Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark facts for kids
The Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark is a fun resort hotel with an indoor waterpark. It is located in Dubuque, Iowa, a city right by the Mississippi River.
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What is the Grand Harbor Resort?
The Grand Harbor Resort is a modern hotel that opened in Dubuque. It sits right on the banks of the Mississippi River, next to a big building called the Grand River Event Center.
Hotel Features
The hotel has 193 rooms, and 31 of these are larger suites. Each room comes with a small refrigerator, a microwave, and a 27-inch television. You can also use free high-speed wireless internet throughout the hotel.
Because of where it is, many rooms offer amazing views. You can look out at the wide Mississippi River or see the busy downtown area of Dubuque. The hotel also has special rooms for meetings, including two "Platinum rooms" and a boardroom. It is connected to the Grand River Center, which is a large place for events right on the river.
The Indoor Waterpark
The Grand Harbor is home to the very first indoor waterpark in the state of Iowa! This waterpark is about 25,000 square feet, which is a lot of space for splashing fun.
Inside the waterpark, you'll find:
- A tube waterslide for exciting rides.
- A regular swimming pool.
- A basketball pool where you can play games.
- A lazy river, perfect for floating and relaxing.
- A special kiddie pool for younger children.
- A hot tub to warm up in.
- A tall, multi-story tree house with smaller slides and water guns.
- A giant 850-gallon bucket that tips over and dumps water every 8 minutes!
Nearby Attractions
The hotel is connected to the Mississippi Riverwalk, a path along the river. Close by, you can find several interesting places:
- The Shot Tower, a historic building.
- The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, where you can learn about the river's history and animals.
- The Diamond Jo Casino.
- The Dubuque Star Brewery.
- The Alliant Energy Amphitheater, a place for concerts and other events.
How the Grand Harbor Changed Dubuque
When the Grand Harbor Resort opened, it was a big new hotel for Dubuque. Because of this, some people in the hotel business thought there might be too many hotels in the city.
For example, an older hotel called the Dubuque Inn, which had been open since 1971, was sold and then closed down. The family who owned it also put their other hotel, the Days Inn, up for sale.
However, even with these changes, other hotel chains were still interested in opening new places in Dubuque. The old Dubuque Inn building was later updated, and part of it is now being rebuilt as a Hampton Inn. This shows how the city's hotel scene keeps changing and growing.
