Photo courtesy of Six Flags St. Louis
Visitors can cruise down the Bonsai Pipelines at Six Flags St. Louis.
THRILLING RIDES AT METRO AREA WATER PARKS
Six Flags’ Hurricane Harbor: Thrill-seekers should head to The Tornado, where they can ride inner tubes down a steep tunnel before shooting into a 60 foot-wide funnel—or consider Bonsai Pipelines. sixflags.com/stlouis
Splash City: Not to be confused with the rapper (that’s Flo Rida), FlowRider pumps 36,000 gallons of water per minute up a small incline, allowing surfers to catch the perfect wave—in landlocked Collinsville, Illinois. splashcity.org.
Aquaport: At this municipal water park in Maryland Heights, the popular Extreme Bowl attraction sends riders swirling down a blue-and-yellow funnel before they fall into a deep pool. marylandheights.com
Raging Rivers Water Park: At this riverside attraction along the Great River Road, riders can cruise down the Cascade Body Flumes, two adjacent slides that loop through a forested region of the park. ragingrivers.com
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OLYMPIC HOPEFULS
“The Crestview Middle School pool is clean and well kept. When I was a senior, I practiced there for 15 to 20 hours each week. I also like the Rec-Plex in St. Peters, because it has slides and diving platforms.” —Phillip Willett, who’s competing at the Olympic trials in the 200-meter breaststroke
“I have a lot of great memories from the Cool Dell Swim & Tennis Club. I started swimming on a summer team there when I was 5. My current club team practices at Shaw Park Aquatic Center, which is big, really nice, and open to the public.” —Evie Pfeifer, who’s competing at the Olympic trials in the 200-meter freestyle, 200- and 400-meter individual medleys, and 200-meter backstroke
THREE BEACHES WITHIN AN HOUR'S DRIVE
Carlyle Lake: Illinois’ largest manmade lake boasts four public swimming beaches, each equipped with picnic shelters.
Cuivre River State Park: Hikers and equestrians frequent the park’s trails, but visitors can also relax on Lake Lincoln’s public beach.
St. Joe State Park: Located an hour south of St. Louis, the park has two easily accessible swimming lakes featuring beaches, changing houses, restrooms—and restricted access by gas-powered boats.
