Top 13 hotels in the USA with amazing water parks, from steep water slides and underwater music pools to open-air whirlpools and lazy rivers with waterfalls.
Choosing a hotel for the modern traveler can be baffling: there are so many worthy options that it's impossible to determine the best among them. Most of them will gladly open their doors to you, offering exquisite on-site restaurants, stunning spas, luxurious rooms and service that will make you feel like royalty.
But if you're counting on a fun vacation in the US, immediately look out for those top hotels that can also offer delightful on-site water parks. Incredible slides, "lazy rivers", water rides and stunning pools - this experience will leave incredible memories with every traveler. And just as importantly - at any moment, you can head to your beautiful and comfortable room a few steps away to rest and regain your energy before new adventures.
13 excellent vacation ideas for all ages are collected in this top of the best hotels with water parks in the United States.
1. Gaylord Opryland: Nashville, Tennessee
The stunning Nashville hotel boasts a superb spa and an abundance of restaurants, but its main gem is definitely one of the most unique waterparks to be found in U.S. hotels. SoundWaves is a premier indoor resort attraction that combines luxurious surroundings, exclusive amenities and 111,000 square feet of diverse water activities. You'll find a series of stunning waterslides, whirlpools, surfing waves, a "lazy river" with waterfalls, caves and tunnels, and pools for different ages (including a wave pool and adults-only pool). All of these adventures are accompanied by music and special effects, creating the perfect place for a romantic getaway or a family trip with kids.
2. Hershey Lodge: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Located within the large entertainment resort of Hersheypark, the Hershey Lodge offers guests access to Hershey's Water Works indoor water park. The 30,000-square-foot facility features candy-themed Twizzlers Twists waterslides and Reese's Water Walk rides, as well as a variety of interactive water areas like indoor pools, basketball hoops, an outdoor zero-entry pool, fountains, an outdoor playground and more. The water park is open all year round and hosts a variety of family activities. This resort is often listed as one of the best hotels with water parks for family vacations in Pennsylvania, USA due to its well-thought-out and diverse program of activities for all ages.
3. JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa: San Antonio, Texas
Amidst the stunning rolling hills of Texas lies another of the top U.S. hotels with water parks, owned by the JW Marriott chain. It's a serene spa resort that combines luxury and rustic charm in its decor and ambiance. Its River Bluff Water Experience water park spans nine acres where guests can raft down an 1,100-foot-long "lazy river," relax in an adults-only landscape pool overlooking the Texas Hill Country, ride water slides and swim in several pools. The water park is open year-round, and the temperature in the pools is constantly regulated. There are also outdoor hot tubs and private changing cabins, a children's area with a pool and slides for the youngest guests.
4. Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Cool hotels with waterparks are a great option for family vacations with kids in the US. Wisconsin boasts dozens of waterparks, and Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark is worthy of topping the list. This resort, an hour's drive from Chicago and Milwaukee, is making a splash with the best golf courses in the state, a ski area, an adventure center, excellent restaurants and, of course, a stunning indoor waterpark. It is 50,000 square feet in size and boasts outdoor and indoor areas with 35-foot-high waterslides, a heated pool, hot tubs, a 500+ foot "lazy river" and a children's activity area. The hotel offers spacious cozy one or two bedroom suites with 4 or 6 water park tickets included.
5. The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples: Naples, Florida
The list of amenities at this Naples golf resort is truly impressive: in addition to one of the most luxurious hotels in Florida, USA, two golf courses, a gorgeous spa, it can offer relaxation at The Reservoir, an upscale water park opening in 2021. Guests can ride the water slides or the expansive "lazy river", splash in the pools and then retire to a luxurious private cabana with comfortable chairs, mini fridge with soft drinks, TV and seasonal fruit, or enjoy the sun on lounge chairs by the dreamy pools. There is a special playground for children. After water activities, guests can return to their coastal-inspired rooms and suites.
6. Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Looking at this one of the best waterpark hotels in the United States, it's clear why the Wisconsin Dells is called the "waterpark capital of the world." This chic escape symbolizes the family hotel industry. Its water park is a 70,000+ square foot aquatic space with 9 pools and 13 slides, including a 200-foot slide, a "lazy river," a children's play area, hot tubs and areas with a variety of rides. The complex is open year-round, maintaining a temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Guests are offered standard and themed suites, as well as multi-bedroom condominiums that can accommodate large groups, equipped with balconies or patios. The hotel has a good array of special offers and packages, including those for families.
7. Great Wolf Lodge: Charlotte, North Carolina
After opening an office in Wisconsin Dells, the Great Wolf Lodge chain in the U.S. has added great hotels with waterparks in Kansas City, San Francisco and Concord, North Carolina. The largest 80,000 square foot indoor water park is located near Charlotte and features 11 water slides, 4 pools and a huge interactive 4-story water fort. This resort has everything you need for a family trip, with restaurants to suit all tastes, tons of fun rides and activities for different ages. Accommodation is organized in rooms and spacious suites, and there's something for every type of trip, from a standard suite for a few people to premium rooms and charming themed suites, each carefully designed and originally decorated.
8. The Grove Resort & Water Park: Orlando, Florida
In a location like Orlando, filled with top entertainment centers, it's hard for something to stand out, but The Grove Resort & Water Park has managed to pull it off by presenting the public with one of the most stunning water park hotels in the United States. The resort is located just a few miles from the world famous theme parks of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and Seaworld. The water park has a lot to offer its visitors, including the Flowrider surf simulator, a nearly 700-foot long "lazy river," dual water slides, and pools (including zero-entry and kiddie pools). Admission to the water park is free for all hotel guests. They can stay in suites several times the size of standard hotel rooms, with two or three bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, a separate living room, dining room, and full kitchen.
9. Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa: Kapolei, Hawaii
Because it's the only Disney hotel in Hawaii, its guests can expect a unique and world-class experience, ranking it among the best hotels in the U.S. with stunning water parks. It has the added advantage of a great location: the hotel is on the coast of Oahu, just a couple steps from the beach. But there is plenty of water fun on the territory of the resort. Guests can ride the breathtaking water slides, swim the "lazy river", admire the view from the landscape pool. Children will appreciate the interactive areas with slides and themed structures, or the splash zone reminiscent of a tide pool. Active fun can be alternated with quiet relaxation in the pools away from noisy areas or relaxation in the four outdoor hot tubs while admiring stunning sunsets. Accommodation options at the hotel range from standard rooms and suites to spacious 1-3 bedroom villas.
10. Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
One of the coolest resort hotels with water parks in the United States was inspired by the Great Smoky Mountains in which it is located. Its stunning Wild Bears Falls water park has indoor and outdoor areas with a state-of-the-art sliding roof, allowing it to delight its visitors all year round. It offers several rides for water lovers of different ages to help them create fun memories and have a great time as a family. Guests can leisurely float down the 900-foot "lazy river," slide down the 300-350-foot tubular slides, play basketball in the water, or experience the fun of diving into hot tubs or saunas. Children will especially enjoy the interactive jungle-themed tree house gym.
11. Kalahari: Sandusky, Ohio
The ranking of the best indoor water parks in the Midwestern United States is topped by a representative of a trusted hotel brand with water complexes. This resort is the largest indoor water park in the country. It features outdoor and indoor spas, pools with an edge bar, stunning slides (one of which reaches speeds of over 40 miles per hour), water play areas with slides, lounge chairs, wave simulators for surfing and bodyboarding, water forts for different ages, and so forth. The "highlight" of this water amusement complex is a family attraction on the Victoria Falls raft. The hotel will provide guests with comfortable accommodation in single rooms and suites, 2 and 3 bedroom suites and entertainment villas that can accommodate groups of up to 44 guests. Rates include admission to the water park and access to the fitness center and arcade.
12. Four Seasons Resort Orlando: Orlando, Florida
Few famous Disney World hotels in the United States can match the Four Seasons Resort Orlando entertainment complex with its stunning water park. It leads the hospitality industry in Central Florida, introducing visitors to a brilliant gem, the Explorer Island Waterpark. It spans 5 acres and features a "lazy river" with two sprayers, bubbling rapids and a cascading 9-foot waterfall, a zero-entry family pool and a quiet adult pool with an underwater music system, water slides, splash zones, interactive fountains releasing streams up to 30 feet high, and water play areas. After an active day filled with water activities, guests of the complex can relax in the hotel's stylish rooms and suites.
13. Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance: Anaheim, California
After a busy marathon at Disneyland, it's worth changing things up and relaxing at another one of the best hotels in the U.S. with excellent water parks. The Surfside Theme Waterpark is open year-round and available exclusively to hotel guests. It has 20,000 square feet of space where every visitor will find entertainment to their liking. Fans of speed and steep descents can ride the water slides, including 30-foot water slides. Calm swimming is available in the large family pool, and a separate pool with a beach-style entrance is available for the little ones. The water park's huge hot tub can accommodate 17 people. An interactive playground with medium and small slides, water cannons, fountains and a 400-gallon water bucket is part of it. The hotel rooms and suites can accommodate up to 6 guests.