One of the most fun, active, and easiest ways to keep kids entertained in the summer is to take them to a pool to swim and splash around. However, this type of family-friendly fun doesn’t have to stop just because of the cold and snow of winter weather. In fact, there are lots of indoor waterparks that are great for beating the winter blues and feeling like it’s summer all year round. Here are some awesome U.S. hotels with indoor water parks to visit for your next family vacation.
Great Wolf Lodge – Concord, North Carolina
There are about 18 Great Wolf Lodges across the U.S. and even in Canada, including a wonderful one in Concord, North Carolina. This particular park has 80,000 square feet of fun in Concord, 11 water slides, and four pools under one roof. One of the best waterpark hotels in North Carolina, guests have access to the park, which is kept at a pleasant 84-degrees year-round. Also included with your stay are kids’ activities, storytime, a fitness center, and unlimited Wi-Fi. Various suite options are available for families who vacation here that accommodate up to eight people. Top attractions are the ropes course, immersive theater, miniature golf, and on-site dining options.
Camelback Resort – Tannersville, Pennsylvania
You can also head up to the Poconos for a fun water park resort in Tannersville. The Camelback Resort is home to the Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, while the mountain here offers skiing, snowboarding, and zip line adventures outdoors. This water park has 13 exciting water slides and poolside amenities, like a swim-up bar and indoor cabana rentals. There are spacious suites here that have one, two, and three bedrooms. Many of these rooms have full kitchens and fireplaces. Camelback also has a luxury spa, family entertainment center, dining options, and meeting and event spaces
Kings Pointe Waterpark Resort – Storm Lake, Iowa
The Kings Pointe Waterpark Resort is a kid-approved destination in Iowa with a water park, suites and cottages, al fresco dining, and golf. There are both indoor and outdoor water park areas here, including five steep slides, a three-meter diving board, and lounge chairs for parents. The park also offers swimming lessons for kids ages five and up, as well as “mommy and me” classes for kids ages three and four. The sunrise cottages here are two-story lakeside accommodations that are great for families looking for more space and privacy.
Kalahari Resort – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Kalahari Resorts operates several water park resorts, including a top-notch one in the Wisconsin Dells. This park has 100,000 square feet of family fun that also includes games like Arizona Sunshine, Atomic Rush, Centrifooled, Conquerors of Mt. Foolmore, and the Ferris wheel that’s over six stories tall. The indoor water park here features tube slides, opportunities to become a mermaid, a five-foot wave simulator, flowrider lessons, an indoor/outdoor spa, and private cabanas. There’s also a lazy river and outdoor water park area for days when the weather is warm. Meanwhile, adults can book a halotherapy session to rejuvenate the body and boost the immune system.
Wilderness Resort – Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Dells is a prime place to be for water park vacations, and the Wilderness Resort is another great local one to book here for your family vacation. There are four indoor and four outdoor water parks here, with top features being the Wild West Indoor Cabanas, lazy river, daring body slides, swim-up bar, rope challenge, indoor/outdoor hot spa, and other areas for fun and relaxation. Other on-site attractions are the three 24-feet-tall rock climbing walls, 525-foot-long go-kart trail, 4,000-square-foot laser tag arena, bumper boats, and 3-D mini golf.
Castaway Bay – Sandusky, Ohio
If you’re looking to be near Cedar Point, Castaway Bay is a great indoor water park resort in this area. Package deals are available for overnight stays at Castaway Bay plus unlimited access to the indoor water park for your entire stay and also park admission to Cedar Point and other local attractions. There are spacious hotel rooms and suites here, including units geared towards family comfort, at this resort that has its own 38,000-square-foot water park and a 6,000-square-foot arcade. There’s a marina nearby, most rooms have a private deck or balcony, and lots of rooms have adjoining room access that’s nice for families and large groups. The water park here is a five-story enclosed structure that has everything from tube slides to plunges, a tide pool, spa, and more.
Hope Lake Lodge – Cortland, New York
Located in Cortland, New York, the Hope Lake Lodge is a prime choice in the Finger Lakes Region. It is also home to the Cascades Indoor Waterpark, which spans 41,000 square feet and has over 500 feet of slides and over 150,000 gallons of water in the pool. It’s the only indoor water park in Central New York, and resort guests have complimentary access to it. The Waterfalls Spa offers relaxation and rejuvenation, while there is also a 24-hour fitness center and an arcade with more than 40 games to play.
Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark – Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva in Wisconsin also has some great water park offerings, including the Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark. Here you’ll find 35-foot-tall slides, a lazy river that winds around more than 500 feet, and a 50,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor park that’s fun for all ages. Lodge guests receive four free water park passes with a one-bedroom suite or six free passes with a two-bedroom suite. For families, there are spacious guest suites here and all the luxuries you’d expect from a four-diamond resort.
