Best Water Parks In The U.S. According To The Travel Channel
- Planet Pluto Travel
- May 25, 2021
- 7 min read
By: Alana DeRose
Summers coming up and beaches, pools and water parks are a MUST! So we've conducted a list of the top 17 water parks in the U.S. according to the Travel Channel.
Let's start the list of with the worst of the best.
(17) Six Flags White Water (Marietta, GA)
Six Flags White Water is located 27 minutes away from Six Flags Over Georgia and is 23 minutes away from the city of Atlanta. The water park has a total of 20 attractions with a wave pool, lazy river, interactive water playground, two kids areas, a lilypad crossing and 16 water slides with one being their new addition in 2022, Python Plunge.
250 Cobb Pkwy N, Marietta, GA 30062
(16) Legoland California Resort (Carlsbad, CA)
This lego themed water park has unique attractions such as the Build-A-Raft river where the design is like a lazy river but there's DUPLO blocks in the water that will allow you to build your own raft as you go. They also have "Splash Zoo" which is an interactive water playground that features spray pads, fountains, a seesaw and giant interactive DUPLO animals which is targeted to children ages 1-3 and five other water slides you and your friends can enjoy together.
One Legoland Dr, Carlsbad, CA 92008
(15) Wet 'n' Wild (Kapolei, Oahu, HI)
Wet 'n' Wild is a 29 acre water park 27 minutes away from Honolulu. This water park has a total of 25 attractions ranging from "chill" to "extreme" with rides such as Tornado which is a 50 ft tall water slide with a 130 ft tunnel attached to it, located right on the edge of the Kapolei hills which offers stunning views of Oahu; and Kapolei Kooler; an 800 ft lazy river with lush tropical gardens and cave-like 10 ft walls which also features rushing rapids, waterfalls and water spouts.
400 Farrington Hwy, Kapolei, HI 96707
(14) Roaring Springs Water Park (Meridian, ID)
Roaring Springs Water Park holds the title as the largest water park in the Northwest offering 16 different attractions and six different restaurants to choose from. Some of these attractions include Corkscrew Cavern a drop floor water slide with the first 360 degree loop in the Northwest region ; and Racing Ridge; four 350 ft long water slides allowing you to race your friends all the way to the very end. Then for those traveling with children there's Kiddie Kowabunga, a set of kiddie tube slides and Bearfoot Bay, a water playground featuring six slides, 12 animal themed play features and a shallow wading pool.
400 W Overland Rd, Meridian, ID 83642
(13) Legoland Florida (Winter Haven, FL)
Similar to the park in California, Legoland has attractions such as Build-A-Raft Lazy River, but unlike California's you can participate in Build-A-Boat, Duplo Splash Safari and Joker Soaker for the toddlers and ride down the slide with a friend or family member on Twin Chasers.
I have no idea why the Travel Channel put this above the Legoland water park in California there's much more to do there than there is here.
1204 Helena Rd, Winter Haven, FL 33884
(12) Holiday World & Splashin' Safari (Santa Claus, IN)
Holiday World & Splashin' Safari is a 125 acre theme and water park with 49 attractions and 19 of those attractions taking place in the water park. Some of these attractions is the Mammoth Water Coaster, a 69 ft tall water coaster that's 1,763 ft long and a LIM system that propels riders through the course (LIM is what launches Wicked Twister at Cedar Point). There's also Bakuli (Swahili for bowl) a 73 ft tall water slide that sits four people and swirls you around in a bowl before heading down to the pool.
452 E Christmas Blvd, Santa Claus, IN 47579
(11) Avalanche Bay Indoor Water Park (Boyne Falls, MI)
Avalanche Bay holds the title as Michigan's largest indoor water park with 11 attractions and an arcade. One of these attractions is the Splasherhorn aka 800 gallons of water pouring down on guests after a horn blows. There's also Downhill Mat Racer, a four lane slide that allows you to race your friends to the very end.
1 Boyne Mountain Rd, Boyne Falls, MI 49713
(10) Silver Dollar City White Water (Branson, MO)
Silver Dollar City White Water starts off the top 10 offering guests 10 different attractions in this 13 acre water park. The KaPau Plummet is just one of the two sets of floor drop slides offered at White Water dropping riders 40 ft along a 245 ft long ride. The other floor drop slides are the Kalani Towers Drop Slides which are taller than the KaPau Plummet slides, dropping 75 ft along the 300 ft course at 40 MPH! There's also a lazy river and kids area for those who don't want the extreme thrills.
399 Silver Dollar City Pkwy, Branson, MO 65616
P.S. On the 4th of July they keep the water park open until midnight and the tubes will light up.
(9) Wild Island Family Adventure Park (Sparks, NV)
Wild Island Family Adventure Park doesn't only feature a water park but also bowling, an arcade, go karts, billiards and mini golf both indoor and outdoor. So you can enjoy one of these activities or one of the 12 attractions featured at the water park. The Fire & Ice Slides are enclosed racing body tube slides that are 270 ft long and will send you through drops and turns all the way until you reach the pool. Then you also have Scorpion Slide that'll drop you 40 ft and then quickly back up again, you can ride this with a friend or by yourself choosing whether to go forwards or backwards.
250 Wild Island Ct, Sparks, NV 89434
(8) Enchanted Forest Water Safari (Old Forge, NY)
Enchanted Forest Water Safari holds the title as New York's largest water theme park over 50 rides and attractions and eight of them being amusement rides such as a tilt-o-whirl and a ferris wheel. You also have Nairobi Narrows which are two open air body slides whose main purpose is to create a big splash in the end. You can even experience Raging Rapids where you'll climb up the mountain and then you'll speed through 700 ft of bumps, twists and turns all the way to the bottom.
3183 NY-28, Old Forge, NY 13420
(7) Water Zoo (Clinton, OK)
Water Zoo is Oklahoma's first indoor water park when it opened back in 2012. This water park has unique attractions such as Slideboarding, which is a video game mixed with a water slide; tracking your score online that you can compare with other users nationwide. You can also enjoy the three 40 ft tall water slides they have, with one being a body slide and the other two, tube slides. Water Zoo also has a kids area and lazy river for those who just want to relax.
1900 Boulevard of Champions, Clinton, OK 73601
(6) Cliff's Amusement Park WaterMania (Albuquerque, NM)
Water Mania only has two main attractions in the park one being Li'l Squirts for babies, toddlers and their parents, and you also have Mega Water Monkeys for older kids and teenagers. Mega Water Monkeys features slides, fountains and other water features to beat that New Mexico heat and is the star attraction. Then when you're ready to dry off you can head over to the amusement park and ride the 'New Mexico Rattler'; voted one of the top 25 wooden roller coasters in the world.
4800 Osuna Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109
(5) Carowinds Boomerang Bay (Charlotte, NC)
Carowinds Boomerang Bay, just like the amusement park, sits on the border of North and South Carolina, claiming the title as the best water park in North Carolina and South Carolina. Head over to Storm Surge, a massive slide complex featuring four different slides, two body slides and two tube slides; if you want a milder ride I suggest you grab a tube, but if you're up for the extreme thrills head to the 80 ft tall enclosed body slides that you will send you through a nearly vertical free fall into several intense turns. You can also experience Blackbeard's Revenge, a 60 ft tall water slide complex that features two enclosed floor drop slides with a near vertical free fall and intense 360 degree turns.
14523 Carowinds Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28273
(4) Pump House Indoor Water Park (Jay, VT)
This 50,000 sq ft indoor water park features a double barrel flowrider, Mill Pond Kids Play Area, Deep Water Activity Pool, Orange, Blue, and Green Slides, La Chute and an outdoor pool. The Deep Water Activity Pool features a climbing wall where guests test their strength and skill going up the wall, but if they don't make it they plummet right back into the pool. It also has basketball where you can stir up a competitive game between friends and family of all ages. Then when you're done with all the water fun you can either go skiing/snowboarding or head to the Clips & Reels Recreational Center which offers a 142-seat movie theater, an arcade, a indoor ropes course and a indoor climbing gym.
830 Jay Peak Rd, Jay, VT 05859
(3) Dollywood Splash Country (Pigeon Forge, TN)
Dollywood's Splash Country starts off our top 3 by offering guests 16 different rides and attractions to choose from on the 30 acre plot of land. One of these rides is Tennessee's first and only water coaster River Rush (shown in the picture above). River Rush races through the trees 40 ft in the air, experiencing four drops throughout the 1,175 ft of track. There's also two mat racer slides Slick Rock Racer and TailSpin Racer, so you have two different options when racing your friends just in case you want to pull "the slide is slow" trick.
2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
(2) Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA)
Water Country USA takes the title as Virginia's Largest Family Water Park with 20 rides and attractions. Parents can take their child(ren) to one of the three play areas Water Country USA offers. Especially H2O UFO, the water park's largest play area featuring spray jets and a waterfall as they climb, play, or slide down the area. Then the thrill seekers can head to Aquazoid, an 863 ft long ride taking riders through twists and turns travelling 20 ft per second in the dark.
176 Water Country Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
(1) Kalahari Resort (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
Placed in the water park capital of the world and the best water park in the U.S., Kalahari Resorts has both an indoor and outdoor water park offering a total of 27 water attractions one being the Paxton Grotto Swim Up Bar for all you adults. You can also experience the new Underwater Virtual Reality, offering guests a chance to explore the ocean or blast off into space within the indoor water park. Then when you're looking for some dry fun you can ejoy the amusement rides the resort has to offer such as go-karts, ropes course, ferris wheel and G-Force One a ride that flips, swings and twirls riders around like they're on a pendulum.
1305 Kalahari Dr, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
So now that you know the 17 best water parks in the country, grab your bathing suits, have fun and get soaked!
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