Breakers Water Park in Marana is a place for dudes and dudettes of any age who are tired of beating the heat indoors.
The truly wee gremlins can start at Captain Kidd’s Surfari. It features a 5-to-10 inches deep jungle-themed splashground with its own mini slides.
Splash Canyon next door is an inner tube slide little hodads can ride individually or tandem (single tubes rent for $4, tandem tubes rent for $6).
Breakers Bay, however, is the main attraction. Don’t be thrown off by the glassy pool, the surf’s up every 15 minutes. The heavies are only 3 feet at max, but everyone can have fun on the ankle busters, doing laps on the deep end, or just bobbing lazily in an inner tube.
Offering a little more action, the Bonzai Pipeline Slides will make you yell, “”Cowabunga!”” It may not be the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii but the pipelines’ barrels are each unique. The blue slides are the tamest and the shortest of the five. The pink and yellow slides are both covered, making for a dark, disorienting ride where you can shoot out in the pool in all kinds of awkward positions, but what’s a surfari without a wipe out?
The green slide appeals to those more into body surfing (no mat required) and is by far the fastest ride. The silver slide, the newest addition to Breakers, is the gnarliest ride in the park. This slide is a steep drop done on a board with handles: hang on, bro! You go totally airborne for the first few seconds. The grimace of terror on people’s faces as they come down is enough to make more than one beach bunny back down and opt for a cool drink in the shade instead.
If you’re looking to get beached, you can buy burgers, hot dogs, pizza, nachos, and more at the food and refreshments windows. If you just want to chill at the bar, there are $4 beers. Bogus alert: there are no water fountains at Breakers, so make sure you bring your own or you could max out paying for water alone.
Surfer terms
Big Kahuna: Hawaiian shaman, best beach dude
dudes and dudettes: surfing enthusiasts
gremlins/hodads: beginning surfer
glassy: waveless
heavies: big waves
ankle busters: small waves
barrels: the insides of waves
wipe out: to fall off your board while surfing
gnarliest: unrideable or intimidating wave
get beached: to get stuffed on food
bogus: wrong, lame
max out: to be over the limit, exhausted
Fees
Breakers Water Park
8555 W. Tangerine Rd.
Marana, AZ
Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
12 years & older, $17.95 + tax
4-11 years old, $11.95 + tax
Ages 3 & under free
Senior (60+), $7.95 + tax
Spectator, $8.95 + tax
After 3 p.m., $9.95 + tax
