If you want to treat the kids to a special day out, I recommend checking out one of the water parks in New York. There are fun waterparks all across the state, from the suburbs of NYC to the Finger Lakes region and everywhere in between.
Visiting a waterpark is a great thing to do in NYC with kids, especially in the summertime since most of these parks are outdoors. That said, you can also find indoor water parks in NYC and beyond, where it’s always warm, even in the winter.
In this guide, I’m sharing the 10 best water parks in New York and what makes them stand out. So, whether you’re looking for thrilling water rides, family attractions, kid-friendly waterslides, or a combination of all of these, I’ve got you covered.
In a nutshell, these are the best water parks in New York state:
- Splish Splash Water Park (Calverton, NY)
- SplashDown Beach (Fishkill, NY)
- Enchanted Forest Water Safari (Old Forge, NY)
- Zoom Flume Water Park (East Durham, NY)
- Roseland Waterpark (Canandaigua, NY)
- Thunder Island Water Park (Fulton, NY)
- Seabreeze Water Park (Rochester, NY)
- Hurricane Harbor at Darien Lake (Buffalo, NY)
- Big Splash Indoor Waterpark (Highland, NY)
- DreamWorks Water Park (East Rutherford, NJ)
- Cascades Indoor Waterpark (Cortland, NY)
1. Splish Splash Water Park, the best water park on New York’s Long Island
If you’re looking for a water park near NYC, check out Splish Splash Water Park. It’s in Calverton, a town in eastern Long Island, so it’s a good option if you’re in the Manhattan area.
Splish Splash has over 30 attractions, including a lazy river, a wave pool, and a water coaster. There are three pools for swimming as well as kid-friendly areas for the little ones to splash around.
1. Splish Splash Water Park, the best water park on New York’s Long Island
For something more exciting, choose from 20 waterslides ranging in thrill levels, such as an enclosed slide, racer slides, or a family raft ride. Splish Splash has a great mix of rides, attractions, and relaxation areas, so it’s a fantastic place to go as a family.
The park is open May through September and has lockers, cabana rentals, lounge chairs, snack stalls, and restaurants. Also, if you prefer the ocean, this water park in Long Island, New York is just 30 minutes from Southampton, one of the best beaches near NYC.
2. SplashDown Beach, a great water park in New York for families
SplashDown Beach is a water park in Fishkill, New York, less than two hours from NYC. This family-friendly park offers all kinds of amusements and activities, so everyone will find something to do here.
Float along the lazy river, take a swim in the family pool, or jump over the towering crests at the wave pool. For the little ones, there is a kiddie aqua park with children’s attractions and waterslides.
2. SplashDown Beach, a great water park in New York for families
Speaking of slides, you’ll find all kinds here, from racer waterslides to the six-story Arctic Mammoth ride. If you dare, you can experience zero gravity on The Megalodon raft ride. Just remember to keep your valuables safe in a storage locker!
Another thing that stands out about SplashDown Beach is that it has a real sand beach. Rock Beach has room to sprawl out and relax, as well as an entertainment area that hosts shows and performances. When you get hungry, you can order everything from Mexican food and pizza to waffles, ice cream, and typical beach treats.
This is one of the most fun water parks in New York, and it’s open daily from mid-May to early September.
3. Enchanted Forest Water Safari, a large waterpark in New York
Enchanted Forest Water Safari in Old Forge is the biggest water park in New York, with over 50 attractions, dozens of waterslides, and more.
This jungle-themed water park is the perfect place to have a family vacation, plus it’s in the Adirondacks, so you can also explore the surrounding areas. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of tube, body, and racer slides, as well as enclosed raft rides.
3. Enchanted Forest Water Safari, a large waterpark in New York
Kids will love the children’s area and aquatic playground, and older kids can ride bumper boats and climb around on the ropes course in the large swimming pool. Enchanted Forest also has traditional water park attractions like a wave pool and a lazy river.
Not only that, but the water park is next to a campground, so you can stay overnight and continue the fun the next day. Besides the aquatic activities, you’ll find an arcade, go-karts, rock climbing, mini golf, a zipline ride, bumper cars, a kiddie coaster, and a Ferris wheel. If you don’t mind heights, the chairlift skyride is a great way to see the entire park from above.
Finally, there are plenty of food options here, including a pizza shop, a café, an ice cream parlor, and a bar. Enchanted Forest is open from mid-June to early September, so it’s the ideal water park in northern New York for summer vacation.
4. Zoom Flume Water Park, one of the best New York water parks for kids
Another top water park in New York is the Zoom Flume Water Park in East Durham. It’s an affordable place for families with kids to have some fun and get some relief from the summer weather.
This outdoor waterpark is open from mid-June to early September and has all the typical attractions you’d expect, like a wave pool and a lazy river. There is also a lagoon area designed specifically for younger children so they can splash around safely.
4. Zoom Flume Water Park, one of the best New York water parks for kids
Also, if you’re looking for some of the best waterslides in New York, Zoom Flume has several options, like the speedy racer slides, a winding bowl slide, and a giant raft ride. There are also enclosed slides where you ride in the dark, and body slides that don’t require an innertube.
When you need a break, check out the arcade, lounge in the relaxation area, or grab a snack from the café and enjoy it in the picnic area. Zoom Flume has private cabana rentals, dressing rooms, restrooms, and locker rentals, so all your belongings will stay safe.
While Zoom Flume is best suited to younger kids, it’s in the Catskills, so there are lots of cool places to discover in the surrounding area.
5. Roseland Waterpark, one of the best water parks in upstate New York
Located in Canandaigua, in the Finger Lakes region, Roseland Waterpark is another affordable waterpark in upstate New York.
While this is a smaller park, it has plenty of attractions to keep you and the kids occupied during your stay. For example, everyone will have fun on the family raft ride, while daredevils will reach speeds up to 30 mph on the steep body slide. There is a waterslide for every thrill level here, like enclosed slides and innertube rides.
5. Roseland Waterpark, one of the best water parks in upstate New York
Youngsters can have a ball at the kiddie playground, which is full of water cannons, mini slides, and a 1,000-gallon bucket that dumps every minute. Older kids will love having water balloon fights at the Water War Zone, while adults can chill out in the wave pool or along the lazy river.
In addition to the water activities, Roseland Waterpark has lounge areas, beach volleyball, and a café serving wraps, salads, burgers, and more. Plus, the park has certified lifeguards, locker rentals, and free parking. So, if you want to visit one of the best water parks in New York, go in the summer since it’s open from early June to Labor Day.
6. Thunder Island Water Park, a New York water park with lots of activities
Thunder Island Water Park is another water park in northern New York, specifically in Fulton, NY. This park has activities and attractions for all ages, including adults, so it’s perfect for your summer vacation.
Here, you’ll find eight waterslides, like an enclosed slide, a bowl slide with 1,000 gallons of water, a traditional innertube slide, and a kiddie slide. Speaking of kids, they’ll have their own children’s-only aquatic playground, which has water sprays, a mini lazy river, and other amusements.
6. Thunder Island Water Park, a New York water park with lots of activities
Everyone can take a dip in one of the five pools or relax in the lounge areas, which have sunbathing chairs and umbrellas. For those who prefer dry activities, check out the mini-golf course, the go-kart track, the carousel, or the zipline ride. There is also an arcade where you can enjoy the air conditioning while playing fun video games, Skee Ball, and more.
This water park in Fulton, New York is a hit with budget-conscious families since it has free parking and free admission (you pay for the attractions). You can rent a storage locker for your things, grab a bite to eat at the café, or bring a cooler with your own food. Thunder Island is open daily from early June through Labor Day.
7. Seabreeze Waterpark, a fun water park in New York with waterslides
About 1.5 hours to the west of Fulton, you’ll find Seabreeze Waterpark. One of the coolest parts of this water park in Rochester, New York is its wave pool, which contains 260,000 gallons of water and makes waves up to four feet tall. The park employs certified lifeguards and provides life vests, so the kids can safely enjoy everything Seabreeze has to offer.
7. Seabreeze Waterpark, a fun water park in New York with waterslides
In addition to the wave pool, this water park has a bowl slide that plunges rides through an enclosed tunnel before spitting them into a gigantic bowl that they slide around. Another cool attraction is the Hydro Racer, a series of slides where you and the kids can race to the bottom.
Seabreeze is an awesome waterslide park in New York, but it also has a lazy river and fun kiddie attractions like water cannons and a giant water bucket. Also, there is a grill inside the waterpark so you can quench your thirst and satiate your hunger. Best of all, the waterpark is right next to Seabreeze Amusement Park, one of the top amusement parks in New York.
8. Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Darien Lake, another awesome water park in upstate NY
Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Darien Lake is an excellent water park in western New York, and it’s just an hour west of Niagara Falls, one of the best things to see in New York state.
This is another water park that’s part of a larger amusement park, so you can maximize your time here. As for the water park, it’s full of family-friendly attractions and kiddie areas, including Hook’s Lagoon. Here, the little ones can play on an aquatic playground with waterslides and a huge dump bucket.
8. Hurricane Harbor at Six Flags Darien Lake, another awesome water park in upstate NY
Older kids will love the wave pool, the lazy river, and a wide variety of waterslides, like a giant funnel slide, extreme waterslides, an aquatic half-pipe, and racing slides. There is even a body slide that lets you free fall from 70 feet in the air.
Don’t worry, because Hurricane Harbor has licensed lifeguards stationed throughout the park, as well as locker rentals so you can keep your belongings safe. There are also showers and restrooms, and you can rent out a private cabana if you plan on spending all day here. This outdoor water park in Buffalo, New York is open from mid-May to late September.
9. Big Splash Indoor Waterpark, a cool water park in a New York hotel
You don’t have to wait until summer to go to a water park in New York state. Located inside the Rocking Horse Ranch Resort in Highland, Big Splash Indoor Waterpark is one of the best indoor water parks in New York.
It’s always 85° here, so even in the dead of winter, you can feel like you’re vacationing in paradise. Sprawl out on a beach chair or pool lounger or cool off with a series of fountains and water sprayers. The large family swimming pool has a ropes course that will delight all ages, while the little ones will love the kid-friendly play areas.
9. Big Splash Indoor Waterpark, a cool water park in a New York hotel
The park’s main waterslide is the Gold Rush, an enclosed, winding tube slide that snakes around the interior and exterior of the resort. For a more laid-back activity, check out the heated indoor/outdoor pool, which has hydrotherapy jets that will help you relax.
Not only is this one of the top water parks in the New York area, but it’s part of Rocking Horse Ranch Resort, which offers other attractions like watersports, winter activities, mountain tubing, banana boat rides, and rock climbing.
10. Cascades Indoor Waterpark, the best water park in New York with indoor and outdoor pools
Finally, Cascades Indoor Waterpark is another exciting indoor water park in New York. It’s inside of Hope Lake Lodge next to Greek Peak Mountain Resort in Cortland.
You can visit this park all year round and it’ll always be 84°. That said, there is a heated outdoor pool and a series of indoor/outdoor hot tubs. Some other highlights of this waterpark include the rapids slides, the arcade, and the wave pool with 67,000 gallons of water and a 13-foot waterfall.
10. Cascades Indoor Waterpark, the best water park in New York with indoor and outdoor pools
This is one of the best water parks in New York for kids since there are plenty of children’s areas for them to play. Big Bear Falls has a playground with water blasters, slides, and a 500-gallon dump bucket, while Little Bear Falls has swings and mini slides for smaller children. Also, the on-site café will keep all appetites satisfied.
Not only is Cascades another great water park in New York’s Finger Lakes region, but it’s part of the Greek Peak Mountain Resort, where you can go skiing, snow tubing, mountain biking, ziplining, and more.
That’s it for the best water parks in New York state, but before I go, here is a downloadable map with all the parks I mentioned.
I hope you found this guide helpful, although if you have any questions, feel free to leave them below. I’d be happy to answer you! I also recommend reading our article on the best day trips from NYC since you can easily add these waterparks to those itineraries. Have fun making a splash!
