Buccaneer Bay, Lafayette

Within Buccaneer Bay Water Park Center’s sprawling 9,000 square feet of space, the delighted shrieks of frolicking children ricochet off the cavernous ceilings. Surrounded by ranks of slowly nodding palm trees, kids scramble up the sides of a replica pirate ship before whooshing down the slick red slides, landing feet-first in the clean water, or else skimming the surface like a smooth rock or a pelican thrown overhand. The churning warmth of a hot tub turns tension into soothed sighs, which drift toward an arcade full of flashing redemption machines. Gaggles of youngsters celebrating birthdays cannonball into the pool, fueled by slices of cake.