The best indoor water parks in the USA where you can slide all year long

Best for: Everyone

The six-story, 255,000-square-foot DreamWorks Water Park is the largest water park in North America. Located adjacent to Nickelodeon Universe in the palatial American Dream Mall, DreamWorks Water Park has 40 water slides like the DreamWorks DreamRunner, the world’s tallest and longest indoor hydromagnetic water coaster that circles the park's perimeter, and the 142 feet high Thrillagascar & Jungle Jammer, the world’s tallest indoor body slide with a 50-foot freefall. The 26 attractions include a 730-foot lazy river and the Far Far A Bay Wavepool, the world’s largest indoor surfing wave pool. The glass-domed park will soon debut Gabby’s Dollhouse: Kitty Splash Garden, a splash pad inspired by the children’s television series Gabby’s Dollhouse. We love booking one of the 28 luxury, Jonathan Adler-designed Skybox Suites with a refrigerator stocked with Coca-Cola beverages, a flatscreen TV, private changing room, towels, concierge service, and exclusive access to the VIP hot tub.

Time Out tip: Take time to people watch as this water park is popular with celebrities. Recent celeb sightings include Cardi B and Kim Kardashian. Don't miss daily appearances by DreamWorks characters.

Price: Day passes start at $69

Open year-round

Wilderness Resort is the U.S.’s largest water park resort. It boasts four vast indoor water parks for year-round frolics and another four outdoor parks open in the summer. Since 1995, Wilderness Resort has been a pioneer in aquatic activities. Seeking thrills? Stop by the 65,000-square-foot Klondike Kavern for two 400-foot tube rides, a 400-foot lazy river, and slides like The Hurricane, a four-person raft ride that plummets 58 feet into a funnel. Craving some sun? At Wild WaterDome, there's year-round tanning surrounded by tropical plants under the Foil-Tec roof, refreshing drinks at Margarita’s Swim-Up Bar, and the nation’s largest indoor wave pool, The Great Wave. Looking to tire out the kids in your group? The Wild West’s 70,000 square feet include thrill slides, four-person raft ride The Fantastic Journey, and Ransack Ridge play area, a 750-gallon car-tipping bucket spilling water every three minutes, water blasters, and five mini slides. Good luck convincing your family to leave.

Time Out tip: The fourth indoor park, Cubby’s Cove Waterpark, is not located at the Wilderness Hotel, but resort guests can utilize it. Located at the Wilderness on the Lake, the 35,000-square-foot park includes an interactive multi-level aquatic kids play structure with spray features and two small body slides, a water basketball area, and an indoor/outdoor hot spa. Be prepared for lots of walking between parks. Bring a stroller for little ones and pack sandals and swimsuit coverups for the walk. There's a shortcut to get between Wild WaterDome and Klondike Kavern. Look for the back staircase and skywalk that connects the two water parks.

Price: Rates start at $149/night

Open year-round

Best for: Adults

Located inside Gaylord Opryland Resort, SoundWaves is four acres of indoor and outdoor music-themed fun, including 11 heart-pounding water slides, multi-level play structures for smaller children, adult-only pools, a restaurant, and private cabanas. Indoor attractions include Nashville’s only double FlowRider, the Down Tempo Lazy River, the Up Tempo Rapids River, the mega raft ride Rapid Remix, and Status Cymbal Adult Pool & Bar. The indoor water park features a special roof that allows for sunbathing year-round in the Music City and most attractions have speakers, so you can jam out while splashing about.

Time Out tip: The only guaranteed way to visit SoundWaves is by booking an overnight SoundWaves Experience package. Guests can visit the water attraction until noon on their check-out day. Only guests who book an overnight SoundWaves package can visit the water attraction, but non-overnight guests can book a party room online to visit for the day. Party rooms fit 10-30 guests and offer 2-hour access to the room as well as all-day wristbands to SoundWaves.

Price: Rates start at $450/night

Open year-round

Best for: Adults

Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, just 90 minutes away from New York City and Philadelphia, Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark makes a splash. There are seven pools, 13 slides, a wave pool, an adventure river, and a swim-up bar under the 125,000-square-foot park's Texlon transparent roof. Our favorite slide is the Venus SlydeTrap, the only combo raft slide in the world, but we also love the Storm Chaser, North America's longest uphill water coaster that has five exhilarating drops. We also dare you to try the SkyDive Plummet, a 60-foot free fall body drop slide. The park also has more tranquil fun like the Adventure River that flows underground and, at night, the park is illuminated to evoke the evening.

Time Out tip: Stay at Camelback Resort's suites, which sleep up to 12, and get admission to Aquatopia included. This four-season destination includes 39 slopes and trails for skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing in the winter, and Camelbeach, the Pocono Mountains’ largest outdoor waterpark, a 4,500-foot mountain coaster, and two ziplining courses in the summer.

Price: Day passes start at $59

Open year-round

Best for: Small children

South Florida’s 92,000-square-foot Great Wolf Lodge features three pools, two interactive water play zones, and 12 slides like the Rapid Racer tube slide where riders race side-by-side. The park is themed after the adventures encountered by the Great Wolf Pack, the resort’s cast of character friends. The water park’s centerpiece attraction is Otter Cave Waterworks, a multi-level, interactive water play structure with intertwined “leaking” water pipes, spray jets, four twisting body slides and Great Wolf Lodge’s signature, 1,000-gallon tipping bucket. Unique to this location of Great Wolf Lodge is the family raft adventure Breakaway Bay, where riders are dropped into a cone-shaped “tornado” before exiting into a 360-degree loop, before plummeting into a giant bowl.

Time Out tip: Overnight guests can access the park at 1 p.m. on check-in day and enjoy the park until it closes on check-out day. The resort offers Great Wolf Kids-themed suites with bunk beds and suites that sleep up to 13 guests. Consider adding Family Resort Packages, which include money-saving dining packages and bundled activity passes. Download the Great Wolf Lodge App to learn about free activities while at the lodge.

Price: Day passes start at $45 (full day); $36 (half day); Room rates start at $199/night.

Open year-round

Best for: Families

After exploring the great outdoors in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, take a 40-minute drive to Wild WaterDome, Tennessee's largest indoor water park. Wild WaterDome just completed a 40,000-square-foot expansion, doubling its size. There's something for everyone under the see-through Foil-Tec roof, including the jetted, 101-degree Fahrenheit Magnolia Grove Indoor/Outdoor Hot Spa, the glass-edged Lookout Lagoon rooftop pool, and the three-story Ridge Runner Water Coaster, the world’s first slide with Reverse AquaLucent, colorful, spellbinding lighting and special effects that enhance the ride.

Time Out tip: Before visiting the park, complete the online waiver for the Smokies Surf Rider, a popular body-surfing simulator. Don't miss the immersive, multisensory Kaleidoscope Kavern Lazy River created with entertainment studio Moment Factory—it's the only lazy river like this in the world. If you're not staying at Wilderness at the Smokies resorts, purchasing water park day passes online is the only way to guarantee admission.

Price: Day passes start at $39

Open year-round

Best for: Families

With 22 locations across the USA, Great Wolf Lodge has been a long-time favorite, including its 95,000-square-foot location in Manteca, California, about a one-hour drive from San Francisco. Kids love Fort Mackenzie, which features interactive water toys, suspension bridges, kid-activated splash areas, and the park's signature 1,000-gallon tipping bucket that pours out water every three to four minutes. We love grabbing our friends for a multi-person raft ride on Sequoia Splash, which sends us gliding through and along the sides of a giant funnel.

Time Out tip: Book one of the Family Suites at the 500-room Great Wolf Lodge Northern California. Themed suites like the Wolf Den or KidCabin accommodations feature bunk beds for the younger pack. Download the Great Wolf Lodge App to learn about free activities while at the lodge. Time your visit to one of four seasonal celebrations held at each Great Wolf Lodge: Spring Breakout, Summer Camp-In, Howl-O-Ween and Snowland for added fun.

Price: Day passes start at $40 (full day); $36 (half day); Room rates start at $239/night.

Open year-round

Best for: Small children

This 44,500-square-foot water park in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley features a water fortress, inflatable adventures, high speed body slides, pools, a lazy river, and hot tubs. We love surfing on the FlowRider in The Pipeline—a triple-jet wave simulator that pumps 48,645 gallons of water per minute—and getting soaked in the three-story Massanutten Meltdown, a giant water-powered playhouse with water cannons, waterfalls, a massive tipping bucket, and five water slides. Don't miss the three tube slides: Peak Splash, Country Cooler, and Melting Mogul. In 2026, the waterpark will unveil a new hotel, a three-lane, headfirst mat racing slide, enhanced kiddie area with pools, slides, and a new multi-level play structure, and an adult pool and cabanas.

Time Out tip: Ride the FlowRider early, as the line tends to get longer later in the day. Bring towels. If you're staying on the property, consider purchasing a lodging package that includes towels, arcade game play cards, and food and beverage credits to maximize savings.

Price: Admission starts at $40

Open year-round

Best for: Families

What was once known as Sahara Sam's has now been rebranded as Big Kahuna. The indoor water park has fun water slides like the five-story tall Raging Rivers side-by-side mat racing slides, Snake Eyes tube slides that wrap around the exterior of the building, and the 350-foot Riptide high-speed slide that has a 50-foot runway at the end to help riders slow down. The park also has the FlowRider surf simulator, Tiki Tides lazy river, and Komodo Crossing aquatic obstacle course plus an adults-only jetted pool, indoor swimming pool, and water basketball play area.

Time Out tip: Buy tickets online to save money. Stay and play longer by booking a Big Kahuna’s Stay & Play package at one of six area hotels. 

Price: Admission starts at $20 

Open year-round

Best for: Families

This Alpine-themed water park at Boyne Mountain has 88,0000 square feet dedicated to pools, slides, and water activities. Take the plunge in the Vertical Cannonbowl, plummet 38 feet per second in The Big Couloir that culminates with a 360-degree loop, and test your balance on the Haute Road Water Crossing obstacle course. Relax with a serene soak in the Glacier Hot Springs.

Time Out tip: We never visit without reserving premium seating that includes a table, seating for four, towels, a locker, and one inflatable tube.

Price: Day passes start at $39 

Open year-round

Best for: Small children

Splash Lagoon is a splash-tastic 80,000-square-foot Polynesian-themed park a short drive from Buffalo, New York, Cleveland, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It has the largest indoor wave pool in the eastern USA, featuring 200,000 gallons of water with up to 6-foot waves. There's also a 12-level tiki treehouse with a giant tipping coconut that soaks unsuspecting explorers, and a splash pad for younger children. After checking out the various slides, including the Black Hole that plunges sliders through total darkness, enjoy floating in The Lazy River while admiring local art.

Time Out tip: Splash Lagoon is cashless, and towels are not provided. You can bring your own towels or purchase them from the Surf Shop. Multiple packages, including Splash Lagoon admission and overnight accommodations at three connected hotels, are also available.

Price: Day passes start at $30

Open year-round

Best for: People of all ages 

Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark is 80,000 square feet of splishing, splashing, and, yes, sploshing. The fully enclosed park has 11 water slides, including one of the tallest in the country: the seven-story Locura, which features a 40-foot drop and 360-degree horizontal loop that helps riders achieve up to 3 g-forces during their ride. A lazy river, mat racer slides, a water playground with spouting geysers and a massive dump bucket round out the fun under a massive retractable roof. 

Time Out tip: Towels aren't provided. Bring your own or buy them at the gift shop.

Price: $44; Children 3 and under are free

Open year-round

Best for: Small children

Nestled in New York's Finger Lakes region, Cascades Indoor Waterpark is connected to Hope Lake Lodge. The 41,000-square-foot park boasts a whitewater wave pool with a 13-foot-tall waterfall and a 1,000-square-foot basketball cove. Speed down two three-story tall interior/exterior slides and yell “whee!” (or whatever your excited noise of choice might be) as you glide down two 100-foot-long slides.

Time Out tip: If you visit mid-week, it's less crowded; however, not all park attractions are open. The open slides and fun are rotated during mid-week, non-holiday periods.

Price: Day passes start at $44

Open year-round

Best for: Everyone

We love getting carried away at Kalahari's waterparks in the Pocono Mountains, on the shores of Lake Erie, in Wisconsin Dells, "the Waterpark Capital of the World," and—soon—in Spotsylvania, Virginia, but our favorite Kalahari Waterpark is in Round Rock, Texas. It's a whopping 223,000 square feet, African-themed water wonderland situated on a 350,000-square-foot resort that includes Summer Savannah Outdoor Waterpark, Kalahari resort, and indoor Tom Foolerys Adventure Park, which has a ropes course, climbing wall, indoor zipline, bowling, laser tag, and 250 arcade games. We love racing our friends down the Cheetah Race slide, rafting with our bestie on the Rippling Rhino flume ride, and twisting and swirling up to 40mph in the Tanzanian Twister. We love renting an indoor Premium Private Whirlpool Cabana because it has a private whirlpool, comfy chaise lounges, a mini refrigerator, and a big flat-screen TV.

Time Out tip: Get early access starting at 8:45am with early water park access. Resort guests can enjoy complimentary access to the water park beginning at noon on check-in day and until park closing time, even on the day of checkout.

Price: Day passes start at $37.99 for locals

Open year-round