Must-Visit Indoor Water Parks Across America

A perfect distillation of the joys of summer, water parks are designed for fun, complexes of thrills and actual spills that entertain the whole family with attractions that, often, are refreshingly low-tech in their execution. These temples of titillation are also commonplace throughout the United States, with more than 1,000 of them up and down the country. But when summer winds down and the days shorten, and a chill permeates the air, does the fun really have to stop? 

The good news is that it doesn't, and across the U.S., indoor water parks continue to pull in crowds even as the mercury plummets outside. The choices are endless, ranging from small plots that are little more than glorified community centers to gargantuan warrens where a day just doesn't seem long enough to enjoy all the attractions. Read on for intel on the best indoor parks to check out, where it's always summer indoors, whatever the weather.

While visitors to this Michigan mainstay might come for the water thrills that are all but guaranteed, the 10 restaurants where they can fuel up between rides add another layer of persuasion to the equation. Located in the north of the state, a little over an hour's drive from Traverse City, the park is part of Boyne Mountain Resort, which also features a golf course and, in the winter, skiing on its slopes. 

Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark is enormous, almost 90,000 square feet, and within that realm, it has a number of spaces that will get the heart pumping or relaxing. The Big Couloir is a super-speedy slide that includes a sheer drop that will get the pulse racing, while the Lazy River Adventure conveys a sense of calm to the proceedings (as will the Glacier Hot Springs). For competitive groups, the Downhill Mat Racer will bring out the fighting spirit.

Located in Ohio's Sandusky, the home of Cedar Point, one of the most famous theme parks in the country, with roller coasters like the terrifying Top Thrill 2 that will debut in 2024, Castaway Bay is part of the resort that shares its name. It's a place that will appeal to youngsters of all ages, thanks to the variety of pools, including incredibly placid ones with small slides for toddlers to those with pool toys where kids can let their imaginations run wild. 

A visit here doesn't have to be solely focused on spending time splashing around in pools of water, though. Air Racer Rally lets groups plummet down slides against each other, ending the ride with a sudden drop into a bubbling pool. Rocket's Canopy Coaster allows families to enjoy the fun of a water ride together while seated in a large yellow float that looks like a cushioned life raft.

At this Texas park, situated between Dallas and Fort Worth, mat racing slides get siblings and friends speeding down the slopes with winning as their sole focus. Families will certainly build up an appetite after all that liquid fun, and a restaurant onsite serves the kind of food that will fuel up adventurers and is comforting after a bout of exertion — pizzas, wings, fries, nachos, and burgers. Cabanas, good for small birthday parties or family gatherings, are dotted throughout the park, some closer to the kiddie pools, others nearer to the labyrinthine slides. 

When it comes to the rides at Epic Waters Waterpark, a variety of options make sure boredom is one thing missing from a trip here. Rafts slide back and forth on the Yellowjacket Drop. This thrilling structure starts with a snaking tube slide ride of multiple turns and ends with a drop onto a wall resembling a giant, extended skateboard half-pipe.

While Anchorage might not be a city associated with heat, visitors to H2Oasis Indoor Waterpark in Alaska's biggest city might feel like they are in the Tropics. The feature that anchors the whole enterprise, no pun intended, is the pirate ship, a sturdy galleon with various slides, stairs to climb, and mushroom-type structures that emit a curtain of water. It also has masts and nets that make kids feel like they are sailing the seven seas. It sits in the kiddie pool, helping to further cement the sensation of being afloat. 

The lazy river is a welcome relief when the mercury dips outside, a leisurely float around the park on yellow inner tubes in water about waist high. The biggest thrill might be on the Open-Flume Orange Slide, where a rider lies face-up, sliding and swerving along the curves of the flume before splashing down into a pool at the bottom.

In the Catskill Mountains, it's always 84 degrees Fahrenheit at Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark, less than a three-hour drive from the Big Apple. A former conservatory is now home to this facility, and the toasty temperature ensures that plenty of greenery and vegetation thrive throughout the winter, even when the ground outside is smothered in powder. 

The rides have mighty names, meant as much to inspire excitement as to make visitors quiver in fear. The Krakken, that mythical marine beast, is a rapid ride that turns at sudden junctures and ensures passengers are never static or dry. Nor'easter is another one that gets the heart pumping, demanding screams to fill the air via a tube that sends a quartet along a slalom of turns, spins, and drops. Other attractions include a playground, a lazy river, and a surf simulator. Guests of the resort get free entry to the water park.

In the north of Vermont, near the Canadian border and only a two-hour drive from Montreal, Pump House Indoor Waterpark is in Jay Peak Resort, which also offers golf and skiing. The sole indoor water park in the state features a rumbling river that is a balm for winter blues. A large, curving, retractable roof ensures that days inside remain bright, while the colorful slides and shades make the space feel like summer all year round. 

Among the highlights is the Big River, a homage to a tune by Johnny Cash. It wraps around the edges of the park as it makes its circuit and ramps up the typical lazy river experience by throwing in turns, variable currents, and even some underwater explosions (don't worry, they're not extreme). For active types, a Deepwater Activity Pool is flanked by a climbing wall, so even if a guest slips off, the fall will be pleasurable.

In Idaho, the Silver Rapids Indoor Waterpark sits in the Silver Mountain Resort, where skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing are other draws. Its setting in the west of the state places it just over an hour away by car from Spokane in Washington state. Guests of any of the properties at the resort enjoy free admission to the park. Once inside, they can expect a selection of thrills and tranquility. 

The Moose Sluice, named for an animal found in this slice of the country, is aimed at families, with members sitting inside a large tube raft as it swirls and turns its way down a snaking slide, plenty of water drenching riders along the way. A range of other areas will appeal to people of all ages, from a lazy river to a section designed for toddlers, from a warm springs area that will re-energize flagging visitors to a netted obstacle course.

Part of OWA, a large resort with a theme park, whose name is a derivation of the Muscogee Creek word meaning "big water," this water park features a retracting glass roof that keeps the temperatures at this Alabama destination toasty. What might strike visitors upon entry to Tropic Falls is the vibrant colors of the slides and rides, turning the spectacle into a slash of tropical travel. 

Rides have similarly summery names. Citrus Cyclone lets two guests mount an inflated tube before they turn and swish through a snaking slide route. On Serpentine Swirl, the action is turned up a notch, or three, with sudden banking turns and sections where the tube morphs from closed to open, injecting flashes of surprise into the experience. And Tangerine Scream has a name that is wholly appropriate, with a sheer drop on this tight flume ride likely to produce shrieks — either of terror or delight.

Thirty minutes southeast of Knoxville, this Tennessee cradle of fun has speedy slides and calming pools that will engage adults and kids alike. With a clear roof that lets the sun's rays stream in, guests might consider putting on sunscreen, even on a cool winter day, as they admire the tropical foliage all around. The facilities in Wild WaterDome Indoor WaterPark spread over 65,000 square feet of space, including wild adventures like the Storm Chaser Thrill Ride. 

Participants will get straight into the action from the get-go, with a section comprising a dark tubular tunnel before a sudden drop into a swirling funnel portion, followed by a deposit into a welcoming pool. A 10,000-square-foot wave pool, a surf simulator that pumps out 19,000 gallons of water each minute, and the five-story high family-friendly Runaway Canyon ensure boredom is eternally banished. For more placid pleasures, kids' pools provide an easy option.