Looking for the best waterparks in Florida?
Floridians will tell you that their land is famous for many things; beautiful sun, sandy beaches, and of course, the heat. What better way to beat the heat than with a visit to one of the many waterparks that cover the sunshine state?
Whether it is the magnanimous Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando, the intriguing Adventure Island in Tampa, or Disney’s famous Typhoon Lagoon, there is always a way to cool off with your significant other or the entire family. To help, we’ve compiled a list of the 14 best waterparks in Florida.
14 Best Waterparks in Florida You Should Visit This Summer
1. Universal’s Volcano Bay
One of the first attractions you’ll run into at Universal’s Volcano Bay is, of course, the volcano itself, Krakatau! Rising twenty stories above the wave pool at Waturi Beach, Krakatau is both intimidating and magnanimous. If that wasn’t enough, there is actually a water coaster that weaves its way through Krakatau, aptly named the Krakatau Aqua Coaster where you and your loved ones will be treated to an endless number of drops, turns and dips for what seems like an eternity of blissful excitement!
For even more intensity, drop in on the Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slide which drops you straight down. And after you’ve survived Serpentine, you can take things back a notch Kopiko Wai Winding River or pull up a table for some refreshments at the Dancing Dragons Boat Bar, Waturi Marketplace or Krakatoa Katy’s just to name a few.
And for the little ones, there is the Tot Tiki Reef where they will enjoy the smaller water slides, pools and have the opportunity to shoot water from the water cannons mounted throughout the attraction. And when it’s time to wind down for a bit, retreat to one of the many single or family cabanas where you’ll enjoy relaxation and privacy. One of the best florida water parks.
2. Island H2O, Kissimmee Florida
In what Island H2O labels their “Max Thrill Level,” we start off with the “Live Streaming” drop body slide. One minute you’re standing on a platform, the next you are freefalling from great heights into the water below. The circle raft of the “Hashtag Heights Boomerang” takes you and your friends through an array of dips, spins, drops and turns.
Next on the list, the “Profile Plunge”, a tube slide that guides you on a steep dive down a long open tube at break neck speeds. Afterwards, check out “Follow Me Falls” which will find you and a friend on a raft down a slope full of surprises. In the “moderate thrill ride” section, we have “Reply Racers” where you and five friends can race side by side down a steep slope and the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finishers actually win points that are redeemable towards food and drink in the park!
And for the little ones, there is the “Youth Splash Zone” which houses a wide array of small to medium sized slides along with a giant water bucket crashing gallons upon gallons upon all. Feeling wiped out from all the fun? Take a load off in one of the cabanas where you’ll enjoy a private area for your relaxation and refreshments.
- See more: Orlando hotels with waterparks
3. Adventure Island, Tampa
To start your day off right, hit up “Rapids Racer”, the two-person raft experience where you get to race against your friends in the next tube! If you want that night club feel, check out “Wahoo Remix”, the unique slide that incorporates synchronized lights and sound as you fly down the course.
Then there is Solar Vortex which is billed as the first “dual tailspin” slide in the United States. And if that wasn’t enough, then maybe the infamous “Vanish Point” and it’s “drop out floor” will satisfy your need for adrenaline. The surf’s always up so get ready to shred in the breathtaking, 17,000 square foot wave pool with swells coming in every five minutes.
For the little kids, the scaled down slides of Fabian’s Fun Port, Splash Attack and Paradise Lagoon will do the trick. Need to recharge those batteries, grab a bite to eat at Hang Ten Tiki Bar, Surfside Café or Mango Joe’s for your chicken and BBQ pork sandwiches along with those quenching frozen cocktails.
Looking for just a quick hot dog and coke? Cruise on over to the Island Food Truck where you can take a load off before heading back out for more adventures!
4. Aquatica, Orlando
While there are many exciting water parks on the list, Aquatica in Orlando may just stand out above the rest. From its thrilling “Reef Plunge”, the enclosed slide that actually takes you under water and through a reef where you’ll spy the local wildlife, to “KareKare” Curl and Ray Rush which push you up the side of a hill only do fall weightlessly back down, Aquatica was designed to challenge your every fear in the name of good fun.
Don’t forget “Riptide Race” where you get to race against your friends and family to see who is king of the slide along with “Cutback Cover” and “Big Surf” which allow you to experience the big waves side by side! And if all of that wasn’t enough, there is the death defying “Ihu’s Breakaway Falls” which drops you in a standing position stories and stories down until you come crashing into the waiting pool below. For a calmer sense of excitement, take advantage of the two wave pools and if you just need a break from it all, then feel free to lounge in one of the cabanas or pull up a chair poolside.
For the little ones, there is “Kata’s Kookaburra Cove” which is chock full of slides and rides like the “Zippity Zappity,” the “Slider Rider” and the “Racer Chaser”, all geared towards that little crowd that is just learning to get their feet wet.
5. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Lake Buena Vista
To begin, there is the “Crush ‘n’ Gusher” water coaster that carries you and your raft through a plethora of tunnels and openings before dropping you into a lagoon. “Gangplank Falls” is an experience that carries you and your friends through a myriad of caves and rocks for that authentic “whitewater rafting experience”. There is also “Typhoon Lagoon”, the largest wave/surf pool in North America where you’ll experience everything from small waves to six-foot swells.
There is the “Humunga Kowabuga,” a crazy water slide that drops you from around ten stories up and into the lagoon below. “Keelhaul Falls”, a fairly mild open air tube ride that carries you down a variety of twist and turns along a route surrounded by rocks. In line with “Keelhaul Falls” is “Mayday Falls,” a similar experience but at a much more rapid speed.
For you little guys and gals, there is “Ketchakidee Creek” complete with smaller water slides, a wave pool, and even climbing areas, all of which is separated from the main park. There are also a plethora of food options including the staples like hot dogs and hamburgers all the way to Jerk chicken and fish tacos. There is even a fully vegan option. You can even get some scrumptious donuts if you’ve got the hankering and don’t forget the chocolate shakes!
6. LEGOLAND Florida Water Park, Winter Park
Legoland, located in central Florida, is one of those all-inclusive resorts with a hotel on site, roller coasters, plenty of eateries and of course shopping. But one of the busiest attractions in this theme park is, of course, the water park. Feel free to pick a slide, any
slide. There is “Riptide Racers,” a long stretch of six, “side by side” slides for the ultimate race! Feeling really adventurous, then take yourself over to “Splashout” where you will drop from a height of 60 feet down to the waiting splash pool below!
If these are a bit much, you might want to consider the Legoland wave pool or the stretched out lazy river where you can wind down and relax as you slowly glide along. Parents, you need a break but want to keep an eye on your little ones?
Feel free to lounge in any of the many, fully extendable chairs and laugh as they get a drenching from the “Joker Soaker”, as he tips over the giant yellow bucket of water from above. Stomach grumbling? Check out the “Beach Street Tacos” where you can choose from barbacoa, carnitas, ground beef or plant-based chorizo. If you’d like your traditional burger, fries and a coke, look into the “Beach n Brick Grill”.
7. Sun Splash family water park
Upon arrival at the Sun Splash family water park, the first thing you’ll see is the triple threat of water slides, the “Terror Tube”, “Thunder Bump” and “X-Cellerator”. These are not just any water slides, they are “straight drop” slides from roughly ten-stories up.
If that is a bit intimidating for you, then there is the groovy green “Electric Slide,” snaking its way down through a multitude of turns and drops for an incredible 427 feet of excitement. Follow this up with “Cape Fear,” an all-black enclosed slide that gives the impression that you’re sliding “in the dark”. There is the “Sand Dollar Walk” which gives younger kids the chance to try and walk across water on floating sand dollars while holding onto a net above.
Once your little ones have made it across the Sand Dollar Walk, they can race each other on “Pro Racers” a kinder, gentler side by side racing slide. Of course, all this action will create quite the appetite which will quickly be satisfied with a variety of food options for your comfort or better yet, reserve your own private cabana for the day and enjoy wait service ready to bring you your food and drink with a smile!
8. Big Kahuna’s Water and Adventure Park
If you ever find yourself down in the beautiful gulf area of Destin, Florida, make sure you stop in at Big Kahuna’s Water and Adventure Park. Start your day off right with a tumble down the 5-story “Jumanji” water slide. Afterwards, hit up the “Kowabunga Racer” where you’ll face off, side by side with the opportunity to win the big prize.
If you still feel the need to race, head on over to the “Hammerhead” where you and your friend will begin with a twist and then straighten out for the final stretch. “Maui Pipeline” water slide lets you drop from great heights almost as if you were flying! For those surfers in your family, take on the artificial wave at the “Honolulu Half Pipe” where you’ll get the opportunity to “shred” like no other! And for those younger ones coming to Big Kahuna, the “Piranha,” “Blue Mamba,” “Tahiti Twister” & “Hydro Max” are all available for their enjoyment.
They also have an enormous wave pool so you can practice your body surfing, and a lazy river in case you just want to be lazy. If you need to dry off for a while, take s a ride on the “SkyCoaster,” or if you really want to enjoy some competitive yet relaxing time with your friends and family, hit the lynx with a round of miniature golf!
9. Discovery Cove
Wait, you’ve had your fill of exciting water coasters and 10-story drops? Maybe it’s time for a different kind of waterpark, one where you still get wet, but you do so with the wildlife. When you book a trip to Discovery Cove in Orlando, you’re booking a real-life encounter with dolphins and sharks!
You’ll get an opportunity to snorkel with the fish and swim alongside the rays. You’ll not only see the wide variety of tropical birds in the area, you’ll actually hand-feed them! And you’ll be treated to Discovery Cove’s famous close animal enclosures. And of course, there is still that lazy river that everyone enjoys so much. And as this is an “all-inclusive” resort, you’ll be treated to as much food and drink as you can handle.
Stop by the resort’s “Laguna Grill” morning noon and night to find scrambled eggs and French toast, Caribbean Spiced Salmon and Grilled Churrasco Steak, and for dessert of course, New York Styled Cheesecake and Chocolate Decadent Cake.
Worried about getting sun-burned, don’t be as there is an unlimited amount of sunblock dispensaries throughout the resort for your convenience. Need to take a load off? Feel free to relax along the white sand beaches or maybe choose one of the tropical lagoons.
10. Rapids Water Park
Looking for a mix of thrill rides, family rides, and kids rides? Look no further than Rapids Water Park in River Beach Florida.
There is the intimidating “Big Thunder” that drops you into a vortex funnel. “Brain Drain,” an adrenaline inducing, free-fall where you go from standing on the platform one minute to freefalling six stories the next. Want that surfer experience? Check out “FlowRider,” the never-ending wave that lets you ride like the pros. After “FlowRider,” check out the never ending twists, turns and drops of “Pirates Plunge”. Feeling competitive? You and your friends must hit up “Rapids Racer” where you’ll fly down, side by side, in a race to the finish.
Want an easier pace, then visit the more family friendly slides like “Big Red” as you and your family slide down a chute and into a massive bowl where you’ll spin around until splashing into the pool below. And don’t forget “Raging Rapids” where you and your loved ones will man a circular raft through an expanse of loops and drops. If that wasn’t enough, there is “Riptide Rafting” which carries you and your family through the best white water rafting experience of your lives!
And for the kiddies, there is “Alligator Alley” which lets your tikes try their luck at crossing a pool by walking on top of alligator like steps. Follow this up with a visit to “Barefooting Bay” where your little ones navigate through a scaled down jungle gym with smaller slides and splashing water above.
11. Adventure Landing, Jacksonville Beach Florida
Upon arrival at Adventure Landing, the first attraction to head to is “The Rage,” an exhilarating water coaster that propels you through a maze of twists, turns and tunnels at heart pounding speed! If you dare, you can take on the “The Hydro Half-Pipe;” (imagine those half-pipes the Olympic snowboarders use, add water and you’re there)!
Follow this up with either “The Eye of the Storm” or “The Undertow”. And don’t forget the 500,000 gallons of water in the wave pool extraordinaire where you’ll enjoy 3–4-foot waves to paddle along with. For the younger crowd, take advantage of “Splash Cove” with two smaller water slides or the “Pirate’s Play Village” where children can choose from the enclosed “Cannonball Burst” slide and it’s 360 turns, the open air “Black Beard’s Revenge”, Pirates Plunge with its 360 loops and for the very little ones, there is the Junior Jolly waterslide and the “Sea Pups Racer”.
And of course, you can relax in the comfort of your inner tube as you lazily make your way around the “Lil’ St. John’s River”. You can even book your very own birthday party where you’ll receive adult passes to the park, and a private party table with a “trained party captain” to take care of your every need. Looking for some time out of the water, you can always hit up the miniature golf lynx, laser tag, the “Wacky Worm” roller coaster, or even the batting cages!
12. Sun n Fun Lagoon
If you are looking for a more laid-back water park experience without the large crowds and endless walking, then the “Sun N Fun Lagoon” may be the answer for you. While many of the larger waterparks are spread across a wide expanse of land, the Sun N Fun Lagoon is a much cozier setting.
It still has many of the same attractions as the bigger parks, but on a smaller scale. There is the “Sting Ray” waterslide which will drop you from a seven-story height through turn after turn after turn before it splashes you into the waiting pool below. There is a very chill “lazy river” for you to traverse at a leisurely pace, providing you the opportunity to relax and soak up the rays.
And there are the more traditional swimming pools, four in all with one that comes with high diving boards if you dare. There is also “lily pad” hopping and a “tadpole pool” where the little tikes can bump around to their hearts content. If all this fun is making you hungry, stop by the snack bar for traditional food fare such as hot dogs and hamburgers and take it all back to your lounging spot underneath the huge umbrellas!
13. Shipwreck Island Waterpark
“The Great Shipwreck”, AKA the “Zip from the Ship” makes this water park stand out from the rest on this list. This is not the average ride where you slide down a barrel on an inner tube, on “Zip from the Ship”, you hold onto a zip line from the top of the ship, zip your way down over the pool, and then let go for the ultimate in a free-falling experience.
Once you’re done freefalling, move onto “Rapid River Run” and “Zoom Flume” where your little ones will traverse a long and winding medium tempo slide. Looking for that white water rapids experience, look no further than “Raging Rapids”!
Whether you are by yourself in a single person inner tube, or with the whole family in a large circular raft, you’ll have a blast navigating the “Raging Rapids”! “Tree Top Drop” is yet another “free-fall” experience where you drop at a steep grade from a great height!
And of course, the younger ones can navigate their way around “Tadpole Hole”, where they will find a variety of smaller slides and pools. To satisfy your hunger, you can make a pit stop for some old-school burgers and fries at the Shipwreck Island Grill.
14. Coco Key Water Resort, Orlando Florida
Coco Key is not just a typical water park because a visit here includes so much more. Coco Key comes with many of the exciting rides and pools as the others on this list (14 slides in all in addition to an area with smaller slides and pools for the tikes in the family), but there is also a convenience factor to take into account.
The water park and the hotel are all on the same grounds so you can jump down to the wet and wild fun right after breakfast knowing that, if you need to take a break and relax, your hotel room is only steps away. And if you want to experience some fun out of the water, there is a six and a half thousand feet arcade at your disposal!
Getting hungry, the Tradewinds Restaurant and Callaloo Grill Food Court will take care of that? And lastly, the Coco Key Water Resort is right in the heart of Orlando making it a breeze to hop on over to Disney World, Universal, or Sea world. This water park resort also has a variety of packages available for those looking to celebrate a birthday, family reunions and much, much more!
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