Becoming Kids Again at Cultus Lake Adventure Park

We drove east to Chilliwack from Abbotsford one fine afternoon. Chilliwack is another big city in the Fraser Valley surrounded by mountains and is known for its recreational areas, most notably, Cultus Lake. People go there for hiking, mountain climbing, rock climbing, horseback riding, golf, camping, fishing, paragliding, sailing, and water kayaking.

However, we were going there to have some “kiddie fun.” My cousin told me that there is a water park in Cultus Lake. I had not heard of it before, and she told me they had never been there either.

We hopped on our cousin’s van to check this out. The kids were excited. In fact, they already donned their swimwear underneath their summer clothes in anticipation of some splashing, sliding, and swimming. On our way to Cultus Lake, all they could talk about was water and getting wet in a fun way.

When we arrived, we found out that the park, called Cultus Lake Adventure Park, has two sections – a water park and an adventure (amusement) park. They were adjacent but had separate entrances and separate tickets.

As we approached, the silhouettes of the park’s Ferris wheel, rollercoaster, and other rides came into view. My husband, who was seated in front, and my cousin-in-law, who was on the driver’s seat, suddenly became wide-eyed and exclaimed at the same time, “There is an amusement park here?” Then they gave each other “the look” that my cousin and I both recognized from the back of the van.

“Uh-oh,” we said, “Looks like the big kids have some ideas brewing in their heads.” You see, our husbands have been best friends since high school and they both love wild rides in amusement parks.

The guys immediately took out their phones to Google the park and had a few minutes of animated discussion between themselves. In the meantime, we, the wives, gave exasperated sighs, and the kids impatiently asked, “When are we going to the water park? Why are we still in the car?” The big boys earnestly announced that there had been a change in plans.

According to their quick research, the water park is more suitable for adults and bigger children. Majority of the water rides that feature extreme slides, high vertical drops, dark tunnels, extreme twists and turns, and deep waters are designed for thrill-seekers and strong swimmers.

My cousin-in-law proceeded to read the names of the rides – Bazooka Ball, Freefall, Radical Rapids, Tubular Terror, Valley of Fear, and the like. Did they sound like kiddie rides? No! In fact, only a small section is geared towards little kids – Pirate’s Cove, Tots’ Castle, Family Spray Park, Turtle Pool and Slides – and they are nothing more than slides with a little water element, which are just fancier versions of what you can get from the community park. Boring!

My husband backed him up by saying it would be a waste of money to go there just to enjoy a small portion of what the huge park had to offer. When the kids simultaneously protested in utter vehemence, the guys described how perilous each of the rides were and then asked the kids after every brief, albeit biased, presentation, “Would you want to ride this or that?” My husband added how that little piece of kiddie playground could be fun for toddlers, but not for kids their age, and that maybe after a few years, we could go back when they are older and taller so they can fully enjoy the water park.

My cousin and I remained silent for the duration of this argument. It was like watching a kiddie version of “Dragon’s Den,” wherein, the contestants hard sell their idea to discerning judges. We silently enjoyed the exchange - our husbands “Dadsplaining” to the inquisitive kids, and the suspicious kids interrogating their defensive Dads. We giggled and rolled our eyes when we thought the Dads were trying a little too hard.

When our smart and highly perceptive kids figured out that they were not going to win this, they reluctantly said, “Fine.” 

Then the big boys started looking up the rides available at the amusement park and started planning their route.

 We overheard the girls saying, “What a waste. We wore our swimwear for nothing.” And my son responded with, “Tell me about it. Adults always get their way. And it’s because our Daddies desperately want to go on the rollercoaster, I am pretty sure of that.” My cousin and I burst out laughing. You certainly cannot fool kids nowadays.

The Cultus Lake Adventure Park turned out to be better than we expected. For a small amusement park hidden in this tranquil lakeside city, it is quite impressive. The whimsical rodeo design accentuated the park’s adventure theme and made visitors feel like they are inside a cartoon strip.

Inside, there are more than 18 rides and attractions, mostly catering to young families. But there were several advanced rides that could appeal to adults and older kids.

We first did the “family friendly” ones – the classic carousel, the hot air balloon ride, the wagon wheel (Ferris wheel), the Honey Pots (the park’s own spin on the Disney Teacup Ride), and the Ribbit, (their spin on the classic Caterpillar ride).

There was the Wilderness Trail, which was like an enclosed obstacle course with five suspension bridges, caves, tunnels, monkey bars, balance beams, giant logs, a relic-mining cart, a treehouse, and even a tightrope for the more adventurous. The kids (and the Dads) certainly had fun there, releasing all their pent-up energy. On some days, you can pan for hidden gems in the grounds’ fake river, but it was not available at the time of our visit.

The kids also ended up getting some water fun, after all. We embarked on the bumper boats…yes, all of us! My cousin and her husband took one child each on the two-seater boats, my husband went with our son, and I rode alone. The boats were on a makeshift lagoon with splashing waterfalls and water blasters from the ledge that take you by surprise.

You would think these alone were enough to make you wet, but no! We happened to be on this playground with a bunch of trigger-happy tweens who spared no effort in attacking us with their water blasters. I was soaked just three minutes into the ride. For some reason, those kids singled me out as their prime target because I was by myself with no kid in tow. Thank you very much!

The kids had so much fun that they begged us for a second and a third round. And so, I had my three consecutive instant showers that afternoon.

With all the easy rides done with, the husbands moved on to the rides they had set their eyes on, while my cousin and I watched with the kids. First, they went on the Buckin’ Bronco, where they summoned their inner cowboys. The ride involved mounting a steed perched on a giant disc that went spinning and gliding back-and-forth. The disc itself hurtled at breakneck speed across a horseshoe-shaped coaster. The kids cheered on their cowboy Dads and yelled, “Hold on tight!” But our husbands seemed to be unfazed. My cousin pointed out the satisfied grins they were sporting as they went flying up in the air.

Next, they tackled the Round-Up 360, described as an “extreme ride” and “Canada’s only fully inverted extreme swing ride that will take you a full 360 degrees head over heels while simultaneously spinning and vaulting you perilously close to live cedars and train trellises above.”

It’s basically a giant pendulum that swings you back and forth, higher and higher, while spinning, and eventually, going upside-down. The kids’ screams harmonized with the screams of the other passengers on the ride. One of them even dropped a shoe. But our big boys were as usual, just smiling throughout the ride and when it ended, their facial expressions could rival that of the Cheshire Cat’s in Alice’s Wonderland.

No visit to an amusement park is complete without a rollercoaster ride, at least that’s what my husband says. This park’s rollercoaster is called Runaway Mine Train, designed to look like an 18^th-century train. It climbs over the park’s golf course before dropping, curling, and coasting along 1,000 feet of exhilarating track. The ride is not very big, thus, it took less than 15 minutes from the line-up to the end of the loop. Of course, the hubbies did a “test run” while we all watched.

By the time the ride was over, the kids were all rested and were ready for another adventure. And this was when a couple of petty fights ensued. Our hubbies wanted to go on the rollercoaster again. My cousin-in-law wanted my eldest niece to go with him, but my cousin disagreed. She’s too young and small for that ride, according to her. My cousin-in-law insisted that she could perfectly manage this ride. When my son heard that her older cousin might be going, he asked us if he could go with his Daddy. I was fine with it, but my husband refused. He’s too young and small for this, according to him.

So, while my cousin and her hubby argued, and my husband and I argued, the two kids watched the ping-pong of bickering. My youngest niece just shrugged her shoulders as if to say, “Here we go again.”

In the end, we all decided that no one was going on the rollercoaster, even the Daddies. My son sulked for a bit, telling me it seemed unfair that his uncle deemed his cousin, only a year older than him, to be fit to go, while his Daddy wouldn’t let him. He said he was sure he was ready to do it. I told him that it is probably best to wait another year or so.

To settle the dust, we all bought ice cream and ate in peace while we contemplated on our next plan of action. The kids seemed to relax after enjoying their frozen treats.

And to further appease the big and small kids, we all went on the next ride as a family. There was a mini-coaster ride called Blastin’ Barrels, that was a kiddie rollercoaster reminiscent of a real mine shaft rail.

Aboard barrel-shaped cars, we whizzed and spun around as we went through an abandoned mine shaft. Well, what do you know…the kids enjoyed this thoroughly and begged to go a second and a third time. Man, did I ever get dizzy!

I remember my little boy asking me as we were being buckled up again, “Are you sure you’re okay, Mommy?” He told me that all throughout the ride, he could distinguish my screams from the others.

As I recovered under a shady tree, our boy spotted a mini-golf course designed like a lumber camp. I told my husband that he should take him there. While they played a round of golf, my cousin and I looked after the girls, while her husband went back to the parking lot to get something from the van.

There was one more adult ride – the Cloud Buster, which is one of those shoot-up-and-sudden-drop types. But my husband is not a huge fan of this type of ride, so he decided to pass. My cousin-in-law agreed. There is a version for younger riders called Windmill Drop, but the kids were not interested either.

When my boys came back from golf, I told them that I wanted to ride the Wave Swinger, the one that is a stylized version of an adult swing. It lifts you up high above the waters of the bumper boat ride and you soar as you go around a loop. Unfortunately, nobody wanted to do it with me, so I went by myself. I didn’t mind. This is my kind of ride.

And that was how we ended our play-filled afternoon in Adventureland. It was fun becoming like kids again, even for one day.