What if there was a theme park where admission was only $40 (online advance purchase), came with a free water park and second day free?

Put one toe over the Florida-Georgia boarder and even on a rainy day, find adventure across from rural farmland.

“Wild Adventures is like no other theme park,” says Laurie Windham, Wild Adventures public relations manager.

Wild Adventures is a quintessential summer amusement park where when it rains, there’s still a big attraction.

“Baby lions! That’s all you got to say,” Laurie says with excitement. “Baby lions!” she exclaims again.

Six-month-old African Lion Cubs Kiara and Tiki are pretty curious.

“There are about 32,000 left of this breed left in the wild right now,” says Chris Kilpatrick, Wild Adventures Zoo Curator.  “They just put them back on the endangered species list about a year, a year and a half ago.”

“Are your shoes endangered?” Scott Fais asks quick as Kiara nibbles playfully on the tips of Chris’ shoes.

“Yeah. Probably so!” Chris answers with a laugh.

While they are still cute, they won’t stay this size for long.

“Once they reach around 10 to 11 months, then they start becoming lions," Chris hints.

At that time, Chris will no longer be able to handle the lion cubs, who currently are on a diet of red meat and chicken. It will be a tough day when he can no longer interact with the brother and sister pair without a safety barrier. Already, the duo is beginning to mature and recognize their instincts.

“The girls are the hunters. The girls are usually the more coordinated ones. The guys are just there,” Chris says with a laugh, adding male lions babysit their young while the females hunt.

The siblings here will be kept together, as Wild Adventures is their forever home. Kiara has been fixed, and will not be bred. Tiki will not be fixed, since male lions need testosterone in order to grown their mane. Chris says most male lions do not have a full mane until they reach four years of age.

Besides the lion cubs, Wild Adventures is home to other African animals. Giraffe, zebra, Asian elephant and judu join 300 other animals.

Like Florida, afternoon rain showers in Georgia will halt rides and force the closure of the Splash Island water park, included with paid admission.

When weather interrupts a day, Wild Adventures employees will lead dance parties and games on the midway.

Party music blasts from picnic shelters, while others play “keep away” with balls on the midways as weather passes.  Drawing in chalk in guest areas is also encouraged.  Life guards at the waterpark sit in circles with visitors and play "hot potato."

The warm hospitality is a cornerstone of Wild Adventures parent, Herschend Family Entertainment. The same company owns a majority share of Dollywood and Silver Dollar City.

A life-size dinosaur exhibit for 2016 also comes with paid admission and stays open in the rain.  A nature trail is home to a dozen animated prehistoric beasts that move and growl.  The for-2016-only attraction is included in a daily ticket price.  The sandbox at the end is covered and popular during rain showers.

Plus, folks can’t leave without trying the foot long corndog made from a secret recipe.

“It’s hand-dipped into a special South Georgia corn bread recipe, and then deep fried to a golden brown,” Laurie says.

But the real stars this summer are Kiara and Tiki.

“The idea is, you come to Wild Adventures, you spend a day, you walk away from all the other things in your world,” Laurie concludes.

NOTE: Be ready for an afternoon thunderstorm in southern Georgia. Leave your home early to enter the park at opening. This will give you a jump-start on the day before storms roll in.

Tankful on Television

You can catch new Florida on a Tankful stories each Thursday and Saturday on News 13 and Bay News 9. New editions play at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m. Classic Florida on a Tankful stories can be found each Friday and Sunday on Bay News 9 and News 13 at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m.

Tankful on Demand

Catch Florida on a Tankful with Scott Fais on your time, now on Bright House Local On Demand, Channel 999. Use your remote to scroll to the right to the TRAVEL category. Then SCROLL DOWN to TANKFUL.

Scott Fais joins Travel Monthly

Catch our own Scott Fais as the Florida Correspondent on the On Demand travel magazine, Travel Monthly. Each month, Scott joins other travel reporters from across the United States as they showcase a wide variety of attractions, diners, parks and landmarks from across America. See Travel Monthly nationally on Time Warner Cable channel 411.  And here at home on Channel 999.