We have season passes to Schlitterbahn Galveston this summer and today I’m sharing all the tips I have to enjoy Schlitterbahn with your kids!
Disclaimer: I was provided with season passes to Schlitterbahn Galveston for a previous sponsored project, but a blog post was not one of the requirements. All opinions are my own and I’m only writing this post because I truly want to share the knowledge!
Growing up, I have some fond memories of visiting waterparks. I remember the hot concrete and the sky-high, terrifying water rides, the wave pool, and coming home so sunburnt I couldn’t even open my eyes. (This was long before being required to wear sunscreen was a thing, let alone reapplying it!). It was always SO much fun!
So, when the opportunity arose for me to get season passes for Schlitterbahn in Galveston, there was no way I was letting that pass by me! Jett has finally become a pretty decent swimmer, so I am starting to feel more confident in his water abilities, and therefore more comfortable in places like a waterpark. Now, my lifelong experience is limited to three waterparks, but from what I can remember, Schlitterbahn in Galveston seems to be the most family-friendly and conducive for small kiddos in the 4-10 year old age range!
Schlitterbahn Galveston Hacks for Moms
Before we went for the first time, I did some extensive research online about what kind of rides they had for kids that are Jett’s age. I mean, what is the point in going if Jett is really only tall and old enough for the baby stuff? Between my online research and a couple of visits under my best, I’ve got some good hacks to share with you today so that you enjoy your time while you’re there
1. Where to buy tickets
It is not a surprise that tickets to Schlitterbahn are not cheap! You can purchase them when you arrive, but it is cheaper to get them online before you go. You can buy them on their website, and they have several different options!
Another option if you’re an H-E-B shopper like me is to stop by the store on your way down (they are all over the place in the Houston area) and purchase them in the checkout line. They have day passes, season passes, and family pack passes! (Hint: while you’re there, stock up on a few snacks and drinks too!)
2. Getting There
The easiest and most direct way to get to Galveston is a straight shot down Interstate 45 through Houston. If you have a toll tag and can take Beltway 8 or the 610 Loop it might help you avoid some traffic. So far we have found that either way, it takes about the same amount of time to get across to the island.
The most important thing I need you to know, however, is that just south of Houston on I-45 is a Buc-ees. It is about 20 minutes north of Galveston, which makes it the perfect place to stop and put on your sunscreen, get a few extra snacks, and get a bag of ice for your cooler (only 99 cents!).
3. Arrival Time
Schlitterbahn Galveston opens at 10AM so between the hours of 10 and 11, it is kind of a nightmare to get in. The lines are long and full of people buying tickets and getting their cashless wrist bands (more on those in a second). After 11 or 11:15, those lines start to clear out and it is easier to stop and buy your tickets to get in! So if you can plan to get there a little after 11, you won’t have to deal with the lines and you still have plenty of time for play!
They have free parking, which is awesome! They also offer valet parking for around $20. If you have a lot of people, kids, and stuff to haul in, this might be worth it for you. So far, it has just been the three of us so we have just regular parked.
Keep in mind however, that Schlitterbahn is a water park, not a fancy restaurant, so I would venture to say that valet parking is not their area of expertise by a long shot. We parked at the other end of the parking lot and left, walked to our car, loaded up, and drove out of the parking lot, and the same people were still waiting on their car to be brought up. Just an observation I made, so I’m passing it on to you!
If you have season passes, there is a blue metal building across the street from the main entrance where you can stop and show them your passes and get your wristbands. That way you can avoid ALL the lines and just walk right in!
4. What to bring with you
The best part about Schlitterbahn (all of the parks, not just Galveston) is that you can always bring in your own cooler! This is a HUGE money saver! When we were there last weekend, there was one family who had four huge coolers on a cart – so there really is no limit to how many you can bring in and how big they are either. They do open them up and check them for alcohol and glass containers though – so don’t try to sneak those in.
We bring a small cooler packed with sandwiches, chips, cheese cubes, yogurt pouches, and a couple of canned drinks for the day. We also bring our water bottles (duh, because I go nowhere without mine, ever) and refill them at the water fountains. They even let us bring in our Buc-ee’s cup full of Powerade.
Other basics that will come in handy are towels, sunscreen, goggles, and water-shoes. One thing you don’t have to bring (but you certainly can if you’d like) is a life jacket. They have life jackets all over the park for kids and adults to use. If your kiddo does have a puddle jumper or another specialized one, they are allowed in. But sometimes one less thing to carry is best!
5. Let’s eat
I’ll be honest – when I’m planning anything at all, it usually revolves around where we will eat, what we will eat, and what time we will eat. Both sides of my family are the kind of people who talk about where we are eating for lunch while we are eating breakfast. What can I say, we like food!
The park does have a ton of options for food and even if you’re bringing your own cooler of food, you might want to plan to spend a little money on food inside the park as well. There are Dippin’ Dot stands everywhere (I’ve found these are a great way to persuade little people to get to the car – eat them on the way!) and there are also drink spots everywhere too. It is crazy how quickly you can get dehydrated when you’re surrounded by water.
You can purchase a souvenir cup for $12.99 at any of the drink stands and get free refills on it all day. We haven’t done this though because they only offer soft drinks at those stands and drinking a Coke all day while I’m hot sounds like a terrible idea. (Water for everyone!). BUT! If you do want one soft drink, the cheapest place to get one is in the gift shop! They have bottled drinks in a cooler that are about $1 cheaper than a fountain drink.
Important note: If you’re a Dr. Pepper fan, they only have Mr. Pibb in the gift shop. #wompwomp You can get a Dr. Pepper at the drink stand though.
One last thing I want to cover when it comes to food is to grab yourself a cashless wristband! They are called Splashcash and you can load money on to them and then lock all your valuables away in a locker for the day. They are so handy – less to haul around the park and keep up with = more time for fun! And at the end of the day, you unload the remaining cash back to the source (whether it was cash or a card!) and take it home with you! They work at all the park vendors so you just show them your wrist and they scan it! This is also handy if you are sending a kid for the day and don’t want them to have to keep up with money or a credit/debit card.
6. Navigating the Park
Schlitterbahn Galveston is broken up into three sections: Wasserfest, Blastenhoff, and Surfenburg. Depending on the age of the kiddos you’re bringing, you’ll want to sit in a certain part of the park to have access to the most age appropriate rides.
Wasserfest is the indoor section of the park and is most suited for the little littles. If you have toddlers to 3-4 year olds, you’ll want to scope out this part of the park first. There is a large, shallow playground with short slides, dumping buckets, etc. inside this area. There is also a small beach where you can enter into the lazy river as well. This area will be to your right when you walk into the park. You’ll go up a short set of stairs and arrive! If you walk all the way in and go towards the back right corner, you’ll find the playground I mentioned.
Hidden gem: Wasserfest is also the location of the 21+ hot tub with swim up bar, if that is your thing.
Surfenburg is where we head. It has a larger shallow pool playground along with a bunch of rides that Jett can ride either by himself or with us. He loves the Boogie Bahn (where there is a large wave and they can ride a boogie board on it) and the Banzai Pipeline. These are the two that he can go on over and over again without me going with him. The height requirement is 42″ and I am happy to say they are diligent about checking it. Jett went on the Boogie Bahn three times in a row and each time the lifeguard checked his height… even though he had literally JUST been through. Ha!
Also located in Surfenburg are the two larger family style slides where you can all sit in a raft together. These are approved for all ages, as long as anyone under the 42″ mark has a parent with them. (We saw people getting on these with one year olds with no trouble). So as long as that is something you’re comfortable with then go for it. They are called Thunder Tub (this is the more windy one) and the Wolfpack (this one is straight down with drops in it). They are the two large pink slides you can see from the main entrance.
Hidden Gem: if you’re into zip lining (HI I LOVE IT!) they also have the Soaring Eagle in this section! It is a zip line attraction where you can see the entire park and (presumably) the gulf from the top.
Blastenhoff is the one section of the park where I have not yet been and that is because the first time we went it was not open and the second time we spent too much time riding the rides! I would say that this section is primarily for larger kids – it has the two really large and terrifying looking slides (I’m a weenie and I also get motion sick super easy) and a larger pool for playing in called Shipwreck Cover. I plan on checking it out further during future trips!
7. Where to sit
Here is where we need to reach an agreement. I’ll happily share my secret awesome spot with you IF you’re willing to let me have it if I show up and you’re sitting there. I’m only kind of kidding! Ha!
The easiest way to explain it is that we sit at the edge of the catch pool at the bottom of the Banzai Pipeline slide in Surfenburg. See the arrow pointing to those chairs there? If we are at Schlitterbahn, that is where you’ll find me! I love this particular spot because there is nice shade from those two palm trees, it is within easy walking distance to a restroom, a Dippin’ Dots stand, a restaurant, and right in the middle of all of Jett’s favorite rides. Some of them are so close that I can see him in line from my chair which is awesome. It is also right in front of the splash pad area for kids his age!
Jett’s favorites are: Boogie Bahn, Banzai Pipeline, Thunder Tub, and Wolfpack.
You are also situated right beside an entry into the Kristal River, which we make several laps in around the park!
Y’all – I think I covered everything! If I missed anything or if you have any other questions be sure to drop them in the comments below!
In short – you can’t go wrong with any of the Schlitterbahn Parks! They are all full of awesome, family friendly rides and are set up well to help you have the best time possible! Let me know if you decide to go!
NEVER MISS A THING
If you have the FOMO like me, I’ve got great news for you! Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a Saturday morning update with a round up of what I’ve been up to each week!
