It might be cold and blustery outside, but Key Lime Cove, Chicagolands’s newest waterpark resort, transports families to a tropical-themed kid paradise. Just a quick, one-hour drive from the city, it’s the perfect spot for a “Let’s forget the snow!” overnighter – and a good choice for families looking stay awhile as they explore the attractions of northeast Illinois (Six Flags Great America, Hurricane Harbor, outlet shopping at Gurnee Mills).
I surprised my son, age 6, and my niece and nephew, ages 9 and 6, with this late-winter escape. As soon as we stepped inside, we were greeted by the sunny staff and the colorful resident toucan, Toukie: we felt like we had just stepped into Key West, Florida. The central “mall” area recreates Duval Street, complete with palm trees, a man walking an iguana on a leash, and families sitting under palapas sipping umbrella drinks.
The real treat, however, is the 65,000 square foot Lost Paradise water park, which features a wave pool (heated to a comfortable 80 degrees), a meandering lazy river, swift water tube slides, a huge slide-and-play park area, and a kiddie-pool for the little tots. Our favorite was the Hurricane’s Vortex, a.k.a. the toilet bowl: we loaded into a tube raft and were subsequently flushed down a slide into a potty-like whirlpool where we spinned and spinned until we were flushed down yet again to the bottom. Parents will appreciate the fluffy towel service, the attentive and numerous lifeguards, and the hot tub hidden in a quieter corner. Also – the waterpark is open exclusively to Key Lime Cove overnight guests, which made for super short lines for the slides and easy-to-find chaise lounges for relaxing.
The tropical ambiance extends beyond the waterpark and into the shops, restaurants and guest rooms. At Pinki’s Pink Paradise, kids can stuff and dress their very own pink flamingo or alligator. Leapin’ Lizards, an activity center where kids can create their own tropical-themed crafts, was a welcome respite from the non-stop running and swimming around at the waterpark. Other stores carry all the gear you may have forgotten at home (swim diapers, anyone?) as well as the sweet treats that make mini-vacations extra-special (visit Island Temptations, the resident candy shoppe, for a bite of freshly made fudge). The kids played ski ball and air hockey at the Rip Tide Reef Arcade then traded in their winning tickets for fun prizes such as slinkys and pirate rubber duckies. The age-appropriate zones keep teens, kids and tots out of each other’s hair, and a high tech wrist-bracelet system allows parents to load up money for a set amount of tokens on each child’s wristband so no searching for dollar bills and quarters – just swipe your wristband, grab your golden tokens and play.
We enjoyed dinner at D.W. Anderson’s, an eatery featuring the barbeque that made the entrepreneur behind Key Lime Cove famous – Dave Anderson of Famous Dave’s. We delighted in the juicy burgers and barbeque ribs and couldn’t resist the rich chocolate and vanilla malts. Mornings transform D.W. Anderson’s into a breakfast buffet that allows everyone to choose their own breakfast favorites, from waffles to bacon, pancakes to freshly-baked muffins.
Our guest room was neat and clean, with a flat screen tv, a pod style coffee maker, bunk beds for the kids, and a comfy bed with high thread count sheets for me. Again, the wristband system came in handy: not only can you load up the wrist bands with cash for the arcade, but they also double as charge systems for the shops/restaurants and room keys, so no worrying about carrying wallets or purses during your stay (and no searching for the lost room key).
We were all bummed out when we stepped back outside to the snowy reality of Illinois in late-February – but Key Lime Cove was just the pick-me-up we needed: uninterrupted, stress-free family time with a side order of splashes, slides and chocolate fudge We’ll be back again next winter!
For more information or to make reservations, visit www.keylimecove.com