Kids Can Earn Junior Ranger Badges at Georgia’s State Parks

Looking for something that will keep your kids active and outside this summer?  Fun, affordable and educational youth programs can be a challenge to come by, but not with the Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites’ Junior Ranger program. Children ages 6-12 may earn three levels of Junior Rangers badges this summer, either at their own pace or at day camps in the parks.

Some of activities include identifying trees or wildlife, hiking, swimming, learning about history and camping. The program supplies up to 16 activities to choose from, creating endless learning opportunities for your child. Junior Ranger books may be picked up at Georgia State Park and Historic Site office or download it online for free. This program is a great way to keep kids busy during the summer while learning about Georgia’s outdoor offeringsGeorgiaStateParks.org/JuniorRanger.

Event Listings

This summer explore and expand your family’s horizons with the help of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites. Below is a sampling of upcoming Junior Ranger events. A complete listing of opportunities through August are available online atGaStateParks.org/Events.

 

Junior Ranger Three-Day Camp at Chattahoochee Bend State Park- Newnan, Ga.

Come enjoy an adventure filled three-day camp here at Chattahoochee Bend. Archery, hiking, campfire building, and science experiments are only a few of the many adventures you’ll have at this camp. Learn about wild animals, dangerous plants, and survival skills too. Registration is required. Please call 770-254-7271 for additional details.

June 13-15 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. for ages 7-9 years old

June 27-29 from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. for ages 10-12 years old

 

Junior Ranger Camp at Florence Marina State Park – Omaha, Ga.

Florence Marina invites all junior rangers to its annual junior ranger camp. Come explore the wonderful world of being a park ranger. Learn how to identify different plant and animal species, go on hikes and boat rides, learn wilderness skills, and more. Please call 229-838-4706 for additional details.

June 12,13,14 and 15 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

 

Junior Ranger Camp at Skidaway Island State Park- Savannah, Ga.

A week of hikes, crafts, games focused on the natural and cultural heritage of Georgia. During the week your child will work to earn a Junior Ranger patch. Registration is limited. Please call 912-598-2300 for additional details.

The weeks of May 29, June 12, 26, and July 10 from 9:00 a.m.to 5:00 p.m. for ages 6-11 years old

 

Junior Ranger Camp: Seminole State Park – Donalsonville, Ga.

Children ages 7-14 are invited to this multiday camp to learn how to become a Jr Ranger. Some activities will include canoeing, hiking, aquatic exploration and crafts. To earn their Jr Ranger Badge, children will learn about a variety of topics such as animals, wilderness survival, and much more. Register in advance. Please call 229-861-3137 for additional details.

June 5, July 10, August 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for ages 7-14 years old

 

Junior Ranger Camp: Magnolia Springs State Park – Millen, Ga.

During this three-day camp, children will participate in activities that focus on the outdoors and work towards earning a Junior Ranger badge. Activities will include nature hikes, archery, geocaching, alligators, fishing, archaeology, the splash pad, and much more. Call or visit the park to register. Space is limited and registration is required. Please call 478-982-1660 for additional details.

June 13-15 and June 27-29 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

 

Junior Ranger Camp: Fort Yargo State Park – Winder, Ga.

This camp will feature a multitude of activities from hiking to archery. Over the three-day camp (guests can choose from two series) children will experience what it’s like to be a State Park Junior Ranger. Registration required. Please call 770-867-3489 for additional details.

June 7-9 and June 21-23 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for ages 6-12 years old

 

Junior Ranger Camp: Laura S. Walker – Waycross, Ga.

Children will participate in activities that focus on the outdoors and work toward earning a Junior Ranger badge. Activities include outdoor skills, trail walks, birding, and more. Space is limited and registration is required. Please call912-287-4900 for additional details.

June 20-22 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for ages 6-12 years old

 

Junior Ranger Camp: Vogel State Park – Blairsville, Ga.

You will learn how to identify different plant and animal species, go on hikes and boat rides, learn how to be safe in the wilderness, and so much more. Please call 706-745-2628 for additional details.

June 17-18, July 15-16 and August 5-6 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

 

Robin Hood Flies High This Summer at Serenbe Playhouse

It is summertime, and I bet you are already trying to figure out what you are going to do with your kids.  Thankfully we live in a beautiful area with so much to offer kids of all ages.  Between attending shows at your local library, going on outings to various places in Atlanta, and  swimming in your local pools, you have got many choices to choose from.  Why not check out one of my favorite places to go, Serenbe Playhouse.  The recipient of the prestigious American Theatre Wing grant, and recently honored with the most Suzi Bass Awards for a musical in Atlanta (Miss Saigon), is pleased to present ROBIN HOOD, new adaptation by Rachel Teagle.

Opening June 2nd and running through August 13th, performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 11am, and Sundays at 2pm.  ROBIN HOOD will be produced at The Farmer’s Market Hideaway in Serenbe.

No tale could be more suited for REBELLION than that of Robin Hood, the story of a renegade knight who abandons his life of comfort for that of an outlaw.  But Robin Hood’s defection is not in the name of recklessness — he’s a man of the people who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.  Alongside his band of Merry Men, our hero also chases romance with the lovely Maid Marian.  In this new adaptation by Serenbe collaborator Rachel Teagle and under the direction of Broadway’s Paul McGill, characters will fly through Serenbe’s magnificent forest on a zip line, redistributing wealth as they go!

“Robin Hood is going to be our most immersive family series to date,” says Playhouse Founder & Artistic/Executive Director Brian Clowdus.  “With a set in the air, actors will be zip lining above the audience in a hidden Sherwood Forest in the most breathtaking of Serenbe landscapes.  At the helm of this project is guest director Paul McGill who is no stranger to the air having played Spider-Man on Broadway among many notable credits.  We figured it would’ hurt to have Broadway and Spider-Man in our back pocket for this project!”  “This production excites me to no end,” says McGill.  “The potential is endless for telling this incredibly relevant story in this stunning natural setting.  The action-packed and arrow-focused nature of this piece is represented solely through our zip-line experience: you can only move forward, never back.” Audiences will receive the full Playhouse treatment as the enter Sherwood Forrest.  From games, to sword fights, to even having the chance to zip line themselves, everyone from 0 to 100 will join Robin Hood’s merry band!  The creative team also includes original music by John Burke, fight choreography by Christen Orr, scenic design by Scott Sargent, costume design by DeeDee Chmielewski and properties design by Stephanie Polhemus.

Single tickets are on sale now online at www.serenbeplayhouse.com

Want more information on Serenbe Playhouse?

Visit their social media outlets below.

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serenbeplayhouse.com

 

 

Cool Off This Summer With Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor

You can feel it in the air!  It’s summertime in Georgia, and that means Six Flags is open for business!  Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Over Georgia, named the third-best Outdoor Water Park in the Country in the 10 Best USA Today reader’s poll, offers  guests a 7-acre oasis, featuring a 38,000 square foot wave pool with four-foot waves and the world’s first Tsunami Surge water slide – 5 stories tall with a wave wall that sends riders perpendicular to the ground with a sensation of weightlessness, among other attractions. Hurricane Harbor is open daily through August 6 and weekends through mid-September.

Bonzai Pipelines

Experience the thrill of racing down one of the craziest slides to date at Hurricane Harbor.  With 180 and 360 degree curves, you are going to experience a thrilling rush like no other slide.  Add in a dose of courage as your test yourself on a slide with a four-story drop that will definitely lead you screaming, “Bonzai!”

Calypso Bay

You don’t have to go far to experience the thrill of the Caribbean Sea, just get to Hurricane Harbor where you can wade through the four-foot waves and find that relief from the hot summer days.

 

Tsunami Surge

Want to experience zero gravity?  Head to Six Flags to check out “the first hybrid zero-gravity single slide combining two extreme slide thrills! Four riders barrel down an enclosed five-story drop, which includes a 125 foot long whirlpool bowl that will spin you around at 360 degrees.”

If you are looking to experience the thrill of weightlessness, then this is your ride!

 

 

Don’t forget to check out today Metropolis:  The City of Tomorrow. located near Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags.  The all new JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle For Metropolis is an interactive, high-action thrill ride in 4D, in which riders become part of the JUSTICE LEAGUE reserve team, tagging alongside BATMAN, SUPERMAN, WONDER WOMAN and more to defeat The Joker, Lex Luthor and his henchmen. Using a stun blaster to destroy more than 600 targets, riders are fully immersed in 11 high-intensity scenes through the City of Metropolis. JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle For Metropolis is the most innovative ride to ever open at Six Flags Over Georgia, during the parks’ 50^th anniversary season.  You can find out more here by reading our review of this ride.

I do not know what you are waiting for!  Get to Six Flags to seek relief from the hot Georgia sun this summer.  You are going to have a blast!

Lantern Parade Coming to Sandy Springs June 10

Back by popular demand, Sandy Springs is proud to announce its second annual  “Take it to the River” Lantern Parade on Saturday, June 10, 2017. Just outside the Atlanta Perimeter, march to the Chattahoochee River with whimsically-designed, colorful lanterns or witness the breathtaking, family-friendly procession.

 

The Lantern Parade is a free community event and an opportunity for the surrounding community and visitors to celebrate the river at one of Sandy Springs’ most beautiful parks. Participants will begin gathering at the Steel Canyon Golf Club at 8:00 p.m., and the parade will step off at 9:00 p.m. walking an easy path down Morgan Falls Road to Morgan Falls Overlook Park.  As the parade arrives at the park around 9:45 p.m., paddlers from High Country Outfitters will take to the river with specially-designed floating lanterns. Guests can enjoy the riverfront display along with live performances and tasty treats.

 

“I’ve always liked the idea of putting lanterns on the water,” said parade producer Chantelle Rytter. “I jumped on the opportunity to continue the Sandy Springs Lantern Parade for its second year and grow our family of floating lanterns. The Sandy Springs community was more than I could have asked for last year, and I can’t wait to see the turn out this June.”

 

With more than 2,500 attendees in 2016, the 2^nd annual Lantern Parade is expected to grow in more than just attendees. Chantelle has dreamed of a whole family of magnificent floating lanterns, and in this year’s display, she would like to introduce two new swan lanterns known as Lilly and Billy for guests to enjoy. The swans, Lilly and Billy, will join last year’s Alice, the 25-foot albino alligator, Big Mama Sandy, the turtle, and Jeremiah, the bullfrog, accompanied by his lilies.

“I did a series of sketches, and our new swans, Lilly and Billy, seemed like a great fit for our river family,” said Chantelle. “I love the idea of taking your imagination to the river. Our lantern parade workshops will let everyone show off their imagination and creativity with their own river- and Sandy Springs-themed lanterns for the parade.”

 

Lantern Parade workshops are available from June 3 to June 6 at North Springs United Methodist Church on Morgan Falls Road. Registration begins May 3. Chantelle will host the workshops, which will include:

• New willow fish, with special materials from England-inspired lanterns that are great for craft enthusiasts
• Globes and parasols, which are perfect for a parent and child of any age
• Lantern hats, which are recommended for a child eight years and older with a parent

 

The cost of the workshops will cover all materials, instructions and tools for participants. More information, workshop cost and registration will be available online on May 3: www.visitsandysprings.org/lanternparade.

 

Bring your lanterns and flashlights to “Take it to the River!” To walk in the parade, please arrive at the Steel Canyon Golf Club prior to 9:00 p.m. on June 10. Parking will be available at:

• Old WorldPay building – 600 Morgan Falls Road, Suite 260
• North Springs United Methodist Church, 7770 Roswell Road
• City of Sandy Springs City Hall, 7840 Roswell Road

 

We would like to thank our participating sponsors:
City of Sandy Springs

Sandy Springs Hospitality & Tourism

Sandy Springs Recreation and Parks

High Country Outfitters

Steel Canyon Golf Club

Bai

KIND

 

For more info on the parade and workshop registration, please visit www.visitsandysprings.org/lanternparade, and share your parade march to the river using #TakeItToTheRiver and #LanternParade.

Celebrate 50 years with Six Flags Over Georgia and Experience their new 4D ride

I had the chance to visit Six Flags earlier in May to check out their new 4D ride, and I have to tell you ….you will WANT to check it out!  This ride is some serious fun, and it will have you running back to the line to do it all over again!  According to Six Flags Atlanta Properties Park President Dale Kaetzel,  “There’s no better way to celebrate the park’s 50^th anniversary season than the unveiling of the most innovative and multi-faceted attraction the park has ever built!”   You know what, I have to agree!  This is one of the best ways to celebrate this amazing park that has brought Georgia residents and out-of-town guests countless hours of fun and memories to treasure for a lifetime! 

Engaging in a full-sensory journey on JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle for Metropolis, guests will battle alongside BATMAN™, SUPERMAN™, WONDER WOMAN, THE FLASH and GREEN LANTERN against Lex Luthor, The Joker and his henchmen.

The interactive attraction features:

·         A 22,000 square foot HALL OF JUSTICE to house this full-sensory thrill ride;

·         A 4D ride experience with wind, fire, mist and fog effects, plus life-like animatronic characters;

·         Non-stop action, as the JUSTICE LEAGUE Reserve Team travels through laughing gas and flames in 11 high-intensity scenes;

·         One of the first-ever virtual loops, giving riders the feeling of going head-over-heels;

·         High definition 3D animation that fully immerses riders inside the city of Metropolis;

·         All-new, Unreal 4 Gaming engine; and

·         6-passenger vehicles with multi-degrees-of-freedom to transport riders through all the exciting twists and turns.

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer and that means Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is open for a summer of thrilling water park fun. Recently nominated as one of the 10 Best Outdoor Water Parks by USA Today, this 7-acre water park oasis features a 38,000 square foot wave pool and the world’s first Tsunami Surge water slide with a perpendicular wave wall and 50 foot drop, making Hurricane Harbor the perfect vacation spot for relaxing during the hot Georgia summer months. Hurricane Harbor is free with theme park admission.

 Also on tap for the 2017 season, Six Flags Over Georgia is now the home to the company’s flagship Coaster Candy store. The massive 4,000 square foot candy store features chocolate dipped marsh-mallows, gourmet chocolate dipped pretzels, candy apples and homemade fudge, among other sweet treats. Coaster Candy is located near the front entrance of the park.

 Six Flags Over Georgia is now open daily through August 6. Season Passes and All Season Dining Plans to Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags White Water are available online at www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia.

An exclusive line of Justice League merchandise will be available at the JUSTICE LEAGUE: Battle for Metropolis retail store.

American Girl Summer Camps in Sandy Springs

Summer is a great time children to relax, but it is still important to keep those academic skills in focus too.  With so many options available to parents now, how do you choose what is best for your child?  The first thing you want  to do is look at their interests.  What does your child like to do?  Find camps that appeal to them, but also look for camps that will expose them to new ideas and experiences.  If you have a child that loves American Girl dolls and live close to the Sandy Springs area, then you have to look into the American Girl Summer Camp.

Returning for its second year,  this camp exposes participants to the unique historical perspectives of the  American Girl Dolls through crafts, food, and games. For those who have attended our programs before, the summer camp sessions are all new, providing more in-depth content, and even more interaction with the historic period.

Choose between four, week-long sessions, two in June, two in July.

Facts at a glance

Time: 9:30am-3:30pm

Cost: $250 non-members, $225 HSS members
Lunch: Additional $25 per week, per camper
Includes Sandwiches, chips, fruit/veggie, dessert, drink
Dates:
Monday, June 5th – Friday, June 9th
Monday, June 12th – Friday, June 16th
Monday, July 10th – Friday, July 14th
Monday, July 17th – Friday, July 21st

Registration Deadline: May 26, 2017
$25 off! American Girl Club Summer Camp –
http://usfamilyguide.com/coupon.php?bid=13334&dealid=3254 .@usfg

Sign up today for a summer camp experience that will bring history to life by contacting Melissa Swindell at curator@heritagesandysprings.org or at
404-851-9111 ext 2.

Social Media Connections

Heritage Sandy Springs Facebook

Heritage Sandy Springs Website

DIY birdfeeder

Recently we were given an Upcycle Challenge, and we decided to take it on!  What was the challenge?  To take a Chick-fil-A salad container and upcycle it.  Make it into something else.  We played around with many ideas–maybe make a photo frame out of it or paint it and use it as art on the wall.  Believe it or not, there are tons of good ways to reuse the salad container.  The question for us is “What do we need?”

Our backyard is BIG.  Recently we have started working on cleaning it up and making it an area that we want to be in.  With a pretty little island in the middle of it, we decided that what would best suit us is a bird feeder.  That’s where our inspiration came from.

Materials

Empty Chick-fil-A salad container

4  24 inch long pieces of twine

yard stick

marker

2 6 inch pieces of crafting wire

2 inches of heavy duty clear tape

Directions

As you can see from the image above, it is a simple task.  Once you have your salad container cleaned and dried, you will poke four holes into the corners of the bottom piece.  The top piece already has four holes in it; you simply have to enlarge them.  We cut 4  twenty four inch twine pieces.  Then we burnt the ends of the twine to keep it from fraying.

Next, we laid the twine out next to a yard stick.  We marked with a marker/sharpie at the following intervals:  2, 8 and 10 inches.  Tie a knot at the two inch mark of each string.   Using the unmarked end, insert it into each corner hole in the bottom piece.  Tie a knot at the 8 inch mark.

Make sure to line up the top and bottom containers as if sealing/closing.  You want to do this so that it can close if needed.

Now add the top  piece.  Bring it down to the 8 inch knot.  Then you want to tie a knot at the 10 inch mark.  This will hold the top in place.

Now you are left with four strings at the top of bird feeder.   Look at our image above.  You will want to allow some room and then bunch it up and wrap it with the crafting wire.  (see image above).  Then you will want to do it again about  4 to 6 inches above that with the remaining craft wire.  (This part is not shown in image.   Tape was used to hold twine in place as we added the crafting wire.

Then hang your bird feeder.  We wrapped ours around a tree limb.   The bird feeder can be hung different ways depending on your needs.

Overall crafting time, about 30 minutes.

Like this idea?  You can find alot whole lot  more upcycled Chick-Fil-A salad container projects from members of the Chick-Fil-A Mom’s Panel HERE

#ChickFilAMomsDIY

Flyaway Indoor Skydiving-Perfect Gift for the Adventurous

Are you looking for a unique gift to give someone adventurous?  One gift that I feel people often overlook is the gift of adventure and memory making. As my children get older and older I realize that the “stuff” I stand in lines for brings little satisfaction in the long run.  Of course, the gifts I choose to give people bring them satisfaction.  Getting the latest toy or game makes for happy faces.  Over time though I have come to value the memories we make more than the “stuff.”  That is why I try to purchase gifts that provide an adventure for my loved ones.  I want to  deposit memories with our family that will stand the test of time.  Things that they can look back on and realize how much fun they had.

What great place to find adventure is Pigeon Forge.  There is so much to do and see here that you could make multiple trips here and still not get everything in!  Recently my son shared with me that he wanted to try indoor skydiving.  When I learned about Flyaway Indoor Skydiving in Pigeon Forge, I knew I needed to schedule this adventure for him.

 

Flyaway Indoor is the first and longest running vertical wind tunnel open to the public! The staff is quite knowledgeable and love what they do.  You begin your adventure with a classroom briefing.  Here you will learn how you are to lay and the signs that will be used during your flight.  Afterwards they assist you with your flight gear.  You will want to wear closed shoes tennis shoes that can be tied tightly.  You do no want these slipping off during your experience.  They will give you ear plugs, goggles, and gloves to wear.  Then you are off to the experience the basics of human flight in their vertical wind tunnel. No experience is necessary, honest!  The instructors will be there to guide you as you spread your wings and learn to FLY!  Glynn had an absolute blast!

If you are asking yourself about those people who do specials jumps and spins and good ness what else…can you do that in this tunnel?  Well, actually you can.  The problem is you gotta learn how to do those tricks.  Believe it or not, what Glynn did on his trip was exhausting!  It truly takes all your strength to keep the right position.  When your position/form is correct, you can learn to do the tricks.  It is just like riding a bike.  You gotta start with the basics before you can build up to the stunts.  It is possible, but you gotta keep going.

Glynn truly enjoyed himself and this is something that we will be doing over and over. He is looking forward to the day when he can actually jump from an airplane.  Me–not so much!

Right now they are offering $5.00 Off Video Service – Take the experience home! Show your friends! HD video of your flight on USB thumbdrive. Bring your Flyaway USB back to record additional flights.
http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php?regionid=75&bid=13151&dealid=3078

Check them on social media!

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Flyaway Indoor Skydiving

Current Hours
11am to 6pm daily; CLOSED WEDNESDAYS

Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame

The boys and I had the opportunity to visit Chick-fil-A’s College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia and I can honestly say that I am even more ready for some college football!

The College Football Hall of Fame is located in downtown Atlanta is the perfect place to experience your favorite college team like never before!

You begin your experience walking through an entry tunnel that leads to the Quad.   You will create your All-Access Pass at a Kiosk where you select the school you want to represent.  This allows the experience to be tailored around your interests.   Once you select your team, the college’s football helmet will light up and stay lit throughout your experience.  Basically, any football with a blue light is being represented at that particular day and time.

After marveling at the enormous wall of over 768 helmets and trying to find the teams you know, you begin your visit on the 3rd floor.  This floor is home to the actual Hall of Fame. One of the coolest parts of this exhibit was the large touchscreen computer that reads your badge.  Now this is not just an ordinary computer.  You literally move it, and the timeline moves along with you.  Think of it like your touchscreen tablet.  When you slide your finger across it, you see more.  With this computer screen, you are standing and twisting the computer to see even more of the timeline.  It was really COOL!  These computers will pull up the Hall of Fame players for your school where you will see bios, pictures, videos, and more.

The second floor immerses you into technology and your favorite college football team.  Here is the heart of the experience!  My boys had an absolute BLAST!  One exhibit that stands out to me is the field perspective immersion.  Basically you get the opportunity to feel as if you are standing right on the field of your favorite team.  You get to experience their entrance to the field and other traditions.  The cool thing is how you get to literally scan 360 degrees!

Moving through the exhibit, take time to create your own player and team.  As you can see from the picture below, this was intense for the men!  Taking time to get it just right was the objective and to see your stats light up on the screen for all to see, was yet another highlight of the day.

Want to become a sportscaster?  Put on a headset, pick out the play, and call the shots!  The best part, it can be played back for all to hear and enjoy!  I can tell you this, it is not as easy as it seems when hearing them.  This exhibit certainly made me appreciate them even more for their gifts they bring to game day.

My boys really enjoyed the College GameDay set with a green screen where you were the guest.   Select your team and read from the screen.  Who knows?  You might find your mascot has come to join you!

The Playing Field

Another fun area is the playing field.  Children of ALL ages will enjoy spending time here.  Go through Touchstone Tunnel and learn about teams that touchstones before hitting the playing field.  Upon leaving the tunnel, you enter into the playing field, an indoor half-football field.  Here you can try to kick a field goal on their regulation goal post.  Perhaps you want to try running through some drills and catching the football.  Here every fan can experience what it feels like to be apart of the team.  My boys could have stayed on the playing field for hours.

As I stated earlier, when we left we were so ready to cheer on our favorite team!  Although our team is off to a rough start, we can relive our experiences celebrating their historic moments.  The badge that you were given is your All Access Pass.    You will be sent a link to your experiences at the museum to relive and share on social media.  The best part is that this is FREE!

Social Connections

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Are you ready for some football?  Are you ready to relive the moments from your favorite team?

TailSpin Racer is heading to Dollywood’s Splash Country

With the excitement of what is shaping up to be a record season in 2016, The Dollywood Company today announced the addition of TailSpin Racer to Dollywood’s Splash Country for 2017.

This thrilling new attraction allows up to six guests to race each other on mats through the twists and turns of TailSpin Racer’s unique spiraling tube design. The race begins with riders descending a daring first drop inside intertwined, high-speed AquaTubes. After navigating the wet and wild curves, riders emerge from the translucent tubes on a traditional mat racer-style slide. From there, it’s an all-out race toward the splashdown finish.

“TailSpin Racer is an exciting addition to the park that we know our guests are going to love,” explained Dollywood’s Splash Country General Manager Mike Brown. “We always seek to add slides and attractions which will leave our guests with big smiles and memories to share. I think we’ll see a lot of fun as families and friends challenge each other to races down this great new slide.”

TailSpin Racer’s slides are longer than a football field in length and stand five stories above the park. The $2 million attraction, which uses ergonomically designed starting blocks, will be located alongside Big River Pavilion near the park entrance.

Thanks to strong visitation to Dollywood’s Splash Country in 2016, officials added five new days, Aug. 15-19, to the park’s operating calendar. The award-winning water park now is open daily through Aug. 21 and on weekends through Labor Day.

Dollywood’s Splash Country’s other family-favorite attractions underscore why the park was named America’s Must-See Waterpark in 2009 by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions. The park also was named a Top-10 water park by TripAdvisor in 2016. With RiverRush, Tennessee’s first and only water coaster, the daredevil drops of Fire Tower Falls and Mountain Scream and the white water rafting journey on Big Bear Plunge, Dollywood’s Splash Country has thrill rides for the adventurous members of every family.

For those who want a slower pace, The Cascades leisure pool, Mountain Waves wave pool, Downbound Float Trip lazy river and children’s water play areas are a relaxing way to cool down. Voted one of America’s best waterparks by The Travel Channel, Dollywood’s Splash Country features more than 35 water adventure slides in its breathtaking natural surroundings, the Smokies.

With the upcoming addition of TailSpin Racer, an impressive lineup of water-based attractions, and fun at every splash, Dollywood’s Splash Country is the best place to beat the heat in the Smoky Mountains.

For more information, please visit Dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.