Kids & Family

Perennial winner: Best place to waste a day with the kids

Wild Island Family Adventure Park
250 Wild Island Court, Sparks
331-9453

Every year, Wild Island scores a winner here. What’s not to like? There are two miniature golf courses complete with waterfalls and a haunted house. There are three racetracks at the Formula K Raceway, featuring electric cars for the rug rats, small gas-powered Sprint cars for the too-young-to-drive set and adult-sized gas-powered Indy cars for the older kids and adults with the stones to get behind the wheel. There’s a full-on game arcade.

And all that’s before you even get near the water. There’s a wave pool that only lacks an undertow and great white sharks to simulate real ocean fun. There’s the over-21 Kokomo Island Club to help you get your courage to ascend the ladder to one of those giant slides, like the Scorpion. There are plenty of restroom facilities in case you get a little damp going down one of those giant slides, like the Scorpion. There’s the little river where you can relax and hide in shame from your friends after failing to go down one of those giant slides, like the Scorpion. Of course, the water park closes on Labor Day, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had in fall and winter.