Everyone thought we were joking when we said we were going to Little Chute for spring break, but we were quite serious.

Fed up with being cooped up inside and not having enough money to fund a trip to a sunny state, Gary and I decided to make a reservation at the Country Inn & Suites in Little Chute, where they have a mini-waterpark.

It turned out to be better than we imagined, even though the place seemed at capacity. The waterpark had a regular pool with basketball hoops; a hot tub; a play area for kids with two small slides, a basket of water that flowed over and place to climb and hide; and a winding slide fun enough for adults.

We spent one night there and spent most of the time in the water. The kids had a great time and Gary and I felt like we actually had gotten away. The best part? Only a 10-minute drive home.