Your Own Water Worlds

Hurtling down a slippery slide with thousands of gallons of rushing water; screaming bloody murder as you’re spit out the end of a tube going 30 mph--now that’s a kid’s idea of summer fun.

Parents, on the other hand, may have different ideas. That’s why all of Southern California’s five major water parks have pools, cabanas (with waiter service), lounge chairs and hot tubs right alongside the towering, twisting and turbulent water attractions. Each park has a mellow river ride (requiring no more effort than it takes to sit on an inner tube) as well as food service, lockers and play areas for toddlers. Most offer discounts for groups and catering service for parties.

Here’s a rundown of the five water parks in the area:

Orange County’s Wild Rivers in Irvine has about 40 rides and attractions on 20 acres.

The park is divided into three main sections. At Wild Rivers Mountain, there are about 25 rides, including the long, dark Abyss, the high-speed Nairobi Express and the white-water River Rapids.

At Thunder Cove, there’s the Hurricane Harbor wave pool, which is ideal for bodyboarding, the Dinosaur Slide for toddlers and Monsoon Lagoon for swimming and bodysurfing. And on Explorers’ Island, which is geared to children and families, there’s the inner tube Safari River Expedition, Mombasa Hot Springs and Pygmy Pond.

* Wild Rivers, 8800 Irvine Center Drive, Laguna Hills, (949) 768-9453. Water rides and attractions for all ages. Weekends and Memorial Day, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; daily starting June 6 (closing hours will vary). Ages 10 and older, $20.95; ages 3-9, $16.95; seniors, $9.95; $9.95 for all ages after 4 p.m. Season passes available.

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In the desert, the Oasis Waterpark is, literally, an oasis for both residents and visitors in Palm Springs.

“We’re going to live at the water park this summer,” said Rosalie Sutherland, wrapped in a towel after a day at the Oasis, where she hosted her daughter’s 10th birthday party. “We come a lot and stay all day.”

The Oasis, which opened in 1986, is a neatly landscaped facility with about half a dozen major water slides, a 7-foot wave pool for bodyboarding and bodysurfing, numerous minislides and the Creature Fantasy area for toddlers. The more sedate sun worshiper can take an inner tube down the 600-foot Lazy River or check out the hilltop spa.

An arcade, health club and rock climbing facility are also park attractions. The Oasis restaurant (a cloth napkin affair) is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

* Oasis Water Resort, 1500 Gene Autry Trail, Palm Springs, (760) 325-7873. Daily through June 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; June 12-Sept. 7, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Adults, $18.95; children (40 inches-60 inches tall), $11.95; seniors, $10.95; two-for-$18.95 admission after 3 p.m. Parking, $3.

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“El Nin~o” is a phrase Southlanders have heard often enough this year--but El Nin~o, the Ride is still making a big splash as the newest and “wettest” ride at Raging Waters in San Dimas. El Nin~o sends inner tube riders down an open flume at speeds of up to 40 mph. And starting in June, High EXtreme II will put riders on a newly designed double toboggan.

In its 15th year, Raging Waters is the oldest and largest of the Southland water parks. It offers about 50 water attractions on 50 acres of the Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, including the smoking Volcano FantaSea, the quarter-mile Amazon Adventure raft ride and the two-person Dark Hole, in which riders drop 52 feet in total darkness. For tykes, the Kids’ Kingdom offers 30,000 square feet of tubes, tunnels and slides. The landscaped grounds are ideal for picnics.

* Raging Waters, 111 Raging Waters Drive, San Dimas, (909) 592-8181. Open this Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; daily, beginning May 30, hours vary. Adults, $21.99; children less than 48 inches and seniors, $14.99; discounts after 4 p.m. Parking, $5-$6.

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Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is the one water park that adheres to a “theme.” Visitors are surrounded by pirates’ treasures, shipwrecks and ancient ruins. Family areas include the Shipwreck Shores, a lagoon with numerous water activities, and Castaway Cove, where slides, sea creatures and a fortress filled with gadgets and waterfalls are open to youngsters under 54 inches.

Surrounding the cove and Shipwreck Shores is the River Cruise, a raft ride that sprawls 1,300 feet. More adventurous mates might try one of five speed slides on Black Snake Summit, the Tiki Falls or Taboo Tower. A four-person raft will accommodate a family with kids of any height on the Lost Temple Rapids ride.

* Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Water Park, Magic Mountain Parkway and Interstate 5, Valencia. (805) 255-4111. Open this Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; daily, beginning May 30; closing hours vary. Adults, $18; children under 48 inches and seniors, $11; 2 and younger, free. Combo ticket with Magic Mountain: $50.

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About a quarter of Pharaoh’s Lost Kingdom is devoted to water rides, including the 87-foot Annihilator, the “world’s tallest and fastest” enclosed water slide, in which riders reach up to 50 mph. Several other slides, the Riptide bodyboarding pool, a river ride and children’s areas make Waterworld a welcome respite from the Inland Empire heat.

* Waterworld at Pharaoh’s Lost Kingdom, 1101 N. California St., Redlands, (909) 335-7275. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-midnight. Adults, $14.95 (non-sliders, $5); ages 2-10, $10.95. Season passes available.