Schlitterbahn

This water park ranks first in Texas and fourth in the United States in number of visitors. With 65 acres, this is the largest water theme park in the state and has been named the country's best by the Travel Channel.

Schlitterbahn, which means "slippery road" in German, is also the largest tubing park in the world, with nine man-made chutes. The Comal River supplies 24,000 gallons a minute of cool springwater and also provides the only natural river rapids found in a water theme park.

The symbol of Schlitterbahn is a 60-foot tall castle, a replica of the guard tower of Solms Castle in Braunfels, Germany. The park's many sections carry on the theme, with names like Kinderlund, Slidenplatz, Das Lagune, and Surfenburg, home of the world's first uphill water coaster. The parks also utilizes its natural surroundings, including the Comal River, which serves as the starting and stopping points of a 45-minute tube ride and also supplies 72-degree spring water to the tube chutes.

Among the most colorful rides are the "Soda Straws," huge plexiglass enclosed slides that take riders from the top of a 27-foot concrete soda to a pool below. In 1986 the cola glasses were filled with 2,000 gallons of soda and Blue Bell ice cream to create the world's largest Coke float. There's a steep 60-foot Schlittercoaster and the mile-long Raging River tube chute for daredevils, and a 50,000-gallon hot tub with a swim-up bar and the gentle wave pool for the less adventurous.

Two top attractions here are the Boogie Bahn, a moving mountain of water for surfing, and the Dragon Blaster, the world's first uphill water coaster. The latter shoots inner-tube riders uphill for a roller-coaster-type ride through hills, dips, and curves. Plan to spend a whole day here, and bring a picnic if you like.

For More Information: visit www.schlitterbahn.com

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