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What’s summer without splashing in the water? During the hottest time of the year, you’re definitely going to want to cool off by getting wet, so why not make a vacation out of it? There are some incredible resorts across the globe boasting water parks with fun features like lazy rivers and plunging water slides that are sure to be calling your name, including these.
Arizona Grand Resort and Spa - Phoenix, AZ
One of the top water parks in Arizona can be found inside a Phoenix hotel. With summer temps especially sizzling here, it makes sense that the Arizona Grand Resort hosts its own water park. The Oasis Water Park isn’t just a couple of pools and a slide, it was named as one of the best in the country by the Travel Channel with its eight-story tower that features water slides to whiz down, a wave pool, tubing on the lazy river and a huge hot tub. If you’ve got little ones with you, they have their very own more low-key area to cool off. The Oasis spans about seven acres and includes a bar and grill for refreshments.
El Conquistador Resort, Puerto Rico
One of the best resorts in Puerto Rico for families, El Conquistador Resort enjoys a cliff-side location overlooking the Caribbean on the Island of Enchantment, accessed by a free ferry. The ideal property for an all-encompassing vacation, you can do everything from relaxing and unwinding on your private balcony with panoramic sea views to indulging in treatments at the 26,000-square-foot spa, dining, and imbibing at the many restaurants and bars, and playing in Coqui Water Park. The onsite park steals the spotlight here with its Torre de Yochau Tower, a practically vertical waterside with a 60-foot drop, splash pools, and more. While it’s a great place for families with kids, adults will appreciate the fitness center, martini lounge, and world-class golf course.
Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells
The total water park resort experience can be found at Chula Vista Resort. A top resort in the Wisconsin Dells for families with kids, the vast property features spacious guest rooms, luxury condos, and villas along with hundreds of activities, multiple restaurants and bars, a decadent spa, and an 18-hole mini-golf course with waterfalls, reflecting pools and fountains. The 200,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor water parks feature 27 water slides, stretching more than 1.5-miles long, including slides with switchbacks and curves, loops, and 30-foot drops. There’s a wave pool, sports pool, kiddie river area, and an Adventure Lagoon too.
Beaches Turks & Caicos
If the Caribbean is calling your name, you can experience four different villages at one resort by booking Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort, the largest resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Fabulous for families, Travel+Leisure once rated it the top family hotel in the Caribbean. A popular all-inclusive getaway in Turks & Caicos, the 45,000-square-foot water park is a huge hit with kids from tots to teens, who can also enjoy the swim-up soda bar, Xbox games, and a teen disco. While the children play, the adults can take advantage of the spa or lounge on the 12-mile span of beautiful sands. The property also features a long list of gourmet eateries, with everything from a 1950s-style diner to Japanese fare on offer.
Atlantis The Palm, Dubai
The renowned Atlantis Hotel in Dubai is home to the Atlantis Aquaventure Waterpark, the top water park destination in the UAE. This world-class, luxury resort not only hosts pristine beaches but the largest lazy river in the region, a diverse range of free-fall water slides, including one where you’ll slide through a tank filled with sharks. It’s the world’s largest waterpark, home to over 105 record-breaking slides, attractions, and experiences. You can even meet friendly Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins and playful South African fur seals at Atlas Village.
Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa - Playa Del Carmen, Mexico
Playa Del Carmen’s Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa takes the honor of having one of the most expansive water parks in Mexico. It began as a splash area for the little ones but has since expanded to include 29 water slides with different areas for various age groups, including a smaller water play area for tots, and large, looping slides for adults, teens, and older kids, with lots of fun statues and spraying fountains in between. As this eco-friendly property also offers baby and kids’ clubs, it makes it easy for the parents to get away and enjoy a little fun too, including treatments in the luxurious spa.
Crown Reef Beach Resort - Myrtle Beach, SC
The Crown Reef Beach Resort and Waterpark offers an all-in-one resort experience. One of the best Myrtle Beach water park resorts, it includes attractions like kiddie slides and four-story water slides with a variety of options in between as well as a special water park for the littlest ones in the family. There’s also a lazy river for floating and Jacuzzis for soaking away your cares and soothing sore muscles after a day of play. You’ll find lots to do in Myrtle Beach too, including rides on the 190-foot-tall Ferris wheel along the boardwalk, shops, and cafes to explore, and a wide range of activities like zip-lining and parasailing.
Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana - Dominican Republic
If you’re thinking tropical, it’s hard to beat the Nickelodeon in Punta Cana. Many name it No. 1 when it comes to quality resorts with an over-the-top water park experience, complete with a lazy river, water slides, and splash pads for the little one. You can even join mass “slimings” here. An all-inclusive, nearly all food, drinks, entertainment, and activities are included, plus it sits along a picturesque soft sandy beach with loungers. There’s also an oceanfront infinity pool with poolside service and an adult-only pool with a swim-up bar. A dozen high-quality dining and drinking outlets are available, from a food truck to an astronaut restaurant to a food truck, while rooms are family-friendly, fun, and come with terraces or balconies. Some offer swim-up access too.
Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort - Runaway Bay, Jamaica
Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort is an all-inclusive resort that offers a fantastic water park with thrilling slides, grottos, waterfalls, and a lazy river. There’s a host of other offerings too, including an 18-hole golf course for playing with a breathtaking Caribbean view while the kids enjoy programming designed for all ages from tiny tots to teens. There’s a beautiful pool, a pristine beach, and a full-service spa for indulging in a massage along with seven restaurants with access to unlimited fruit juices, soft drinks, and local alcoholic beverages. All rooms and suites have flat-screen cable TVs, CD players, free Wi-Fi, coffeemakers, and private furnished balconies. Some feature extended porches with small, private plunge pools too.
Kalahari Resort - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Dells is famous for its water parks and Kalahari Resort is often ranked the No. 1, with the largest indoor water park in the country and it’s always a perfectly warm 84 degrees. When the weather is right outside, you can enjoy an outdoor water park too. There are all sorts of exciting features like the MasterBlaster water coaster, Flowrider bodyboarding and simulated surfing, and a water slide with a 60-foot drop. Funnels, flumes, family raft rides, and the only slalom water slides in the region can all be enjoyed too. Plus, the adventure park includes carnival rides like a Ferris wheel and carousel, mini-golf, bowling, ropes courses, and more.
Wilderness at the Smokies - Sevierville, Tennessee
Nestled in the Great Smoky Mountain foothills, Wilderness at the Smokies includes three huge water parks, one indoors and two outdoors. Some of the notable features outside include inner-tube slides, 150-foot water slides, a wave pool, and a vertical drop water ride. Inside you’ll find some of the most impressive, including a 450-foot-long enclosed looping waterslide, a 5-story-high rafting ride, a massive wave pool, and a surf rider. The property also has a mini-golf course, bowling alley, large arcade, multi-level laser tag arena, ropes course, and a climbing wall. Rooms are mountain-themed and were designed for families with Murphy beds and bunk beds. Most have a wet bar or kitchenette, and all have coffeemakers, microwaves, and mini-fridges.
Fodele Beach & Waterpark Resort – Crete, Greece
If you’re thinking about a family vacation to Crete, you might want to consider spending at least part of your stay at Fodele Beach & Waterpark Resort. It sits right on the beach and boasts a fantastic water park that sits just up the hill, accessed via a small “train.” There are also two outdoor pools, a kids’ pool, a covered outdoor pool, and a variety of water sports on offer. Guests can also play mini-golf and archery. The kids’ club for ages four through 12 is sure to please the younger ones while providing some alone time for parents. There are three restaurants with terraces, snack bars, poolside and beach bars, with meals and drinks included in the rates. All rooms and suites have flat-screen TVs, balconies or terraces. Some provide direct pool access or even private pools.
Paradise Costa Taurito & Aqua Park – Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Grand Canary Islands
Offering something for everyone, this hotel is just steps to the beach and includes two pools, one large pool with a pirate ship and slides, plus a kids pool. Mini-golf, bocce ball, and a bowling alley can all be enjoyed on-site, and there’s a kids’ club for younger ones four through 12, allowing the adults to enjoy pampering at the spa, complete with a steam room, sauna, whirlpool, and menu of massages. The daily entertainment program hosts everything from morning fitness activities to evening shows, while dining includes a buffet restaurant and poolside snack bar. All rooms have mini-fridges, flat-screen TVs, and balconies with partial ocean views.
Sheraton Fallsview - Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
If you want to combine a bucket-list trip to see Niagara Falls with some water fun, Sheraton Fallsview is sure to please. A family favorite, not only will you be able to see the famous cascades from your bed if you book a room with a view, but the hotel is connected to Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. It features huge six-story waterslides, a full-sized wave pool, a plunge bowl, and a children’s play area. There are two oversized adult-only Jacuzzis and a full-service spa, fine-dining and buffet restaurants, and outdoor pools too.
