Hotel at a Glance: Maui Sands Resort & Indoor Waterpark

At this resort’s indoor water park, you can zoom down slides, float on a lazy river, and play in a treehouse with a dumping bucket. At the end of a day of watery excitement (daily passes are included with your stay), your whole crew can retire to a spacious room or suite.

• Must-do water-park attraction: Shoot down the Maui Wowie bowl slide on a one- or two-person tube, spinning around at 35–45 miles per hour before plunging into a pool.
• Onsite dining: Enjoy casual fare such as pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, and desserts at Volcano Grill.
• In-room amenities: microwave, fridge, free WiFi, and flat-screen TV with expanded cable

Sandusky, Ohio: Family-Friendly Town with Amusement Parks Along Lake Erie

The town of Sandusky lies on the shores of Lake Erie, about midway between Cleveland and Toledo. It’s a family-friendly destination with a slew of theme parks and scenic coastal islands. Cedar Point, open May through October, is one of the oldest amusement parks in the United States and a must-do for thrill seekers. The park’s Millennium Force roller coaster set records as the tallest and fastest in the world when it was introduced in 2000. More recently, the GateKeeper scooped up seven world records when it opened in 2013, including the “longest drop on a wing coaster.”

If you prefer a slower pace, visit Sandusky’s former post office, which has been transformed into the Merry-Go-Round Museum. The grand building is full of antique carousels of all shapes and sizes, restored to their original splendor; it’s also rumored to house a couple of ghosts. More spooky fun awaits at Ghostly Manor Thrill Center, which features a haunted house, a roller rink, a 4D theater, black-light mini golf, and bounce houses.

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