Cedar Point Shores is an 18-acre water park situated adjacent to Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, operated by Six Flags. Perched on the shore of Lake Erie, the park offers guests a rare combination of thrilling water attractions and unobstructed views of one of North America’s Great Lakes. Open seasonally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, Cedar Point Shores draws visitors looking to cool off with everything from towering speed slides to a massive wave pool.
The park first opened in 1988 under the name Soak City and gradually expanded through the 1990s and early 2000s before undergoing a major transformation in 2017, when it was rebranded as Cedar Point Shores. That overhaul introduced new family-friendly zones and themed attractions, cementing the park’s identity as a destination in its own right alongside the world-famous Cedar Point roller coaster park next door.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Sandusky, Ohio
- Operator: Six Flags
- Opened: 1988 (as Soak City)
- Renamed: 2017 (Cedar Point Shores)
- Size: About 18 acres
- Wave Pool: Breakwater Bay — about 500,000 gallons
- Water Slides: 12+ slides
- Season: Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day
Signature Attractions
Breakwater Bay, the park’s centerpiece wave pool, holds around 500,000 gallons of water and generates waves reaching three to four feet — large enough to draw bodyboarders and casual floaters alike. Nearby, Storm Surge sends riders in multi-person rafts down a 76-foot family ride, while Point Plummet features a six-story tower housing four enclosed speed slides each stretching about 400 feet. The six-lane Riptide Raceway mat racer lets guests race side-by-side down parallel slides, and the Lake Erie Nor’easter delivers a multi-slide enclosed complex experience.
For families with young children, Cedar Point Shores offers several dedicated areas. Lemmy’s Lagoon — themed after Lake Erie’s legendary sea monster — provides a shallow-water play zone with kid-scaled slides and spray features. Lakeside Landing adds another children’s splash area with 12 smaller slides, geysers, and fountains. Adults can decompress on Cedar Creek, the park’s relaxing lazy river, or tackle Runaway Rapids, a more exhilarating action river that winds through simulated canyons with waterfalls and geysers.
Setting and History
Cedar Point Shores benefits from one of the most scenic locations of any water park in the Midwest. Positioned along Cedar Point’s mile-long beach at the edge of Lake Erie, the park offers guests sweeping lake views from nearly every vantage point. The adjacent Hotel Breakers, a historic resort dating to 1905, sits just steps away, making Cedar Point Shores a natural complement to a multi-day visit to the broader Cedar Point resort.
Originally launched as Soak City with ten slides in 1988, the park steadily grew through expansions in the early 1990s and a significant 1997 addition that brought the wave pool and enclosed raft slides. Following Cedar Fair’s acquisition of the Cedar Point brand, the 2017 rebrand to Cedar Point Shores introduced new visual theming and family attractions. Six Flags took over operations after its merger with Cedar Fair in 2024, continuing to invest in new slides and amenities into the mid-2020s.
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Cedar Point Shores FAQs
When is Cedar Point Shores open?
Cedar Point Shores operates seasonally, typically opening on Memorial Day weekend in late May and closing after Labor Day in early September. Hours vary by date, so checking the official Six Flags Cedar Point website before visiting is recommended.
Is Cedar Point Shores included with a Cedar Point amusement park ticket?
No — Cedar Point Shores requires a separate admission ticket or an all-inclusive season pass that covers both parks. Combo tickets and season passes offering access to both parks are available through Six Flags.
What is the biggest attraction at Cedar Point Shores?
Breakwater Bay, the park’s 500,000-gallon wave pool generating three-to-four-foot waves, is arguably the centerpiece, though Storm Surge (a 76-foot family raft ride) and Point Plummet (a six-story speed slide tower) are also among the most popular draws.
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Photo: Cards84664 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.