To me, no summer is complete without at least one trip to the beach. I love it! It's just so relaxing to bask in the sun and cool off in the warm water. However, as much as I love the ocean, it's not without drawbacks.
First, and foremost, the closest beach from Atlanta is five hours away. With a car full of kids, that sometimes seems like fifty! And remember, it's just that long driving back except those same kids are usually worn out, sunburned and cranky!
The second biggest drawback is the expense. With such a long drive it does not make sense to go for less than two nights and most families try to stay for a week. In fact, most beach houses only offer weekly rentals. So, just to sleep somewhere will cost at least $300 and probably much, much more.
But what if I told you there's a terrific beach only thirty minutes away? WHAT!! Yep, that's right... no hotel bill, no miserable hours in the car, and actually more fun! Where is this nirvana, you ask? It's at LanierWorld at Lake Lanier Islands!
Below are my top 20 reasons why I think LanierWorld is a better and more fun choice for a beach vacation:
1. The short ride up is a given. But the ride home is the real perk. See #20 for my reasons!
2. One usually has to carry everything needed for the day, but not at this beach! With huge stationary umbrellas and plenty of lounge chairs, all you need to bring is sunscreen and towels! If you do find you forgot something, there's a Gift Shop that's stocked with all the necessities plus lots of extras!
3. No lugging heavy ice chests to this beach! From hot dogs, burgers, pizza, and nachos to full course dinners, the Boardwalk offers all of the food, snacks, ice cream and ice cold drinks you could possibly desire!
4. You don't even need to bring your own music. Your favorite music and videos are broadcast all day on the Spectacular Screen, a massive five story, high definition, outdoor screen overlooking the beach and on the weekend, a full-length family movie is shown at 4PM.
5. For sun worshippers, Big Beach has a half mile of beautiful, white sand on which to walk, build sand castles, or work on a tan. Just like in Florida, the water is a great place to cool off, but at this beach, there are no jelly fish!
6. But, you think, there are also no waves ... not so!! Just a few steps away is WildWaves, the largest wave pool in the state of Georgia. Kids and parents alike can wade into the zero entry pool with or without a tube and ride super-sized waves for all the fun of ocean but with no sharks!!
7. If you'd rather enjoy the beach in the shade, there's a huge covered pavilion filled with lounge chairs. This is the perfect place for the little ones to take a quick nap.
8. Unlike most other beaches, there are restrooms and bath houses with lockers conveniently located close to everything.
9. Safety, safety, safety... Another perk for families with children is that complimentary life jackets and tubes are easily accessible throughout the park. While there are no life guards, the park is staffed with very enthusiastic and knowledgeable attendants who are eager to help.
10. And just in case there is an accident, there is a First Aid Station. When Katie fell on the side walk and scraped her knee they fixed up right up with a water-proof bandage so she wouldn't miss any of the fun.
11. Hanging out on the beach and playing in the water, are usually all traditional beaches have to offer. But at LanierWorld, that is just the beginning! There are 11 fantastic water slides ranging from the fairly easy Double Down to the exhilarating tube ride down the rapids of the Raging River and the heart-stopping, almost vertical drop of the Intimidator! One of the newest additions, Cat4 is like no other! Riders zoom downhill, over the Boardwalk, across Big Beach - then splash into Lake Lanier! Our favorites were the Blackout, where you slide in total darkness, and the FunDunker Drop, a four-story, high-speed slide that sends riders swirling round and round before the freefall into the 8' pool below. Katie said it was what she would imagine it would feel like to be flushed down a toilet!
12. Although it's an easy walk to everything, because LanierWorld is so spread out, it never seems crowded.
13. Crawl into Battle Balls at Bucky's Battle Ball Court to roll, flip, bump and bounce across the beach. The last person standing gets bragging rights! Then head to Bucky's Foam Parties before jumping into the water! It's tons of fun and looks like snow in July!
14. One of the most popular activities is the Big Beach Aquatic Adventure. This is a floating inflatable adventure course where you climb, slide, swim, and jump your way through aquatic obstacles. Johnny couldn't wait to try this one!
15. Want more adventure? Race your friends across the water as you soar suspended 50 feet in the air on the Thunderbolt Triple Zip Line!
16. At the Sunset Cove Beach, you can play a friendly game of beach volleyball or watch more competitive teams play. Kayaks and stand-up paddle boards are available to rent or you can enjoy a game of miniature golf!
17. The three-story FunDunker Playhouse features more than 100 ways to get wet. At the tip top of this attraction is a large bucket that dumps nearly 2,000 gallons of icy water over your head to cool you off in the summer heat!
18. Younger kids have their own area at the Fun Zone Splash Pad. Gentle slides, water spouts, and Wiggle Waves, a mini wave pool, are designed especially for pre-schoolers. Ringed by huge umbrellas and lounge chairs, this is the perfect spot to relax for families with young children.
19. On many weekends, including the upcoming Labor Day weekend, there are breathtaking fireworks at night. Check the website to see the dates.
20. After a full day of fun in the sun and dinner, the kids can shower in the bath houses and change into their PJs before heading to the car. My kids almost always fall asleep during the short ride home and then just need to be carried to their own (FREE) beds. Yeah, this definitely beats a five-hour ride home any day of the week!
There is no question in my mind that the close location, minimal expense, and huge variety of activities from which to choose make LanierWorld my family's favorite beach vacation!
HOURS:
Lanier World is open daily through August 6, 2017. (Saturday 10am -10pm, Sunday 10am - 7pm, weekdays 10am -9pm). Please check the calendar for individual days, especially holidays. After August 6, Lanier World is open on weekends only (10 am - 9 pm on Saturdays and 10 am - 7 pm on Sundays).
TICKETS:
Tickets can be purchased HERE. Entrance to Lanier World is $41.99 for adults, $30.99 for children. Please be aware it does not include Thunderbolt: Triple Zip. Parking is an additional $15 per car.
LOCATION:
Lanier Islands is located at 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford (30518). They can be contacted at 770-945-8787. They are located on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Disclosure Statement: My family and I were the guests of LanierWorld. No other compensation was received and as always, all remarks are my honest opinion.
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