Raging Waters, San Jose (CLOSED)

UPDATE: Raging Waters in San Jose closed permanently and is temporarily operating as CaliBunga.

2333 South White Road, San Jose, California 95148

Good for: Day-trip, families
Price: $33/adult, $24/child
Features: Water slides, lazy river, wave pool

What a fantastic visit my friends and I had when we went to Raging Waters in San Jose! There were 19 of us all together with eight adults and eleven children, ranging from 6 to 12 years old. We had perfect weather around 78 Deg F with a light breeze here and there.

This water park looks deceivingly small. It actually has a huge selection of attractions for every visitor. First of all, they have the signature lazy river and wave pool that every genuine water park must have. One friend commented that it was the first time she could enjoy the wave pool because the water was a nice temperature. Every so many minutes an alarm will ring letting everyone know the wave machine will begin. No matter how many times I heard that bell go off, there was always an audible ‘Yay!’ that was guaranteed to follow.

Towards the rear of the park were two slides that required the use of a raft or inter-tube. Barracuda Blaster allowed 2-3 people to ride in a raft that is automatically brought up on a conveyor. A bit on the tamer side but a nice slide to start off with a couple of friends. Next up was Dragon’s Den (the yellow and black one pictured above) which required 2 people in a double inter-tube shaped like an eight. This had a steep drop in an enclosed tube, had you go in a circle a couple times, then drop you into the pool below.

If you want to run around and just get soaking wet, you can splash and climb in the Pirate’s Cove. Very little ones might feel a bit intimidated but there is a special area for them at the Wacky Water Works.

My ultimate favorite is the Great White Shark. It’s an inter-tube for two and it’s a blast! Everyone had to do this at least 2 times. If you’d rather skip the tubes, there’s plenty opportunity for that as well. A few friends were feeling daring and jumped on the speed slides. I don’t remember the last time I saw so many 30-somethings giggling like that!

The children could ride on practically everything. There were also life vests and lifeguards everywhere. That being said, we were able to let the kids go wild and have fun. They particularly liked the activity pool with things to climb on and small slides to go down in many creative ways. Two of the girls went down that ramp countless times and would just run back up to do it again. Slide Creek Falls was a favorite for many of the little ones as it was a small drop, floated a bit, dropped  a bit more. One of our girls flipped over and she was just cracking up.

The park is VERY clean. I don’t usually like to go without shoes but felt comfortable doing so here.  As mentioned, there was a huge focus on safety and we had no accidents. There’s also a lot of area to relax, put your stuff down, and lay out if desired. It was not a ‘meat-market’ or a teen hangout so this created a wonderful family-friendly atmosphere. Being a Monday the lines were short and it was possible to ride everything multiple times.

You cannot bring food into the park but, since in-and-out privileges are extended, you can always go to your car if you packed a lunch. Some that were with us bought food from the park vendors and, well, let’s just say that it was typical park food. Most of the staff is friendly and helpful. Make sure you re-apply sunblock 2-3 times during the day, though, as the south bay sun is strong. Almost all of us got a bit of sun burn from staying all day.

If you would like to take a day-cation at Raging Waters, there’s a great deal going on now. As their 25th Anniversary Special, adults only pay kids’ price. That saves $9 off general admission when you buy your tickets online. Get the most out of your summer with some wet and wild fun at Raging Waters in San Jose.

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► Giveaway closed, winners announced here!
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WIN IT!
Raging Waters is generously offering one of my readers 2 tickets to Raging Waters in San Jose, CA.

To enter (mandatory):
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Giveaway ends 8/8/10 at 11:59 PST. Open to US residents only. Winners have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen.

Disclosure: I was provided with two complimentary tickets at no cost in order to facilitate this review. The thoughts presented here are 100% my honest opinion.