Shipwreck Island Waterpark: The Best Way to Beat the Heat in Panama City Beach!
Summer is kicking into high gear which means so is the heat index! With such stifling temps it’s hard to get motivated to go outside. It’s easier to stay sequestered in the AC and waste away the sunny days. But no one wants to miss out on summer fun!
Thankfully, Shipwreck Island Waterpark has a pretty cool solution.
Located in Panama City Beach, this swashbuckling waterpark is fit for pirates young and old! With a wide array of splishy-splashy rides, you’ll actually want to get out in that summer sun and swim away the day. There’s a great combination of thrill rides and relaxation, as well as yummy, ice-cold concessions, making Shipwreck Island the number one place to be when you need to cool down!
Rip-Roaring Water Rides!
Shipwreck Island’s claim to fame, aside from its impeccable pirate-theming, is the water rides—especially The Great Shipwreck. This unique ride is fashioned after a 17th-century ship doomed to sink beneath the waves. (It’s fitting because Panama Beach is actually famous—or rather, infamous—for its shipwrecks! While tragic at the time, they make for interesting scuba tours today.) Visitors can climb aboard the bow of the vessel, just peeking above the water, then abandon ship by zipping across the pool on a cable before dropping into the deep, crystalline waters below.
If you want even more zips and zooms, check out one of Shipwreck Island’s three water slides!
You’ve heard of dueling pianos, now get ready for dueling waterslides! Pirate’s Plunge consists of two slippery, side-by-side slides so you can challenge friends and family to a 60-foot drop! (Keep in mind that riders must be at least 40 inches tall.) Similarly, Zoom Flume is also a racer slide, however, it branches into three slides, each following its own curvy, twisty path. Can you figure out which one is the fastest?
Perhaps the most daring of all the Shipwreck Island Waterpark rides is the Tree Top Drop. Towering 65 feet above the water, there are two ways to get back down. (Well, technically three—I suppose you could always take the stairs back down if you chicken out. No judgment! This one’s getting close to my own limit of excitement!) You can go the “free fall” route and plummet down a straight, open-air slide or opt for a more mysterious route—the enclosed dark tunnel that twists around the drop tower.
The free fall provides the most speedy adrenaline rush, but the dark tunnel adds an extra element of suspense. Which slide is more your style? Try them both and find out! (Note: Tree Top Drop has a 48-inch height requirement.)
Just Around the River Bend
(Yes, that’s a Pocahontas reference for my Disney peeps. I’ve got your back!)
After the sheer rush of terror—I mean, excitement—from those water slides, it’s nice to unwind on the Lazy River. A staple of any good waterpark, Shipwreck Island’s riff on this river doesn’t disappoint! Over 2,000 feet long, you’ll have plenty of time to relax as you float around the park. Several portions of the river pass by lush trees which cast a lovely blanket of shade over sun-worn guests. Ah, now this is paradise!
But if you’re in the waterpark game for the big splashes, I get it. And so does Shipwreck Island. That’s why they also have Raging Rapids! Slosh your way through this treacherous stretch of water for a speedy inner tube ride full of laughing and splashing! Thrilling from start to finish, this ride is a Shipwreck Island exclusive. (Note: there is a 48-inch height requirement for braving the rapids.)
There’s one more river that cuts across Shipwreck Island—White Knuckle River! Fun for the whole family, multiple people can pile into giant inner tubes for a wild ride that’s a cross between the Lazy River and a water slide. You’ll want to hang on tight as you rush around the twists and turns of this 660-foot-long waterway! Of course, the grand finale is a big splash down!
Splash-tastic Play Areas
No trip to Shipwreck Island Waterpark in Panama City would be complete without a dip in the Ocean Motion Wave Pool. With three-foot waves generated every ten minutes, this 500,000-gallon pool perfectly simulates what you’ll find along the coast. Without the jellyfish, of course!
You can also head over to Skull Island for a watery good time! Kiddos will love the Lickity Split slide that’s perfectly their size, and guests of any age will enjoy waiting anxiously beneath the Tipping Bucket which dumps over 700 gallons every time it overflows! Talk about the ultimate ice bucket challenge!
The littlest kiddos will get a kick out of Tadpole Hole where small-fry waterslides are in the shape of giant animals! A purple frog, a yellow pelican, and a roaring tiger all provide silly, slippery ways to enjoy the cool, clear water.
In addition to water-filled play areas, Shipwreck Island also has plenty of spots where you can lounge high and dry in the shade with a slushie, ice cream, or ice-cold Pepsi product in hand. That’s what we call living the sweet life!
Shipwreck Island Waterpark is a must-visit attraction in Panama City, especially if you’re looking for the best way to beat the summer heat! Consistently ranked as one of the top waterparks in the entire nation, Shipwreck Island is a guaranteed great time for the whole family.
Have you been to Shipwreck Island? What was your favorite water ride? Let us know in the comments below!
Stay cool!
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