Boomerang Bay at Carowinds – Fun for Kids of All Ages

Boomerang Bay Water Activities at Carowinds © Katrena

Boomerang Bay is a fun water park area in Carowinds, an amusement park nestled on the borders of North Carolina and South Carolina just off I-77. When I was a child, I remember when the water park at Carowinds first opened. They had a wave pool and people would suntan on the roof of a large building over there. At that time, they charged an extra fee to get into the water park, so I would simply look at this part of the park from some of the highest hills of the Thunder Road roller coaster in those early years.

Wading Pool and Splash Pad at Carowinds © Katrena

Several years back, Carowinds made the decision to include the water park free with admission to the park, but I tended to gravitate toward all the awesome coasters they offer and would usually skip the water areas. Now that I have kids of my own, we tend to split the day between land rides and water fun at Boomerang Bay.

See Thunder Road from Boomerang Bay © Katrena

The water park at Carowinds has shorter hours than the rest of the park. Check the Carowinds official web site for specific hours for Carowinds and Boomerang Bay because they change depending on the day and month. They do provide life jackets for free use while in the water park. Although people are no longer allowed on any roof, lots of chairs are positioned around swimming and water play areas for those who wish to take in the rays or simply sit down and rest for a few minutes. Large umbrellas are in some areas for those who wish to stay in the shade.

Lazy River Water Ride at Carowinds © Katrena

Boomerang Bay is a great place to cool off and relax, particularly if the kids are getting hot and grumpy. Our kids are ages 10, 8 and 4, and each of them found something that they particularly enjoyed in the water park. We let them take the helm on deciding what to do, and it was interesting to see how each child picked activities that tended to showcase her own personality.

How to Have Fun in the Water Park at Carowinds © Katrena

Tips for Enjoying Boomerang Bay with the Kids

• If you wish to avoid crowds, try visiting on a Tuesday or when it is cloudy (they do close water attractions if lightening is in the area).
• Changing buildings toward the back and side of the water park may be less crowded.
• Bring your own sunscreen and reapply as needed.
• Sandals or flip flops are very helpful when the concrete walking areas get hot.
• It helps to have more than one adult in the group if you have several children of different ages and interests, but there are quite a few fun activities that the family can enjoy together in the water park.

Below are some of our family's favorite activities at Boomerang Bay:

Fun Water Activities for Kids at Carowinds © Katrena

Kangaroo Lagoon and Wallaby Wharf

Kangaroo Lagoon and Wallaby Wharf are wading pools that have splash pad activities stationed in shallow water. All three of our girls loved this area. I believe the one in the back with the mushrooms is supposed to be designed for smaller kids, but all of my girls liked the one with the small slide and lots of different water sprayers. They do have areas where the kids can simply play in the shallow water without getting sprayed.

Kiddie Water Slide (Platypus Plunge) at Carowinds © Katrena

Platypus Plunge

Platypus Plunge is a kiddie water slide that offers tubes that an adult can ride in the back with a little one up front or kids between a height range can ride by themselves. All of my girls rode this one over and over. Even my 4-year-old was giggling all the way down. They have a lifeguard stationed at the top and bottom to help the kids get positioned and riding safely.

Water Playground (Jackaroo Landing) at Carowinds © Katrena

Jackaroo Landing

Jackaroo Landing is a big playground filled with water sprayers. A huge bucket fills and then will tip over onto a roof every so often. Many of the kids will station themselves so that they can enjoy the bucket's huge splash. Others may avoid that splash area at all costs! They do have a small water slide in this play area – this one tends to splash a bit more than the Platypus Lunge.

Relaxing Water Activities in North Carolina and South Carolina © Katrena

Crocodile Run

My oldest particularly enjoyed Crocodile Run, a relaxing and rather quiet water area. It is set up like a lazy river ride where you ride a water ring around a large circle. They do have a couple of spots where water will spray you from the sides and as you go under a bridge. I did not see any way to avoid the spraying, so you might want to walk to the bridge and look at the sprayers to determine whether or not the kids are ready for that surprise if you have little ones that might not like to get sprayed.

Best Water Slides in South Carolina and North Carolina © Katrena

Pipeline Peak

If you have kids that are all about adventure, head for the water slides near the back at Pipeline Peak. My 8-year-old was absolutely determined to try the biggest water slide Carowinds offers. The line on the right takes visitors all the way to the top of the tower, and riders do not use tubes. This is the one that drew my child. Be prepared for a climb, but there is a nice view from that tower. The guy at the top mentioned that the black slide on the left was his favorite. This water slide is very fast and dark. A few tiny lights are located in the slide, but for the most part, you have no idea which direction you will turn and water tends to splash in your face as you careen to the bottom. This is a water slide for thrill seekers. Yep, my 8-year-old is definitely a thrill seeker and was ready to go again as soon as she made it to the bottom.

Tips for Going to Carowinds Water Park With Kids © Katrena

Other Water Slides

Carowinds also offers a nice variety of smaller water slides for those who want a thrill but are not quite ready for the biggest and fastest water slide in the back. Down Under Thunder offers huge tubes that the whole family may be able to ride together. The line on the left of Pipeline Peak only goes about halfway up the tower and two riders can ride one tube, but it is still a pretty intense ride for some folks. Awesome Aussie Twisters and Sydney Sidewinder offer shorter water slides near the front of the water park that you might want to try first before tackling the larger slides at the back.

Wave Pools at Carowinds © Katrena

Wave Pools

Carowinds now offers two wave pools. A warning buzzer sounds before the waves begin. The one in the front has shorter, choppier waves while the one in the back features larger waves. They do have zero entry areas where the water is shallow. Smaller kids and non-swimmers need to wear life jackets in these swimming areas.

Boomerang Bay, a water park near the back of Carowinds, has a nice variety of water activities for all ages. Even the walkways feature sprayers and misters for folks who simply want to cool off.

If you are purchasing a season pass, you might want to check out the 2013 Carowinds Bring a Friend Dates article. The Carowinds official site has directions, current prices, and hours of operation. Readers may also enjoy finding practical tips for visiting Carowinds with the kids. Visit Love 2 Travel with Kids and Travel NC With Kids for more of Katrena's articles.