Raise your hand if you’ve been to a water park resort over the last few years. Now, raise your hand if you’d be excited to go to a water park resort that is equal parts family fun and sophisticated adult-y (I know I just made that word up).
We were so excited to be hosted at the brand new The Kartrite Resort and Indoor Water Park to experience everything they had to offer! We’ve been to many of the indoor water park resorts in the local area (because we love a good water slide as much as our kids do), and The Kartrite was a fantastic breath of fresh air for us.
Not your average decor
After an easy and picturesque 2 hour drive, walking into The Kartrite immediately put a smile on my face. The lobby is vast and modern with fantastic origami birds hanging from the ceiling. There is plenty of mid-century modern seating for everyone to lounge on, as well as a lit gas fireplace and giant, wooden Connect-4 games for the kids to play while mom is waiting to get all checked in. To the left of the lounge area, there is a lobby bar with a large t.v. Nothing about this lobby screamed, “hey! This is a kids only resort!” and I just LOVED that. It almost felt calming and less overwhelming. We absolutely loved the luxury- lodge theme that carried out throughout the entire property!
Our awesome bellman gave us some info on the resort and the area, as well as some of the immediate activities that were coming up that we could participate in, while taking in our bags. He also obliged and played one quick round of Connect-4 when my not so shy 5 year old asked him to! This kind of amazing customer service really stood out to us all from check in, to dining to water park lifeguards. The staff overall was happy, kind, and overly willing to go above and beyond to help.
324 suites to choose from
We were hosted in a Family Bunk Suite, which was well appointed and very comfortable for our stay. The room can technically fit 8 people (just note that there is a per person surcharge for additional room guests above 4) with 2 sets of bunk beds in their own alcove, a king bed and pull out sofa. My boys loved having their own sleeping space (and we loved it too!), and they were obsessed with the “sleeping bag” zippered linens on their beds! Each suite has a full size microwave, small fridge, and coffee maker. Our family suite also had a large desk that we used as a table for lunch and snacks as well as a balcony with 2 chairs and a small table that overlooked the beautiful courtyard.
Dining options to please everyone!
The Kartrite is definitely not short on dining options! Options range from a casual buffet, all the way to fine (but totally family friendly) dining at Bixby’s Derby. The food inside the waterpark’s Surfside Grille had some kid friendly staples, but also some adult-y snack, including a hummus platter that my husband and I shared. Ice cream, cookies, candy and all things sweet can be found all day at Pop’s Sweet Shoppe, or if you are just looking for a quick breakfast or an afternoon pick me up, you can head to The Highline for cookies, brownies, fudge, cupcakes, pastries and of course, coffee. Harvey’s Wallbanger’s is a really fun space to eat a delicious and casual meal. It’s on the lower level of the property, which also houses the arcade and waterpark, and it’s right beside the mini bowling alley. It’s a great place to grab some wings, and a beer while the kiddos bowl or play air hockey right next door!
We had a lovely dinner at Bixby’s Derby (make reservations for this restaurant when you arrive!). The ambiance at Bixby’s is a little more luxurious, as is the service and food.
The kids menu consisted of the staples, but when my son’s cheeseburger came out, we were so impressed by the size of the burger and how delicious it was! My husband ordered the NY Strip and ate every single bite (well, except for the 3 bites that I may have stolen). Bixby’s Derby is a great spot if you are going to The Kartrite to celebrate a special occasion!
Money saving travel tip- bring some lunch items that you can easily eat in your room or outside at a table in the courtyard! A few premade sandwiches and some raw veggies and fruit are an easy option!
Activities to keep you busy all day
The Kartrite boasts activities for every interest and age! There is an indoor ropes course ($12 pp), huge arcade, 3 fun climbing walls ($7 pp), laser tag, virtual reality, mini bowling ($6 pp), and a 3D adventure ride. You can purchase an indoor adventure pass for the price of your choosing, and use the pass for some of the indoor activities, while others need to be purchased separately.
Each day The Kartrite also has a full itinerary of activities going on around the resort. Some of these activities are free (family movie night!) and some have a small additional cost. My boys were excited to try the donut decorating on the first morning of our stay. It was only $4 per person getting a donut, and the kids were able to choose their toppings, and decorate their donut themselves! It was a highlight of the trip for them both!
The courtyard at The Kartrite was hands down, our favorite area of the resort. We played cornhole, giant chess and an organized game of candy bingo on the huge lawn and had fun lounging in the huge hanging cage loungers for a while. The boys played for hours (seriously) on the wooden obstacle course and made new friends! We purchased s’mores kits from the concierge ($5 for a bag containing stuff for 3 s’mores) and made mid afternoon s’mores...because YOLO! My husband and I even got to sit at a table and have a glass of wine while we watched the boys play. It was so awesome, and we all agreed that hanging out in the courtyard was a favorite from our visit!
Waterpark
The pièce de résistance at The Kartrite is obviously the indoor Waterpark! As parents, we really loved this waterpark because it was big, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly huge. My 7 year old and 5 year old were entertained for hours, even though my 5 year old was only tall enough to go on one of the water slides. The Jiggerty- Jaggerty slide had a 42” height requirement (while the rest of the slides were 48” minimum) and it was a family favorite. We raced down that slide at least a dozen times, two days in a row! The Nor’Easter was another huge hit, even though I really think my son just thought it was funny to hear me scream on that one…
A few other standouts for those of you with younger kiddos that won’t be on the larger slides- The Empire Bay lazy river was a little less lazy than most lazy rivers, and we loved the quicker pace! Kartrite Island is the Waterpark’s splash zone with over 100 water elements, including a huge dump bucket to get you soaked! There are several smaller water slides that are perfect for the elementary school aged set. Parents can go down all of these slides too, and we had great fun racing down them! The littlest travelers can head over to Puddle Ducks, which is a sectional with small water slides, and water features that are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers!
If your kids love playing in a regular pool, be sure to grab some chairs outside! My boys really liked the indoor/outdoor pool, but by the time we got there in the afternoon, there weren’t any more lounge chairs opened outside.
The Kartrite Waterpark also has an Endless Summer Flowrider! Adults and kids (over 42”) alike will have a blast trying to not wipe out on this attraction! And, admitently, the rest of us just watching are having a blast watching you all wipe out! My husband was a pro (like a small crowd gathered around to watch him..ha) and the awesome lifeguards who were helping him made the experience that much more fun!
If you are looking for a new waterpark resort to add to your rotation, we wholeheartedly recommend that you book a stay at The Kartrite. While this property would be an awesome cold weather getaway, I’d suggest trying it out during the warmer weather so your family can enjoy the beautiful courtyard! This was one of our favorite weekend getaways that we’ve had as of late (and we travel a ton!) and I know that your family will love it too!
Be sure to like The Kartrite's Facebook page for frequent rate specials and discounts!
Giveaway!
SURPRISE! We also have an amazing giveaway for a one night getaway (for a family of four) to The Kartrite! Accommodations will be for a Junior Suite, including waterpark admission for 4. Based on availability and black out dates. To enter this amazing giveaway, visit this link ------> https://kingsumo.com/g/xfkvi0/giveaway-for-an-overnight-stay-for-4-at-the-kartrite-resort-and-indoor-waterpark
Disclosure- Our overnight accommodations and dining were hosted by The Kartrite in order for us to facilitate this review. As always, all thoughts are honest and completely my own.
