Sweet Tea Travels: A Travel guide to the Southeast
Cool Pools in the Southeast
Florida:
Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn
Nickelodeon means wacky fun. From the daily mass sliming to the 400-gallon tank that randomly spills into the pool, to seven flumes and slides, to interactive water toys, there’s fun for every visitor.
Instead of plain hotel rooms, Nickelodeon offers suites with one- to three- bedrooms, each with a full kitchen. A kids’ spa, an arcade, plenty of activities, and shows featuring the Nickelodeon characters make sure no one's bored on vacation.
Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin in Orlando, FL, has Disney’s magic in liquid form. Five heated pools, whirlpools, fountains, waterfalls, and a waterside all set in a tropical landscape, give plenty of room for vacationers to play.
The Orlando location is ideal for visiting the Walt Disney World parks, but the resort also has game rooms, jogging trails, basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts.
Radisson Resort Orlando – Celebration
At Radisson Resort Orlando – Celebration in Kissimmee, FL, the large free-form pool features waterfalls, two whirlpools and a 40-foot waterslide that winds through a rocky grotto. Two additional pools, dive-in movies, diving games, and cannonball contests add to the vacation fun.
Located 1.5 miles from Walt Disney World, the resort provides scheduled shuttle service to Disney World, Sea World, and Universal Studios.
The Ginn Hammock Beach Resort’s 6-acre pool complex includes a lazy river, waterslide, waterfalls, and a zero-entry beach pool. There are indoor pools, too, for leisurely vacationers. And the Atlantic Ocean is just steps away. With towels and chairs provided on the beach, visitors can play in Mother Nature’s original wave pool.
Located mid-way between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, the Ginn Hammock Beach Resort has a range of accommodations, from suites to villas to condominiums. In addition to the pools, there are kids’ programs, golf, tennis, spa facilities, and bicycle rentals.
Georgia:
The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation
At the Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, GA, it’s all about the view. Tranquil Lake Oconee seems to stretch unbroken from the inside the pool. Of course, it’s an illusion – the pool is separated from the lake with a waterfall edge, but from a swimmer’s perspective, the view can’t be beat.
Just 75 miles from Atlanta, Reynolds Plantation has 5 world-class golf courses, a full-service spa, and 35 acres of shoreline property on Lake Oconee. Accommodations range from guest rooms to 3-bedroom cottages.
The Cloister at Sea Island, GA, is known for world-class elegance, and its pools are no exception. The oceanside Beach Club, with three pools and access to five miles of private beach, is a favorite with families. An elegant indoor pool awaits spa patrons, too.
After 80 years of hosting vacationing families, The Cloister has built a long list of non-swimming things to do, too. Kids, teens, and adults can learn to shoot, ride, play tennis, sail, kayak, and fish. In addition the Cloister has been rated the #1 golf resort in North America by Golf Digest.
South Carolina
Ocean Reef Resort, Myrtle Beach, SC, has water activities for all ages and all energy levels. Visitors will love the Island Oasis water park with its bucket drops, water streams, and fountains, while leisurely vacationers can relax floating down the man-made lazy river. It’s under cover, yet open to the sea breezes.
During the summer supervised kids’ activities are available Mondays - Fridays.
Tennessee
The Resort at Governor's Crossing
Just outside the Smoky Mountains National Park, in Pigeon Forge, The Resort at Governor’s Crossing packs a lot of water fun into a small space. With both indoor and outdoor pools, weather needn’t spoil anyone’s vacation day. A zero-entry pool, water “umbrella”, and two waterslides that loop in and out of the building, make the pools suitable for all ages.
Accommodations range from studio guest rooms to 3-bedroom suites. Gatlinburg, Dollywood, and the Smoky Mountains National Park are nearby.
Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia
Williamsburg, VA , Grapevine, TX , Concord, NC (opening 2009), near Atlanta, GA (not yet built)
Each Great Wolf Lodge has an entire water park indoors with nine waterslides, six pools, and a four-story treehouse water fort. Neither winter’s chill nor summer’s heat matter: it’s always a balmy 84 degrees inside.
Williamsburg, VA, and Grapevine, TX (near Dallas/Fort Worth Airport) are the only southern locations right now. But in 2009 a Lodge will open in Concord, NC, and the company is currently in negotiations to build a Great Wolf Lodge at Lake Lanier near Atlanta.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp Resort -- Mississippi
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp Resort -- Georgia
The Water Zone water park at Jellystone Park in Pellahatchie, Mississippi, will keep campers entertained. With its zero-entry pool, splash toys, water fort, and view of the adjacent lake, there’s something for all ages. In addition, Jellystone features organized activities and games, and has a mini-golf course, tennis courts, and game room.
Jellystone Parks can be found around the United States, including one scheduled to open in Waco, Georgia in July 2008. Although the specific amenities and rates may vary, all Jellystone Parks offer facilities for tent and RV camping as well as rental cabins.
