CT Mommy Blog

Update: Lake Compounce opened their newest attraction – Dino Expedition in May 2015. The prehistoric dinosaur trail features several breathing, moving lifelike dinosaurs.

We went to Lake Compounce in Bristol, CT last week for a day of family fun. It’s the oldest amusement park in America. It certainly has the nostalgic feeling of an old amusement park when you first enter but they continue to make upgrades and add-ons to make it an appealing park for all ages.

We go to Lake Compounce every year for Chris’ company picnic, but this was the first time that our girls could really enjoy the rides and attractions. There are a ton of attractions for toddlers and up.

We decided to purchase the summer pass because it was only $50 per adult and children 3 and under are FREE! We figure that the pass pays for itself in two visits and we live close enough that we can easily return.

We started the day with some of the kiddie rides. The girls have been super attached to us since Andrew was born so I knew there was no way they were going to ride alone, so thankfully there were still a few rides that we could ride together.

After spending a short time going on rides we decided to get lunch at Croc Pot. We shared a basket of chicken tenders and fries, fresh fruit, and a helping of mac n’ cheese. On our way out I noticed that they also had pre-made sandwiches, salads, and soups.  The park does not allow outside food but they have unlimited Pepsi drinks and water for free.

After finishing lunch we decided it was time for the main attraction, the water park! Chris got the girls dressed in their swimwear in the locker room, while I found a bench to nurse Andrew. The park has a nursing room and family bathroom but I had no problem finding a quiet(er) spot to feed him.

Once everyone was in their swimsuits we headed to the Crocodile Cove water area.

The park has locker rentals and Adirondack chairs scattered throughout the water area. They are on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you want something a little bit more private and guaranteed you can rent a VIP cabana for $149. There are also shaded lounge chairs that are available for rent for $29 for two.

We started at the newest part of the park, Bayou Bay. It’s a giant wading pool where you can splash, jump and have fun. It’s a great attraction for little ones since it starts out shallow and becomes deeper the further in you go.

All children under 48″ are required to wear a life vest. We borrowed some of the vests that the park had available. Unfortunately Juliette was not a big fan. I think next time we’ll bring along our own vests and make the the experience a little more enjoyable.

The girls did get to enjoy the Keeper’s Cottage Pool complete with water swings and a small water slide. The water was about thigh high on my tiny two-year-olds. They were not required to wear a life vest in this pool.

The girls also had fun  running through the sprinkles in the splash pad.

There are several more water attractions that kids can participate in and adults can enjoy. We were certainly outnumbered with three children. Next time we think we’ll bring along someone to help watch the baby so we can both go in the water with the twins.

We went on the train ride before leaving the park. It was a great way for the five of us to relax and enjoy the park. The girls are obsessed with trains so they were very excited to ride around. I was excited to see the beautiful view of the lake and park.

We had a wonderful day at Lake Compounce. We’re glad that we bought the season pass because we only got to experience a quarter of what the park has to offer. We’re already planning our return trip!