Crenshaw Springs Water Park — Attraction in White Hall

Being a local, I thought it was only fitting to take my family to a waterpark closer to home rather than making the usual trip to Hot Springs to cool off in this blazing heat. This was my first visit since the park’s opening in 2014, and I was excited to share the experience with my kids.

Upon entering, we were greeted by friendly young staff, which was a nice start. Although I mentioned I would only be spectating — dressed in jeans and a t-shirt — I was still charged the regular admission fee. For one adult and four children, the total came to $60.

Seating was scarce, especially in shaded areas. Fortunately, experience has taught me to come prepared, so I brought a large umbrella, which saved me from the sweltering sun. I managed to snag a lounge chair and quickly set up before the kids tossed all their clothes, towels, phones, and gadgets on me.

The park is relatively small, and after about an hour and a half, the kids were already bored due to the limited attractions and amenities. I sent one of them to the concession stand for a hot dog and water. He returned with a corn dog and a bottle of Aquafina — total cost: $6. Honestly, I could have skipped the snack and just paid the $3 for the water alone. Since it was all I had, I ended up sharing that one corn dog with all the kids, who were as ravenous as wolves. The promise of ordering pizza afterward helped save the day.

Despite the complaints of boredom, I was determined to stay until the park closed at 7 p.m. to get my money’s worth — or so I thought. Turns out, the park closes at 6 p.m. on Saturdays, a fact not updated on Google. There was no PA announcement, just a man in a sheriff’s uniform yelling for everyone to get out of the pool. The abruptness was shocking and disappointing. A polite announcement would have gone a long way. Unfortunately, the sheriffs in this area often lack the public engagement skills necessary for situations like this.

All in all, the experience reaffirmed why I usually drive farther and spend a little more for better service and amenities. Times are tough, and when I spend my hard-earned money, I expect the full experience — from a warm welcome to a proper goodbye.

To improve, the park should consider:

Offering reduced entry fees for non-swimming spectators

Lowering the cost of basic refreshments (like offering generic bottled water)

Providing more shaded seating

Establishing a clear, courteous system for closing procedures

As for keeping the kids entertained, we’ll likely stick to larger parks in the future that offer more attractions and value for our...

This water park was a fabulous idea. Pine Bluff really needs more stuff like this for children, even though they catered to older children. They need to have more stuff for toddlers. They only had one little section for little bitty kids and it was only water and little bench and maybe a sprayer. And they did not rope off the toddler section against the deeper sections so we was always chasing after her to keep her out of the deep end. But at least they have a lot of lifeguards on duty.

My husband and I took our two year old and she had a great time, loved it. But there was hardly any seating, very little umbrellas or shade, and everything was super super expensive.

Overall we will definitely come back this summer since she'll be older and maybe this time we all three...

This little water park is a great way to spend the day. The water is sparkling clean, rest room and all of the facilities are very clean. A little walk-up snack bar, kind of like a high school game would have is awesome. There is a lemonade stand that sells incredible lemonade. Life guards are all over to keep you safe and kids from running. Great "kiddie pool" with fun features and shallow clean water, and plenty of walk-in steps for parents to sit with their feet in the water. A climbing wall so you can 'fall' back into the water, diving boards and and tall, fun water slide. The lazy river is always fun. Floaty things are free and available. Plenty of parking with handicap spaces, rest rooms with showers, and lockers have always been clean and...