Visiting Silverwood Theme Park with kids!

Silverwood Theme Park located in the Northwest has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, among many others! Including my own son. We just got back from the Western style amusement park, with Garfield and Odie as mascots of the park. In 2003, Silverwood opened a waterpark called Boulder Beach, which is a also a favorite for beating the summer heat! Silverwood is the largest theme and water park in the Northwest, on 413 acres with more than 65 rides. Just 20 minutes from Coeur D’Alene Idaho, 45 minutes from Spokane, Washington or 5 hour drive from Seattle, Washington.

Our family absolutely loves this park; not only is it in our beautiful corner of the world, you can easily spend the whole day there and not feel stressed, the prices are very reasonable, you aren’t spending half your time waiting in lines, crowds are minimum and all ages will enjoy! We easily spent the whole day there with an 8 year old and a 5 year old and it went very smoothly! Silverwood offers loads of opportunity to keep cool from the heat, and another big thing for us when Mason is very excited and there is too much stimulation he gets easily frustrated. Silverwood offered a lot of “quiet” spots. This is a huge thing for parents and visiting a theme park, is there a quiet spot for a nap, or a time out, or just a spot for you and your child to have a breather without a million people walking by. I’m happy to report Silverwood definitely offers that!!

Where to stay
Silverwood has an RV Park right on site but I understand not everyone travels by RV. There is plenty of other lodging available within a 30 minute drive. We stayed in Liberty Lake (outside Spokane) and it was a quick 35 minute drive.

Parking
Parking is very reasonable, $5 for the whole day with a short walk to the entrance.

Food & Drinks
-Empty reusable water bottles are allowed
-DO purchase a souvenir cup for under $10 and receive free refills all day long. Yes, great deal! Mason and I shared one and refilled it over 6 times. They sell and refill the cups at the stands with Pepsi throughout the park. Nothing better than an ice cold beverage on a hot day. It has a handle for easy carrying.
-Lots of different food options; everything from corn dogs to all you can eat BBQ! Have a picky eater, they sell a lunch box with a peanut butter jelly, animal crackers, squeezable applesauce and juice.
-DO get ice cream from the Ice Creamery, amazing prices for the amount of ice cream your receive!! This is a must have when you visit!
-They do allow, Small personal snacks including food for medical needs, as well as baby food and formula. Factory sealed, non-alcoholic drinks are allowed.

Rides/Attractions
-Two things I absolutely love about Silverwood, in regards to the rides. 1) They are all included in the price of your ticket into the park, this is something I LOVE! It can easily ruin your time at an amusement park if you are paying for each ride. 2) Lines, or no lines for that matter, the longest lines we found were at the most 30 minutes long. That’s pretty good! But there were a couple rides the kids got to ride more than a couple times in a row.
-DO not miss the train depot attraction, it is always a favorite! It’s a relaxed train ride with a show, your children will lit up. Just be sure to arrive in line early for a covered seat as it can get hot with the sun, the train runs every hour.
-Appearances by Garfield and Odie, and a magic show by Nick Norton. All included in the admission.
-Pick up a park guide at the window for a list of rides and their intensity.

Boulder Beach Waterpark
-Admission into the waterpark is included
-Whether you’re spending the whole day there or taking a break from the heat and rides in Silverwood. You’ll love the waterpark. Something for all ages; awesome kids zone, pick up a drink and float the lazy river, have fun splashing and jumping the waves in the wave pool. Rent a cabana, or just pick a spot on a lawn chair or grass. Have fun on all the water slides!

More tips
-You can easily stay two days at the parks, if you decide you want to play another day purchase a bounce-back ticket at a discounted price in the Silverwood Coffee Roasting & Trading Co. and the Information Center.
-I noticed Silverwood has a lot of trees throughout the park and definitely helps with the shade and the heat. They also had a tent that sprays water down.
-Lockers are available for rent $7 with a $2 refund when you bring the key back
-Life-vests are available at the waterpark for free, first come first serve
-Strollers and wheel chairs available to rent
-Families can stop by our Information Center to get a wristband with your cell phone number to give your child
-Admission at the door will cost you $48 a day
-SCARYWOOD Haunted Nights information can be found here.

Cons….
-It’s only open May-October, then again I’m sure no one wants to visit with snow ;)
-I’d like to see it open earlier in the morning only to enjoy it more before the heat kicks in and then see it open later at night. I just love carnival rides at night all lit up!
-I do wish there was a hotel located closer to the park

If you ever get the chance to get over to Athol, Idaho to visit Silverwood and Boulder Beach Waterpark, I highly suggest doing so! You and your family won’t be disappointed!! Have you been before? Or plan on going soon? Please leave me a comment below, I’d love to know what your favorite thing about Silverwood is or what you’re looking forward to? Or have a question, leave me a comment.

In the mean time, go check out SilverwoodThemePark.com