Posted: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:22 AM - 11,409 Readers
By: Austin American-Statesman
Last year, my husband and I treated the kids to a trip to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels. Although we had a good time, our kids were too small or too intimidated to attempt many of the bigger rides. We missed half of the park and spent a good deal of time in the shallow pools. What our family needed was a waterpark that was a bit tamer (and, subsequently, less expensive).
So when I heard about Volente Beach Waterpark, I wondered if this could be the right place.
photo by Laura SkeldingThe answer is a qualified yes — especially since we went on a fairly uncrowded weekday. (Mondays and Tuesdays are usually the slowest days there.) It was perfect for my kids, ages 5 and 9, but teenagers might wish for more to do. And though the admission cost is, indeed, cheaper than Schlitterbahn's, it still seems high (easily $70 for a family of four), unless you plan to stay for most of the day.
Volente Beach Waterpark sits on five acres along what is left of Lake Travis. There are activities for all ages, from a pirate ship for the littlest ones to a tube ride that drops nearly straight down onto what looks like a giant skateboard ramp.
Make no mistake: Volente Beach is not a sprawling amusement park. It is a pleasant place to spend the day in the water, with a few thrills thrown in. Most of the activities are within view of each other. One set of steps leads up to the four big rides (great for parents who want to sit in the shade and watch their older kids climb the stairs and splash down, again and again).
We arrived shortly after the 10 a.m. opening; the lines to the water slides didn't appear long, though we waited more than 20 minutes for our turns. Later in the day, however (during lunchtime and after the crowd thinned out around 2:30 p.m.), the lines were almost nonexistent.
Only one person at a time can go down each big slide (two at a time for the inner-tube ride), so we couldn't whoosh down with our kids. The first slide we tried, the Flash Flood, was not that fast. In fact, halfway down, I had to scoot myself along to make it to the bottom. Fortunately, this emboldened us to try the Roadrunner, which sends you hurtling down a twisting enclosed chute. The kids loved it.
The Texas Twister — for those 48 inches or taller and at least 100 pounds (there's a scale at the top of the steps) — ends by whirlpooling you down a giant drain (unh-uh, no way, not me.)
Though the Sidewinder looked the most frightening, many bold kids rode their giant tubes right over the edge, without even screaming. (Again, unh-uh, no way.)
Malik Jackson, 11, enjoyed the steep trip down, saying, it feels "like I'm going to fall off."
The small pirate ship in a wading pool kept the toddlers entertained, though my 5-year-old was too tall (42-inch limit) to play on it.
Volente Beach has plenty of picnic tables for families to bring coolers of food (no glass, alcohol or food that needs to be cooked), and a lot of shady trees. There are places to buy meals and snacks, like hamburgers and ice cream.
The day we were there, Allison Chapman was visiting for the third time with her two little kids.
"For their ages, it's the right size," she said. "It's not overwhelming."
The pool area is small but inviting, with a frog statue where children can slide down its pink tongue. You'd be surprised how much kids of all sizes liked splashing down from this itty-bitty slide. Kids also tested their balance as they crossed an area of the pool holding on to a rope and stepping on a gator float. It would be nice if the pool were bigger, especially to suit the summer campers that come through, but it was sufficient.
Unfortunately, the drought has taken its toll. The water is far below the beach area, and one attraction, the Rock inflatable slide, is closed because of shallow water. (A broken water trampoline is also out of commission.)
Jill Redmond owns the business with her husband, Rick Redmond. She said since they started about 16 years ago, Volente Beach has grown from just a restaurant with beach and volleyball area into a waterpark. The couple's goal, she said, was to give people a way to enjoy Lake Travis.
"I have a passion that this service is provided to the community," she said.
Business has slowed lately because of the lake situation, but on a normal, busy Saturday, the waterpark would see 300 to 500 visitors, Jill Redmond said.
Admission costs $19.99 for anyone 42 inches and taller, and $14.99 for those shorter than 42 inches. Kids 2 and younger are free. We used a $5 off coupon from the phone book, lopping $20 off our four admissions, though we also paid $5 for parking.
The waterpark also offers summer camps, season passes and other discounts.
