Front-desk receptionist Omii Weaver— after joking that she and her son swam there so often that she decided she should join the staff— said adults love the water park as much as children.
“ It’ s hilarious to see groups of adults playing on the water slide,” Weaver said, laughing.“ It’ s just such a great place for families. There’ s really no place like this anywhere close by.” The unique indoor aquatic center, combined with the draw of the surrounding state park, lured Michelle Kendall and her family down to Brown County from their home in Columbia City. She said her family loves the state park atmosphere, and the price of the water park couldn’ t be beaten.
Berquist said many aquatic center guests swim in between enjoying some of the state park’ s many other family-friendly activities: hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, picnicking, and visiting the playgrounds or nature center.
“ My very favorite part is the water slide,” said four-yearold Oliver Kendall.
My boys’ least-favorite parts of our visit were the aquatic center’ s 15-minute safety breaks. But they quickly realized we could use that time to buy snacks and trinkets in the lodge’ s gift shop and explore the lodge. Built in 1932 of
Evie Boling and Teresa Boling.
hand-hewn native stone and oak timbers that were cut in the park, the lodge is open year-round and boasts two large lobbies, fireplaces, patio rooms, and ballrooms. We loved finding fun facts sprinkled throughout the lodge about the American newspaper comic strip Abe Martin and its creator, Kin Hubbard.
And after spending the day at the water park with her family, Lafayette resident Misty Arenas said she, too, couldn’ t wait to come back.
“ We came down for our first time just looking for indoor swimming, and the kids are loving it,” Arenas said.“ It’ s really affordable, a super close drive, and we can picnic and hike. It’ s just perfect.”
For more information, call 812-988-4418 or visit < in. gov / dnr / state-parks / inns / abemartin-lodge-at-brown-county-state-park />.
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July / August 2023 • Our Brown County 17