Schlitterbahn Waterparks - 28 Years of Family Fun

History Highlights

1979 Schlitterbahn opened with four water slides built around a 60-fot tall replica of the Bergfried Tower, the guard tower of the Solms Castle in Braunfels, Germany.
1980 The 50,000-square-foot Lagoon swimming pool was added, along with the park's first inner tube ride called the Hillside Tube Chute.
1983 The Cliffhanger Tube Chute and Recreation Building were added.
1984 The Tunnel Tube Chute was added, along with tennis courts and a swimming pool at the Resort.
1987 The Soda Straw slides were built from the top of the World's Largest Coke Float; Polywog Pond kids' park opened with padded water slides; an extension was added to the Cliffhanger.
1988 The Raging River Tube Chute opened and the 250-foot-long Banzai Tube Slides were added.
1989 Schlitterbahn celebrated its 10th anniversary with a major expansion on the west side of the park, including: The Beach family wave pool, Der Bahn speed slides, Congo River tube float, Sandbar Hot Tub, sand volleyball court, lockers and concession stands; a 2,000-foot branch of the Cliffhanger Tube Chute opened; new slides were added to the Lagoon Kids' Park.
1991 Schlitterbahn acquired new property and built the 25-acre Surfenburg addition with the world's first man-made bodyboarding ride called the Boogie Bahn; plus Squirt 'n Sliden water playground, Kristal River tube ride, concession stands, dressing rooms, lockers and gift shop.
1994 Schlitterbahn celebrated its 15th anniversary with a major expansion in the Surfenburg section including the world's first uphill water coaster, the Dragon Blaster. Other new attractions included the Family Blaster uphill water coaster, Kristal Cove activity pool with Hang Ten Harbor, Riverbend Pool and Hot Tub, and the addition of a new pirate shop in the Squirt 'n Sliden water playground.
1995 The park became the most popular seasonal waterpark in the nation, with attendance surpassing all other summer waterparks for the first time. (Schlitterbahn is still the country's top-attended seasonal waterpark!)
1996 Multi-million-dollar Blastenhoff section opened in July, with the world's first Torrent River™; Master Blaster® six-story uphill water coaster, Black Knight dark tube ride, Wolfpack family raft ride, Blastenhoff Beach, concession stands, dressing rooms, locker and gift shop.
1998 KinderHaven, a new toddler play area with a pirate ship and kid-sized slides, opened at Blastenhoff.
1999 Schlitterbahn celebrated its 20th anniversary with the addition of Han's Hideout, a five-story water fun house, at Blastenhoff.
2000 The hill below Schlitterbahn's landmark German tower received a facelift. A new tubing river replaced the park's original four Castle slides and connected with the existing Hillside Tube Chute, creating a quarter-mile-long tubing ride.
2001 Schlitterbahn opened a second waterpark on South Padre Island, Texas. Schlitterbahn Beach Waterpark debuted with state-of-the-art technology, including the award-winning Transportainment® river system.

The Downhill Racer replaced the Schlittercoaster at the New Braunfels flagship park.
2006 Schlitterbahn opens the world's first convertible waterpark on historic Galveston Island. The new Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark incorporates more than a dozen heated attractions in a 70,000 square-foot convertible indoor / outdoor area called Wasserfest. This climate controlled section of the park utilizes an ingenious wall and roof system that can be opened or closed to allow for year-round operation.

The entire park contains more than 30 attractions and offers the Transportainment® interconnected river system allowing guests to float throughout the entire park without ever leaving the water.

A new parking lot with more than 200 additional spaces, enhanced kids' area, improved restroom facilities and 29 remodeled resort rooms are several updates that take place at Schlitterbahn Waterpark Resort in New Braunfels.
2007 Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark introduces the new Blastenhoff area featuring seven new attractions, more picnic tables, more lounge chairs, more shade and more guest amenities. The massive Blastenhoff expansion increases the park's guest areas by almost 30%.

All parks add a new Cabana Village.
   Family Amenities
  Family-owned and operated, Schlitterbahn Waterparks has been a leader in family water entertainment since 1979. The company operates three parks in Texas, all of which offer family amenities that include free parking and free inner tubes. Guests are also welcome bring a family picnic basket, excluding alcohol and glass containers, into the park.