Has it ever occurred to you that fall or winter would be a great time for a trip to a water park, if not for the weather? Think about that for a minute. Kids are back in school, summer traveling is through, it’s off-season. That means shorter lines and waits, which translates to more bang for your buck. The problem is that at this time of year, with fall in full swing and winter close on its heels, the weather is already cooling in most parts of the U.S., and that means water parks are out. Or does it? The truth is, there are several locations that offer indoor water parks, which give you the option of visiting at any time of the year. This makes a great option for families that want or need to take vacations during off seasons. If you’re looking for an exciting water park that you can visit at any time of year, consider one of these.
- Great Wolf Lodge. This popular amusement park chain has a large variety of locations, so no matter where you are, you ought to be able to get to one. You can find Great Wolf Lodge locations in Charlotte, North Carolina; Grapevine, Texas; Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania; Williamsburg, Virginia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Kansas City, Kansas; Sandusky, Ohio; Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin; Grand Mound, Washington; Traverse City, Michigan; and Niagara Falls, Ontario. At these locations, you’ll find rides like Alberta Falls, a four-story slide that ends with a plunge into the pool. Kids will love Fort Mackenzie, a water-based treehouse with slides, spray stations, cargo nets, and bridges. The water park is kept at 84 degrees, so the weather is never a problem. And you can also take advantage of dry activities like Magi-Quest, an interactive adventure that takes place in an enchanted forest.
- Splash Lagoon. This water park, located in Erie, Pennsylvania, is full of fun options. Try the Cyclone, which propels you into a bowl of spinning water, before dumping you into a pool. Or how about the Black Hole, where you’ll plummet down a dark, enclosed slide from the top of the Tiki Tree House. Kids and adults will both love the Frog Pond, a whirlpool with colorful Leap Frog fountains. Daredevils in search of a dry activity may enjoy the Tree Tops Indoor Rope Course, where you can test your courage from three stories up.
- Six Flags Great Escape Lodge. This amusement park, located in Queensbury, New York, boasts that it has 38,000 square feet of splashingly good fun. Take it easy as you float along the Tak-it-Eesi-Creek, or catch a ride on the waves in Boogie Bear Surf. The whole family can enjoy Lott-A-Watta Bay, a lagoon with cascading jets of water. Couples and single adults are likely enjoy Soakum Spring, a hot water spa limited to guests 18 and older.
As you can see, there is no reason to allow the cooler weather to get in the way of water-filled fun. If you’re looking for a summery vacation in the middle of fall or winter, be sure to check out one of these awesome indoor water parks.
