Summertime Fun in Alaska's Winter

Friday evening the girls and I (including Tess's friend, Becky) spent the afternoon at the beach. Okay, the concrete beach, but still... warm humid air, lots of chlorinated water, waves and splashing fun.

H2Oasis claims to be the 5th largest indoor waterpark in the US. And it sits right here in Anchorage, Alaska. Yay for us!

Tess received 4 passes to the waterpark for her September birthday. We were waiting for just the right time to use them. The right time apparently involved lots of darkness, heaps of snow, and chilly temperatures outdoors to make the indoor beach seem just that much more appealing.

It really was a lot of fun. Even Alicia May had a great time sliding off the pirate's ship and splashing around in the 1-foot surf. She didn't want to leave the water to grab a bite to eat upstairs. But we managed to convince her to partake of some of her favorite foods of ketchup (for which french fries make a convenient serving utensil) and ice cream.

We had intended to stay for several hours, but it only took a couple hours for Alicia May to be overstimulated to the point of meltdown. When she started bossing kids around and crying more than laughing, it was time to wrap things up... We rinsed off the chlorine, changed out of our swimming diaper and into our normal one and dry clothes. We bundled back into our coats and boots and headed for home. This waterpark is on the way back to our house from the ski resort. I think lots of folks stop there after a day on the slopes. I saw a pair of snowboard boots on the rack as we entered. I'm thinking we might do this the next time we hit the slopes.

For those who are interested, this facility is pretty wheelchair accessible. They have ramps to all areas and an elevator to the upper level where the food service is located.