As a child-free 47-year-old Canadian, I can’t say I think about waterparks a whole lot. But I’ve been missing out. Since my late 20s, the last time I visited a waterslide other than at a hotel pool, water parks have changed. A lot.

I was thrilled, though a bit puzzled, to be invited down to Texas to write about a waterpark that, as a child-free 47-year-old-Canadian, I had never heard of. But just mentioning the words “waterpark” and “Texas” on social media, I learned that I was in the minority not knowing about Schlitterbahn. 

Schlitterbahn’s New Braunfels Waterpark has been consistently voted “world’s best waterpark” by Amusement Today. I visited the original and flagship resort in New Braunfels, Texas, which is just outside of San Antonio. I had no idea how much waterparks had evolved, and how much fun they were.

I’ve always been a big roller coaster fan, and waterslide technology has evolved to create uphill watercoasters — essentially rollercoasters where you sit on a tube propelled up and down hills and through twists and turns all by water.  Schlitterbahn invented them, and I tried several.

Schlitterbahn also invented a surfing ride, called the Boogie Bahn, on which I learned to boogie board/body surf. The pool looked rather intimidating (especially seeing others wipe out!) but, given my lemon pie life approach to trying everything, I got up enough nerve to give it a try.  Surprisingly fun and easy!

Here’s my first article on Schlitterbahn, a feature on the park, their hotels and describing how to make a visit to the park a luxury experience: Schlitterstein Lofts, for LuxuryAndBoutiqueHotels.com. Whether you’re in Texas (New Braunfels, South Padre Island, Galveston or Corpus Christi) or in Kansas City, Kansas, and, yes, even if you’re 47 and child-free, you really need to give Schlitterbahn a try!

Here’s my teacher showing what an expert can do on the BoogieBahn :-)

Note: My trip was hosted by Schlitterbahn, but all opinions expressed in any of my articles are mine and no one from any of the companies or destinations I mention reviews or approves my articles.