This summer, be sure to satisfy your family’s need for wet and wild fun in a truly adventurous way! Try visiting some of the best waterparks around and see for yourself if they’re worthy of boasting the “longest pool” or “tallest slide.”  Want a real thrill? Check out Ohio, the birthplace of Steven Spielberg, the Wright Brothers, Paul Newman, and Clark Gable, and which also happens to have a rather long list of some of the best waterparks in the U.S.

So grab some sunblock, a towel and an appetite for adventure—Ohio is calling your name!

The following list offers a few indoor and outdoor waterparks that have been deemed both kid- and family-friendly, as well as offering additional amenities other than the traditional staple of waterslides and pools. Dig in and get wet!

Coney Island, an outdoor waterpark located in Cincinnati, is one of the most affordable waterparks in Ohio! Discounted ticket prices for children under 48”. Do you want to visit North America’s largest flat-surfaced recirculating pool? How about the world’s largest? Well you can visit them both in one place: Coney Island’s Sunlite Pool! In addition to the 20 feet wide, 401 feet long pool, there are also four exciting waterslides, as well as a cabana area for eating and drinking. If getting soaked isn’t your scene, stay dry with bumper cars and mini golf! Passes are available now!

For more information, visit http://coneyislandpark.com/sunlite_pool.php. (513) 232-8230.

The Beach Waterpark, situated in Mason, is one of the largest waterparks in North America, at 1,524,600 sq. feet. Part of Adventure Landing Park properties, you can be sure that you are in good hands with this entertainment company whose core mission involves “providing affordable family entertainment.” Offering over 40 slides, a beach, interactive play areas and a wide array of other family-fun activities, The Beach Waterpark even has a heated wave pool and a 600-gallon dumping bucket! Be sure to check out Big Creek Beach for surf and sand, as well as a host of other new and exciting areas built just for kids! On Tuesday nights, be sure to visit Club Splash, a cool night club for teens!

For more information, visit http://www.thebeachwaterpark.com/public/about_us/index.cfm. (513) 398-SWIM.  

Castaway Bay Indoor Resort – Cedar Point, located in Sandusky, is one of the newest parks, having just opened its doors in January of 2014. This five-story structure with a Caribbean theme will take your breath away with its beauty and bevy of attractions. The Toddler’s Tide Pool, Lookout Lagoon Family Funhouse, tube slides and wave pool will all ensure that there is indeed some watery fun for every member of the family at this premier waterpark. Be sure to visit the arcade as well. Packages available for Cedar Point’s Castaway Bay resort guests. Day and evening passes available at the front desk or online.

For more information, visit http://www.castawaybay.com/public/explore/waterpark/index.cfm. For reservations, call (419) 627-2106. For general information, call (419) 627-2500.

Coco Key Water Resort, an indoor waterpark in Newark, is located just steps away from the beautiful grounds of the Cherry Valley Lodge! Discounts and hotel packages are available for guests. All 50,000 sq. ft. of this central Ohio destination screams fun, fun, fun with activities for younger children, children under 48” and older kids alike! Explore water slides, water cannons, whirlpools, the fast-paced Coconut Grove Adventure River, and the interactive Coral Reef Cavern. Be sure to also check out the Key Quest Arcade and the Callaloo Grille, serving up pizza, snacks, ice cream and burgers!

For more information or to make a reservation, visit http://www.cherryvalleylodge.com/coco-key-en.html. (740) 788-1200 or toll free at (800) 788-8008.

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Dreaming about taking a dip? Are the kids still sporting their floaties wishing they could get in one last swim? Don’t fret… just because Jack Frost has arrived doesn’t mean you can’t catch a wave! Check out Wilderness at the Smokies Waterpark Resort in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Situated at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains, this resort offers year-round entertainment with 700 acres of both outdoor (check out the Wild Vortex, their outdoor thrill slide) and indoor attractions. Your family’s winter blues are sure to melt away as they throw on their favorite swim suits and head to The Wild WaterDome, their 60,000 square foot indoor water park!

It can be hard to plan a vacation that the whole family will enjoy.  At the Wild WaterDome, there is truly something for everyone. The kids will love Washout Mountain, the interactive water playground complete with slides, water cannons and plenty of ways to get soaked!

Your teens definitely won’t roll their eyes when you tell them about the Smokies Surf Rider, the Southeast’s only indoor surfing simulator. You can watch on as 19,000 gallons of water go rushing under their surfboard each minute, giving them a realistic 5-foot wave to practice their shredding! 

While the kids are off playing, you can relax in the Magnolia Grove Hot Spa, which is a part indoor, part outdoor hot tub that is open year round. There is nothing like feeling the chill of the air on your face as your body is submerged in toasty warm water! Finally, you can all meet back up to go down one the indoor tube slides together, or even plunge down the 55-foot tunnels of the Storm Chaser if you are feeling brave! 

If you need a break from the water, just head over to Adventure Forest, the indoor “dry park” at the resort. This dry park, which just opened in March, offers all sorts of activities including: a three-story ropes course, a multi-level enclosed laser tag arena, mini-bowling, black-light mini-golf, more than 100 arcade games, a ‘Laser Maze,’ a 25-foot tall spring ride, a 23-foot climbing wall and more. With this many options, your family will never want to leave!

When it comes time for meals, you won’t have to look far! The Wilderness at the Smokies has six on-site restaurants available to you.  There is one for every situation, ranging from delis and snack shacks, if you are looking for a quick meal on the go, to full sit down restaurants and a buffet, for a nice family dinner. Find your favorite and become a regular, or mix it up and you will never run out of yummy dishes to sample!

When the kids are all exhausted after a long day in the water, you’ll be happy to know that a warm bed (and even a fire place!) awaits you near by at the Stone Hill Lodge and the River Lodge. These two hotels in the Wilderness at the Smokies can accommodate your group, regardless of size.  From a cozy room for a family of four to one of the multi-room suites that can sleep up to18!  This would make the perfect setting for a family reunion or a birthday getaway.

Finally, prepare to make your co-workers jealous when you return home with a nice summer glow. The Wild WaterDome indoor park features a see-thru, energy efficient, Foil Tec roof, which allows UV rays permeate through it so that you can get your tan on year round! Stress free vacation planning, a happy family and getting some vitamin D? It just might be enough to get you through the rest of the winter!

And you never know who you might run into!

For more information about Wilderness at the Smokies or to book your vacation, call  877-325-9453 or visit www.WildernessAtTheSmokies.com.

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