I plopped into the hot tub and pushed my way through the plastic curtains into the great outdoors, where steam rose from the water and, no doubt, my head.

I was deeply relaxed, perhaps because the water park, at the Lodge at Brainerd Lakes, is far from overwhelming. Paul Bunyan doesn't aspire to be the grandest. The park is happy with its 30,000 square feet. So was I. Because what the park lacks in size, it makes up for with details. Outside, the indoor-outdoor hot tub is surrounded by a heated patio. A not-so-lazy river keeps a jaunty pace. The soft rubber flooring makes slips rare and softens the fall when they do occur.

Best features: The big draw here is a unique tube slide that blares music and flashes images as you hurtle down the chute, depending upon a theme you choose (including dance, dinosaurs and polar bears). I liked the modest size; parents can sip drinks at a table and take in virtually the entire scene.

Advisory: The rooms at the Lodge are dark. They're supposed to feel like a cabin, but they feel more like a standard hotel room in need of more wattage. Note the location of the nearby Famous Dave's, and get there for dinner. The service and food at the hotel's restaurant, Rockwoods Grill, wasn't worth the mid-range price.

Beyond the water: There is a game arcade, and on the Friday I visited, crafts for kids in the evening.

Practical matters: In Baxter, Minn. Room rates start at $99 a night and include park passes. The water park offers day passes to the general public ($9.95 on weekdays; $12.95, weekends) if registered guests don't bring it to capacity. Reservations and more info: 1-877-843-5634; www. lodgehotelsbrainerd.com.