Splish, Splash, Safety: Your Family's Guide to Safe Water Fun at Roaring Springs! | Roaring Springs Water Park (2024)

Dive into the world of water safety with a splash of fun and a sprinkle of caution!

Whether you’re playing in the pool, riding the waves at the beach, or splashing the day away at Roaring Springs Waterpark, water adventures are a blast for the whole family.

But before you jump in, let’s make sure you’re equipped with the know-how to stay safe and keep the good times rolling!

Swim School Shenanigans:It’s time to become a swimming superstar! Whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, mastering swimming skills is the key to unlocking a world of aquatic adventures. Did you know that if a child hasn’t learned to swim by third grade, they might miss the boat entirely? That’s why swimming lessons are the best solution to keep everyone safe and confident in the water.

Eyes on the Prize:Supervise Like a Pro! When it comes to water safety, eyes are your best lifeguards. Drowning doesn’t announce its arrival—it’s a silent sneak attack. So, while your little water bugs are making a splash, keep those peepers peeled. Reading a magazine or chatting on the phone might seem harmless, but it only takes a moment for danger to dive in.

Life Jacket Jamboree:Out with the floaties, in with the lifejackets—it’s time to level up your water safety game! Air-filled swimming aids might look cute, but they’re not as reliable as you think. Coast Guard-approved lifejackets are the real MVPs, providing safety without the false sense of security. So, whether you’re a pool pro or a water warrior, gear up and stay safe.

Danger Zone Alert:Watch Out for the “Too’s”! Danger lurks where the “too’s” roam—don’t let them catch you off guard! Feeling too tired, too cold, or too far from safety? It’s time to dial it back and play it safe. Overestimating your swimming skills is dangerous, know your limits and stick to them.

Lifeguards and Parents Unite:Lifeguards are the heroes of the pool, but parents are the ultimate sidekicks! Tag-teaming in water supervision ensures extra layers of safety for your little swimmers. With more eyes on the water, everyone can splash freely without worry.

Fence It In:Backyard pools are oases of fun, but they come with a side of responsibility. Fencing in your pool is like giving it a safety hug. A four-sided fence with self-closing and self-locking gates is the VIP pass to pool safety.

Sunscreen Smackdown:Catchin’ rays at Roaring Springs? Don’t forget your sun armor! Slather on sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher, at least 30 minutes before diving into the fun. Keep that sunscreen train rolling! Remember to reapply every two hours or after swimming or sweating up a storm.

Lead by Example:Sun Safety Starts Young! Kids look up to you—literally and figuratively—so be the sun safety superhero they deserve! Set the standard high by rocking shades, hats, and SPF like it’s nobody’s business. With 80% of sun exposure happening before adulthood, your role as a sun safety role model is at its peak of importance!

Stay hydrated, Water Warriors:It’s time to hydrate like it’s nobody’s business! Sip on water or sports drinks to keep the hydration train chugging along. Feeling the heat a little too much? Head for the shade, grab a drink and take a breather. If your body starts sending SOS signals like headaches or muscle cramps, take a trip to the first aid station to get you back on your feet!

Watch for Warnings:Keep an eye out for signs and signals along your water journey. Whether it’s a high tide warning or a friendly reminder to stay within the swimming area, these signs are your trusty guides to a safe and splash-tastic adventure!

Five Guys With a Splashy Idea

To fill the swimming-pool sized void left when Wild Waters closed, five local business guys came up with a plan to build a big new waterpark called Roaring Springs.

Construction started in the winter of 1999, with an ambitious goal of opening a 15-acre, $15 million waterpark in just five months. It took crews working round-the-clock under flood lights at night for Roaring Springs to open on June 19, 1999.

Plunge into Fun

170,000 guests experienced Roaring Springs for the first time in the summer of 1999, when tickets were just $19.99.

And… BRRR…one million gallons of cold water greeted guests, as natural gas boilers weren’t installed until year two.

In the 24 seasons since, more than six million fun-seekers have splashed the day away at Roaring Springs, from across Idaho, the US, and many foreign countries.

In fact, Roaring Springs is a vacation destination for 25% of its guests!

Roaring Springs is still locally owned and operated by two Boise families who are committed to providing an outstanding guest experience, and to keeping the experience fresh by consistently adding new attractions.

The Great Dolphin Dunk

In 2001 Roaring Springs dropped 10,000 toy dolphins in the Endless River for the first time for a race to the finish.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Ada County had opened just a few years before, and became Roaring Springs’ charity of choice, with our shared focus on kids and families.

The Great Dolphin Dunk has raised more than $1 million to help provide local Boys and Girls Club members academic support, healthy meals, and a safe place to go after school and in summer.

An Avalanche of Excitement

Three years after opening, Roaring Springs added its first major new attraction: the Avalanche. This thrilling half-pipe plummets you and a friend up and down a mountainous slide, fast. Really fast.

To unveil plans for the great white icy landslide, Roaring Springs commissioned a 1,000-pound ice sculpture, and park owners smashed a wall of ice with ice picks to unveil the Avalanche.

One bride and groom even took the plunge from high atop the Avalanche.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Roaring Springs celebrated its 5th anniversary in 2003 with the High Dive Spectacular, featuring six professional divers who performed three shows a day.

Kids and adults laughed at the comedy dive routine performed to “Who Let the Dogs Out?” And marveled at the sunset finale of a high diver with a flaming cape plummeting 8-stories and hitting the surface of a 10-foot temporary pool at 55 miles-per-hour.

Inspiring Young Readers

Roaring Springs launched its Roaring Reader program in 2004, with the goal of motivating kids to dive into books. In the past 20 years, nearly half a million Treasure Valley elementary school students have earned a free Roaring Reader ticket by reading for 600 minutes. That’s 300 million minutes (or 570 years) of reading!

Viper’s Vortex: Totally Tubular

Roaring Springs’ management team frequently travels to other waterparks to ride waterslides to select the newest, latest and greatest to bring to Boise (we know, it’s a tough job, but…).

On one such research trip in 2006, marketing director Tiffany Quilici rode “The Storm” at Wet ‘n Wild Orlando. It was a bowl slide like Viper’s Vortex. A single rider flew down a steep run-in (pelted by rain and lighting), then shot out into a giant bowl…but with no tube.

Quilici made a quarter revolution before being flushed upside down and headfirst into a deep catch pool below. She insisted that tubes would make for a safer and less scary spin on Roaring Springs’ new Viper’s Vortex.

H2OVERLOAD

If you were a teen during the H2Overload era, you can almost feel the warm summer nights at the waterpark, see the girls in bikini tops and cut-off jeans, and hear the vibe at Club Wave.

H2Overload was sensory overload. A place for teens to see and be seen. There were belly flop contests from the Wave Pool stage, and breakdancing and limbo on the dance floor. There were flip phones, funnel cakes, flirting, and friendship.

But just like the kids, H2Overload eventually grew up, and became Friday & Saturday Family Slide Nights.

Made in the Shade

In 2008, Roaring Springs guests got the chance to indulge friends and family in a day of VIP resort-style relaxation in nine new cabanas built by the Wave Pool, and later 12 more with views of Bearfoot Bay and the Endless River.

With the addition of the luxury cabanas in the new expansion area, Roaring Springs now boasts 38 cabanas, where grown-ups can even sip a summertime co*cktail.

Idaho’s Best Whitewater

From the start, Mammoth Canyon Family Raft Ride topped the “What’s your favorite ride?” list. So when it was time to select a new slide to celebrate Roaring Springs’ 10th anniversary, Thunder Falls was a clear winner.

The team at Roaring Springs knows that friends and family love to experience the thrills and chills of waterslides together, so by design, many of the park’s attractions feature rafts or tubes for multiple riders.

Double the Fun!

In 2009 Roaring Springs had the opportunity to purchase Boondocks, the family entertainment center right next door.

Why change a perfectly good name, you ask? Well, Roaring Springs only bought one of four Boondocks locations, so the purchase agreement required a name change. Wahooz just seemed fun.

In 2012 Pinz became the first new bowling center built in the Treasure Valley in 25 years, adding a vibrant, upscale vibe to this classic favorite pastime.

Next came the Indoor Adventure Park at Wahooz, featuring elements like the ropes course, bumper cars and Twister ride to weather-proof family entertainment in our corner of Idaho.

Top 10 in the US

In 2015 Roaring Springs gained national acclaim when it was named the 8th best waterpark in the US by Trip Advisor.

Our employees jumped for joy!

Out of This World

Roaring Springs and Wahooz were already hosting hundreds of groups each year, from big company picnics to small family reunions. So why not launch into a whole new universe of events?

A star was born in November of 2019 with the Galaxy Event Center at Wahooz.

The Galaxy hosts corporate meetings, fancy fundraising galas, holiday parties and more in a stunning $6 million space aglow with a star spanning the expansive ceiling. The Galaxy seats up to 400 for dining and features an executive chef.

Oh, and where else can you play a round of mini golf for a teambuilding break, or let the good times roll with a co*cktail hour in Z Lounge?

Bye-Bye Blue Bucket

Remember the iconic blue tipping bucket filled by a giant blue faucet in Roaring Springs’ kiddie pool?

The notoriously unreliable bucket was replaced five years ago with a new watery wilderness playground for tots to explore called Bearfoot Bay.

Award-winning Expansion

Just last summer Roaring Springs welcomed guests to the biggest expansion in its history. It’s inspired by everything we love about living in the Northwest…from wildlife to wild rivers, shared adventures and relaxing moments.

Camp IdaH2O features seven kids’ slides, the world’s first and only Tippin’ Tater 750-gallon tipping bucket, and a grumpy lifeguard ram watching over all the fun.

Class 5 Canyon is the Northwest’s first wave action river, while Critter Crossing creates a topsy-turvy balance challenge across floating forest-themed features.

Industry Accolades

Roaring Springs leadership proudly accepted the Leading Edge Award at the World Waterpark Association’s Conference in the fall of 2023.

The award recognized Roaring Springs’ creativity in the design of the new expansion, but also its innovation for a waterpark feature most guests aren’t even aware of.

EAVS, or the Ellis Aquatic Vigilance System, is a network of cameras that send real-time video to two control centers staffed by EAVS certified Roaring Springs staff.

This provides a second set of eyes for every lifeguard on-stand, and another layer of protection to keep Roaring Springs guests safe.

Roaring Springs was the first outdoor waterpark in the US to install the EAVS system.

Roaring Springs’ Future is Crystal Clear

Phase one of the waterpark expansion that opened in the summer of 2023 included laying the “waterworks” for four more major water attractions planned in the next decade.

What started as Boise’s backyard waterpark 25 years ago, has grown into a nationally renowned destination, winning global awards for excellence through our commitment to safety, innovation, and creating unforgettably fun experiences for guests of all ages

25th Anniversary Celebration!

Join us on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 for a splashy sun-soaked celebration with discounted admission and fun-filled festivities! Watch for details on Roaring Springs’ page.