How2Day: Water Park Hotels Nearest St. Cloud, Minnesota

Waterslide at the water park Under the Waterslide image by Kimberly Wickerink from Fotolia.com
Minnesota may not be "top of mind" for sunny aqua-focused entertainment but it has ways of making you forget its sometimes chilly weather. A multitude of indoor water park hotels are near the city of St. Cloud, where it's always summer. These facilities, within about an hour's drive of St. Cloud, provide a welcome reprieve for overnight guests.

Approximately 40 miles from St. Cloud, the Wild Woods Water Park at Holiday Inn takes guests on a journey back in time with its "old river town" design. The 30,000-square-foot water park has four-story water slides, an old-fashioned "log walk," the basketball court in the activity pool and Buddy's Playland for toddlers as primary attractions. Pub 'n' Grub Snack Bar provides sustenance for all-day aqua entertainment.

The water park is open seven days a week in the summer and on weekends during the fall and spring. Park passes are complimentary to the Holiday Inn's guests. And the hotel may cater to families and fun with Wild Woods, but its rooms and suites also can accommodate the business traveler with event and meeting spaces, as well as a dedicated corporate floor. The Mississippi Valley Grill & Bar is Holiday Inn's on-site casual dining destination.

Just a few minutes from Minneapolis in Maple Grove, about an hour's drive from St. Cloud, the Venetian Indoor Water Park is a festive attraction at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites at Arbor Lakes. The 25,000-square-foot water park, only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, packs in lots of splashes and a touch of Italian flavor with decor inspired by the streets of Venice. Four-story water slides, a 20-person spa and the Bambini Piscina pool for tots ensure that the whole family can enjoy the park.

Like the water park, the Holiday Inn is also Venetian-themed with smoke-free king or queen guest rooms, along with a fitness center, a 24-hour business center and 1,900 square feet of meeting space. Hotel dining options are Italian-inspired and include Palazzo Ristoranti, serving breakfast and dinner, and the Sala Lounge for cocktails.

Situated in Minneapolis, approximately one hour from St. Cloud, the Grand Rios indoor water park is inside the Ramada Hotel and offers recreational opportunities to the general public, as well as overnight hotel guests. The Grand Rios highlights that it is home to the Midwest's largest "Hurricane Plunge" attraction and also has a 500-gallon "Big Splash Dumping Bucket" and a four-story water tower, complete with body and tube slides.

Water park prices and hours of operation are seasonal, with admission based on availability, but Ramada's hotel guests are always guaranteed entry. The hotel features 224 over-sized guest rooms and suites with amenities like wireless Internet, a fitness center, an indoor pool and complimentary parking. As for dining, the hotel's on-site Beach House Bar and Grille offers surf and turf favorites, while Grand Rios' Coconut Charley, located on the mezzanine of the water park, has casual dining covered with menu items like sandwiches, pizza and ice cream.

About an hour outside of St. Cloud, in the Baxter/Brainerd area, The Lodge at Brainerd Lakes houses 102 cabin-like rooms in four stories. Accommodations include standard king or queen rooms with separate living areas, as well as even larger suite options for groups up to eight. The lodge points out its casual grill and bar, with daily lunch and dinner specials, and its Gold Mine Arcade, clocking in at 2,400 square feet of gaming activities and prizes.

The real attraction is the 30,000-square-foot Paul Bunyan Water Park with a holographic tube slide, body slide, log walk, lazy river, zero-depth entry pool and an indoor/outdoor hot tub. Non-corporate rate guests at The Lodge can enjoy complimentary admission to the water park, open daily.

How2Day