Water Park by Mall of America?

I live 10 minutes away from the Mall of America and have been to that waterpark several times. My kids like it, but we've never stayed at the Radisson. Ironically, we have a coupon for a free night there, but haven't had a chance to use it. I think it would be good for ages 5 and 8, although there are some slides and things they probably won't be able to use. There is a large play area in the middle especially for younger kids. There is a zero depth entry wave pool and a lazy river. It has a north woods/Minnesota type theme. There is a grill and snack bar. If you stay at the Radisson I think it includes admission to the waterpark. It is rather difficult to get around the Twin Cities without a car, unfortunately. You would be very close to the light rail line which would allow you access to the airport and downtown Minneapolis, but anywhere else you wanted to go (other than the MOA and the waterpark) would probably require a car. What other kinds of parks are you interested in? What time of year would you be here? Feel free to send me a private message with any specific questions you might have.

Edited: I'm glad someone else told you about the rooms with bunk beds. I just remembered late last night that my youngest son HAS stayed at the Radisson as part of a birthday party. They had one of the rooms with bunk beds and he loved it! Since it is attached to the waterpark I think the hotel tries to cater to families. There is also an arcade (not my favorite place).

Definitely go to Mall of America! I have no idea what Laeh is talking about since it's not expensive at all in comparison to other malls and similar attractions. We go all the time!

We stay at the Raddison by the Mall of America every time we are in town and have gone to the water park several times. You will ALWAYS get a better deal on the waterpark if you stay in the hotel. Check their calendar online to see when the park is actually open and see if there are any discounts for the weekend you will be using it.
You can book online or check expedia.com or hotels.com. Sometimes they offer discounts for the waterpark as well as a smaller hotel fee. We always get the deluxe king room which has bunk beds in addition to the king size bed.
It's definitely age appropriate for 8 and 5 year olds. My 8 and 4 year old kids can't wait to go back!

You can get around the area using hotel shuttle but we have never used it (we live in Minnesota and live about 3 hours from the Twin Cities so we often stay over when we go to doctor appointments). Within a mile of the Raddison you have the Mall of America, IKEA and several restaurants.

Rides at Nickolodeon Universe are usually sold in packages and they start at $18. If you go after 5pm you can get their twilight special and wristbands are half off the regular price. It's worth it!!! Our kids played HARD for about 3 hours and were completely worn out. They had a blast, and the crowds were not bad at all. LegoLand is in the same area and they just revamped it so it's fun to tour.
Almost every Subway restaurant in Minnesota has discount coupons for Nickolodeon Universe and also for the UnderWater Adventures tour at MOA.

There are several hotels in the greater Twin Cities area that have smaller size water parks. There is one in Maple Grove in a Holiday Inn Express, but Water Park of America is still our favorite.

Good luck planning your stay! If you have any other questions feel free to message me!

Other great attractions are the Minnesota Zoo, The science museum and The Children's Museum. You'd want to rent a car if you choose one of those options. Check out Minnehaha Falls too. Very pretty!

I haven't been to that water park, but I'd love to go. I think you have to pay for it separate from the Raddison rooms, so you might want to consider getting a room at a cheaper nearby hotel (We like the Embassy Suites-Bloomington or Airport, which is about $130/nite and includes free parking and free made-to-order breakfast.)

The Mall of America has SOOO much to do...Camp Snoopy (whoops, that's what it was called when I was a kid, can't recall what they call it now) the mall's indoor amusement park, is a great place and PERFECT for your kids' ages.

The mall has tons and tons and tons of restaurants. There is no sales tax on clothing in MN, so it is a GREAT time to shop.

If you do rent a car, drive to St. Paul and visit Como Park--Como Lake (a man-made lake about 2 miles around--for walking or paddle boats, no swimming), the Como Zoo (a free zoo) & Como Town (small amusement park rides). If you'd like to swim, Minneapolis has some great lakes--Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet....a whole chain of lakes in Mpls, and they wouldn't be too far away from your hotel--about 15 min.

If you are interested in historical areas, I'd visit Summit Avenue in St. Paul and perhaps tour the James J Hill House, or go to the MN Historical Society. In downtown St. Paul is an awesome Children's Museum, and the Science Museum of MN. Both are top notch (and I say this while living in the Chicago area which is known for great museums). You could take a steamboat ride on the Mississippi from Mpls or from St. Paul.

Now I'm really missing Minnesota! :)

I live 15 minutes from the Water Park of America and we haven't gone yet! I have a Groupon for an evening there for me and my daughter, so going to be going soon.

You can buy packages that include a room and pool passes. I've heard that food at the WPOA is very expensive, so you might want to plan around that if possible.

QueenoftheCastle did a great job of promoting our city! All the things she mentions would be great for your kids' ages. My daughter (9) loves Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. Only ComoTown closes on Oct. 2nd for the winter, but both the Como Zoo and the Minnesota Zoo stay open all year. It's already too cold for outdoor swimming! But the lakes are great to walk or bike around. We have rental bikes in some locations. Both museums in St. Paul are a hit with my daughter, too. They have a lot of hands-on activities for kids.

To save money do not even enter the Mall of America.