Looking for a break from the heat? Mahoney Aquatic Center is a family favorite at our house. 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 is clean and the staff are friendly.
Mahoney Aquatic Center is located in Eugene T. Mahoney State Park.
What does Mahoney Water Park have? They have multiple slides (just added new ones in 2024), a diving well, a pool, a splash pad, a toddler/preschool swimming area and a wave pool (my personal favorite).
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Hours: 12:00 noon-5:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM on Saturday and 12:00 noon-5:00 PM on Sunday
Driving and Parking:
It only took us 35 minutes to arrive at Mahoney. 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.
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Cost:
The cost to enter Mahoney State Park is $7/Nebraska vehicle (or you can buy an annual pass).
- Ages 5 and under: $10
- Ages 6 and up: $15
Special Feature and More Info:
- I adore this place! Almost the entire park is surrounded by grass and there are plenty of chairs. There are five distinct areas. There is the large pool, the old water slides, the splash pad/younger child area, the new water slides 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. They just added new slides in 2024 and they are faster, higher and more of a thrill.
- The splash pad is filled with all kinds of water fun. There are 3 water slides, geysers, sprayers and water flying from every direction! When my kids were young they stayed in this area all 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. Tubes must be rented.
- The pool doesn't open until 12:00 noon. If you arrive early and it isn't too hot out, check out the playground area next to the park. It is a great playground with swings, jungle gyms, 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.
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Food and Drink:
Mahoney does not allow any outside food or drink, except for sealed water bottles. We often stop at the outside playground to have a picnic and eat a big lunch. Of course, two hours after arriving my kids are always hungry. Concessions has pizza, hot dogs, pretzels with cheese, candy, chips, etc-your average concession stand faire.
Overall:
We come back to Mahoney year after year! We always have such a fun day and on really hot days, you can't beat a pool.
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