Wet and Wild Fun at Illinois Water Parks

When the mercury rises, water parks offer a fun way to cool down. Among the bigger water parks in Illinois are Raging Waves, which is located near Chicago, Raging Rivers in Grafton (it would appear that there is a lot of "raging" going on in the state), and Hurricane Harbor, the water park that is located at Six Flags Great America and is included with admission to the theme park.

There are also some indoor water parks in the state that are open all year long, including Great Wolf Lodge and Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Resort. To find more ways to get wet regardless of the weather, check out our complete listings of Illinois indoor water parks.

Illinois water parks are arranged alphabetically.

Collinsville Aqua Park in Collinsville

A small, municipal, outdoor water park, Collinsville Aqua Park includes a lazy river, seven water slides including body and inner tube slides, a zero-depth-entry activity pool with a lily pad walk and a splash pad for younger children, the Monsoon Mountain interactive water play structure with a dump bucket, and a lap pool.

Cypress Cove in Woodridge

Cypress Cove is a small, municipal, outdoor water park that includes a lazy river, water slides, a sprayground, and a zero-depth pool. The park also offers swimming lessons and other aquatic classes as well as lap swimming.

Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee

Part of the Great Wolf indoor water park resort chain, the Illinois location offers the same woodlands theme as its other resorts. Attractions at the medium-sized park include a family raft ride, body and tube slides, a lazy river, and a large interactive water play structure with a tipping bucket. The park is only open to registered hotel guests. Other activities include mini-golf, a climbing wall, a "dry" adventure park, an arcade, bowling, and a ropes course.

Grizzly Jack's Grand Bear Falls Indoor Waterpark in Utica

Grizzly Jack’s Grand Bear Resort offers the Grand Bear Falls indoor water park, which is open to registered hotel guests as well as the general public on certain days. Attractions at he park, which is fairly small, include a motion and sound adventure waterslide, a lazy river, a wave pool, an interactive water play structure, a tot pool, and other body and tube slides. The resort also offers an indoor amusement park with a rock wall, a zip line, an arcade, and other things to do

Knight's Action Park and Splash Kingdom in Springfield

The Splash Kingdom water park offers eight water slides, a wave pool, and a lazy river. The amusement park includes mini-golf, go-karts, a Ferris wheel, batting cages, a driving range, and an arcade.

Itasca Caribbean Waterpark in Itasca

Run by Itasca’s parks department, the small, municipal, outdoor water park includes a150-foot water slide, interactive water play equipment, and a sand play area.

Magic Waters in Rockford

Magic Waters is a large, outdoor water park with speed slides, tube and body slides, a play area for young children, an interactive water playground, a lazy river, and a huge wave pool. 

Mystic Waters in Des Plaines

A small, municipal, outdoor water park, Mystic Waters features a zero-depth pool, body slides, tube slides, lazy river, and beach volleyball.

Paradise Bay Water Park in Lombard

A small, municipal, outdoor water park, Paradise Bay’ attractions include a body slide, a speed slide, a bowl slide, an activity pool with fountains and sprayers, the Turtle Cove zero-depth-entry pool and a lap pool.

Pelican Harbor in Bolingbrook

Pelican Harbor is a small, municipal, outdoor water park with a lazy river, water slides, a diving well, a zero-depth pool, beach volleyball, and an activity pool.

Phillips Park and Splash Country in Aurora

Another small, municipal, outdoor water park, Splash Country offers pools, water slides, sand volleyball, and other activities.

Raging Rivers in Grafton

A medium-sized outdoor water park, Raging Rivers features a wave pool, lazy river, water slides, and attractions for young children.

Raging Waves Waterpark in Yorkville

Raging Waves is a huge outdoor water park with many slides including a bowl ride, a family raft ride, and speed slides, along with a wave pool, a lazy river, an interactive play area for kids, and more. New for 2021, the park is introducing Aussie Mat Dash, a six-lane mat-racing slide. Passengers will twist and turn in enclosed tubes as they make their way to the finish line.

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago in Gurnee

Hurricane Harbor is a huge outdoor water park. Attractions include launch capsule slides, a funnel ride, a surfing ride with simulated waves, a mat racing slide, speed slides, a family raft ride, and more. Hurricane Harbor is adjacent to Six Flags Great America, but requires a separate fee. In 2021, Hurricane Harbor will be debuting Tsunami Surge, the world’s tallest water coaster. Passengers will soar up to 86 feet and hit a top speed of 28 mph.

Splash City in Collinsville

Splash City is a small, municipal, outdoor water park with slides, a pool, and a kids' area.

Splash Station in Joliet

Splash Station is a small, railroad-themed, outdoor water park. Attractions include a mat racing slide, body and tube slides, a lazy river, and a water play center.

White Water Canyon in Tinley Park

A small, municipal park operated by the town’s park district, White Water Canyon offers a large pool with an interactive children’s play area and a small drop slide, a lazy river, a sprayground with lots of ways to get wet, and a tower with two tube slides.