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.

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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.

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"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.

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In order to enter, tickets must still be reserved in advance through their website.

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