Indoor Water Parks for Families in Pennsylvania

H20ooohh! Indoor Family Water Park — Lake Harmony

This family water park is particularly great for adventure seekers. Popular attractions include Pennsylvania’s first indoor flowrider as well as three four-story slides. Families looking to take it easy can enjoy the wave pool, and younger children can splash and explore in the activity pool and Leapin' Lillypad play areas. The water park is adjacent to Split Rock Resort, but day passes are available on Fridays from 4 to 8 pm. This spot is the most fun for kids 12 and younger and moderately enjoyable for kids 13 and older.

The Splashdown Safari at Kalahari Resorts indoor water park features a zero-entry pool and large climbing structures.

Kalahari Resorts — Pocono Manor

Known as America's largest water park, Kalahari Resorts has 220,000 square feet of fun. It features a sweeping park full of slides, tubing adventures, and even its own indoor surfing and body boarding experience. While thrill seekers can test their bravery on the Anaconda water roller coaster, younger guests have plenty of fantastic options for water play in the Splashdown Safari, complete with zero-depth entry pools, net crawls, and interactive water fun. While Kalahari is a wonderful option for the coldest days, it's also great during the summer months, when guests can take full advantage of Kalahari’s retractable roof to bask in the sunshine. Note: Purchasing day passes online is the only way to guarantee admission. 

Woodloch Resort's indoor water park isn't huge, but it offers big-time fun.

Woodloch Resort — Hawley

Woodloch's Splash Zone is one of the smaller indoor water parks on this list. Open only to those who stay at the all-inclusive resort, the Splash Zone is perfect for families with younger children and is a great complement to the many outdoor winter activities Woodloch offers. It houses a double-corkscrew slide, a water tower that douses revelers with 300 gallons of water every few minutes, and a splash area featuring fountains and sprayers. There's also a kiddie splash pool for the little ones to enjoy. Children who go on the slide must be able to swim without a flotation device.

Aquatopia at Camelback Resort — Tannersville

Aquatopia is one of the largest water parks at more than 125,000 square feet. Daring older kids (and parents) can test their mettle on the aptly named Skydive Plummet, which is one of more than a dozen kinds of slides you can find at the park; others include mat slides, bowl slides, body slides, and even aqua launch capsule slides. For the little ones, there are kiddie slides and a zero-depth entry pool at the Penguin Play Bay. Families can also delight in the gigantic wave pool that’s so real, you’ll feel like you’re at the beach. The waterpark is open only to hotel guests. Camelback, which we've visited several times, offers year-round fun, including skiing and tubing, and an outdoor water park for the summer.

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Take the plunge with a ride on the Hydro Plunge at Great Wolf Lodge.

Great Wolf Lodge — Scotrun

This family-friendly water park is a favorite among the well-known indoor water parks, and it’s not hard to see why. Kids of all ages have seemingly unlimited options, from slide boarding and tube slides to aquatic roller coasters with a 40-foot drop. Families looking to relax can also float along the lazy river or have pint-sized fun on the mini slides and geysers at the Cub Paw Pool. There are also lots of options for kids after they dry off, including storytime, puppet shows, character appearances throughout the park, a scaled-down bowling alley, and an arcade. Stay at the hotel or grab a day pass to visit this water park. There's also a brand new Great Wolf Lodge nearby in Perryville, MD.

 Big Kahuna's Indoor & Outdoor Water Park has a raft slide that kids can enjoy! 

Indoor Water Parks for Families in New Jersey

Big Kahuna's Indoor & Outdoor Water Park — West Berlin

Clocking in at more than 60,000 square feet, Big Kahuna's is one of the largest indoor water parks in New Jersey. While the typical attractions are here, such as a lazy river and a family raft ride, there also are unique offerings such as The Flow Rider, an indoor surfing simulator, and attractions such as the Aqua Arena. Kids of all ages will love racing on the body slides, mastering the challenging obstacle courses of Komodo Crossing, and even slam-dunking basketballs in the pool. There are lots of options just for little ones, too, including the Little Lizard Landing, which is perfect for toddlers. 

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Hit the Biosphere Pool Complex at Crystal Springs Resort for a taste of the tropics.

Resort Pool Complex at Crystal Springs Resort — Hamburg

Billed as the resort’s “architectural and amenity focal point," the Biosphere pool is a 10,000-square-foot tropical indoor pool complex. The Biosphere has a 140-foot water slide, grotto-like jacuzzis, and even an underground aquarium. Waterfalls and lush foliage transport families to a true tropical state of mind. If you're missing the sun, this is the place for you: the Biosphere's special roof allows nearly 100% light transmission, so be sure to pack your sunscreen. The Mineral Pool Complex has an underground aquarium, waterfall screened cave, and beautiful views of the mountains.

Live the island life for a day at Island Waterpark in Atlantic City. 

Island Waterpark — Atlantic City

Located in Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, Island Waterpark offers fun for the whole family. Check out slide island, the wave flowrider, and the lazy river, or dry off and enjoy the arcade! Bring the grandparents to watch the kids and head to the 21+ Paradise Adult Island to enjoy the swim-up bar and the bliss pool. In the summer months, the retractable roof lets in the warm summer breeze!

DreamWorks Water Park at American Dream — East Rutherford

This theme park in northern New Jersey has so much to offer families and kids of all ages. To start, the water park is open year round and is actually the largest one in North America. Visitors can expect Nickelodeon-themed attractions, a wave pool, lazy river, slides, hot tubs, sky box suites, and poolside cabanas. In addition to the water park, guests can enjoy the indoor theme park with roller coasters and rides, as well as an indoor snow park featuring skiing and snowboarding, an ice rink, shops, and restaurants. With so many options, there is no way to be bored at this kid paradise.

Indoor Water Parks for Families in New York

Six Flags Great Escape Lodge — Queensbury

White Water Bay is the indoor water park housed at this mountain lodge. Access is included with a stay at the hotel. Day passes can also be purchased. While families can float leisurely along the lazy river, those looking for a faster pace will take pleasure in the whitewater rafting experience or hang 10 while trying their hand at surfing. An aquatic treehouse is a real treat for kids of all sizes, and there are plenty of slides and pools for water play of all kinds. At Tip-A-Kanu Beach, tots can swing in baby swings and wade in shallow pools complete with wildlife-themed fountains. 

Cascades at Greek Peak Mountain Resort — Cortland

The first indoor water park in the Finger Lakes Region, Cascades is attached to Hope Lake Lodge, a luxurious “green” hotel with panoramic views of the area. Priding itself on a spacious wave pool and two-story tube slide, Cascades also features Big and Little Bear Falls, where kids of all ages will love splashing and exploring, and the Cove, a 22,000-gallon, 1,000-square-foot area designed for shooting hoops. Meanwhile, parents can enjoy Hot Springs, indoor/outdoor hot tubs fitted with hydrotherapy jets that are perfect for unwinding after a day of fun. 

Rocking Horse Ranch — Highland

It's always 85 degrees at Rocking Horse Ranch. This large indoor water park is part of an all-inclusive Hudson Valley resort that also features a true ranch, complete with horseback riding year-round. Big kids find thrills and chills on Gold Rush, a 250-foot-long Golden Flume Water Slide as well as Dynamite Alley Water Walk Challenge. Preschoolers aren't left out either, with smaller slides, fountains, and aqua stations aplenty. Kids can also enjoy fun beyond the water park with bounce houses, entertainment characters, and an arcade.

This post was originally published in 2017. Writer Kristen Sullivan contributed to this 2020 update, and writer Alyce Wilson contributed to a 2024 update.

Photos courtesy of the resorts/water parks