AURORA -- Just seconds after shooting down a water slide, one 16-year-old boy summed up the sizzling summer heat with a few simple words: "It's really really hot out here."
Photos: Cooling off at Wildwater Kingdom
Mother Nature delivered our first official day of summer on Wednesday by pushing the mercury above 90 degrees.
And because of the high heat, it seems everybody is looking for the easiest way to cool off.
By the abundance of wet footprints splattered around the tropical-themed water park, many have found their relief from the heat by splashing it away at Wildwater Kingdom in Aurora.
"It feels refreshing," a woman said after zipping off a slide known as Liquid Lightning, which caps off with a plunge into a shimmering pool.
"I'd say it's beyond refreshing on a hot and humid day like today," her friend added.
Colleen Murphy, the General Manager, said the water is always heated at Wildwater Kingdom.
"We turn it down a little bit when it's hot like this. Usually, you can catch it right around 80-82 degrees."
Murphy said one of the highlight attractions is Thunder Falls -- the tallest water slide complex in Ohio.
"You go about 26 mph down the body slides," Murphy said. "It's a quick ride. It's fast. It's a lot of fun."
From the top of the complex you have three spiraling, curvy, completely enclosed body slides to choose from, which often results in an epic race to see who can splash down at the bottom the fastest. It's also the best vantage point to see the Big Dipper roller coaster still sitting dormant on the opposite side of the lake.
Wildwater King, formerly known as Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom, also features a lazy river, multiple raft slides and a 360,000 gallon wave pool.
"It's got a great wave pattern, you feel just like you're at the beach," Murphy said.
New for 2012, Wildwater Kingdom has tripled the size of its cabana bar.
How have you been keeping cool with the extreme heat this week? Are you relaxing at the pool? Going to a water park? Gobbling down ice cream? Send us photos of you and your family keeping cool by uploading your images HERE. We may use your pictures on air and/or online.
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