30 Top Indoor Water Parks Across the USA

Cool off year-round at one of these exhilarating water parks.

The concept of “taking the waters” dates to the Romans, who favored curative mineral springs for relaxation and health. Today, water holidays can range from water parks with thrilling plunge, swirl and slide rides for all ages to wellness spas that provide a therapeutic break – or a combination of both. For a guaranteed escape that’s bound to be a lot of fun, dive into one of these 30 can’t-miss indoor water parks. (Note: Some water parks may require COVID-19 testing or vaccination proof and capacity restrictions may be in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. Check directly with the indoor water park before your trip.)

Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

This resort comprises four outdoor and four indoor water parks only open to guests staying in one of Wilderness Resort’s guest rooms, vacation villas, condominiums or cabins. A shuttle and water taxi transport vacationers to and from Klondike Kavern’s legendary Hurricane funnel and slideboarding rides, Wild West’s family rafts and bumper boats, and Wild WaterDome’s expansive indoor wave pool, which is the largest indoor wave pool in America.

Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim: Garden Grove, California

One of the biggest water park hotels in the Great Wolf Lodge family, this Southern California venue is a great place to relax in between theme park visits. Numerous slides and indoor pools meet an outdoor lagoon packed with interactive water play and sports options. Coyote Canyon, a vortex ride, also drops you up to 40 feet before you spin yourself silly.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark Galveston: Galveston, Texas

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Wisconsin Dells: Wisconsin Dells

Todd and Shari Nelson, along with their kids, launched their first Africa-themed water park in Wisconsin in 2000, and at 125,000 square feet, it’s the state’s largest indoor water park. Of special note: Resort guests can take surfing or mermaid or merman lessons here. There are also two spas (including one for kids) and an indoor game room with virtual reality attractions, two escape rooms, a Laser Frenzy adventure game and more.

Great Wolf Lodge Mason: Mason, Ohio

Zehnder’s Splash Village Hotel & Waterpark: Frankenmuth, Michigan

Since 1856, William and Emilie Zehnder and their relatives have developed this Bavarian-themed corner of Michigan into a popular vacation destination. After outgrowing the original 30,000-square-foot part-hotel, part-water park facility, the Zehnders opened an even bigger water park with family raft rides, speed slides, a zero-entry pool, cabanas and a retractable roof. It’s all connected to an arcade, an outdoor pool and the 178-room Splash Village Hotel.

The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark: Monticello, New York

The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark offers the convenience of an indoor water park with an on-site resort that boasts room sizes to fit any family. Located about 90 minutes northwest of New York City, the indoor water park offers rides and attractions galore, including a lazy river and waterslides with and without floats. Other indoor options for fun include arcade games, bowling, rock climbing and virtual reality.

Great Wolf Lodge Concord: Concord, North Carolina

Among Great Wolf Lodge’s 19 domestic indoor water park hotels, this resort in the heart of NASCAR country boasts the most family activities, with more than a dozen dry ways to have fun, including mini-golf, a Build-a-Bear Workshop, a ropes course and a 4D space that requires special glasses to navigate. At its heart is the weatherproof indoor water park, showcasing numerous waterslides, four pools and a four-story treehouse water fort.

Massanutten Resort: Massanutten, Virginia

Massanutten Resort is a thriving four seasons resort community that offers everything from snow sports to golf and indoor recreation. The property’s indoor water park is just one of the resort’s features, but it draws in guests with its giant water fortress, its body slides, its lazy river and its hot tubs for all ages. While not relaxing or splashing the day away indoors, travelers can retreat to their own guest rooms, condominiums or rental cabins.

Splasher’s of the South Seas: Grand Forks, North Dakota

Located in Canad Inns Destination Centre Grand Forks, this North Dakota water park can keep you out of the cold temperatures for days of warm weather fun. Spread across 40,000 square feet of space, the resort’s indoor water park includes several slides, a kiddie pool, an activities pool, a lazy river, an adults-only hot tub and more. Guests at the hotel are currently able to visit the water park for free, yet day and evening passes are also available.

Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Great Wolf Lodge Colorado Springs: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Wilderness at the Smokies: Sevierville, Tennessee

Sahara Sam’s Oasis Indoor and Outdoor Water Park: West Berlin, New Jersey

This smaller, stand-alone water park features a playful North African desert theme at its indoor attractions. If you’re not up for the five-story, head-first mat racing at Tut’s Twister, visit Cleopatra’s Cove or the Congo Bongo lazy river. But remember, Sahara Sam’s is popular for staycations, themed birthday parties and seasonal events, such as Easter Bunny breakfasts and Monster Splash, so it’s best to arrive early.

Great Wolf Lodge New England: Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Check out of the snow and into one of Great Wolf Lodge New England’s rustic suites to enjoy this property’s plethora of activities for the whole family, including live shows, character meet-and-greets, story time and Wolfercise aerobics classes. The hotel’s 68,000-square-foot indoor water park features thrilling waterslides, pools for all ages and a lazy river.

Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark: Tannersville, Pennsylvania

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Pocono Mountains: Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania

Kalahari went big in the competitive Poconos region when it built one of America’s largest indoor water parks, yet this attraction maintains the brand’s signature family feel and African theme. Learn to surf or be a mermaid, try waterslides for all abilities or unwind in the indoor-outdoor whirlpool. If you want to have fun outside the water park, you can choose from activities like mini bowling, mini-golf, escape room experiences and virtual reality games.

Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg: Williamsburg, Virginia

Castaway Bay: Sandusky, Ohio

This Caribbean-themed water park (think: Adirondack chairs, palm trees, tropical huts and lagoons) is the place to chill after experiencing extreme roller coasters at Sandusky’s legendary Cedar Point theme park. The beachy decor is everywhere from the Tropical Tube Slides and the Pineapple Pipeline water coaster to the Toddler’s Tide Pool.

Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine: Grapevine, Texas

Chula Vista Resort: Wisconsin Dells

Find Chula Vista Resort’s indoor Lost Rios water park on the banks of the scenic Wisconsin River next to a 620-room hotel, a convention center, a golf course, a spa, a riverwalk and the highly regarded Kaminski’s Chop House. The expansive water park, open only to resort guests, has numerous waterslides, including the world’s longest and fastest uphill indoor water coaster (the Flyan Mayan) and a mat-racing option.

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Sandusky: Sandusky

This 173,000-square-foot indoor water park rules in a town known for world-class thrill rides, with options that offer drops into 45-degree tunnels, 360-degree enclosures and extreme plunges from overhead. Must-try slides include the Storm Chaser, an interactive ride that mimics a video game, and the Tanzanian Twister funnel flume.

Great Wolf Lodge Grand Mound: Centralia, Washington

Washington state’s damp weather is reason enough to lock in year-round pool fun at this Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor water park, where you’ll find slides, rides and swirling pools supervised by lifeguards. Kids will especially love gliding through River Canyon Run and plunging down the three-story Totem Towers slides while parents watch from the free-form hot tub.

Big Splash at Arrowwood: Alexandria, Minnesota

The state of Minnesota often features sub-zero temperatures, yet you would never know it after spending a day at Big Splash at Arrowwood. This 38,000-square-foot water park is set at the perfect temperature for indoor fun with features like three four-story waterslides, a lazy river and a tropical whirlpool spa. Activities like basketball and a lily pad waterwalk round out the offerings here.

SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland: Nashville, Tennessee

Arapahoe Springs at Gaylord Rockies: Aurora, Colorado

Arapahoe Springs is an exclusive water park that is only available to resort guests. This park offers an array of outdoor and indoor water features, including slides and pools. An indoor pool, an indoor lap pool and an indoor whirlpool are open to guests all year round Other amenities like a lazy river and cabana rentals are available on a seasonable basis.

South Bay Inn & Suites: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark: Grand Prairie, Texas

Epic Waters is the largest indoor water park in northern Texas and it’s open year-round. Families who plan a visit will find numerous indoor waterslides, some with and some without rafts, and the Prairie Plunge plunge body slide ride with a 50-foot drop. Dining options are plentiful, and families can rent a private cabana for a VIP experience.

WaTiki Waterpark Resort: Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City’s WaTiki Waterpark Resort makes visiting convenient since you can stay at any one of five resorts surrounding the park. In the meantime, the indoor water park features a lazy river, a splash area with a dump bucket, several slides and an oasis hot tub. An arcade with 40 classic and modern video games is another on-site feature popular with kids.

Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark: Boyne Falls, Michigan

Michigan’s Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark features 88,000 square feet of rides, slides and thrills. Top attractions include a surf simulator, a downhill mat racer, a twisting waterslide and a lazy river. A Splasherhorn waterfall can also soak your whole family with an 800-gallon water avalanche.