Image courtesy of Kalahari Resort
A rendering of the Kalahari Resort going up south of Alexandria near Fredericksburg, Virginia.
The highly anticipated Kalahari Resort recently announced they are now taking reservations for 2026, for arrival starting Friday, Dec. 18, 2026.
The $900 million Kalahari Resort being built on 135 acres in Spotsylvania County is expected to open in late 2026. The company's fifth resort will feature more than 175,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor waterparks, 900 family-friendly suites and a massive convention center.
In addition to the waterparks, the resort also includes an adventure park called Tom Foolery, offering indoor activities that include mini golf, ropes courses, zip lines, laser tag, bowling and more than 250 arcade games.
This resort is situated about 60 miles south of Alexandria off I-95, designed as an adventure destination for families in the DC metro area and surrounding region. The resort will be located off I-95 near Dominion Raceway & Entertainment, 45 minutes from Richmond, 1 hour from Washington, D.C., 1.5 hours from Charlottesville and a short drive from many other East Coast metropolitan areas.
Restaurants at the resort will include:
- Double Cut Steak House: Kalahari’s signature steak house experience featuring premium cuts of meat, craft cocktails, family-style sides and more.
- B-LUX Grill & Bar: Deliciously unique burgers and shakes handcrafted from scratch with fresh ingredients that are locally sourced.
- Cinco Ninos: Homestyle Tex-Mex cuisine that encompasses all the resounding classic flavors as they intertwine with sizzling plates of pure goodness.
- Sortino's Italian Restaurant: Includes Sortino’s Italian Kitchen, Pizzeria Sortino and Enoteca wine lounge.
- Redd's Piano Bar: A piano bar offering a diverse wine list, handcrafted cocktails and nightly live entertainment.
Other dining options include:
The Last Bite: Hand-dipped chocolates, fabulous caramel apples, homemade fudge, saltwater taffy, yummy ice cream and more.
Dining will also be integrated into the water park itself, featuring a swim-up bar that offers food and drinks poolside.
The massive project's total square footage is 1.38 million, featuring 907 guest rooms and 1, 2 and 3-bedroom suites. All suites feature microwaves, refrigerators, irons, ironing boards, in-roof safes, Wi-Fi, cable TV, a voicemail system, hair dryer and bath amenities.
Other stats about the new resort include:
- Waterpark access will be included with every stay.
- 10 acres of seasonal outdoor pools.
- Build-a-Bear Workshop
- State-of-the-art fitness center
- 90,000-square-foot Tom Foolerys Adventure Park, featuring thrill rides, ropes course, climbing walls, an indoor zip line, bowling, laser tag, 250+ arcade games and numerous other attractions.
- Food and beverage: Twelve on-site food and beverage outlets, including four signature dining experiences along with buffet and grab-and-go options.
Other Kalahari Resorts and Convention centers are located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania and Round Rock, Texas.
The authentically African-inspired Kalahari Resorts, privately owned by the Nelson family, is home to America’s Largest Indoor Waterparks. Todd and Shari Nelson, the founders of Kalahari Resorts, were honored with an induction into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2023.
