This summer the girls and I have been visiting my family and playing tourist in my hometown – Fort Walton Beach and Destin, Florida. If you’re planning to visit (which I highly recommend) be sure to check out our Big Kahunas Water Park review.

It’s been many, many years since I’ve visited Big Kahunas – I worked here in high school – and my how things have changed. This place is sooo cool and much bigger than I remember!

I wasn’t sure what to expect but I couldn’t get over how much there was to do for kids of all ages {over 40 rides and attractions}. We had a blast and can’t wait to go back next summer.

Tips for Visiting Big Kahunas Water Park

LOCATION: In the heart Destin traffic can get a congested in the summer, so give yourself enough time coming from Fort Walton Beach, Sandestin and beyond.

PARKING: Parking is $5 for the day {season pass holders it’s FREE}. There’s a huge lot, however it does fill up on busy days. Arriving early can help secure a spot closer to the park gates especially when traveling with multiple little kiddos. Arriving late afternoon around 3:00 pm, it starts to clear out.

CABANAS: The park offers four areas of cabanas. Rental for the day includes a covered, private area, lounge chairs, dining table and chairs, lockers in the cabana area and a server that will take and deliver food and beverage orders.

Family visitors {groups} don’t think twice – just rent a Cabana – it’s worth every single penny. Being at the park all day with small children we needed time to rest and get out of the sun. It was also beneficial to have a central meeting point for older kids so they could come and go.

Having a dedicated server means no standing in line. The food outlets are extremely busy during lunch hours so prepare for wait.

Cabanas are limited and sell out so be sure to book a few days prior, especially during the summer. Also, PLEASE TIP THE SERVER!!  Just because it’s a water park and you’re ordering pizza, ice cream and drinks (possibly beers), doesn’t mean no tip required. The staff work hard running food from the kitchen to your table in the heat. Don’t be cheap!

LITTLE KIDS: If your kids are under 48″ and/or weak or non-swimmers you’ll want them to wear Coast Guard approved lifejackets the entire day. BKWP offers lifejackets throughout the park but it’s first come first serve. Off season visits you should be fine but it’s not worth risking during the summer. Avoid being stressed out and bring a lifejacket. We bought a Child Universal Life Vest at Kmart for $14.99. 

My youngest swims relatively well, but just meets the height requirements. The lifejacket was huge especially because she has no fear and was adamant about riding every slide!

HEIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Five water park attractions have height requirements. Only persons 44 inches tall and taller can ride: Raging Rhino River, Thunder River and Tiki River Run. 48 inches tall and taller may ride Jumanji and Maui Pipeline Speed Slides.

WHEN TO GO: Open from 10 am – 6:00 pm, we arrived around 1:00 pm thinking we would have plenty of time. Our last water park experience (Wet n Wild Cancun) didn’t go that well because of the kid’s ages, they were worn out within a few hours.

Totally regret this decision!! If you’re spending only one day at Big Kahunas get there when it opens at 10:00 am. There is so much to do that you can literally spend 8 hours and never get bored or tired. We closed the park down!

TICKETS: Admission prices purchased at the gate are $29.99 for kids under 48″ and $39.99 for adults -Unlimited use of the water park for one day. You can save a few a dollars purchasing online. Check BigKahunas.com for special rates and season passes.

UPDATE 2017: This year we purchased discounted season passes for $ $7 more than a one day pass. Be sure to check prices each year! The first day we arrived around 11 am and stayed until 3:00 pm, second visit arrived around 2:00 pm and stayed until closing.

Guests start clearing out around 3:00 pm and by 4:30 pm there were no lines on any of the popular slides.

PARK MAP: Do yourself a favor and review the park map before arriving. There is so much to do and with all the different areas it’s nice to have a game plan on where to start based on your kid’s age and swim level. It’s extremely easy to navigate once you’re on property but it does take a few minutes to acclimate.

CHIC TIP: We took four kids 7 and under and found starting in the back riding the Tahiti Twister, Blue Mambo and Hydro Max and Piranha slides near our cabana worked well. This area was perfect for acclimating everyone for the bigger slides in the front of the park.

The lines were quick and the girls were able to ride multiple times easily. Because the slides are located so close together, the adults were able to stand in one spot and still see when they came down.

EAT & DRINK:  Not the healthiest options but there is something for everyone – burgers, pizza, hot dogs, fries, wings, wraps and nachos. A few outlets offer healthier fare like salads and a children’s combo of chicken sandwich with apples and bottled water. Plan to ditch the diet for a day and just go with it. 

Bringing glass containers, coolers, ice chests, food or beverages of any kind is not allowed into the park. For anyone with allergies or special needs, I would call in advance and ask for special consideration.

WATERPROOF DEVICES: Ok this is probably common sense, however I was so annoyed at myself for NOT buying a waterproof case for my iPhone. There were so many cool photo and video opps I missed. There’s also a high probability that I was the only person at BKWP without one. Total blond moment, but one I won’t make again.

The bigger question is how did I survive all summer in Florida without waterproofing my phone?

Why We Love Big Kahunas Water Park

• The variety of slides and areas for every age – from babies to grandparents is amazing! My mom went with us and had a blast too. Even with a crawling baby, Big Kahunas is manageable offering aTadpole Pond.
• Admission covers all the slides including the Honoululu Halfpipe. You have to try this! I was so bummed we ran out time before riding. But there’s always next summer!
• The Tiki River Run was my favorite adrenaline slide. Totally took me off guard how fast it was, but so cool. My 5 year old rode it with me twice!
• The cabana was awesome! It was so convenient to have a place to rest, eat and regroup. We rented the Humunga River Cabana and the location was perfect. I honestly think any of the cabanas would be perfect. Just do it!!
• As much as we love the beach, Big Kahunas offers a completely different water experience and it’s good exercise. We didn’t stop moving the entire day. It’s a killer workout walking up and down the stairs for hours.
• We can’t wait to go back next summer and will definitely need more than one day to get our fix!
• Lockers were a huge bonus and a necessity for securing valuables. These were included with our cabana rental, but there are tons of lockers available for rent throughout the park {accepting cash and credit cards}.
• Be sure to stop by the duck and fish pond located just outside the The Tropical Golf before leaving too.

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Disclaimer: We were provided complimentary entrance tickets to the park for purposes of this review. All other items (cabanas and food) were on our own . All opinions are 100% honest.