Big Splash Adventure Hotel/Waterpark Affordable Family Fun All Year

We drove up to see the Big Splash Water Park and Hotel earlier this summer. It looked like a great family getaway with the hotel/restaurant and water park all connected. The parking lot was filled with cars  from Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and a few from Tennessee. For some reason (perhaps because we have a pool and Holiday World's Spashin Safari is so close) we didn't make plans to go.

Last week Kathy brought up the idea again. It is a bit cold for our pool and we had a weekend off. What about taking the grand kids for a night on a quick Adventure? I called to see about Friday reservations and was amazed at the special they are running. $99 for a room with two queen beds, two days admission to the water park for four and full breakfast buffet the next morning. Tax was only about $3.  Even counting mileage I was looking at a bargain. 

The next question was......will the kids enjoy it and will are the rooms comfortable. The answer is a resounding YES. What a great place.

The decor is kid oriented. It looks like Disney imagineering went into the layout and design. All public areas are family friendly (except for an adult pub tucked away between the restaurant and gift shop, and the adult only hot tub) with interactive play stations and lots of graphics and pirate-like decorations. the front desk staff is friendly and knows the area. They treat the kids like welcomed guests as well as adults. They also know the area and can provide lots of information about activities in and near French Lick.

The room was clean and comfortable with a bit flat screen TV and enough room for four. Not a 5-star resort but hey, this is a family affordable getaway not a romantic anniversary type destination. The kids were changed and ready for the water park in less time then it takes a politician to raise taxes.

Big Splash is three stories of fun with 40,000 square feet of excitement. Water Slides, vortex pool, wading and swing area for the kids, a giant bucket that fills with water and dumps it down on the water playground, stuff  for kids to turn on and off, jump on, ride on and slide down. You can even play basketball in the water. After all, French Lick is the hometown of  Larry Bird.

The only down side of the entire trip had nothing to do with Big Splash. We decided to try the Black Buggy Restaurant for dinner. It was to say the least not great. The family style buffet restaurant is attached to the indoor go-kart track. I am not sure why but they are and you enter thru the same door. This a somewhat confusing but still ok. It was the food that needed help here.

It was Friday and there were many fried seafood choices. Not a seafood eater my choices still seemed OK. Fried Chicken, meat loaf and some kind chunky beef. Nothing is labeled so you have to be careful. I too what I thought was potato pancakes only to find out it was frozen crab-cakes.

The Amish style dumplins has a burned taste as if someone had burned the bottom of the pan and tried to salvage the top layer. Egg noodles were too salty to eat and everything including the salad had an inch of so of water in the bottom of the pan. Corn, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans with ham, cabbage all were over seasoned with salt.

The desert  bar might have been the one saving grace here but again a cheap ice milk came from the frozen desert machine and cheap (still in the bottle) chocolate syrup made it messy with kids trying to open the top and pour it out.

But the Black Buggy certainly didn't ruin our great stay at Big Spash. We went back and ordered a large pizza which was very good and went back for more water fun.

Saturday morning it was raining outside but the fun was inside. After a great (included with your room) breakfast it was back to the water park till check out time. By now the kids knew their way around. They went down the slides, rides and swings with ease. Kathy and Lexie even took on the Vortex. The Vortex is a water slide with a giant swirly type bowl that runs you round and round on a float until you fall out the bottom. You gotta try this one.

The friendly staff makes this a great place. Lifeguards are friendly and professional. Towels are supplied for hotel guests, the Game Room is clean and well maintained as is the entire facility. One neat thing is the arm band you get at check in. These waterproof banks serve as you room key and admission to the water park. You can also charge to your room with them. The kids loved it and I loved not having to take a key with me to the water park. One hint: Ask to be on the second floor so you can access the waterpark without getting on an elevator.

Before taking the hour and 10 minute ride back to Owensboro we went to the Indiana Railway Museum across the street. The train runs on weekends and we went on the 1pm ride. Great fun and again a bargain if you bring a picnic lunch and eat at the train station's covered picnic area.

Total Cost including gas, train ride, food and Big Spash? Less than $200.00 well worth every penny.