at the entrance of the park)
    • Charcoal
    • Lighter/Matches
    • Lighter Fluid
    • Leather Gloves
    • Stick for roasting marshmallows
  •  Groceries:
    • Bread
    • Cheese and Turkey
    • Peanut Butter
    • Marshmallows
    • Graham Crackers
    • Chocolate
    • Water
    • Snacks (Granola Bars, Trail Mix)
    • Watermelon
    • Supplies for Foil Dinners
      • Foil
      • Tongs (for taking them off the fire)
      • Vegetables
      • Hot Dogs
      • Butter
      • Salt
      • Cooking Supplies:
        • Knife
        • Veggie Peeler
        • Cutting Board
        • Paper Towels
        • Paper Plates
        • Sporks
        • Cups/Water Bottles
        • Plastic Bags (for storing food)
        • Cooler
      • More supplies:
        • Flash Lights
        • Duct Tape
        • Pocket Knife
        • Hand Sanitizer
        • Trash Bags
        • Deck of Cards
        • Phone/Charger
      • For the waterpark:
        • Flip Flops
        • Swim Suits
        • Towels
        • Cooler with water, sandwiches and watermelon

Take a look at more pictures below… and decide if Splashway Waterpark & Campground is right for you!