Pine Lake Waterpark is a hidden treasure nestled about 1.5 hours northeast of Indianapolis. If you’re looking for a fantastic water park in Indiana, this is my favorite one!
My family and I took a day trip to check out the lake, and we couldn’t have been more pleased with everything there was to do there. Between the activities, concessions, and affordable admission, we will definitely be back!
Travel to Berne, Indiana – Home of Pine Lake
Travel down small country roads in Berne, Indiana, eventually leading to Pine Lake’s parking lot. You’ll find grassy areas to park, as well as several picnic tables where you can enjoy a packed lunch. That is exactly what we did! We brought a cooler full of food, snacks, and cold drinks to enjoy at the tables. Please note, outside food is not permitted inside the Waterpark, but picnics in the parking lot are perfectly fine.
Admission prices are $9 for adults and kids 10+, $7 for ages 4-9, and kids 3 and under are free. If you need life jackets, they offer them for rent. A $5 deposit will get you a life jacket for the entire day. When you return it, you’ll get your $5 back! As you can already see, Pine Lake is family friendly, and very affordable.
Bring or Borrow Life Jackets
If you have young children that aren’t swimming well yet, don’t worry! Life jackets are permitted on almost all of the slides and activities. When you check in, the staff will ask if your child can swim confidently in water that’s 8 feet deep. You will get a wristband that corresponds with your answer, which the lifeguards are trained to recognize. They can tell you exactly what activities allow the life jacket. We only had one kiddo that I felt comfortable allowing to swim out in open water, but the others didn’t even notice the activities they couldn’t try. They were too busy enjoying all the things they could do while wearing their life jacket!
The bathrooms are easy to find at the front of the park. They are rustic, and the water supplied is from the lake, but they work great. There is also an entire section of changing rooms, to get in and out of your swim gear.
Exciting Water Activities for All Ages
Time to get to the waterpark! When you enter, it will be hard to select where you want to start! There is something here for all ages and abilities. From small children to the grown ups, everyone will enjoy themselves at Pine Lake.
The Log Run is a balancing obstacle course that floats on the water. Can you hop and swing through each section and make it to the end without falling in? Immediately to the left of this activity is the zip line. Climb the stairs and blast off as you zip across the lake, ending with a fun splash into the water to cool off.
Speaking of thrilling activities, I want to highlight the high jump! They have a 10 foot, 20 foot, and 30 foot platform available for those confident swimmers to plunge into an 18 foot deep section of the lake! In addition, there are fun tube slides, and a plunging slide for the big kids and adults to play on, also in the deeper section of the lake.
If that wasn’t enough, don’t forget to do the racer slides! My kids loved them, and went together over and over to plunge into the lake. Pine Lake also has a fun curly slide, where you ride down on a water mat and slide into the lake at the bottom. These were a big hit for the entire family, and your kids are sure to love them!
Toddlers Will Love the Beach and Splash Pad
As you can see, the exciting water activities are plentiful, but I want to also mention the many options for little ones. My 2 year old had so much fun playing at the lake. The beachfront section is perfect for bringing buckets and shovels for digging in the sand. My daughter spent at least an hour just enjoying the beach. The sand is good quality, soft sand. It’s not at all rough and easy to play with and walk on barefoot. They also have a volleyball net on the beach. Definitely plan to pack a ball and some other sand toys and activities for your kiddos.
Right on top of the hill to the right of the sand is an awesome splash pad! The lake water is pumped into the splash pad, complete with fun water features and more toddler activities such as a small slide. All of the kids enjoyed this space, but it was especially nice to have ample activities for the little ones.
One thing we were surprised to find on our visit was a paddle boat! The rubber ducky themed paddle boat was so cute, and a great addition to the lake. They have complimentary life jackets available at the boarding area, and the whole family can paddle out together to enjoy the fun ducky boat.
Concessions Available in the Waterpark
If you don’t want to pack a lunch, Pine Lake has two different concession stands that sell a variety of food at a great price. Hot dogs, brats, chips, popcorn, and sodas are just a few of the options available to purchase. They were well priced, and good quality. We shared some popcorn and candy, and it was a fun treat to enjoy lakeside.
After a day at the lake, the kids slept the whole way home! Pine Lake is a perfect summer family day trip. You will love the unique activities, great pricing, and family friendly atmosphere. The waterpark is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, so don’t wait! Head over for a day of fun this summer!
