The Ultimate Schiltterbahn Trip Guide

If you are going to spend the day at Schlitterbahn, here is a well thought out guide from years of going. Before we go any further - the #1 tip, bring flip flops, even a cheaper pair for the stretches of hot pavement you will encounter when going park to park. Carry them with you and your feet will thank you.

2 Parks In One

You buy a ticket and can bounce back and forth between two parks all day via the shuttle. It will pick you up by the Cliffhanger Tube Chute on the West Side and near Surfenburg at Schlitterbahn East. What's the difference between the two? The West side was the original park with tube chutes, mat slides and some fast body tube slides. The East side of the park added years later hosting the Master Blaster, Surfenburg and the good lazy rivers with a wave pool and the kid-themed rides.

When To Go

Early in season. This year, Schlitterbahn was open in late April for weekends. Go before school gets out to enjoy shorter than average lines. Summertime is best on a weekday and a Monday if possible. If you do go on a busy summer Saturday, don't worry, just try to ride the most popular rides early ( Master Blaster, Dragons Revenge, Wolfpack . To plan your trip, here is the park calendar

What About Parking?

Parking at Schlitterbahn is free. The address to the parking lot is 400 N. Liberty Ave., New Braunfels, TX 78130. Get to the park early to get a close parking spot. You don't have to worry about being close to one park or another, but for busy days there is more parking on the West side.

Favorite Rides

You will have fun on any of the 45 rides at the Bahn, or do like my mom and float the lazy river all day. Below are the rides you won't want to miss. Also if you just want to hang out you can rent a cabana in different parts of the park. The ones by the hot tubs are a really prime location.

With Little Ones:

Scahtzes Storybrook Park is the newest kids area at Schlitterbahn West. Schatzes has a big splash pad with 70 water toys. 6 smaller body-slides and the worlds first pint sized water coaster, the Bow Wow Blaster modeled after the Master Blaster.

Hang Ten Activity Pool, located in Surfenburg, just look for the big net fences in the pool. Here you can dash across lily pads or try your balance on one of the many logs stretched throughout the pool. The Hang Ten also offers an entire water obstacle course with guide ropes and floating sections.

For Everyone

The Master Blaster yes y'all, an uphill watercoaster. Big jets of water propel you up and down the slide. This one is popular, if you do it make it the first half of your day. You can ride single or double tubes and the ride is really long. The slide is over 1000 feet and the twists and turns are the best part.

The Boogie Bahn is a soft boogie simulator that adults and kids can ride as long as you are 42". The boards you ride are soft, and so is the wave machine. You can ride on your stomach or on your knees. Don't worry if you wash over the falls a few times, the landing is a bubbling pool and the guy behind you will most likley do the same thing.

For Thrill Seekers

Downhill Racer If you are heading to old town Schlitterbahn, and like fast slides check this one out. Simple mat slide laid on top of a 3 story bavarian castle. You can race side by side with anyone you want and if you time the line right, 4 people can race at once. If you are in the

The Black Night, 6 Stories up Blastenhoff Tower is this beast. This slide is very dark, twisty and fast. You can bring a friend and do a dual tube on this one. The fun is not exactly knowing where the drops are and the surprise of coming out the bottom.

The Raging River Tube Chute One of Schlitterbahns first rides. Also a really fun way for a big group to do a ride all together, and it takes 30 minutes to get to the finish.

The BackSplash a sneaky way to get into kristal river. It is a big soft body slide and you will find it right behind the boogie bahn.

How To Save On Tickets

Check the local H-E-B customer service center, they can run deals in the summer. If you want a season pass, it pays for itself in 3 visits. Visit groupon, they also run discounts on admission.

The Food

Schlitterbahn is neat because you can bring your own cooler and picnic in with you as long as it is smaller than 26”L x 16”W x 16”D. It's a big park with lots of sitting areas, lounge chairs and tables for you to set up lunch. Pro Tip- The original side of the park is usually less crowded than Blastenhoff and offers a quieter picnic areas . They also have decent food for a water park, and some snacks to come back for year after year.

Actual Meals

They have bbq restaurants that slow smoke their meats and hand pull their pork. Cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches are at Gator Grill in Blastenhoff . If you get the souvenir bottle, you can get free refills all day. If you want something healthy, they have salads and do turkey legs ,and sausages. Also don't skip the roasted corn it's nice to eat in a long ride line.

Treats

You won't be short of snack options, the Dippin Dots ice cream is fun and refreshing. They make hand-battered funnel cakes then top them with strawberries, or even a cookies and cream flavored one. If you are at Blastenhoff they have swim up bars near the hot tubs and in the pools. Then of course all the icees, popsicles, and cold drinks you need on a hot Texas day

Where To Stay?

Every Texas kids dream growing up was to stay at the resort inside of Schlitterbahn. It is a great option for families with teens. An ideal lunch meeting spot and home base. Plus at night one of the Schlitterbahn pools and a playground are left open for hotel guests. Check out Groupon for discounts on The Resort.

Schlitterbahn FAQ?

How tall do you have to be for the rides? -

The kids area is great for those under 30". The moderate thrill rides are 36" and over ( Wolfpack, AquaVeyer, Bow Wow Blaster) While the most thrilling rides are 42" and over.

Does It matter which park you park at?

No, the tram will run back and forth all day. If you are planning to eat lunch, the Old Side has alot more shade and space, and will be less crowded leaving the park.

Does Schlitterbahn Accept Cash?

No, they are cashless. If you send your kid with cash, there are cash to card kiosks that will convert dollars to a VISA gift card for you. If you have a balance left you can spend it anywhere that accepts Visa.

Do They Have Lockers?

Yes, they have lockers available