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.

Great Escape

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’.

great escape

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.

Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom Supernova

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.

Great Escape Comet Rollercoaster

The Raging River is a fun summer ride to do whether or not you are planning to go to the water park.

Great Escape and Splashwaster Kingdom

You might get a little wet.. especially if someone gets you with a water cannon!

Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom

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.

Great Escape and Splashwaster Kingdom

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!

Great Escape and Splashwaster Kingdom

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!)

Great Escape Bonzai Pipelines

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!

Great Escape Bonzai Pipelines

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.

Great Escape Capt’n Hook’s Adventure River

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.

Great Escape

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.

Great Escape Swan boats

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).

Great Escape Swan boats

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!

Great Escape Shops

There are some cool shows, like this diving show.  They do some pretty amazing tricks – and yes, they dive off that top platform!

Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom

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.

Great Escape Carousel

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.

Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom

Check out our other Things to Do in Albany, NY!

Marysa

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!