11 of America's Most Astonishing Indoor Waterparks

Is there ever a bad time to go to the water park? You might think that water slides are less fun in the winter, but you would be wrong. Indoor water parks mean that you can speed down the slides, ride artificial waves, or just hang out poolside any time of the year. Here are some of the raddest places to get wet, rain, shine, or even snow.

1. The Pumphouse, Jay, Vermont

Speaking of snow, Jay Peak is known wide and far as one of Vermont's premier ski destinations. But it's also a fantastic place to go water sliding after spending a day on the slopes thanks to their indoor park, The Pumphouse. Features include the Big River for those after a leisurely float, a poolside bar perfect for apres ski, and a selection of slides and fountains for kids of all ages to play in.

2. Wilderness at the Smokies, Knoxville, Tennessee

The Wilderness at the Smokies in Knoxville, Tennessee is an entire resort built around its massively fun indoor waterpark. Guest rooms open on to the space directly, and all the wet and wild rides are complemented by rope courses, an arcade, and year round tanning thanks to an impressive glass ceiling. Two outdoor waterparks are also available at the resort during nicer weather.

3. Wings & Waves Waterpark, McMinville, Oregon

If your favorite part of water parks is the sensation of speed and freedom that are almost like flying, than the Wings & Waves Waterpark is right up your alley. Perched on top of the Evergreen Museum Campus in McMinville, Oregon, the water park includes 16 slides that lead in and out of an actual 747 placed on top of the aviation museum. There is also a wave pool and exhibits about air power that make this destination both fun and educational.

4. Kalahari Resorts & Conventions, Sandusky, Ohio

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Sandusky, Ohio location has the distinction of hosting the single largest indoor water park in the country. With almost 200,000 square feet of space dedicated to wave pools, mat slides, and even raft rides in a huge circular whirlpool. With 19 attractions that pump hundreds of thousands of gallons of water each day, there is more than enough here to keep your adrenaline flowing as well.

5. Camelback Mountain's Aquatopia, Tannsersville, Pennsylvania

Camelback Mountain's Aquatopia resort in Tannsersville, Pennsylvania has some of the most exciting indoor water rides you'll ever see. From the Venus Slydetrap, a carnivorous plant of a slide with 90 degree banks inside of a translucent sphere to the Storm Chaser, the longest water coaster at any water park in the country, indoor or outdoor, you'll find rides like nowhere else. The waterpark is only available to guests of the Aquatopia Lodge.

6. Great Wolf Lodge, Grand Mound, Washington

The Great Wolf Lodge of Grand Mound, Washington keeps its indoor water park at a constant 84 degrees Fahrenheit, the perfect temperature to make its kid friendly wading pools perfect for a dip in any season. The Great Wolf Lodge has some traditional waterslides but the real star of the show at the Grand Mound location are the large family slides like the River Canyon Run which let's the entire family share a long twisty ride in one huge raft.

7. Sahara Sam's Indoor Water Park, West Berlin, New Jersey

Sahara Sam's Indoor Water Park is New Jersey's premier destination for year-round summer fun. Their location in West Berlin has plenty to offer the younger crowd, including obstacle courses and extensive slide options, and an arcade. Sahara Sam's is also one of the few parks with a retractable roof, which means when the weather is nice the whole park can be enjoyed outdoors!

8. Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark Resort, Kellogg, Idaho

Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark Resort at Silver Mountain is another park that offers easy access to all the fun of the waterslide even on a freezing day coating the ski trails with inches of fresh powder. The Kellogg, Idaho destination has unique offerings like an activity pool designed for the wettest game of basketball you will ever play, rentable cabanas, and even a full service lounge with hot tubs. Silver Rapids can be both the perfect way to unwind after a day on the mountain or to have a fun day free of cold weather.

9. Cascades Indoor Waterpark, Cortland, New York

The Hope Lake Lodge is part of the Greek Peak resort in Cortland New York. The crown jewel of this rustic retreat's numerous attractions is the Cascades Indoor Waterpark. Ziplining and alpine coasters are also fun draws, but for dependable year round excitement there's nothing quite like riding the surf in Cascades' wave pool, getting drenched with 500 gallons of water from a deluge bucket, or sliding down all 3 stories of their tube slides.

10. The Waterpark @ The Villages, Flint, Texas

The Waterpark @ The Villages is just one of the many exciting attractions that make up the Silverleaf Resorts of Flint, Texas. Located on Lake Palestine in a 3,000 acre forest, there is plenty of outdoor fun to be had here, but The Waterpark provides some much needed refuge from the Texas heat as well as year round fun in a 19,000 square foot indoor park. Park features include a lazy river ride, several body slides, and extensive wading pools with fountains that younger kids will love.

11. ABQ Slip N' Slide Waterpark, Albuquerque New Mexico

It cost more than 18 million dollars to build the ABQ Slip N' Slide Waterpark at the Hotel Cascada in Albuquerque New Mexico. All that money gets you 175,000 gallons of water in a lazy river ride, and 32,000 gallons per minute in their wave rider. The only indoor waterpark in New Mexico, the ABQ Slip N' Slide is a high tech facility that features all the rides you could want, offers surfing lessons hundreds of miles from the ocean, and even uses state of the art "green water" filtration technology to clean its thousands of gallons of water.

Share your favorites!
Search
Find Indoor Water Parks Near You