Duluth Versus Owatonna

I am going to Duluth this weekend and had thought about the Edgewater but we couldn't get a suite for both Friday and Sat night. After reading some of the posts here I am glad we aren't staying there.

We will be staying at the holiday inn and suites downtown and I can let you know how it is after this weekend. We will be staying in a Kid Suite. We got a great deal ...stay 1 night get 1 night free. It doesn't have a waterpark but like the other posts said there is so much to do in Duluth. We plan on taking the kids (5 and 3) on one of the shorter train rides (1.5 hrs), checkout the children's museum, and maybe the zoo.

If you want to take the kids to a waterpark I would just make a trip to the Wisconsin Dells. It is a little farther but I have heard good things about the parks there. I don't think the hotels there are that much more expensive than the Edgewater and I think they offer a lot more.

5/26/09

Just returned from Duluth and had a great time. The Holiday Inn was great! The kids suite was perfect and had two separate rooms with the kids room having a bunk bed, tv, VCR, etc. I would definitely stay there again. The hotel staff was very helpful and offered numerous times to drive us somewhere if we needed a ride, etc. since most of the time we were walking places. I have to admit that it was pretty nice that we could get around most of downtown in the skyway system because it was pretty cold in the morning and after dinner.

hello

We stayed at Owatonna's waterpark last spring break. The price was good and the park was clean. It is not real big, but it does the trick. I enjoyed the lazy river, but it was just a small loop. It was not real busy. We managed to do a couple things while in owatonna but you are right that it is no Duluth. We visited the chocolate store there and the Cabella's which is huge beyond words.

I have never been to Owatonna - so can't help you there..

HOWEVER, I have been the The Edgewater in Duluth - twice, first time was HORRIBLE and went back a second time (thinking things got better) and left the next day.

When we went the first time we were told our In-Laws and us had a Pool Side room...I thought this would be cool, until we arrived there and realized we had a great pool side room of a pool being remodeled - so we were looking at a big Cement hole - they were building the new waterpark and we were not told this in advance. I was soooooo pissed. They gave us another rooms elsewhere in the Hotel - or should I say ACROSS the street in the motel section of this hotel. The only pool available was the outdoor pool - sorry but I like warm water. The rooms were not the nicest, but we managed, wasn't anywhere close to getting our moneys worth.

We decided to give them another chance and went back a second time once the water park was done. When we arrived, we went to our room and it hadn't been cleaned. We again went to the front desk and was told we couldn't have a Lake view (again wow, thought this would be cool to look out the window and see Lake Superior boy were we WRONG !!) We ended up yes on the side that faces the lake, but on the ground floor, listening to the lovely Highway right out our door. ALSO, the door didn't have anyway to childproof it. If you locked it, it came unlocked as soon as you turned the door handle. Not safe for our youngest child. We figured we would just put up with it, since we wouldn't be in the hotel long. Well we decided to check out the waterpark, and since my son was only like 3 1/2yrs old, he was alittle scared to go down the LITTLE KIDS slide by himeself (I think they were like 10 feet long), so my husband and I thought we would go down with him - well we were told we couldn't do that. Well there goes his fun, what was he suppose to do, just stand in the water....oh boy loads of fun. I was soooo pissed that we went back to our room and packed up and checked out and went home.

So, now that I have vented, I would NOT recommend this Hotel to anyone!!!! I will find somewhere else to stay when going to Duluth!!

We stayed at Edgewater a couple of years ago and had a great time. We went during an off time, so it was not crowded at all. The kids had a blast (I was with 2 other moms, we had 4 kids total ranging from 4-6 yo, with different swimming abilities), so did the moms. The only negative thing I remember was that by the 2nd day, none of the kids wanted to swim because their skin and eyes hurt so much from the pool. We thought it was too much chlorine, but later found out that happens when there isn't enough chlorine (yuk). There was so much other things to do in Duluth, that it was ok to have a break from swimming. I want to go back, so do the kids!

I have not stayed in Owatonna, but my sister has taken my son (several years ago) and I have friends who have gone. None said anything negative at all, only positive.

Owatonna is closer to the Twin Cities (not sure where you live), but there is more to do in Duluth. I think, either way, you will have a blast!
S.

Hi B.,

I have not been to The Edgewater in Duluth, but my impression is that it's quite a bit bigger than the Holiday Inn waterpark hotel in Owatonna. A friend & I took our combined 3 kids to Owatonna for one night over spring break in March & had a blast! We have a 7 year old, 2 year old & 7 month old. It is not at all a huge waterpark, and isn't usually open until 3pm, although the hours were extended when we were there because of spring break. It has a little kid pool with a zero-entry area, an elephant that shoots water out its trunk, & a tiny slide; a small lazy river; and I think two bigger waterslides? We got a package that included free breakfast for two adults, and kids always eat free. We had planned to tempt the kids away from the pool with a promise of a movie in our room, but the room did not have a dvd player (it was a "KidSuite" so I kind of expected one), nor does the hotel have pay per view. Both the waterpark & the hotel room were very clean.

I don't think there's enough at the waterpark to spend more than maybe 2 days there... we were all happy with two visits to the waterpark & one night in the hotel.

Have fun!
A.

How about the waterpark at the Holiday Inn in Elk River/Otsego? Our family always has a great time there. There is plenty to do for young & old. We've never had problems with cleanliness there.