We’ve hiked slowly to the peak of a 32-foot metal staircase where three roaring options are before us. All start with a huge blast of water and what follows involves twists, turns, and drops inducing the children before us to squeal in terror and delight down the three-story waterslides.

You know I love my children when I tell you that I, hater of heights and slides, have brought my family to Kinston’s Lions Water Adventure. I was everyone’s hero for a minute and thoroughly enjoyed watching them lose their minds about going to their very first water park. A short hour-and-one-half drive from our home in Raleigh, we’re here for a weekend get-away and it’s perfect.

This is my kind of water park: small enough for us not to lose each other, big enough to keep everyone entertained. Believe me, I did my research about where best to tackle a reasonable water park adventure that was weekend driving distance and had plenty of waterslide excitement for them. Kinston and Lions Water Adventure fit the bill.

The eight-year-old grabs a tube and says, "C’mon, Dad!" before wading in, balancing his body in the tube, and waiting for the friendly shove from the lifeguard. My husband follows.

The six-year-old is only tall enough for the blue pipe. He steps in the well, then steps out. I yell encouragement over the rushing well of water, but we are no-go for launch. He grabs my hand and leads me down the stairs past the long line of kids and teenagers waiting their turn to slide.

Six climbs up the stairs and climbs right back down no less than three more times before I say, "You know what? You’ll do it when you’re ready, it doesn’t have to be today."

Instead of hurling down water slides, we spend our time between the kiddie lagoon–a 5,000-foot, in-water playground with two smaller sides, a large mushroom fountain, and wading pool–and on the lazy river. Ceramic monkeys screech at us as we float on a tandem tube under sprinklers and buckets of water. This is a safari-themed park after all, and it does not disappoint. Thatched hut sunshades, palm trees, and even the lazy river looks like a swimming hole a hippo might enjoy. I admit, it is a lot of fun on a hot summer day. Pop music plays over the loudspeakers as we float around and steer ourselves into the line of fire from the water cannons.

Eventually we meet back up with the other half of our party who have conquered the three spiraling water slides that spit them out of the mouths of a lion, zebra, and a big blue snake. We head over to Swimba’s Canteen for an ice cream break. It’s a traditional grill as well with all the hot dogs, chicken tenders, burgers, and fries visitors may want, but we’re sticking with our sweet treats today.

We find a few open lounge chairs over by the lap pool and take a break. There are a few swim lessons going on in the 25-yard, eight-lane pool and we notice that the accessible pool has some life-vested swimmers splashing as well.

Following the ice cream, and a major pep-talk from his older borther, my six-year-old and I decide to climb the stairs to the water slides one more time. At the top, he takes a deep breath, plops down at the top of the blue slide and doesn’t look back, instead hurling himself into the shaded blue abyss. While excited for him, I’m a little bummed because this means that I have to do it, too, as promised.

After the lifeguard gives me the go-ahead, I squirm my 40-something fanny into the water shoot and close my eyes as I head into the dark pipe. I twist, turn, take an unsettling drop–which I accompanied with a wimpy scream–and then emerge back into the bright sunlight with a thud and a rush of water up my undercarriage. The kids cheer and wrap me in big, drippy hugs as I finagle my bathing suit back into place. We walk towards the lazy river for another spin around and my heart rate recovers.

"This is great," says my husband. "It is," I respond, knowing that once we leave the park, the kids are going to be thrilled with what else our Kinston get-away has in store. Hang time with a Parrot at the Nature Center. Dinner at Sugar Hill Pizza, the best slice south of New York. Then, finally, a sleepover at the Mother Earth Motor Lodge. This place looks like you stepped back in time. But, fortunately, this version of the 1960s comes with free popcorn, putt putt, and wi-fi. And that’s just what I have planned for today.