The Best Water Parks in Pennsylvania

Aquatopia at Camelback Mountain in Tannersville

One of the major indoor water parks in the Poconos, Aquatopia is located at Camelback Mountain Resort (which also offers an outdoor water park, Camelbeach, as well as downhill skiing). Among its many features is a FlowRider surfing attraction, an adventure river, an interactive play structure with a tipping bucket, a wave pool, tube slides, body slides, and kiddie slides. You could indulge in some aprés-surfing beverages at the park’s swim-up bar. Aquatopia is included with room rates to the Camelback Lodge and is for the exclusive use of hotel guests.

Camelbeach in Tannersville

In addition to year-round fun at Aquatopia, Camelback Mountain Resort also offers the huge outdoor water park, Camelbeach. Activities include the Triple Venom speed slides, the mat racing slide, Checkered Flag Challenge, the twin water park bowl rides, Vortex and Spin Cycle, and the FlowRider surfing attraction. Among other features is a wave pool, lazy river, two water play structures, and "dry" activities such as a climbing wall and bungee-jumping.

Carousel Water & Fun Park

Carousel Water & Fun Park is a small family entertainment center with a variety of activities. The outdoor water park attractions include water slides and a wading pool with things to do for young children. The "dry" attractions include mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats, a snack bar, and an arcade.

Conneaut Lake Park's Splash City

Primarily a traditional amusement park, Splash City is included with admission to Conneaut Lake Park. The outdoor water park activities include a lazy river, water slides, and a sandy beach. Connie Otter's Kiddie Cove offers mini slides and other fun for young children.

Costa's Family Fun Park in Hawley

Located in the Pocono Mountains, Costa’s is more than just a mini outdoor water park. In addition to its water slides, the family entertainment center also offers go-karts, mini-golf, laser tag, bumper boats, batting cages, and gem mining. There are only a couple of slides, so it's a bit of a stretch to call. it a “water park.” While there are no water activities designed for very young children, there is a play area with playground equipment and pedal go-karts.

DelGrosso's Park and Laguna Splash in Tipton

The outdoor water park, Laguna Splash, is included with admission to DelGrosso's amusement park. The medium-sized park includes an activity pool, a tipping bucket, speed slides and other water slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool. The amusement park offers the Crazy Mouse coaster, the X-Scream drop tower, and traditional rides such as Dodgems and a Tilt-A-Whirl.

Dorney Park's Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown

Dorney Park includes its Wildwater Kingdom outdoor water park with admission to the amusement park. The medium-sized park includes a lazy river, speed slides, a wave pool, a family raft ride, a mat-racing slide, a play area for younger children, tube and body slides, and the Island Water Works water play center.

Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains in Scotrun

Another one of the large indoor water park resorts in the Poconos, the Great Wolf Lodge is part of a large chain of resorts. Like the other locations, it features a woodlands theme and loads of activities, both in the water park and throughout the resort. The water park is included with hotel rates and is only open to registered guests.

Water park attractions include the Hydro Plunge uphill water coaster, The Double Barrel Drop, a two-person raft slide with a mini bowl and lighting effects, the Coyote Canyon bowl ride, the river Canyon Run family raft ride, the Slap Tail Pond wave pool, and more. Dry features include a ropes course, a MagiQuest interactive adventure, Ten Paw Alley bowling, Howl at the Moon mini-golf.

Hersheypark’s The Boardwalk in Hershey

The Boardwalk in Hershey is another water park that is part of a theme park: one admission includes access to the coasters and other dry rides as well as the outdoor water park. Attractions include the Breakers Edge uphill water coaster, the Whitecap Racer multi-lane slide, The Shore wave pool, the Intercoastal Waterway lazy river, the Waverider surfing ride, the Coastline Plunge tube slides, and the East Coast Waterworks interactive water play structure.

Idlewild’s SoakZone in Ligonier

Idlewild is a classic amusement park that is designed for young children and their families. Its outdoor water park, SoakZone, is included with admission. Activities include the Wowabunga Family Wave Pool, a tipping bucket, the Pipeline Plunge tube slides, the Float Away Bay lazy river, the Hydro Racers mat slides, and the Little Squirts play area for tykes.

Kalahari Pocono Mountains in Pocono Manor

The African-themed Kalahari is the largest of the mega indoor water park resorts in the Poconos (and at 220,000 square feet, one of the largest indoor water parks in the world). Unlike Aquatopia and Great Wolf Lodge, its water park is open to the general public who can purchase day passes. For resort guests, the water park is included with room rates.

Water park attractions include The Smoke that Thunders funnel ride, the Wild Wildebeest family raft ride, a wave pool, the Barrelling Baboon mini-funnels ride, the Cheetah Race multi-lane racing slide, a FlowRider surfing ride, and many more. Dry features include mini-golf, a ropes course, and zip lines.

In 2021, Kalahari introduced the first virtual reality water slide in the U.S. Goggle-wearing passengers can choose to experience an African safari, a castle with fire-breathing dragons, or an alien encounter as they navigate the ride aboard an inner tube.

Sandcastle in Pittsburgh

Sandcastle is a major, outdoor water park with a load of attractions, including a 1/4-mile lazy river, a 20,000-square-foot wave pool, the Lightning Express speed slides, the Dragon’s Den bowl slide, and 14 other water slides. The Mushroom Pool offers a cool place to hang out. For younger visitors, there is Wet Willie's Water Works and the Tad Pool, two water play areas.

For 2022, Sandcastle will be debuting Bombs Away, a a new water slide. Passengers will enter a launch chamber and be released through a trap door into an enclosed tube for a near freefall. They will then experience a high-speed inverted loop before exiting into a splashdown pool.

Sesame Place in Langhorne

As with the rest of Sesame Place, the outdoor water park attractions (which are included with general admission) are all relatively mild, with many of them geared to younger children. Activities include the Sky Splash family raft ride, Big Bird's Rambling River, the Sesame Streak, Bert & Ernie's Slip & Slid, and Slippery Slopes water slides, The Count's Splash Castle interactive water play structure, and a wave pool. Dry attractions include shows and rides such as Oscar's Wacky Taxi Roller Coaster and the Sunny Day Carousel.

Splash Lagoon in Erie

A major indoor water park, Splash Lagoon offers a multitude of attractions, including a family raft ride, a wave pool, a lazy river, two bowl slides, a tipping bucket, the Tiki Tree House interactive water play center, and activities for younger children. Dry attractions include lazer tag, an arcade, and a tree tops ropes course. Day passes are available as are packages with nearby hotels.

Split Rock Resort’s H20ooohh! Water Park in Lake Harmony

 H20ooohh! is a medium-sized indoor water park at Split Rock Resort in the Pocono Mountains. Although it is not a s big as other nearby parks, it does include plenty of things to do, including the Komodo Dragon surfing ride, a large wave pool, a family raft ride, hot tubs, kiddie play areas, and lots of water slides. Other amenities at the 500-room resort include golf, a movie theater, restaurants, bowling lanes, arcade, conference facilities, and mini-golf.

Waldameer’s Water World in Erie

The traditional amusement park, Waldameer, also offers Water World, an outdoor water park. Visitors can purchase tickets for the water park alone or a combo ticket that includes both the water park and the amusement park. It is a good-sized park with a double speed slide, a lazy river, an enormous wave pool, the CannonBowl bowl slide, tube and body slides, two hot tubs, the Kidz Zone with activities for younger kids, and the Battle of Lake Erie, a large interactive water play center with a tipping bucket.

WildRiver Waterpark in Entriken

Part of the Lake Raystown Resort, WildRiver is a small outdoor water park. Activities include two water slides, a children’s splash pad, and a play pool. The park also offers an adult pool and a kiddie pool.