Local News

Find Hidden Bargains At Texas Summer Attractions

(CBS 11 News)

With higher and higher food and gas prices, a big summer trend has been to take budget vacations close to home. If you know where to look, you can even find some hidden bargains at some the biggest attractions in Texas.

Whether you're staying in North Texas or taking a road trip, we've found some great deals on popular family destinations all across the state.

Six Flags Over Texas is a theme park destination that's right in our backyard. Sam Sparks and his wife brought their two kids from St. Louis. They used a coupon to save on tickets and brought their own lunch to save on food costs.

"We'll certainly get souvenirs and drinks and things like that," Sparks explained. "So it's probably going to be in the neighborhood of 150 bucks."

If you purchase Six Flags tickets online you can get the discounted kids rate of $29.99 plus tax. That's almost $20 off the regular adult price.

The Hurricane Harbor water park, also owned by Six Flags, has the same deal. Your ticket there will run $19.99.

And when it comes to concessions, Six Flags offers a money saving meal deal online. Six Flags representative Sharon Parker says, "You'll get the drink, the food, and in some cases you also get the dessert."

If you come to Six Flags on a Thursday you really get a good 'bang for your buck'. "You can enjoy the rides all day. Then at 6:30 p.m. we have a concert with the latest, hottest acts in the music industry. And then a 9:30 p.m. we have Cirque Dreams Coobrila."

At nearby NRH2O Family Water Park in North Richland Hills, if you bring a Dr. Pepper can, you'll get $4 off and there are daily discounts and coupons on the park's website.

San Antonio is one of the most popular vacation destinations for North Texans. You can use your Six Flags season pass at Fiesta Texas.

The Schlitterbahn Waterpark, in nearby New Braunfels, offers free parking, free inner tubes, and you can buy discount tickets at CVS Pharmacies and Kroger Stores.

Package your theme park plans with more than 30 San Antonio hotels offering discounts and the savings can really add up.

"San Antonio is all about packaging," explained Dee Dee Poteete with the San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, "So you definitely want to put together this hotel, that attraction and tailor your getaway. You can bundle it and you can stretch your vacation dollar."

If you're heading to the Texas coast, Moody Gardens, in Galveston, offers free parking, half price tickets after 6 p.m. and free events through the end of August.

To recap – here are details on summer savings options at a few destinations across Texas.

Overview of Theme Park Deals and Reviews

S.A.V.E San Antonio

SCHLITTERBAHN

-free parking
-bring your own food
-no fees for inner tubes or other water park equipment
-buy advance tickets at Valero/Kroger/CVS/HEB and save on the price of admission

MOODY GARDENS

-July and August: Free Magic Show and Kids Circus: Purchase a Moody Gardens Day Pass and receive one free admission to either the matinee or evening event
-Day Pass Savings: Includes one admission to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, IMAX 3D Theater, Aquarium Pyramid, Rainforest Pyramid, RideFilm, 4D Theater, Colonel Paddle Wheeler Day Cruise, and Palm Beach for just $46.95 per person

SPACE CENTER HOUSTON

-Buy your tickets online and save on the Daredevil Attraction
-Coupons also available at Houston/Galveston area McDonalds, Sam's Club, HEB Food Stores, Chevron Locations and CVS Pharmacies

NRH20 Water Park
9001 Grapevine Hwy.
9 72-656-6500

Receive $4 off general admission with a Dr. Pepper can. Daily discounts and coupons on http://www.nrh2o.com/

Surf and Swim Wave Pool
440 Oates Rd   Garland, TX
972-205-3993

-Twilight special, $2 off admission price after 5 p.m. Various coupons available in the Entertainment Book, and these coupons are also available online
-Coupons given out through Garland and Mesquite ISD. Coupon books sold in books of 10, which provide a discount of $2 a person off

Denton Natatorium Water Park (Water Works Park)
2400 Long Rd. Denton  76207
940-349-8800

-5-9 p.m. twilight discount $2 off admission
-Discount for citizens of Denton (show proof)
-Discount tickets available at the Piggly Wiggly and First State Bank

Sandy Lake Amusement Park
1800 Sandy Lake
Carrollton , TX 75006
972-242-7449

-Discounts for groups
-Download a free family pass to get into the park free. (normally $2 savings per person)

Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park
11131 Malibu Dr.
Dallas
(972) 484-8359

-If you ride all of the rides there is an $8 discount
-If you become a VIP member on the website, you will receive various coupons bi-weekly

Ripleys Believe it or Not! And Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax
601 Palace Parkway
Grand Prairie, Texas 75050
(817) or (972) 263-2391

-Combo rates on attractions
-$1 off combination package coupon on website
-$5 off per person coupon coming soon on the website

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)