Taking the Plunge Close to Home

Water Country USA

Williamsburg

800-343-7946

www.watercountryusa.com

VITALS

Drive time: About 2 hours 20 minutes (145 miles).

Cost: $34.95 (6 and up), $27.95 (3-6), 2 and under free.

WHAT' THERE

43 acres, 30 rides and slides. The surf's always up at the mid-Atlantic's biggest water park. There's the Adventure Isle obstacle course, the Surfer's Bay wave pool (Virginia's largest) and Aquazoid, a family raft ride with special effects. The Caban-A-Rama Theater offers diving shows. Toboggans fly on Meltdown, the park's fastest, steepest ride complete with 180-degree turns.

THE BIG SPLASH

Water Country's newest ride is the 1,500-foot, 3.5-acre Hubba Hubba Highway, a lazy river of sorts. It's not totally relaxing, though: The coconut trees lining the park's largest attraction dump water on you as you float by.

NOTES

It's about four miles from both the Busch Gardens theme park and Colonial Williamsburg. . . Parking is $8.

WaterWorks

Doswell, Va.

804-876-5000

www.kings dominion.com

VITALS

Drive time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (75 miles)