I did not realize there was so much fun for my family to have this close to home! The children were excited about packing for an overnight trip, driving a short distance, and arriving at a truly fun place for everyone.

When we arrived at the Legacy Lodge at Lake Lanier Islands Resort, it felt like walking into our own lake cabin. The cabin-themed décor throughout is beautiful, serene and blends perfectly with the surrounding nature. Our room was spacious, clean, well-maintained, had everything we needed (from coffee and tea maker to cotton swabs and sewing kit). The staff were courteous, warm and welcoming; a door always swung open for us as we walked around the facility.

We started the day with a huge buffet (included in the package) that had every kind of breakfast food, even a made-to-order omelet and waffle station. After breakfast we took the hotel’s courtesy shuttle to Lanier World, a family fun park that is so big it’s hard to do everything in one day.

At “Big Beach,” you can find shade under gigantic umbrellas. There’s plenty of space for the children to play under the sun in the sand, hop into the lake for a swim or take a walk on the boardwalk. There’s even a Ferris wheel and a huge slide. A floating stage has regularly scheduled live entertainment.

One of the big draws here is LanierWorld, an amazing water park with a mini version for toddlers adjacent to its entrance. Water rains down from tall mushrooms, flows down slides and through obstacle courses, all to produce about one foot of water for tykes to splash around in. The Kiddie Lagoon is perfect for the little ones!

My kids are 9 and 7, so they go for the thrill of the water rides. They like to plop down on mats and ride down wavy slides through racing waters to make a big splash. They love the wave pool, where tall and powerful waves are created every few minutes. We could not resist water rides with names like the Typhoon, the Twister, the Intimidator, Raging River, Racing Waters, Splash Down and Blackout! Mom tip: There are so many kids and lifeguards around, you don’t have to go on every ride if you don’t want to.

We also visited Sunset Cove, another popular location within LanierWorld. The ice cream there is fantastic, the miniature golf course is great, and the fun dunker reigns supreme in my kids’ world. What’s better on a hot summer day than a gigantic bucket of water dumped on your head?

We had visited the park several times on day trips, but this was the first time we booked a couple of nights at the hotel. That alone made it feel like a true summer vacation. For the kids, the hotel has a tempered pool, billiards and ping-pong tables, and on Saturday nights there’s a movie shown on a huge inflatable screen by the pool. For a mom’s good intentions, there’s a fitness center, spa and Jacuzzi, lounge chairs, and plenty of time to read while the kids are busy playing and having a great summer. The whole family can also enjoy walking trails.

We left wanting to do more, because there’s plenty more to do, including golf, tennis, biking, horseback riding, sailing or even the zip-line adventures. We definitely need to come back!

What parents liked the most: Our kids met and played with other kids from all over Georgia. The fact that we could go back and forth from the hotel made us enjoy the park more. We went to the park in the morning, came back to the hotel for lunch and a nap, then went back out in the afternoon. We also liked wrapping up the day at the hotel pool.

What kids liked most: Water! They loved the water park, the beach and the hotel pool. Also: the fluffy white comforters.

Know Before You Go: Don’t forget hats, sunscreen and pool toys.

Lake Lanier Islands Resort and LanierWorld
7000 Lanier Islands Pkwy., Buford.
770-945-8787; lakelanierislands.com
From Atlanta: Approx. 75 min

– Lucia Urtusastegui

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