Great America reopens its newly-renovated water park amid Bay Area heat wave
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KGO) -- Cooling off in the South Bay just got easier with the re-opening of the water park inside California's Great America.
Formerly known as Boomerang Bay, the water park closed in August of 2019 for renovations.
The original plan was to open in 2020, but the pandemic delayed construction.
RELATED: Our all-time favorite Bay Area ice cream spots that will get you through this heat wave
Rebranded as South Bay Shores, the expanded water park opened June 6, a month after the roller coasters reopened.
As of June 16, the park has adapted to the new California guidelines which allow vaccinated guests to enter mask-free.
While they could technically operate at full capacity, General Manager Barb Granter said it will be a process to ramp up.
RELATED: Heat wave: These Bay Area hot spots will have sweltering temperatures
"We are taking it one day at a time, truthfully," said Granter. "We want to see how our guests and how our community respond."
She also said they are still trying to hire staff in order to accommodate the increase in guests.
.
In order to enter, tickets must still be reserved in advance through their website.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Heat stroke vs heat exhaustion: What's the difference and what are the symptoms?
- What everybody should know to help prevent hot car deaths
- Dry and secondary drowning: Hidden threats for swimmers
- Can you start a fire if you leave bottled water in your car?
- Can you bake cookies in a hot car?
- Facts and myths about sunscreen
- ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma shares scary heat exhaustion experience
- Lotion in the refrigerator and more hacks to keep cool without AC
- How hot summer weather affects your car
- Natural remedies for sunburn
- Heat hypothesis: The link between summer weather and aggressive behavior
- Tips to stay safe during the hot summer months
- Why it's harder to cool off in humidity
- What's a Flex Alert?
