By KARAN MINNIS, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter, karan@nasguard.com

Once considered souped-up, pools offered a fun way to cool off on a hot day. Today water parks have morphed into the wet counterparts to the theme park mixing adrenaline-pumping thrills with family-style fun.

As summer is nearing an end, and the children prepare to head back to school, the perfect treat for them would be a day at one of these water parks, either here at home — think Atlantis, or if you're going to be in the United States, you can take them to one there.

To help narrow-down your selection process The Nassau Guardian has selected some the best water parks closest to home for you to take your little angels to, before they have to hit the books once again.

Aquaventure

Atlantis, Paradise Island

Dates of operation: Open year round.

Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Admission:

Adults: $70

Children: $40

Group sales available for 25 or more people.

Description: The unprecedented 141-acre waterscape, Aquaventure is the centerpiece of Atlantis' recent billion-dollar development and is a complimentary attraction for all resort guests. This addition positions Atlantis as one of the largest water-themed attractions in the world, containing over 20 million gallons of water. This non-stop water experience, consists of thrilling water slides, a mile-long river ride with high intensity rapids and wave surges, and never-before-seen special effects that add an extreme level of excitement to the overall experience, delivering a sensory journey unlike any other.

Aquaventure adds first-of-its-kind special effects and technology to its water slides and river rides, bringing them together in a lush environment that is both immersive and interconnected. Once guests are situated in their inner tubes, they are propelled along by water escalators, waves, water surges and master blaster technology. Unlike traditional water slides that require the participant to leave the water and climb back to the start, at Aquaventure guests never have to leave the water as they are propelled back up the slide tower via water conveyors.

Top rides & attractions:

Power Tower: The awe-inspiring grand centerpiece of Atlantis' new waterscape offers guests four adrenaline-inducing water slides using "master blaster" technology.

Mayan Temple: Just beyond the Royal Towers lies the towering six-story Mayan temple with its five water slides. For your safety and convenience, please observe the mandatory posted water slide rules and those given by the slide attendants. All riders use the slides at their own risk.

Leap of Faith: The Leap of Faith slide offers the daring and adventurous — a 60 foot almost-vertical drop from the top of the Mayan Temple, propelling riders at a tremendous speed through a clear acrylic tunnel submerged in a shark-filled lagoon.

The Current: A mile-long river expedition with four-foot waves pushing inner tube riders through a densely landscaped, tropical jungle of rapids, underground tunnels, tidal waves and tower slides. The complex 'transportainment' system allows riders to float along the river or join in a queue for water slides without leaving their inner tubes.

Climber's Rush: A state of the art climbing facility with 12 climbing surfaces located within Aquaventure, the spectacular water park at Atlantis. The first of its kind in the hospitality industry, guests have a variety of options and difficulties to choose from, including a one-time climb, an hour of instructional teaching, or group clinics with a focus on teamwork and communication. All climbing sessions include an instructor, harnesses and all equipment.

Wet 'n' Wild — Orlando

6200 International Drive Orlando, Florida

Dates of operation: Open year round

Admission:

Adults: $34.95 plus tax. Annual Pass $89.95 plus tax.

Children: $28.95 plus tax (ages 3-9). Children 2 and under free

Seniors: $17.48 plus tax (age 55 and older).

Group rates available for 15 or more people.

Description: Experience the world-class rides, quality service and more multi-passenger tube rides than any other waterpark in Orlando, and you will see why Wet 'n' Wild is consistently voted America's number one water park.

Boogie down on the newest retro raft adventure — Disco H2O. Splash to the pumping hits of the '70s as you spin circles through an enclosed aqua disco.

Take a relaxing journey into Florida's past through breathtaking waterfalls on the Lazy River or get soaked down a ruptured pipeline on The Blast.

Children love the Kids' Park featuring smaller versions of the park's most popular aqua disco.

Or you can soak up the sun by the Surf Lagoon wave pool or challenge yourself to the ultimate "free-fall" on the Bomb Bay. Open year-round with pools heated seasonally, Wet 'n' Wild is the perfect place for the entire family to relax, have fun, and soak up the warm Florida sun.

Top rides & attractions:

Der Stuka: A six-story speed slide that sends you flying down a 250-foot nearly vertical drop that transitions to a 115-foot water runway.

Brain Wash: Loose your grip on reality, but not your grip on the two or four person tube as you climb the walls on the six-story extreme tube ride with a 53-foot vertical drop into the 65-foot doomed funnel.

The Wake Zone: Consists of three main attractions, the Knee Ski, a cable-operated ski lets you knee board like a pro around a half-mile long lake. Wake skating, it's hot! Everyone from a beginner to an expert can show their stuff on the wake zone cable-way, and the Wild One, where two people are towed simultaneously around a lake on big, bouncy tubes.

Wild Waters

Silver Springs, Florida

Dates of operation: Mid-April through mid-September

Hours of operation: 10 am-5pm, extended to 6 pm in mid-summer.

Admission:

Adults: $23.99

Children: $20.99.

Seniors: $23.99.

Group Sales available.

Description: Wild Waters is a nine-acre family waterpark featuring a 450,000-gallon wave pool, two children's play areas and five giant flume rides including the Hurricane, Silver Bullet, Osceola's Revenge, Bunyan's Bend and Mini-Monster. The park also offers specialty food outlets, shops, lockers, showers and dressing rooms.

Soak up the sun on their "beach" or keep cool in the shade of the giant oaks and palm trees. Ride the surf in our 450,000 gallon wave pool. Hit the twists and turns of Osceola's Revenge, Bunyan's Bend and Mini Monster water slides. Or, if you dare, tackle the three-story-high Hurricane or 220-foot-long Silver Bullet speed flumes. For the younger set there's Cool Kids Cove, a multi-level fun zone, and the shallow pools of the Tad Pool.

Top Rides & Slides:

The Hurricane: Boasts 400-foot twin flumes of thrashing wild water, including an 80-gallon blast at the "turbo chargers" station mid-way through the ride. Two tunnels keep riders in the dark for the final 120 feet until they splash down in a pool at the end of each flume.

The Silver Bullet: A 220-foot long racing flume that transforms riders into racers.

Osceola's Revenge: Slide down this exciting water slide through two figure "8"-shaped flumes.

Bunyan's Bend: A winding flume ride that carries passengers through the branches of a grove of majestic oaks and ends with a splash in the pool at the bottom.

Rapids Water Park

Palm Beach, Florida

Dates of operation: Daily - May 17 through September 1

Open weekends only: September 2 through October 12

Admission:

Individual $31.95 plus tax

Children two and under free

Group Rates:

20 - 49 people $28 plus tax per person

50 - 99 people $25 plus tax per person

100-plus people $23 plus tax per person

Description: The Rapids Water Park is South Florida's premier family park from the Keys to Orlando. The Rapids features a full day of fun for the entire family whether you make a splash in the cool blue waves, take a thrilling ride down any of our 29 water slides, or just float around the lazy river. Rapids Water Park has 22 acres of action packed attractions, with something fun for everyone.

Top Rides & Attractions

Black Thunder: Drop into a huge dark funnel for a head-spinning splash. Up to four riders may enjoy a fast ride in the pitch black darkness on the Black Thunder raft ride.

Alligator Alley: Hold on for dear life as you attempt to climb across a chasm filled with gators. Using the net above, test your skills by trying to climb across floating swamp animals without falling into the water.

Pirate's Plunge: Have you got the guts for Pirate's Plunge? It is not for the faint-hearted. It's two-speed slides with twists, turns, dips and a seven-story drop. It's a splash you'll never forget.

Adventure Island

Tampa, Florida

Dates of Operation: Open year round.

Hours of operation: Generally 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission: All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Adult - $36.95 plus tax

Children ages 3-9 - $34.95 plus tax

Children two years and younger, free

Description: Adventure Island's 30 acres of water-drenched fun in the sun features the ultimate combination of high-speed thrills and tropical, tranquil surroundings for guests of all ages. Within a soothing Key West atmosphere awaits an unrivaled blend of slides, corkscrews, water falls, a wave pool, children's water playground and other family attractions such as outdoor cafes, picnic and sunbathing areas, gift shops, and a championship white-sand volleyball complex. Adventure Island is a true family experience.

Top Rides & Attractions

Riptide: Florida's first four-lane mat slide: Race three other riders for a competitive adventure like no other. All four racers start by lying on the mat and being released simultaneously from a height of 55 feet into their own enclosed tubes. Racers then twist through a hairpin turn before plunging into four open-air lanes for a drenching.

Aruba Tuba: Shoot through Aruba Tuba and get whisked and siphoned through open and closed portions of twisting turning slides.

Caribbean corkscrew: Swish and twist through 230-feet of intertwined translucent tubes before coming to a splashing stop in the 47-foot decelerator lane.

Six Flags White Water

Marietta, Georgia

Dates of Operation: May through September

Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (until 8 p.m. some days).

Admission:

General, $36.99

Child Admission under 48 inches, $26.99

Children 2 and under, free

Description: Nestled amid Georgia's pines, White Water park is home not only to an assortment of wet rides, but also to more than 5,000 trees, scattered throughout to help create the illusion that you're walking through a woodsy wonderland. With rides that lean more toward the conventional water park — a wave pool, lazy river and other family-style attractions — this is a place the whole family can enjoy.

Top Rides & Attractions:

Bermuda Triangle: Lose yourself in the Bermuda Triangle, a sprawling double-tube water slide that takes the long way home.

Captain Kid's Cove: Kids are in command at the Cove, a secret children's hideaway featuring more than 100 interactive play activities for kids 12 and under. 54-inch maximum unless accompanying a child.

Gulf Coast Screamer: There's two ways to go on this thrilling, enclosed, turbo-tube experience: downhill in a straight shot or curving and swerving.