Visitors to Jay Peak in New England are advised to pack both parkas and swim suits because the popular ski resort also recently built a 50,000-square-foot indoor water park known as the Pump House.
This somewhat unusual combination opened last month.
The weatherproof park offers the usual gaggle of slides and other watery diversions–as well as a few unique features. The park in Vermont also has a first: the first AquaLoop that is a coaster spin-off. Visitors climb a 71-foot-tall tower, enter a launch capsule, then wait for a countdown as the floor opens and participants freefall almost straight down in an enclosed tube. Jay Peak says that those brave enough to tackle the black diamond ride reach speeds up to 40 miles per hour and experience a force of 2.5 Gs.
The indoor water park also features a skylight-style retractable roof to let the sun's rays in regardless of the outside temperature.
The Hotel Jay has 170 hotel rooms, most of which are suites, a restaurant featuring pizza, fitness center and conference center. Other amenities at Jay Peak include 76 ski and snowboard trails, a golf course, a spa, and an ice skating arena.
By David Wilkening
