I like to call my daughter a lazy river connoisseur. She loves a good water park, and her favorite is the lazy river. We often decide where we are going based on their lazy rivers! Everyone is trying to squeeze in one last activity before school starts, so let’s celebrate with National Waterpark Day on July 28!
Pro Tip: Once the older kids are back in school, it’s the best time to take your toddlers to these venues and live like kings. Just check their hours to see when they’re open post-school starting.
Guide to Dallas Waterparks
Jade Waters at Hilton Anatole
The Hilton Anatole has our favorite lazy river. It also has two slides, an adult section, activity pool, and children’s area. They also have movie nights and non-water activities. You can stay the night and use the park both days (it’s included), or you can get a day pass if you don’t want to book a hotel room.
Paradise Springs at Gaylord Texan
We love staycations at the Gaylord Texan. Everyone knows about the ICE exhibit in the winter, but did you know about Paradise Springs? It’s exclusive to hotel guests and open through October 9. They have a lazy river, activity pool, a huge kids’ area, and water slides. When you’re done with the pool, you can get tickets/passes to all the other fun activities the hotel offers!
Hawaiian Falls
You can’t beat a huge water park. Hawaiian Falls in Garland has it all. Slides, lazy river, wave pool, activity pools, and more slides! Most of the slides are a bit more intense for my daughter Maggie Lynn, so she usually spends her time in the lazy river, wave pool, and on a few of the more low-key slides. It’s a great value for a day ticket, or you can buy a pass and go a few times.
Hurricane Harbor
It’s hard to beat Hurricane Harbor for water slides and fun. They boast slides, lazy river, kids’ zone, rapids, wave pool, and activity pools. If you have a Six Flags season pass, you know you get in free. If not, they are having a great sale!
McKinney Apex Centre
Rowlett Wet Zone
Several cities run great water parks for less money than the large ones. McKinney and Rowlett both have slides, activity pools, and lazy rivers! They also schedule community events like movie nights in the pool and doggie splash days. Definitely don’t sleep on the local city waterparks.
Epic Waters
If it’s too hot to go outside (it is!), Epic Waters is a great alternative. It’s an indoor water park with all the fun of an outdoor…and you don’t have to worry about a sunburn. They are also open year-round so you can enjoy water park fun even when the others are closed! They have slides, a wave pool (this part is outdoors), a pool, and even a surf machine!
The Cove at the Lake Front | Little Elm
Another great city-sponsored water park, only this one is indoors! It also has the slides, the activity pools, and a lazy river. And they have the Flow Rider Surf Machine so you can try your hand at surfing! You can opt for a membership or a day pass and have the best time.
Great Wolf Lodge | Grapevine
Last but certainly not least, you have to experience Great Wolf Lodge. Enjoy the slides, wave pool, lazy river, and activity pool all day, then join in all the fun activities they have scheduled around the hotel. We love the Magic Wand game at the end of a long day at the pool. All of their rooms have a theme, and Maggie Lynn loves the ones with bunk beds. They have an indoor pool area and an outdoor pool area, so it’s versatile for the whole year!
Wherever you decide to spend the day, I hope you enjoy and celebrate National Waterpark Day!
This is great information as we frequent waterparks throughout the summer.