If you're like me, you didn't know that there is a giant waterslide at the corner of 28th St and the East Beltline.  That's because the Splash Tower is hidden inside of the Ramada Plaza Hotel! 

Anyhow, one day I decided to drop in and view this giant waterslide.  My first thought was BIRTHDAY PARTY!  So, that's what we did.  We booked the slide and a poolside room, invited some kids & adults and had a blast.  (We had kids between the ages of 2-6 at the party.)

I loved the way the pool and patio were set up.  One section was shallow enough that the 2-year olds could walk around.  Plus, it was enclosed by a wall, so that made keeping up with them even easier.  Another similar section was a bit deeper, and finally, the deepest section housed the water slide.

The pool is surrounded by a fence.  Patio tables outside of this gate let us eat pizza from neighboring Old Chicago and birthday cake without fear that our little ones would find their way to the water without us.  (Just in case, Ramada provides a life guard for parties, which added peace of mind.  We also had the kids wear life jackets for added safety.)

The party went from 10am-2pm and the kids made the most of their 4 hours.  Some adults took the younger kids down the slide, but the 5 & 6 year olds were quite independent.  If you would happen to get bored at this Grand Rapids oasis, they do have a video game arcade.

Overall, I'd recommend this the Ramada Splash Tower for any kid-oriented get-together (especially nice during the winter!)  work with Lindsey at the front desk and she'll take care of all of the details.

Happy Splashing!