Kalahari Resorts have 4 locations across the US. This post is specifically for the Round Rock, Texas location (which is actually the newest location). Regardless of the locations if you’re planning a Kalahari Resort Family Trip, I got you covered. If you are trying to decide between a Kalahari Resort Family Trip or a Great Wolf Lodge Family Trip, CLICK HERE to read my post on Great Wolf Lodge.

*** If you have read this before then READ THROUGH AGAIN! I have added some updates after our Summer 2022 and Winter 2023 Kalahari trip. Just some things I left out and some new things that Kalahari has added!

There are a few things to be aware of before heading to your Kalahari Resort Family Trip. Things the website does NOT tell you, my sneaky secrets. I’ve also compiled a list of items that make your life a bit easier while there (with small kids).

**This blog is a participant in the amazon affiliate program. I may get a small commission for the items that you click on, but it will cost you nothing

Kalahari Resort Family Trip

Check-in

Check-in is at 4 PM, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the waterpark and Tom Foolery’s for that entire day! The Indoor Waterpark opens at 10 AM, so that means you can enjoy an entire day of Kalahari before you even get your room. You can check-in right when you arrive and see if your room is available, some of the time it’ll already be ready. The hotel desk will then go ahead and give you your wristbands to enter the waterpark. They now have no contact kiosk…but don’t use those, they don’t allow you to talk with a concierge about the room location. SECRET get first floor and close to waterpark! First floor will be FABULOUS on check-out day because the elevators get CRAZY at check-out time. Also, you want to be close to the escalator down to the waterpark (especially in winter) that walk to through the resort soaking wet is long and cold. Also, the Check-in Kiosk spits out those horrible white wrist bands and they will constantly fall off. Go speak to a human behind the counter at check in

So when you are packing for your Kalahari Resort Family Trip make sure you pack an extra swim bag with swimsuits and robe . So you can play while you wait for your room!

Let’s talk about what to put in swim bag shall we…

1.) SWIM BAG COOLER– Firstly, you can always bring a reusable grocery bag…or a duffle, BUT I bring this beach bag on ALL swim, beach and waterpark trips. Plenty of room for 4 swimsuits and 4 changes of clothes. Also, this swim bag has a BUILT-IN COOLER at the bottom (to keep hidden) that you can unzip to access.

We put a little cooler pack in there with some lunchables, capri-suns, maybe momma a couple white claws.

It’s great after that long drive and of course if you have kids then you KNOW they are an endless pit of snack monsters! This little swim bag is worth every penny.

**UPDATE JANUARY 2024- I was gifted this adorable and functional wine purse for Christmas. It has a fillable bag to fill with wine and then the spout is at the back of the bag. It just looks like a regular backpack purse! I took it with me on our Winter Kalahari trip 10 days ago and filled it with Mimosa. Genius I’m telling you! I brought my insulated wine cup with me also to keep my drink cold. This is now my new recommendation for my fellow wine mommas 🙂

2.)LOCK BOX- Before you get into your room you will have your purse or wallet on you most likely. I wouldn’t EVER leave that stuff in my car, but to each his own. The first time we went to Kalahari Resort we didn’t really consider that our wallet, keys, cards, cash would be openly sitting on a table for anyone to snag. It was a bit uncomfortable to be honest, but nothing happened.

I personally cannot relax and have a good time if I think someone is taking pictures of my credit cards and having a secret shopping spree.

After we got home, I found this lock bag on amazon and bought it. I bring it with me every year now on our Kalahari Resort Family Trip and it has held up! It can hold ALOT, it is very decieving. You just secure it on a chair at your table. Honestly, you don’t want to keep walking back to check on your stuff constantly (it’s a big waterpark). Also, this day in age all someone has to do it take a quick picture of your credit card and BOOM disaster! This lock bag gave me so much piece of mind

3.) Waterproof phone case– I for one took a zillion pictures on our Kalahari Resort Family Trip . Kids just lose their minds, you can’t not take pictures. This waterproof phone case goes around the neck and is touch senstive thru the case. So you don’t have to keep taking it out of the case to take a picture or test. Also, the waterpark is so big so it’s nice to have a way to communicate with the other people in your party as to your location.

Another big bonus of the waterproof case necklace…you can put credit card and ID in there…Kalahari has an adult grotto and kids are not allowed in there. The grotto is a dark swim up bar with underwater barstools and tables. IT IS AWESOME.

What kind of kids waterpark has an adult swim up bar? Yeah, none. Just Kalahari. If you’re lucky enough to have other family members running around with the kids then go get a beer and relax in the grotto. Hubby and I loved it, parents so rarely get to relax like that.

4.)Cups for the kiddos and for mom and dad- Drinks and food are SO expensive at Kalahari. The “security” at the door has never stopped and checked our drinks. I’m sure they’d stop a 30 gallon cooler from coming in, but they don’t harp on you bringing in your water bottles and yeti cups.

** Update this year we purchased the elephant Kalahari cups for the kids! Pretty steep at $20/cup, but they have free refills FOREVER. So this is my new recommendation if you’re like us and plan on coming back to Kalahari multiple times per year then it’s worth it. You buy them in the Waterpark, they are at the bar, drinks stands…everywhere! I also figured out this year that there is a water station at the central bar passed the wave pool. First time I’ve noticed this!

If you don’t want to buy the elephant cups, the bring some cups to fill with water for the kids, if your kids don’t like water then pack a flavor Mio in your swim bag to “spritzy” up their water, as my daughter would say.

Misc. things to have for your Kalahari Resort Family Trip

5.) tiny bath robes for the kiddos. The first year I didn’t bring towels or robes, I figured Kalahari supplies towels in the waterpark so I’m not crowding my car. Umm no, Kalahari supplies towels the size of a semi-large dish cloth. You need about 4 per person. Also, the towels are checked out with your room key and are linked to your room…so You get charged $20/towel if you don’t return it. So it’s not a great idea to bring the waterpark towels to your room with you and then get those mixed up with your room towels. My kids were walking to the room after swimming and freezing their tiny butts off! The second trip I brought beach towels, but it got VERY irritating having them all over the hotel room to dry them. Robes and flip-flops are the way to go.

Third times a charm, I brought my kids tiny terry cloth robes. Kept them warm after they played in the waterpark and headed back up to the hotel room. The hallways are cold and it’s not space efficient to constantly bring a change of clothes to the park. Also, the towels are linked to your room so, if you bring the waterpark towels back to your room then you risk getting charged for them! Also, flip flops for after waterpark. Waterlogged feet swell and it’s not super fun putting on sock and tennis shoes after. You won’t want to walk barefoot through the resort back to your room.

6.) Floaties– They have life jackets at the park and they regulate the height rule. Lifeguards literally walk around with a giant measuring stick and randomly measure your kids as they walk by. They will enforce life jackets or floaties if your kids are under 48 inches. Regardless of swimming ability, they will make your kids wear either floaties or life jacket if they measure under the stick mark. So, I always bring my daughter’s floaties. My son doesn’t mind the life jacket, but my daughter will simply not put it on and make my life extremely difficult. My daughter has these unicorn floaties from Amazon, they fit her when she was 3 through the age of 5.

7.)Adult Yeti/Insulated Cup– You will get thirsty in there, I assure you. Also, Kalahari SELLS ALCOHOL in the waterpark, but it is expensive. I do not like dropping a ridiculous amount of money on drinks and cups, that just does not make sense to me.

2 beers at Kalahari costs as much as a 12 pack of beer from the store. My husband brings my huge yeti cup in the waterpark.

We either fill it up with waters and some mios (for electrolytes and flavor). If it’s afternoon I’ll poor a couple hard seltzers in there…it’s clear and the door staff don’t smell the contents of your cup. My husband and I save a ton of money by bringing a yeti cup and just packing a couple cans of hard seltzers in the bottom cooler part of our swim bag (link is above). They sell beer in cans in the waterpark (this is one huge bonus for adults and is a huge reason why I like a Kalahari Resort Family Trip WAY more than Great wolf). So I wouldn’t worry about being sneaky and filling up your cups with the beer you sneak in. All the times I have been here and none of the staff seem to care at all.

***Update as of September 2023 and our recent Fall trip to Great Wolf Lodge, they now sell alcohol inside the waterpark! Still no grotto, so I still like Kalahari better, but they do now sell booze.

8.) Water shoes for KIDS- The ground is concrete and I dunno about your kids, but mine will zoom through that waterpark at 100 mph. If you go in the summer time and go to the outside play area, that concrete is burning HOT, like damn LAVA!! Watershoes for you and your kids in the summer at this place are a NECESSITY

Stubbed toes happen ALOT on your Kalahari Family Resort Trip.

For this reason I always put water shoes on my kids….it is alot of walking/running on that concrete. Water shoes protect those little feet.

9.) Water Shoes for ADULTS– Like I said there is ALOT of walking at this waterpark. I myself have bunions and plantar fascititis so I ALWAYS bring my water shoes. My husband and I use these from Amazon and they have lasted us over 5 years now. Very comfortable and stretchy. Your feet will feel the hard concrete after a couple hours. Now this is not essential, but we are from Texas and we go to waterparks year round so I get alot of use out of my water shoes. Especially in the Texas heat where concrete can burn the soles of your feet right off!

INSIDE THE WATERPARK….ALL the details

Kalahari has something for everyone. This is what sets it apart from other waterparks like Great Wolf Lodge…which I also have an indepth post about and you can find it here. In this section I am going to break down the waterpark by areas.

***Tip- Set an alarm and get down to the waterpark before it opens at 10 AM, that way you can snag a table and chairs. The line starts forming to get into the waterpark around 9:30 or so. Make sure you have your wristbands on because that’s how you get into the park.

Baby/Pre-school and littles section on your Kalahari Family Resort Trip

Goggles- There is a section when you walk into the waterpark and to the left, it’s basically a water dreamland for 4 and unders. My daughter is 5 and she will still play in this section for hours. They have a water table area with all kinds of gadgets and fountains for your littles. Also a swing set above the water. Pictures below. This entire area is very shallow so the kiddos can wade or swim through the water easily and parents can stand back and observe without anxiety. Bring your kiddos goggles because they will try to open their eyes under water and Kalahari has ALOT of chlorine up in there! My kids’ start complaining of stinging eyes about an hour after we get there if I don’t bring their googles. There are about 6-7 different kids slides that they can choose from and kids just go berserk in this area.. There is also a kids short version of a lazy river, my daughter LOVED this. There are still lifeguards in this area, but they are not as anal with the life jackets and floaties here, they let you play in peace. Definitely bring your phone in your waterproof case for this…you will get the best pictures here.

WATER TABLE PLAY!

6-7 SLIDES AND KIDS LAZY RIVER!

BABY WATER TABLES!– Ok this is just genius. The first time we went to a waterpark my daughter was a baby and her fun basically consisted of us holding her while splashing her feet around in the shallow water. This is a water table with built in seats for babies!! First time I have seen this and I thought it was SO unique

***Update: My 5 month old niece played in these infant watertables on our winter 2023 family trip and she LOVED it.

2nd Play area for 4’s and under

Yes you heard that right, Kalahari actually has 2 areas for pre-school age children. This second area is to the right and it is not as big. There are a few slides, some very cool looking swings and some pre-school basketball hoops all in the zero entry shallow pool. This side is a little more chill than the other kids area. My kids did not spend much time in here, but they did really enjoy the swing set in this area.

**Update this last visit to Kalahari my 8 year old son literally spent hours in this area playing water basketball with some other boys

4’s and Up Kids Area

This is the center area of the Waterpark when you walk in. You can’t miss it. It’s basically a huge water jungle gym playhouse. There are waterguns to shoot, buckets to flip over, slides coming from all angles of this thing, There is even a humongous water bucket that fills up and sporadically drops a tsunami of water an anyone walking by. It can cause a bit of anxiety at first, as you CANNOT see where your kids are in this thing. It is huge and the slides come out all around it, so you have no idea where or when your kids are sliding down, coming out and going back in. I just told my kids to stay on this water gym and not to leave the water playhouse unless they come tell me first, my kids have always listened to me with this. Also, hint…show your kids where your table is. Like a command center, so they can find you if you lose them. Now, they do enforce life jackets or floaties here, I think that’s mostly because your kids get separated from you easily and you cannot keep a visual on them in here. Regardless, this is my kids favorite area. Parents can go in here…at your own risk lol. It is ALOT of climbing and you won’t be able to go down the slides…the slides are just for the kids. I say if you have kids 4 and up grab a table near this area, you will be there ALOT.

The RIDES

This waterpark has alot of kid-friendly rides. I would say more than half the slides allow you to ride with your kids in a tube if they are under 48 inches (they must wear a life jacket though). At the bottom of the stairs will have a board that lets you know how tall kiddos have to be to ride solo or how tall to ride with an adult. The tube rides are alot of fun and my 5 and 7 year old actually got to ride them with us this year and they had a blast. I think my 7 year old sons favorite ride was the “cheetah race”. You bring a mat up to the top with you and you are side by side with other people and you literally race them to the bottom. This ride is on your tummy, so I wouldn’t do this one pregnant. Keep in mind the lifeguards are teenagers, they are distracted and unsocial mostly, also easily confused. Some blind in my opinion…i had one lifeguard tell me my 48.5 inch tall son was not 48 inches so he couldn’t ride. This was after he’d been riding all the rides sans life jacket for 2 days already. He also measured well above the 48 inch black line. I could not reason with this lifeguard, i don’t think he spoke english or he was high because the poor kid just stared at me utterly confused.

Grotto

This is an ADULTS ONLY area, they will not let kids come in here. This really sets Kalahari apart from other waterparks as they remembered to think about the adults. I mean, it’s our vacation too!!! The grotto opens at noon. When you enter the waterpark you take a right turn, go up the stairs and you’ll see a cave looking entrance with beige looking waterslides above it, that’s the grotto. It’s dark with underwater booths, tables and a swim-up bar with barstools. Full bar with TV’s for viewing games/sports. They check IDs and will not take your room number for payment, so put your ID and credit card in your waterproof phone case to bring with you. Grotto connects to an outside pool and another swim up bar. In the winter the water is warm, more like bath water.

HOT TUBS

If you’ve been to Great Wolf Lodge then you probably are fearful of hot tubs in a kid’s waterpark. Well let me ease your uneasiness, Kalahari is not Great Wolf. The hot tubs are nothing like great wolf. You will not get high from the chemicals fumes and it does not feel like you are swimming in urine. The hot tubs wind around to the outside, so in the winter it’s actually a very refreshing mix of cold air and warm water. There are 2 hot tubs in the indoor waterpark and they are positioned between the tube rides.

Different areas in the Waterpark

Wave pool/body surfing– About the same as other waterpark, but there is a huge screen in front of the wave pool that constantly plays music videos so that’s nice.

Central bar– full bar for adult drinks and it’s also where you get those cool refillable cups for the kids…you will see them . Also, where the water station is to hydrate (FREE)

Zulu Restaurant- Like any waterpark you can walk in and order food in your swimsuit and they will give you an alert device to vibrate when your food is ready. They have burgers, fries, hot dogs, pizza etc. They have some seating upstairs with a nice clean bathroom that nobody ever uses.

Cabana’s– One day I will get one. They have a TV, private hot tub and a waitress. These look amazing!

Lazy River– My kids love this, but there are too many tubes in it most of the time. Still a cool area to chill.

Massive Water Basketball Area– Lots of young kids and teens in this area so my kids don’t really partake here, but when they are older I’m sure they will!

TOM FOOLERY’S

We have always added this onto our room when we made the reservation. This is basically a giant carnival set up indoors. My 8 year old loves the ropes course and the 3D shooting game. My daughter really loves the video games and the kids candyland play area. The rides are hit or miss, they take SO long to get onto a ride that it really isn’t worth the wait honestly. We spend 2 nights at Kalahari and we may take about 3 hours at Tom Foolery’s and that’s really it. My kids just have more fun at the waterpark, but they are 6 and 8 years old. Older kids maye like Tom Foolery’s more. The arcade is on another level.

*** Update! As of our Winter 2023 trip that Candyland area is now a mini golfing area. My son and husband play golf, so it was a HIT!

Escape Room I have heard that this is SO fun, but we have not done it yeat. Maybe next year when my kids are older and more capable of focusing.

Bowling Alley We have yet to try this, but I will say they never have lanes available. You have to make those reservation right when you check in apparently.

Outside Pool/Slides/Swim-Up bar– 2022 was the first year that we went to Kalahari during the Summer so it’s actually the first time we have utilized the outside area! It was so fun! They have an adult pool with a swim up bar and a kids pool with this awesome slide. We went in July and they had foam parties by the pool every hour on the hour. My kids went beserk!

Ouside Concerts and Dancing– This concert area was actually right outside out room window and the bands sounded awesome. We went down and watched a reggae band for a few minutes, but even at 7PM that Texas july heat was just TOO HOT. The entire area is concrete so it just bakes you. My kids could not handle that heat, so we did not stay more than a few minutes. They really need mist fans in this area, the concrete absorbs the heat and you just bake out there.

FOOD/SNACKS/DRINKS

We personally NEVER eat at the resort. It is SO expensive. Even the breakfast buffet is just very expensive and more adulty and I can’t justify that when my kids will eat 1/4 of their plate. We always bring snacks in the room, they do have a microwave and a small fridge. We bring oatmeal, muffins, chips, pre-washed fruit, hot pockets, those microwavable Amy’s burritos are great for quick breakfast. Round Rock donuts are famous here, but the line is insane…the gas station by Kalahari sells Round Rock donuts fresh daily. I always keep sandwich and PBJ stuff in our room for lunches. Early dinners we will usually take the kids to Hat creek for burgers (has playground), Salt Lick for BBQ, pinthouse pizza or Tony C’s (My FAVE) for pizza, Kerby Lane for sandwiches,salads, breakfast tacos (has playground). They also have this really cool hangout near the resort with huge sandpit for kids, food and walk up bars for adults, called The Pitch. My kids have a blast there. Lots of tables to sit around and drink outside while watching the kiddos play in the sand or throw balls. Now If my kids are acting crazy and are just completely exhausted from the days activities then we usually just order grubhub straight to the resort. I would pack a big yeti cooler full of Ice and fill it up with beers, waters, drinks for the kids etc….we rarely buy drinks at Kalahari…just too expensive

UPDATE*** My mother in law finally talked us all into eating at the mexican restaurant at the resort at our winter 2023 vacay. It was OK…expensive. The next night we opted for Tony C’s Pizza…did not regret that one…YUM!!! There are SO MANY good places to eat off resort and most are VERY close. Round Rock is a popular foodie little town with a ton of options. Also, you can order grub hub or door dash to the resort and eat in your room (I highly dislike the smell of old food wafting around the room though…so I don’t do this unless my kids are TOTALLY wiped out).