Top Outdoor Water Parks in Pennsylvania

1. Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom — Allentown

The best part about Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is you get into both parks for one admission price. Wildwater Kingdom features so many great attractions including Lollipop Lagoon, Wildwater Rapids, Aqua Racer, giant wave pools, serpentine slides, two lazy rivers, and a racing slide. Additionally, Seaside Splashworks was added to the park in 2020 and contains multiple water slides, splash zones, and dozens of beach-themed play features. Some rides are geared towards older kids (with minimum heights of 42 inches or more) while others, like Splash Landing, are geared towards little ones.

2. Sesame Place — Langhorne

Sesame Place is the perfect water park for your little adventurer. Kids love playing on the Count's Splash Castle, riding the Silly Splashy Slides, or catching a wave and riding down the accelerator slides on Elmo's Surf 'n' Slide. The best part is admission gets you into the whole park, so kids can do more than just play in the water.

3. Hersheypark — Hershey

Hersheypark may be better known for its dry rides, but the water park is plenty of fun, too. It includes a wave pool, coaster ride, multiple water slides, a lazy river, and lots of interactive water play attractions. Big kids will love the East Coast Waterworks section, while little ones can enjoy Sandcastle Cove. The 11-acre water park is included in the theme park admission rate. 

4. Camelbeach Mountain Waterpark — Tannersville

This outdoor water park features thrilling attractions, including Sand Storm, a huge funnel tube ride, Triple Venom, a six-story ride with three different high-speed, quick turn, huge drop slides, and Vortex and Spin Cycle, the park's bowl-shaped slides. In 2023, the park opened Rival Racer, a slide with 8 lanes so visitors can race their friends to the bottom. For the summer of 2024, animatronic dinosaurs will come to Camelbeach, in an experience known as Dinobeach. View the dinosaurs and learn facts about them, pose for photos at the photo op locations, and make fossil castings at the Fossil Dig Pit. Add in lots of fun splash and water play areas for kids, a surf simulator, and zip-lining for some dry fun, and the kids will be begging to return. If you're too tired to drive home or want to make a whole vacation out of it, stay at Camelback Lodge, which is also equipped with an indoor water park for guests. 

5. Dutch Wonderland — Lancaster

Called Duke's Lagoon, the water park portion of Dutch Wonderland is a parent's dream and a preschooler's delight. It's not too overwhelming, with many fountains and small slides for little ones, but there are still a few bigger slides to entertain older siblings. Families can rent cabanas and grab food at Sharky's Grill for cool drinks, chicken tenders, and burgers.

6. Kalahari Waterpark — Pocono Mountains

America's largest indoor water park, Kalahari is connected to a hotel with an outdoor pool and arcade. This park features a bodyboarding and surfing wave pool, water coasters and flume rides, a water play area for kids, a separate toddler area with tiny slides and activities, and a basketball pool. Kalahari also has a swim-up bar and whirlpool spas for grown-ups to relax and enjoy while the kids play. There's also a seasonal outdoor pool attached to the water park. Day passes to the water park are available, even if you don't stay overnight at the resort.

7. Great Wolf Lodge — Pocono Mountains & Perryville, MD

For families looking to beat the heat indoors, Great Wolf Lodge offers many attractions. From relaxing hot springs and cabanas to thrilling water slides and wave pools, everyone in the family is sure to enjoy a visit to this destination. In addition to water fun, guests can enjoy a ropes course, bowling, miniature golf, arcade games, and a creation station. For an additional charge, purchase special wands to embark on the MagiQuest live-action game throughout the lodge. The Poconos indoor water park is only accessible to overnight guests of the lodge, while the Perryville location does offer day passes.

Ocean Oasis at Morey's Piers is a tropical thrilling getaway. Photo by Dave Howarth

Best New Jersey and Jersey Shore Water Parks

8. Diggerland's Water Main — West Berlin

This construction-themed amusement park includes The Water Main where guests can enjoy pools, a water obstacle course, slides, a wave pool, a slide tower, and even a toddler splash area. Check out the basketball hoops, too! You can also reserve a cabana ahead of time so the whole family can spread out. Admission to the water park is included in the ticket price for the theme park. In 2024, mermaids will visit on select days for meet-and-greet and photo opportunities.

9. Big Kahuna's — West Berlin

Boasting indoor and outdoor options, this water park, formerly Sahara Sam's Oasis, is perfect for year-round adventures. The indoor area contains lots of unique slides, the state's only surfing simulator, and an adorable toddler area. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the park also offers an outdoor beach area featuring a leisure pool, splash park, and a 12,000-square-foot wave pool. If kids need a break from the water, they can head to the arcade area for even more fun.

10. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor — Jackson

If you like water rides that thrill, Hurricane Harbor is the place for you. Check out the Big Wave Racer, an 1,800-foot slide with lots of steep drops, Cannonball, Wahini, and Jurahnimo Falls, which feature a 75-foot drop, or the Tornado, a 132-foot tunnel. Not into high speeds and big drops? Hurricane Harbor also offers family tube rides and kids' rides. Head over to Calypso Springs to enjoy a 100,000-gallon pool, an erupting geyser, a huge lounge deck, and oversized umbrellas. A new kids' option will debut in 2024: Splash Island, a tree house play structure with over 50 play features including mini slides and curtain waterfalls.

11. The Splashplex — Mt. Laurel and East Hanover

Splashplex features outdoor attractions such as wave pools, slides, and a boardwalk. Reserve a cabana in advance for a shaded area to relax with the family. Get a break from the sun's rays with inside options including bowling, arcade games, and laser tag. Splashplex is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. 

12. OC Waterpark — Ocean City

This beachside water park offers a variety of slides, a lazy river, and even a double tube slide. Take the younger children to Lil' Buc's Bay for more shallow water play with interactive features. If the family needs a break from water activities, play a round of miniature golf. New in 2024, the OC Spray and Play near the park entrance offers interactive surprises for the youngest guests and plenty of seating for parents to watch.

13. Morey's Piers and Water Parks — Wildwood

There are two water parks at Morey's Piers: Raging Waters Water Park is located at the end of Mariner's Pier, while Ocean Oasis Water Park is at Surfside Pier. Check out Shotgun Falls, Rocket Raft Run, the speed slides, and rope swings. Ocean Oasis features an endless river, as well. Younger kids will love the interactive pirate ship and family pool.

14. Breakwater Beach Waterpark at Casino Pier — Seaside Heights

A great place to visit while you're at the shore, Breakwater Beach offers free-fall slides, serpentine slides, a mat race slide with a plunge drop, an interactive multilevel splash play area, and hot tub springs. Yes, hot tub springs. 

15. DreamWorks Water Park at American Dream Mall — East Rutherford

This DreamWorks-themed water park is sure to delight your little ones. With themed water rides featuring characters from Madagascar, Shrek, Trolls, and more, there's a little something for kids big and small at this park. Little adventurers can ride the slides at the Penguin Frozen Fun Zone and thrill seekers will love the Carnivortex, a high G-force experience with a trapdoor capsule that leads into a horizontal loop. Make a whole trip out of it; the complex also features Nickelodeon Universe amusement park and Big Snow, an indoor skiing, sledding, and snowboarding slope. Tickets are sold separately.

16. Island Waterpark at Showboat — Atlantic City

Attractions at Island Waterpark at Showboat include a collection of five waterslides called Slide Island, a lazy river, a surfing wave pool, a sports activity pool with basketball hoops, and some more intense slides for older visitors. Younger kids will enjoy Kids Cove, a pint-sized retreat with interactive water activities, and all ages will marvel at the Blue Cascade Waterfall, one of the largest custom aqua forms in the world.

Writer Alyce Wilson contributed to the 2024 update.