Winslow: Leisure at Old Ben Aqua Park and local history

There are two distinct reasons to visit Winslow: activities at Old Ben Aqua Park and the town’s history on the Patoka River. The park features water attractions, a beach area, and The Dome. Historical sites range from Winslow’s role as a port town in the 19th century to a later CCC camp.

Leisure activities at Old Ben Aqua Park

Old Ben Aqua Park offers several types of activities. On the water, there is an inflatable obstacle course measuring 300 × 150 feet. The park also rents paddleboards, kayaks, and pedal boats. The beach area includes sand volleyball, a 40 × 25-foot jumping pillow, an inflatable bounce house, and various outdoor games. The Dome features a high ropes course and a climbing wall. The attractions can therefore be grouped into water activities, beach-area activities, and climbing; when planning, you can choose the focus that matches your interests. Availability of beach-area activities may change. Before visiting, check which ones are currently available.

Winslow on the Patoka River: trade and local history

The Patoka River is a recurring theme in Winslow’s history. In the 19th century, Winslow was a port town on the river. Flatboats used it to transport furs and goods to New Orleans. There was a ford on the Patoka River near Winslow before a covered bridge was built later in the 19th century. That bridge no longer exists. River traffic and the river crossing show two different aspects of the river’s former importance: transporting goods by water and crossing the river at Winslow.

Palace Lodge is also part of the town’s history: it is the oldest surviving commercial building in Winslow. Another historic site is the CCC camp that Winslow hosted after the Great Depression. The camp worked on many projects along the river and in Pike State Forest to put men back to work. This history belongs to a later period than the port traffic and construction of the covered bridge in the 19th century. A history-focused visit can therefore take in different periods of the town’s past, rather than treating them as one single episode.

Plan for Winslow Community Day

An event date can also be important when choosing when to travel. Winslow Community Day includes an annual Light Parade. Refreshments are sold at Miller's Field during Community Day. If you want to plan your trip around this event, check the dates for the relevant year before making plans.

Choose your hotel search based on the purpose of your trip

A visit to Old Ben Aqua Park and a trip focused on Winslow’s local history appeal to different interests; Community Day, by contrast, is a specific date to plan around. If the event is a deciding factor for your stay, check the relevant date first. Current availability is another practical point to check for beach-area activities.

For the broader travel overview: Pike.