Water Park at a Glance: Splash Lagoon

A horn sounds every 8 to 10 minutes at Splash Lagoon, a cavernous water park and resort in northern Pennsylvania. The horn is a warning that the park's 48-foot tipping bucket is about to drop 1,000 gallons of water on anyone standing below. The bucket is part of the Tiki Tree House, a 12-level showpiece decked out with all sorts of family-friendly activities, slides, and games.

Elsewhere in the park, you'll find a lazy river lined with local artwork, a children's splash area, lots of water slides, and the indoor wave pool Splash Lagoon. You can explore it all with the four two-day passes included in this getaway. You'll also get a 1-night stay at your choice of three hotels: Holiday Inn Express, Residence Inn, or Comfort Inn & Suites. All three are connected to the water park.

• Included meals: daily breakfast
• Number of slides: nine, including tube and body slides
• Newest attraction: Aqua Tumbler, a hollow inflatable ball that spins you around and around
• Great for kids: two all-ages whirlpools, an indoor wave pool, a lazy river, and the Tiki Tree House
• Eye-popping artwork: hand-painted murals of underwater reefs, an erupting volcano, and a giant shark.
• Other attractions: arcade, laser tag, and ropes course (extra fees)

Erie, Pennsylvania: Historical Harbor Town

Pennsylvania's only port on the Great Lakes, Erie offers a number of activities and attractions that capitalize on the town's lakeside setting. Seafood restaurants and boat charters line the waterfront; Bicentennial Tower, built in 1995 to commemorate the city's 200th anniversary, stands sentinel at the tip of Dobbins Landing. A few blocks away, you'll find the Erie Maritime Museum and the Flagship Niagara, a reconstructed sailing vessel from the War of 1812.

Across the harbor, Presque Isle State Park beckons to nature lovers with sandy beaches, easy walking trails, and lots of wildlife-watching opportunities. Cooler temperatures and lake-effect snows in the winter months make for prime cross-country skiing, ice skating, and wind skating—ice skating while being pulled by a large kite.

Downtown Erie centers on Perry Square, a two-block park lined with historic homes and buildings, including city hall and the US district courthouse. From here, it's a short walk to the Erie Art Museum, which houses a collection of pottery, sculpture, and photography from all over the world.

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