The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom is a great place to visit with family or friends, whether you are local or are traveling. My kids were so excited to hear that we were taking them to the Great Escape for the day! Located in Lake George, NY, the park is located right off I-87 and is an easy drive.
We arrived about 15 minutes before the park opened, to give ourselves time to park and walk over to the Great Escape. You also need time to go through the metal detectors and the ticket gates.
If you haven’t been to the Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom before, I highly recommend grabbing a map on your way in so that you can navigate through the park. There are so many attractions, including the water park, kid’s rides, shows, shopping, food, arcade games, and more.
It is always tough to pick our first ride, which is often the Blizzard. We hadn’t been to the Great Escape in a while, and the kids wanted to try some of the newer rides they hadn’t had a chance to try, like Greezed Lightnin’.
My 10-year-old’s favorite ride is the Supernova. See those bare feet that look like they are touching the clouds? Yup, that’s her.
So while she’s on the Supernova, my husband and 7-year-old are on the front seat of the Comet, trying to time their poses just right for the photo ops (you can purchase your photo when you get off the ride). This 4,200 foot wooden rollercoaster has a lot of history at the Great Escape. It dates back to 1927, when part of it was constructed as the “Cyclone”, later rebuilt in 1947, renamed the Comet, and is known as one of the best wooden coasters.
The Raging River is a fun summer ride to do whether or not you are planning to go to the water park.
You might get a little wet.. especially if someone gets you with a water cannon!
We have been bringing the kids to the Great Escape for years, and there is plenty to do for the little ones. Not only are there two parts of the part dedicated to children’s rides, but little kids can also enjoy things like the train ride, swan boat, carousel, and more. Kidzopolis is one if the kid’s parks, with a cute splash pad, theater, food, and lots of rides designed for little ones.
There is also Timbertown, which also has a splash pad, theater, food, and plenty of rides. While my kids might argue that they have outgrown the rides, they still enjoy the mini rollercoaster and the swings. Plus there is a fun little adventure trail in the back!
The water park has so much to choose from, whether you want to lounge in the Lazy River, swim in the wave pool, or try some of the more thrilling rides.
One of the new rides this year is the Bonzai Pipeline, which the kids wanted to do first in the waterpark. (This one couldn’t keep her eyes off the ride!)
The Bonzai Pipelines have 300 feet of slopes, plus speed and turns. Not only that, but each slide is a little different, so you can go back and try them all. The verdict? It was great!
There are plenty of slides and rides to choose from, as well as a wave pool and wading areas. There are water park attractions for all ages, even for the littlest of kids. We usually save Capt’n Hook’s Adventure River for last, which we call the Lazy River, perfect for lounging and relaxing as the river snakes through the waterpark.
Amongst all the rides are mini villages, houses, statues, and even an Alice-in-Wonderland walk. My kids always love checking these out, and they make great photo ops too.
The Swan Boat rides are a nice change from the thrill rides. It is a nice chance to relax and see around the park a little bit.
The Great Escape has a lot of history, and it is fun to see some relics from earlier parts of the park, like Po Po the Purple Cow (which you can see from the swan boat).
There are lots of arcades, games, and shops, which provide plenty of entertainment, souvenirs, and even basic necessities. While I don’t recommend forgetting the basics, they are pretty well stocked as far as anything you might need. Take for instance, the year I told the kids to wear their baby swim suits under their clothes, and I discovered one of the kids had not done so when we entered the water park! We have bought everything from swimwear to flip flops, and it is nice to know that your day can be saved by a trip to the store!
There are some cool shows, like this diving show. They do some pretty amazing tricks – and yes, they dive off that top platform!
We like to go on the carousel as our last ride before heading out for the day. It is such a classic ride and we enjoy going together as a family.
Visiting the Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom makes for a really fun family time, and the kids never want to head out at the end of the day.
Check out our other Things to Do in Albany, NY!
About the Author: Marysa
Busy blogger and mom of two girls. We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure!
I love amusement parks! They are so much fun to go to. I love roller coasters they are probably my favorite thing at an amusement park! If I ever get out to this part of New York I know I’ll be checking out this place.
That sounds like so much fun! We love parks like this and would LOVE to plan a trip there this summer.
Oh wow how awesome does this place look! I love the fact there is so many water based things to do. This would totally have been my dream park as a child.
There are so many fun rides I’d love to try here. It would be so refreshing getting wet and screaming your hearts out in these rides.
That looks like it would be so much fun! We haven’t been to an amusement park like that in years! Our nearest one is about 4 hours away! I’d love to go there with my family!
I love roller coasters and those raft water rides. My son, who is now a teenager, would prefer to go with friends now. Miss those days of amusement park visits when he was little.
Sounds like a fun family theme park. They have something for people of just about any age, it seems.
The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom sound like a great place to spend summer. My family would be delighted to visit this place.
Pretty cool park to visit. By looking at your pics i hope you have had a wonderful experience. That look on your daughter’s face though <3
Maybe would visit the place someday!
Oh wow what an amazing place to visit and definitely looks family friendly with something for everyone. I wish we had something similar and close to us in the Uk
That wooden roller coaster looks just right for me. Not too high to freak out about but just big enough to provide some thrill to riding it.
This looks like so much fun! My children are still a little bit young, but when they’re old enough, I’d love to take them.
This sounds like a so much fun place to be. The next time I will be in NYC, I am definitely going to visit this place. I totally love going to amusement parks and love all the dry and wet rides. This park seems to have something for all ages!
What fun! I love amusement parks! The raging river rides are always my top favorite. I do like roller coasters but not as much as when I was young. Looks like a great way to spend a day together as a family.
What a nice place to take the whole family to. I love that it is fairly close (well, for me it is). I love your photos. Thanks for giving me a visual tour. I will have to plan a trip there with my family. The kids would definitely enjoy this trip.
Those rides look great! We love amusement parks. I like the water rides when it is hot out too!
WOW this looks the perfect place to spend summer time and making memories with the whole family. My son would totally love those rides.
Oh my, look at all these rides. My kids will be delighted if I bring them there. What a fun place to visit.
Water rides and roller coasters. Looks like the perfect summer day! I pinned this for future reference, thanks!
This looks like a great place for a family day of fun. I’m sure that the water rides would be a great way to cool off on a hot summer day.
I have always heard really good things things about Splashwater Kingdom!! It looks like a LOT of fun!!!
I haven’t been to Splash water kingdom. That first pic scares me lol roller coasters are scary but I used to love dorney park.
This looks like a great place to cool off on a hot summer day. It seems like it has a lot for little ones as well which is nice because a lot of theme parks are just a bunch of thrill rides.
This looks like a mix between Coney Island and Isla Colon whre I am out now. Wow it looks really cute for your daughtr.
That looks like such a fun place to go to. I love places where you can just skate with the family for the day and have a lot of fun together. They never get out that way I will definitely check this place out.
Wow your photos are amazing. It’s the next best thing to being there. I bet we’d have a great time here, I’m sure the kids would.
This is super thrilling! I love the review looks like a lot of fun for the family!
Sounds like you guys had a blast. I have never heard of this place but when I saw the wooden roller coaster, it reminded me of the Six Flags Great America where I spent my youth in Chicago and the wooden roller coaster, the Eagle. So many great memories. You’ve inspired me to take my girls this summer when we’re back home.
That looks like so much fun! I love all the water areas, and my kids and husband would be on those roller coasters immediately.
What a fun Splash Park. My son and I would have so much here. we are all about a good lazy river or water slide.
Now that looks like a ton of fun! We’ve had very hot weather this past week so getting in the water park would be amazing!
That coaster is calling my name! My grandfather used to know the original owner of the Great Escape (before it was Six Flags) and we’d go for free every summer. Gosh, I miss that. I love that they kept the name and some original relics. I remember the purple cow and I think the swans are from the older days too, right?
Lake George is my happy place.
I love a good roller coaster! I am the only one out of my family of six that is not scared of heights. The scarier the better! You daughter looks like she had a great time!
Oh this definitely looks like a fun trip! I bet your family had a blast. We will be visiting NY next month so I think I will surprising my family with a trip here. All of the rides look amazing.
I’d absolutely love to go here with the kids as I’m a big fan of water rides. They’re so much fun 😀
Louise x
Nice post well written article. Thanks for visiting the website.