On a hot summer day few things are better than a pool. Today, we decided to drive to Mahoney State Park to visit the Family Aquatic Center. This was our first time at Mahoney State Park.
Driving and Parking:
It only took us 35 minutes to arrive at Mahoney. We live in central/south Lincoln and I expected it to take longer so I was happily surprised. It is an easy drive. You drive East I-80 towards Omaha and take Exit 426. The signs will lead you to the park. Once inside the park, just follow the main road around to the aquatic center. You are able to see it from the road at various points. There is a huge parking lot next to it.
Playground:
The pool doesn't open until 12:00 noon. We arrived at Mahoney at 11:00 AM to eat lunch in the playground area next to the park. It is a great playground with swings, jungle gyms, merry-go-rounds and more! There isn't much shade and the covering is wood chips. Kids will need shoes. There are picnic tables close to the playground.
Cost:
The cost to enter Mahoney State Park was $5. For us to enter the Aquatic Center was $18. Adults are $10, ages 3-12 are $8 and under 3 are FREE.
Aquatic Center:
I adore this place! Almost the entire park is surrounded by grass and there are plenty of chairs. There are four distinct areas at MAC (Mahoney Aquatic Center). There is the large pool, the water slides, the splash pad area and the wave pool. The large pool's shallowest depth is about 3.5 feet. Attached to this pool is a slide and a diving board.
There are two winding water slides. The only requirement for these slides is that you must be 3 feet tall and be able to get to the edge after exiting the slide. They allow parents to go in and catch kids as they come down the slides. I think this is fantastic. My five year old wanted to try the slides but was nervous. As soon as she saw me at the bottom waiting for her, a big smile was on her face and she went down. I caught her the first time she went down the slide and once we knew she could get out unassisted, I watched her from the side.
The splash pad is filled with all kinds of water fun. There are 3 water slides, geysers, sprayers and water flying from every direction! My two year old stayed in this area most of the day. The splash pad area can be accessed through a beach entry and the depth in most of this area is 6 inches to 18 inches.
The wave pool is a big hit for most swimmers, whether they have a tube or are swimming in the waves. The waves turn on at different intervals and the shrieks of laughter begin. The wave pool is a beach entry.
Food and Drink:
MAC does not allow any outside food or drink, except for sealed water bottles. They inspect bags for food/drinks. We stopped at the outside playground to have a picnic and eat a big lunch. Of course, two hours after arriving my kids were hungry. MAC Concessions has pizza, hot dogs, pretzels with cheese, candy, chips, etc-your average concession stand faire. We spent $7.25 on food.
Overall:
We had a great time. This aquatic center is an ideal place for families with one kid or with a wide range of children. Your teen will be happy in the wave pool and on the slides while your younger ones will be delighted with the splash pad area. The facility was clean and the staff were friendly. My only downside for Mahoney is their food policy. Most people don't want to spend extra money on food and would like some healthier options other than the typical concessions faire. Once you have a wristband you can go in and out of the facility so you could pack snacks, leave to eat and come back in. I think we'll plan on that next time we go.
We will definitely be coming back again this summer. We had such a fun day and on really hot days, you can't beat a pool.
