Cincinnati Toddler Fun: Land of Illusion Adventure Park

Are you looking for something new, affordable, and toddler friendly to do in Cincinnati this Summer? Look no further than Land of Illusion Adventure Park! Everything I cover below:

• What my 18-month-old loved
• What he didn’t like so much
• Must-dos for a day trip here
• FAQs

The last time I went to Land of Illusion I was probably 23 years old, it was Fall and I was gearing up to walk through a ton of haunted houses. Now here I am at 29 years old bring my 18-month-old baby to splash around in the Summer. I’ve gathered EVERYTHING you need to know about bringing your toddler to the adventure park.

The Land of Illusion Adventure Park in Cincinnati has a brand new Toddler Splash Park to add to the fun. I think it is so great they added something for smaller kids. If your toddler is anything like mine, standing water really isn’t for them… however splash pads & slides? You can count Louie in!

So how did my toddler do? Louie is 18 months old, so keep that in mind.

Here’s what Louie loved about Land of Illusion Adventure Park:

• Going down the tiny green slide (with help from Dad)
• Going down the bigger race slides with Dad (because Dad could lift him up at the end so water didn’t splash his face)
• Putting his bucket in the water and dumping it (he did this the majority of the time – picture below!)
• Standing under the dump bucket that has a canopy so it didn’t dump directly on him
• Watching all of the bigger kids play
• Lunch! Louie devoured the Lee’s (YES THEY SERVE LEES!) mac n cheese, and the shack’s corndogs! Corey and I split a walking taco which was absolutely delicious.

Here’s what Louie didn’t love so much:

• The life jacket… but let me caveat, he got used to it. These are a must-wear (as regulated by the park) but also just for safety in general especially for little ones. His main beef was not being able to bend to pick something off of the ground.
• Swimming in the deeper water with us. All of the obstacle courses are in pretty deep water, even the smaller one, so keep that in mind. Around the bigger body of water there is a bit more beach which is great for play, but we hung around the toddler splash zone mostly and the drop off for the body of water near that is a bit quicker.
• Speaking of sand… Louie unfortunately didn’t love – but this is to be expected from an 18-month-old, right? I will say… coming here was a perfect test for when we do go to the beach later in the year.

I think all of the above is pretty much what I expected, however, I definitely expected him to not want to do anything but stand on the concrete and splash, which was wrong! He loved going down the slide and standing next to the slides cheering on other kids.

What do I suggest as must-dos when coming to Land of Illusion Adventure Park?

• Pack a wagon! The walk to the park isn’t far, but with the life jackets, and bags, and tubes… I wish we had brought our wagon. Not to mention… wagons do great in the sand!
• Bring little buckets. As you saw in the photo above, Louie never let go of his little bucket. This one is just from his water table!
• Buy your tickets, parking and umbrella/canopies ahead of time. They are cheaper and you can use them whenever! You can purchase tickets here: Aqua Adventures Tickets
• Purchase an umbrella! It’s $20 , plenty of space, two chairs and a stool. This was great for hiding out in the shade.
• Come with a big group of friends! We had a blast but we definitely wish we had told all of our friends. This place is perfect for literally everyone – all ages, plus it is nice to have big groups to lookout for all the littles.
• Pack a cooler for the car. You CANNOT bring drinks/snacks into the park, however, they do allow re-entry, so pack all of your goods in your cooler in the car. This is a great option if you want to save some money on lunch. Keep in mind – Louie’s snacks were allowed, and you can bring empty containers for the water fill up stations in the park. If you try to bring anything in – they will ask you to dump it or take it back to your car.

We had an absolutely amazing day here. We spent around 3 hours but probably could have stayed all day. The park is so clean, the staff is so friendly, the safety measures are above and beyond – I mean the number of attendants all over the park was intense and they were definitely attentive that everyone was following the park rules. The food was quick and delicious, it’s easy to get around, the music was on point – and they even do themed weekends!

I highly recommend checking Land of Illusions Aqua Adventures if you’re looking for something different and toddler friendly in Cincinnati! Below I rallied up all of the frequently asked questions from their website for you to check out. But be sure to follow their Facebook page for more information!

TOP FAQS:

• Are life jackets required? Yes, everyone that gets in the water has to wear a lifejacket that fits. There are no exceptions to this rule and even if you are just putting your feet in the water a lifejacket has to be worn. This is for your safety and that is our number one priority.
• How deep is the water? It ranges from beach shore line to 10 feet. But life jackets must be worn at all times in the water.
• Are foods and drinks sold on site? Yes. The Aqua Lounge bar and grill serves everything from tropical island alcoholic drinks, to standard Pepsi products. As well as a full kitchen serving options for picky eaters, healthy eaters, allergy friendly eaters, and more!
• Can you bring your own chairs/umbrellas? No outside chairs or umbrellas may be brought into the park. We have thousands of beach loungers waiting for you on over 1000ft of sandy beaches. We also have bamboo themed umbrellas and cabanas available for rent.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook for a full video breakdown of our day at Aqua Adventures! Where should we go next? Comment below!!