Family Fun at Castaway Bay

This post is sponsored by Ohio. Find it Here. and Castaway Bay. All opinions are my own.

As much as my family and I love to travel to faraway beaches, we have plenty of ground to cover here in Ohio. We love exploring all of the incredible places, museums, and amusement parks. And the cooling weather won’t stop us from getting in some family fun at Castaway Bay in Sandusky. Especially now that they are open year round!

The Waterpark at Castaway Bay

Arriving at the Castaway Bay Waterpark felt like we were stepping onto a tropical island. The wave pool was an immediate hit with all three kids (ages 9, 6, and 4). With zero-depth entry and regular wave cycles, it almost felt like we were back on the beach.

Ari, our 9-year-old, loved going down the waterslides with Chad. I would say that it wiped him out completely thanks to all of the up and down of the stairs. (Mom win, right?!).

In addition to the slides (and stairs!) there were plenty of other ways to wear my kids out in the water park. The “School Crossing” activity (where you use a combination of ropes and floating objects to cross without getting wet) was, hands-down, a favorite with our oldest.

He went on School Crossing at least 30 times — and he only fell in once!

Fun for All-ages

Mila is our youngest, and also the tiniest 4 year old. I wasn’t worried one bit about whether or not she would have fun. Sure, the waterslides are still a few years off for her; but she loved playing in Hank’s Hangout. Hank’s Hangout is an interactive water playground, of sorts.

Fernando’s Tadpole Pool was another hot place for younger kids. With age-appropriate slides, water pipes, and splashing gadgets, it kept her busy for hours.

As you can see, it kept the big kids busy for hours, too. Because you’re really never too big to ride a little water slide, am I right?!

Land activities at Castaway Bay

As much as our family loves playing in the water, we needed to take breaks on dry land. Luckily there is plenty to see and do without ever having to leave the resort. And the kids wanted to do these activities just as much as they wanted to be in the water (if not more!).

Gamer’s Grotto

Fun fact: All three of our kids (yes, even our four year old) are obsessed with arcade games. We are regulars at our local arcade at home. So I knew they were going to have a blast playing with the latest video games, racing games, and other classics like air hockey.

The game cards were easy to use, reloadable, and easy to track both tickets and plays.

We literally had to pull them away from the arcade to go eat dinner. And, that’s okay with me.

There were no tears. There was only an excessive amount of fun. And that’s what we were there for! The family fun at Castaway Bay that we were looking to have.

Club Castaway

Club Castaway is an awesome offering of dry activities suited for every age. From crafts, to puzzles, to music, there’s something for everyone.

Lobby Activities

Probably the best thing about staying at Castaway Bay is the fact that there is something interactive for the kids at every turn.

Mini Bowling

My husband and I used to go bowling regularly before we had kids. Our kids are finally at the perfect age to take them bowling, but we just haven’t made it yet. Starting out by introducing them to Castaway Bays Mini Bowling was the perfect way to introduce them to a tried and true American pastime.

With bumpers available at a literal push of a button, and bowling balls that fit even little hands.

They did great — especially for their first time. And, once again, they didn’t want to leave for our next on-site adventure.

Blacklight Mini Golf

On our last day at Castaway Bay we tried out the Blacklight Mini Golf, located just off of the lobby.

Blacklight Mini Golf consisted of 9 holes of neon fun! You swipe your card at the machine to retrieve your ball and grab a neon-colored putter before heading in to the blacklight zone. All the kids had so much fun.

Family-friendly dining at Castaway Bay

We really like to plan our trips around food. And I spend hours looking at menus, dreaming about what delicious foods I’m going to try when visiting a new place. Castaway Bay has so many options for every person in our family — even the pickiest of them!

Quaker Steak and Lube

If you’ve been around here a bit, you’ll know that I have a borderline obsession with chicken wings. It all started when I lived in Buffalo (the home of the chicken wing!).

While I’m not crazy enough to try the Hot Wing Eating Challenge (I like to *taste* my food, not die from it!), I did eat a lot of other flavors of wings.

It’s located on the property of Castaway Bay, which makes it super convenient. In fact, you can take the hallways to the back entrance — so you never even have to go outside.

With 25 featured sauces, and a whole menu of items for kids who don’t eat chicken wings, there’s something for everyone.

High Tide Café

We started both mornings at High Tide Café with their all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.

The buffet was able to satisfy all of our morning cravings — as there was something for everyone. From cheesy potatoes with peppers, to pancakes, to lots and lots of bacon.

Ice Cream from the Sprinkle Shack

Is it really a trip or getaway without ice cream? I think not. We stopped mid-day at the Sprinkle Shack for a treat. And it was everything we needed.

Surfside Beach Bar and Grill

The Surfside Beach Bar and Grill is located within the waterpark area, which makes it perfect for a quick and easy poolside meal.

We ordered a pizza, half pepperoni, half cheese, to appease the masses. It was SO cheesy and definitely filled us up for some more pool adventures.

The Room and Amenities at Castaway Bay

I was so happy to hear that all of the rooms and public spaces at Castaway Bay have been newly renovated. And it certainly showed in our room. The floors were tile — which I love considering how many wet feet will be trotting in and out. The beds were beyond comfortable and the views of the lake were breathtaking.

Unlike some other places we have been, every speck of the resort was clean. Nothing felt even the slightest bit unclean. As a mom of three littles, that is super important to me.

Also, the staff were wonderful. The lifeguards and attendants in the waterpark were always available. They were helpful, knowledgeable, and very attentive to safety. At one point, Ari (our oldest) hurt his toe from dragging it on the bottom of the pool. A lifeguard assisted us with getting him cleaned up and made sure to check on him later during our stay.

Why you should take your family to Castaway Bay

There are so many reasons that you should take your whole family to Castaway Bay. A good three days on the resort property will be all that you need to make memories to last a lifetime.

You can make your reservation here for year-round fun!

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