If you’ve been searching for “Soak City” at Cedar Point and coming up confused, here’s the short version: it’s still there, it’s just wearing a new name. The water park that opened on Lake Erie’s shoreline in 1988 is now Cedar Point Shores, and it’s grown well beyond its original ten slides.
This guide covers the park’s full history from Soak City to today, every current slide and attraction (including the new Crosscurrent tower opening for 2026), the wave pool and lazy rivers, and the practical details — hours, tickets, parking, and cabanas — you need to actually plan a visit.
Quick Answer
Soak City opened at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio in 1988 and operated under that name until a major expansion led to its 2017 rebrand as Cedar Point Shores. The 18-acre park is still open every summer, typically from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and now includes roughly 18-20 slides and attractions across six towers, two lazy rivers, and the Breakwater Bay wave pool.
Soak City to Cedar Point Shores: The Full Timeline
Soak City debuted in 1988 with ten water slides, giving Cedar Point visitors a splashy alternative to the coaster lineup next door. The park expanded quickly through the early ’90s: a lazy river and a children’s splash area arrived in 1990, followed by the Zoom Flume, Choo Choo Lagoon, and the Renegade River raft ride in 1995. A 6.5-acre expansion in 1997 was the turning point — it added a wave pool, separate activity pools for adults and kids, and enclosed raft slides, transforming Soak City from a slide complex into a genuine waterpark. SplasH2O, an interactive water playground for younger kids, opened in 2004, and a 2012 refresh repainted the main slide complex and swapped in the Dragster H2O mat racer.
In August 2016, Cedar Point’s then-owner Cedar Fair announced the park’s biggest overhaul yet: a new name, Cedar Point Shores, and a rebuilt slide lineup that debuted for the 2017 season, including Lemmy’s Lagoon replacing the demolished Choo Choo Lagoon. Ownership shifted again in 2024 when Cedar Fair merged with Six Flags, and Cedar Point Shores is now operated and marketed under the Six Flags banner. The most recent addition is Crosscurrent, a pair of twisty tube slides in a previously vacant tower that’s opening for the 2026 season.
Every Slide and Attraction at Cedar Point Shores
The current lineup spans thrill slides and family-friendly play areas. Point Plummet is the park’s signature six-story, near-vertical drop slide for guests chasing a rush. Storm Surge is an enclosed, four-person raft ride, while Riptide Raceway is a six-lane mat racer where friends can compete side by side to the bottom.
A cluster of Lake Erie-themed slides makes up much of the middle of the park: Wild Walleye pairs two fast single-rider tube slides, Perch Plunge stacks three winding body slides above it, Portside Plunge sends riders through two enclosed tube slides with airtime hills, and Lake Erie Nor’easter runs three pitch-black tunnel slides. The new-for-2026 Crosscurrent tower adds two more twisting tube slides, one featuring translucent fiberglass sections that let sunlight filter through mid-ride.
For younger kids and families, SplasH2O is a multi-story interactive structure with more than 100 water features, chutes, and mini-slides. Lemmy’s Lagoon is a splash pad themed around Cedar Point’s mythical Lake Erie monster mascot, Lakeslide Landing offers scaled-down slides for the youngest guests, and the Waterin’ Hole and Lily Pad Walk round out the shallow-water play zones.
Breakwater Bay Wave Pool and the Two Lazy Rivers
Breakwater Bay is the park’s centerpiece wave pool, generating three- to four-foot waves in roughly 500,000 gallons of water — one of the larger wave pools in the region. It’s a straightforward spot to cool off between slide runs, and inner tubes are generally permitted.
Cedar Point Shores also runs two separate lazy rivers: Cedar Creek, a calmer float loop, and Runaway Rapids, a livelier route with waterfalls, geysers, and fountains along the way. Between the wave pool and the two rivers, there’s meaningfully more low-key water to explore than the original Soak City ever had.
Planning Your Visit: Hours, Tickets, and Parking
Cedar Point Shores runs on a seasonal schedule, generally opening for the year around Memorial Day weekend and closing after Labor Day, with typical daily hours starting around late morning and running into early evening — though exact open and close times shift throughout the summer, so it’s worth checking before you drive out.
Tickets to Cedar Point Shores are sold separately from Cedar Point’s roller-coaster admission — a coaster-park ticket does not include water park entry, and vice versa. The park sells single-day water park tickets, combo tickets that bundle both parks, and season pass tiers that include water park access, with online advance pricing typically running a bit lower than at the gate.
Parking is available in a dedicated lot near Hotel Breakers, separate from the main Cedar Point lots, and payment is cashless. Season pass holders with parking included in their pass generally don’t pay separately. For current hours, ticket prices, and parking rates, check the official Cedar Point Shores site before you go, since these details change by season and by day.
Cabanas, Dining, and Other Amenities
Poolside cabana rentals start at around $139 for a standard cabana, with deluxe and premium tiers available at higher price points that add perks like a mini-fridge or TV. Dining options inside the park include Beaches & Cream, Dockside Grill, and several quick-service spots, most of which participate in Cedar Point’s dining plans. Lockers, life jackets, and first-aid stations are available throughout the park at no extra charge for basic use.
Soak City Cedar Point / Cedar Point Shores FAQs
When did Soak City open at Cedar Point?
Soak City opened in 1988 as the dedicated water park adjacent to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, originally featuring ten water slides.
Is Soak City at Cedar Point still open?
Yes. It never closed — it was rebuilt and rebranded as Cedar Point Shores starting with the 2017 season after a major expansion announced in August 2016.
How big is Cedar Point Shores?
Cedar Point Shores covers 18 acres and includes roughly 18-20 slides and attractions across six towers, plus the Breakwater Bay wave pool and two lazy rivers.
What’s new at Cedar Point Shores for 2026?
Crosscurrent, a pair of new twisty tube slides in a previously unused tower, is opening for the 2026 season — the park’s most notable slide addition since the 2017 rebrand.
Does a Cedar Point ticket include Cedar Point Shores?
No. Cedar Point Shores tickets are sold separately from Cedar Point’s main roller-coaster admission, though combo tickets and some season passes cover both parks.
Does Cedar Point Shores have a wave pool?
Yes — Breakwater Bay, which produces three- to four-foot waves in about 500,000 gallons of water, making it one of the larger wave pools in the region.
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