Lost Island Review

Continuing coverage on my summer activities, let’s take a look at the Lost Island water park in Waterloo, Iowa!

Lost Island is the only stand-alone water park I visited this year, and it’s head and shoulders above all the theme-park-attached water parks I otherwise went to. I swear the rides are wetter and more fun, plus they have a water coaster! The overall vibe is tropical/tiki/Hawaiian/New Zealand in a silly way and lots of fun. I dig it.

Lost Island

Lost Island is not a huge park by any standards. I think you’d have a hard time finding enough to do from park open to close. However, early and late are when the crowds are lightest, so a good strategy might be to come early, leave during the busiest part of the day, then return closer to closing time.

During my trip, I arrived a little before park opening, knocked out several slides, waited around for the water coaster to open, then left mid-day. I suspect most folks do something similar, so a late afternoon to evening visit might really be worth trying.

Lost Island has 11 water slides, three kids’ areas, plus a wave pool, activity pool, lazy river, and real mermaids! Let’s take a closer look.

Body Slides

There are three body slides at Lost Island, all on one tower to the left of the wave pool. Lost Soul Falls is the park’s drop speed slide, free-falling straight down. The site doesn’t say how tall it is, but it’s not terribly high. It’s a good slide for kids and teens or other foolhardy souls.

Two other slides, Polynesian Plunge and Samoan Splash, are half-open, half-enclosed twisty body slides without a lot of speed. They’re also suitable for younger sliders, or you know, those who actually like body slides.

Tube Slides

I much prefer tube slides, and Lost Island has four of these. (And all of these rides – I think – you can do in single or double tubes.) Starting at the park’s entrance and moving clockwise, you first come to Emerald Adventure and Jade Rapids, two fully enclosed slides. The one on the right (Emerald Adventure, I think) even has music, lights, and smoke effects! You can choose your “theme” for the slide on a button board at the top – though I didn’t see many people using it. The ride itself is a hoot! It’s just one way in which Lost Island goes above and beyond the average.

In the back of the park is Kiwi Coaster, a twisty tube slide that’s only partially enclosed. On the same tower (but accessed by a different line – check the colors on the posts!) is Tangerine Tempest, one of those fun bowl slides. There’s even a platform to check out riders as they slide around the bowl.

Group Raft Rides

You need at least one more person to ride with on three slides, up to four riders per raft. The standard family raft ride at Lost Island is called Calypso Cascade, also located in the back of the park and elevated above the hillside. You might fit more than four on this one if 2-3 riders are small, but they aren’t huge rafts.

I’ll also toss the Tá Katipo mat racer in here since it’s the most fun as a race against up to three of your friends. Purely judged as a slide, it’s just a face full of water.

The best ride in the park is Wailua Kupua, the hydromagnetic water coaster. Water (and magnets) boost you uphill as well as downhill, and there is actually some good airtime! I was super impressed. I had to snag a couple of other riders to go with me, but it was worth it.

Then to the far right in the back is Molokini Crater, a big funnel-type ride with four-person rafts. Again, there’s an observation deck at the start of the line if you want to watch riders swoop up the sides of the giant funnel.

Other Attractions

Besides slides, there is a big wave pool, Tsunami Bay, and a lazy river called Kailahi River. I love the lazy river. There are waterfalls and jets and lots of opportunities to get sprayed, plus the tiki theming is so fun. But it’s on the small side and almost always super crowded.

There’s a tall volcano waterfall in the back right of the park with two sides to the Blue Iguana Lagoon, a family activity pool. One side features a balancing log walk, short slides, volleyball, and basketball. There’s also a deck with lots of beach lounges directly above. And a fun cave passes through the middle of the volcano!

Kid’s Attractions

The other side of the Blue Iguana Lagoon is just for little kids, with mini slides and shallow water. On the backside of the volcano is Mermaid Cove, where “real” mermaids visit with their fans! It’s just a little booth-like tub, but you can pay $35 extra for a “mermaid experience,” in which you get to swim around the lagoon with them. This only happens on certain weekends, so make sure to check ahead of time if it’s something you really want to do.

The other kid’s areas are Starfish Cove and Tahiti Village, both surrounded by the lazy river. Starfish Cove has the smallest slides and colorful spitting fish. Tahiti Village is like a treehouse, with medium-sized slides, tipping buckets, and climbing nets right above a shallow pool.

Food

The food is surprisingly good at Lost Island! There are three options for meals plus three more drinks and sweets stands. Again, starting at the entrance and moving clockwise, there’s High Tide Pizza with whole pies or by the slice, plus some delicious salads. I had a spicy chicken salad here that was very flavorful. Not too far away is Castaway Cafe featuring burgers, hot dogs, chicken bites, fries, and warm pretzels. Between the two is some seating, but not much.

On the left of the park is a decked area with the nicest cabanas and Barefoot Lounge with several local craft beers on tap, including a Lost Island Ale exclusive to the park! Then at the base of the hill in the back is Fuji Fruits & Snacks, with Dippin Dots, Dole Whips, shaved ice, and even funnel cakes.

Up the hill is Tree Top Cafe with more Mexican-style fare like nacho, tacos, burritos, and rice bowls. Deck seating here overlooks the whole park! And finally, at the wave pool is Sulu Sweets & Libations with their specialty strawberry smoothie and drinks both soft and alcoholic.

Mini Golf & Go Karts

Besides the water rides, Lost Island also has miniature Adventure Golf, an 18-hole course with the same fun theming as the water park. There is also a go-kart track. One round of golf costs $7.75, and two rounds are $12. Ages 8 and under only cost $5. Likewise, one round on the go-karts is $7.75, or $38.75 for six rides.

To Come: The Lost Island Theme Park

Lost Island is building a roller coaster theme park across the road from their water park! None of the coasters will be new – they might be purchases from other parks. But the theming and the landscaping sound like it will look fantastic. There are four “realms” – earth, air, water, and fire, all kept in balance by the spirit realm. There will be at least three coasters (one a kiddie), a wave swinger, a Ferris wheel, a log flume, a Disk’O, a swinging pendulum, and several spinning and kids rides. The theme park is set to open in 2022, and they have a fun web page to learn more about the people of the realms.

Parking, Lockers, & Amenities

Parking is free at Lost Island, and all tubes are free to use. A large bank of lockers is just to the left of the entrance, next to a large bath house. And lockers are only $5 for a small or $9 for a large, which is a great deal compared to the theme parks! My soft beach bag and purse easily fit into a small.

There’s a single store near the entrance for your sunscreen, swimsuit, towel, and flip-flops needs, as well as a host of t-shirts and other souvenirs. They even sell ukeleles, which I think is really cute! And if you want to rent a shaded cabana for your family, Lost Island has you more than covered. They rent 2-person shells for $35, standard cabanas holding six for $75-90, deluxe cabanas holding eight with a refrigerator, water, wifi, and an attendant for $125-150, and VIP cabanas holding 12 with all the above plus a private bathroom for $225-250.

Hours

Lost Island is open daily from June-August, 10:30 am – 6:30 pm. For the lightest crowds, go early in the season. Mini golf and go-karts are open 2-9 pm during the summer and similar hours on weekends in May & September. As always, check the hours before your visit.

Tickets

Tickets to visit Lost Island for yourself cost $35 at the gate for adults, $29 for children under 48 inches, and free for kids three and under. New for 2021 were $30 tickets for admission on a specific date. To use that option, you must buy online before midnight the day before your visit, so you don’t really even have to plan ahead that far.

You can also purchase a two-day ticket for $52, a bundle that includes the water park, one round of golf, and one ride on the go-karts for $42.75 (all ages.) If you’re local, you can get a season pass for $150 or a gold pass for $200 that includes a small locker rental per visit, a mug for free drinks, discounts on food, cabanas, and extra guests, and unlimited mini-golf. These are 2021 prices, so make sure to check the ticket page online for any deals or changes.

Conclusion

While Lost Island is a bit smaller than I anticipated, it is well worth the time and cost. I’m impressed with how it looks and how well it’s run – all the slide attendants are great kids with good attitudes. I can’t wait to see how they do with an amusement park! I look forward to coming back once that’s open and enjoying the water rides again as well.