I know it’s been a mild winter so far, I know people are wishing and hoping and praying for snow (at least on Dec. 25), and I know right now most of us are in that happy pre-holiday glow—where everything seems right with the world—but I gotta break it to ya: most people are not going to be feeling so holly jolly in February or March. We’re going to desperately want to escape the deep freeze. And if you don’t have a budget that allows for a flight to a tropical destination, you can still feel like you’re going on a tropical vacation (pack those swimsuits!) at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center, just two hours northwest of Minneapolis off I-94 in Alexandria.
Hands-down, Arrowwood has one of the best indoor waterparks in the state. The 38,000-square-foot indoor waterpark features three exhilarating four-story slides, a “Lazy River” innertube ride, a tropical whirlpool spa, and plenty of excitement for the little ones. If you don’t feel like hanging out in the waterpark, you can swim laps in the indoor pool, soak in the whirlpool, work out in the fitness center, spoil yourself in the spa facility, dine in the on-site restaurants and lounge, or play a few games of tennis in the huge indoor tennis facility (open year-round). If you would rather enjoy the Great Outdoors (snow, cold, and all), you can rent a snowmobile, cross-country skis, or ice skates, try ice fishing, hit the Snow Center sledding hill (sleds are available free of charge), or play broomball or hockey on the Lake Darling rink. When’s the last time you played broomball? Doesn’t that sound like a blast?
Another perk: Andes Tower Hills, just 17 miles from the resort, offers downhill skiing, tubing, and snowboarding. Fun for the whole family!
Accommodations at Arrowwood range from lodge rooms and suites with lakefront views to luxurious four-bedroom townhomes. Give the gift of quality family time over the holidays (“Hey, kids, guess what!? We’re going to a waterpark!”), and cash it in when you need it most.
