Go!
on the road DETOUR
Nevada’s wildest park P
laying games in Sparks, Nev., means gambling, right? Not at 20-acre
Wild Island Family Adventure Park, where you can enjoy a round of black-light minigolf, crawl through a timed laser maze, or hurtle down a chute into a swirling bowl of water. Part summertime water
park, part year-round enter- tainment complex, locally owned Wild Island has a rare hometown vibe. “I’ve been to amusement parks all around the West,” says Neva Heaston, a Nevada native who now works at a water park in Dubai. “Wild Island may be the friendliest.” Her view is seconded by General Manager Scott Carothers. “Most of our employees are local teens,” he says. Choices include go-karts, splash rides, wave pools, 40 bowling lanes, a three-
SAVE UP TO 30% AAA Members get $5 off general admission at Six Flags Theme Parks, $2 off general admission at Six Flags Water Parks and a 10% discount on merchandise and food with a $15 minimum purchase. Plus, no service fee for online tickets. Buy tickets now at
AAA.com/sixflags
A visitor navigates between beams in a laser maze.
story play structure, and a new four-lane waterslide for headfi rst mat racing. And for the hungry? Each summer, Wild Island’s visitors—500,000 yearly—gobble up 45,000 pounds of french fries. (775) 359-2927,
wildisland.com. —christopher hall
■ Buy a GPS device Carlson likes the slim Garmin Geko. “I found my first
10,000 caches with it,” she says. ■ Pick your target Search a geocach- ing website for a cache, then enter
HOW TO
Various conditions and restrictions apply to all offers. Offers may change at any time and in most cases are not valid with other discounts or promotions. Visit
AAA.com for complete details and restrictions on all offers. You must mention AAA and valid Membership number at time of purchase. ©2012 AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah. All rights reserved.
Find your first geocache
S 22 MAY+JUNE 2012 I
AAA.COM/VIA
ince 2000, 4 million people have joined the hunt for geo- caches—hidden treasures that anyone with a GPS unit can find. To get started, take some tips from expert Elin Carlson of Northridge, Calif.
the coordinates into your GPS device. ■ Go on the hunt Sticks and rocks are
often used to conceal containers. ■ Log your fi nd Every cache contains a book. Write your name and the date
in it, then record your discovery online. ■ Give and take If you take some- thing, leave something behind. Small
toys, pins, and coins are all popular. ■ Join a team “It’s a nice way to find people who like to have fun,” Carlson says. —miriam wilson
TOP: COURTESY FUNOVATION FOR WILD ISLAND
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