I had the BEST day yesterday!!!! Sometimes I forget how important it is to take a day off from working or cleaning or errands, but yesterday was family day. We chose to spend it at Breaker’s Water park in Marana, AZ (just outside of Tucson), and it was so awesome to kick back, cut loose, and devote a day to just having F-U-N! Seriously…we were only 30 minutes from our house, but it felt like we were on a mini vacation!
My husband is a camp director and brings field trips to Breakers throughout the summer. Throughout his dealings with the water park, he has become friendly with the general manager, Steve. I can see why. Steve is warm and kind, and no wonder Breakers is a long-standing Tucson summer tradition. When you have someone like Steve running the show, you’re going to have success. Both on our way in and out of the park, it was easy to spot him chatting with staff and customers with a bright smile on his face.
After our hellos and raft rentals, we hit the park! It was a hot day, as it always is in Tucson during the summer, so we got wet in the enormous wave pool and floating along imagining that we were in the ocean instead. If you closed your eyes, you could almost smell the Pacific. Oh well….Breakers is a great substitute with so many exciting things to do.
Photo borrowed from the Breaker’s Water Park Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/breakerswaterpark
Even on Labor Day closing weekend (Breakers is only open during the summer in Tucson), the lines weren’t too ridiculously long. Our kids were so excited that it was probably the most patient I’ve ever seen them.
That’s because they knew that THIS would be the outcome of their waiting. So much fun!!!
My son was too little to go on the “big kid” slides, but he was perfectly happy spending his time slashing in the kiddie pool park and in the super fun splash park, too. He didn’t get bored for even a moment!
On the way into Breakers, my husband warned that the parking lot was so full that it would be crazy and hectic inside. We devised plans of where to meet if we got separated and set up all of our towels, chairs and stuff in a very central location to the park. The warnings are wise to always have, but I am so happy to report that we only experienced kindness from all of the strangers we encountered. Our “neighbors” offered us their extra water bottles as they were leaving the park, and a sweet teenager insisted on buying the kids “souvenir cup” sodas. I didn’t want to let him do it, but he insisted. How do you stop a young person from wanting to do a good deed? I must pass on this karma, so be forewarned future Starbucks patron, this grateful and touched Mama will need to “pay it forward” at the very next opportunity!
It was a great day, and that is why I am giving the biggest plug to Breakers today. People think of Tucson being the hot, dry desert, but there is an oasis off of the I-10 freeway (Tangerine Rd. exit) that shouldn’t be forgotten. It was the answer to keeping cool in the summer desert heat and to having a blast.
My song of the day is Blondie’s “The Tide is High” as a tip of the hat to that awesome wave pool. It’s a great song for an excellent Tucson treasure, so click HERE to go to Youtube to hear it. For more information about Breaker’s Water Park, check out their website (http://www.breakerswaterpark.com/) or their Facebook page, too. (https://www.facebook.com/breakerswaterpark) I can promise you, Tucsonans and Old Pueblo visitors, a Breakers’s Day will be a winner for you and your whole family!