If you happen to be in New Jersey with your family, and you have a whole day to yourselves, it is impossible to run out of things to do. New Jersey is known for its long, majestic coastline with numerous beaches perfect for swimming, sunbathing, surfing, and fishing. But what if you have already explored every inch of the beach, and you’re looking for a new way to cool off?
Waterparks abound in New Jersey. In fact, the state is home to some of the best waterparks in the country! If you and your kids are up for some water-filled fun, here are the best waterparks in New Jersey:
Clementon Park & Splash World, Clementon
Clementon might be a quiet suburb of Philadelphia, but it has a big, crazy surprise for visiting families. The Clementon Park & Splash World tickets and season passes welcome you to a world of water slides, wave pools, water coasters, and a water playground for the little ones. It is literally a splash world!
One of the first water slides you have to try with your friends — or whoever matches your competitive spirit! — is the Vertical Limit. The water ride is a race for the checkered flag, swishing six passengers head-to-head in your lanes. Whoever finishes the swift drops and descents first wins! Nevertheless, all of you will have the same amount of fun and screams of joy.
The Torpedo Rush may be the greatest water slide to conquer at Clementon Park & Splash World. The Torpedo Rush stands 60 feet tall, with two identically-designed tubes. You must bravely stand inside the enclosed capsule and wait for the simultaneous drop. After what feels like an endless scream, you will find yourself at the end of the chute, wanting to climb up again!
Clementon Park & Splash World also has the Big Wave Bay and Laguna Hakuna for the kids and anyone who wants to take a break from the rush. The waterpark is perfect for families and friends looking for solo or group water rides to try all day.
Address: 144 Berlin Rd, Clementon, NJ 08021 | Website: https://www.clementonpark.com/splashworld/
DreamWorks Water Park, East Rutherford
If you head to East Rutherford, you will find a waterpark that can give you the American Dream experience. Warning: your kids (or you) might never want to leave!
The Shrek, Kungfu Panda, and Madagascar characters are just some of the iconic mascots you will see splashing around the DreamWorks Water Park. As soon as you enter, you will feel as if you have walked into one of your favorite childhood movies.
The DreamWorks Water Park is the largest indoor waterpark in North America. That also means it has the biggest indoor wave pool in the world! The water rides are categorized into Kiddie, Moderate, and Total Pro.
The kids can have the time of their lives at the Kungfu Panda Temple of Awesomeness or the Penguins Frozen Fun Zone. You can join them, too, in the Forbidden Waters or at Far Far A Bay! If you’re looking for a thrill, you can start with Toothless’ Trickling Torpedo, the world’s longest hydromagnetic rocket coaster.
It is impossible to get over Shrek, no matter how old you are. You can relive your childhood fun with Shrek’s Sinkhole Slammer! The multi-person ride has intense drops in a massive funnel. The three of you have the same goal: to stay seated in your raft as it hurtles through the twists and turns.
Prepare to have the time of your life at the DreamWorks Water Park. All the water rides — Mad Flush, Surfari Slider, and Swamp n’ Splash, to name a few more — are so crazily colorful and enticing that you might not know where to start! Overall, the waterpark promises you a splashing good time.
Address: 1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, NJ 07073 | Phone: 1-833-263-7326 | Website: https://www.americandream.com/venue/dreamworks-water-park
Funplex, Mount Laurel
After the indoor waterparks, we are back outside, and the Funplex promises you a lot of thrills! Mount Laurel’s entertainment complex has been serving 25 years of fun, welcoming families in its waterpark, “Funplex.” It is what it sounds like: a fun complex!
You can start with the Relaxation Pool, where you can see the gigantic rides and hear the riders shriek and laugh. You can also shoot some hoops at the Activity Pool with the kids! If you want to get to the heart of the Funplex, you have to go to the Whiplash.
The Whiplash is exactly what it sounds like. It has a zero-gravity wall summit and vertical ascents that will make you and your heart drop! Its twists and turns give two riders an out-of-this-world experience in just one ride.
The Funplex is an all-in-one entertainment complex that the whole family will enjoy. The waterpark gives you everything it promises with its name.
Address: 3320-24 NJ-38, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 | Phone: (856) 273-9666 | Website: https://thefunplex.com/mount-laurel/waterpark/
Mountain Creek Waterpark, Vernon Township
When you are in Vernon Township, make sure you explore Mountain Creek. You can live life outdoors and have the mountain as your playground. While Mountain Creek offers biking, skiing, and zip tours, its waterpark is undeniably one of the most popular attractions.
The kids can jump from one area to another until they find their favorite. They can go from the Lost Island River to the Sprayground or the Vortex. For those who want more heart-pounding fun, you can try out the High Tide Wave Pool or Vertigo.
The waterpark’s advantage is the mountain. The Colorado River gives you New Jersey’s version of the Wild West, taking you on a white water raft ride. You can also go for the Thunder Run, where it is impossible to predict the twists and drops, or the Gauley, where you have to conquer the waterfall before you splash into the mountain spring pool.
The craziest rides at the Mountain Creek Waterpark are the Zero-G and the H2Oh!-No, and they are not for the faint-hearted. The Zero-G will take you on a 100-foot drop after you step into a tube and onto a trapdoor. You will never know when you will fall, but you’ll get to see New York before you do!
The H2Oh!-No is one foot shorter than the Zero-G, but it is not a tube. Just imagine that you are lying down on a near-vertical body slide. The moment before you actually fall will make you say, “Oh no!” Once you are speeding down the slide until its end, you will look forward to more of the exhilarating experience.
The mountains can give you a wet and wild experience, too! At the Mountain Creek Waterpark, you will never regret taking your time and braving the rides.
Address: Mountain Creek, 200 Route 94, Vernon, New Jersey 07462 | Phone: 973-827-2000 | Website: https://mountaincreek.com/waterpark/park-info-hours/
Ocean Oasis Water Park and Beach Club, Wildwood
Wildwood is not just about the boardwalk; it is also about the beach, which is why Ocean Oasis Water Park and Beach Club is one of its must-see attractions! Located at the end of Surfside Pier, the waterpark is set to give you breathtaking ocean views while you enjoy the rides.
Go straight for the wildest rides, starting with the Shotgun Falls. The two-flume body slide will drop you six feet into a deep pool, so make sure you are ready for the fall! For the daredevils, you can trust the Cliff Dive for your dose of adrenaline. If you have never dropped five stories in three seconds, this ride will make you do so!
The waterpark also has places for those who only want to take a dip and relax. The Water Lilies Swim Up Bar takes you to the Hot Springs Bar, giving you a little time away from the kids. You can order drinks and have a toast for your well-deserved vacation. To make things even more exciting, you can go to the mini waterpark inside the waterpark: Bonsai Beach.
The Ocean Oasis Water Park and Beach Club is part of Morey’s Piers and Water Parks. You and your family can still be at the beach even when riding all the rides to your hearts’ content!
Address: 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260 | Website: https://www.moreyspiers.com/water-parks/ocean-oasis-water-park-beach-club
OC Waterpark, Ocean City
When you hear “Ocean City,” you know the beach is just around the corner — but did you know that the OC Waterpark makes the city even splashier? The waterpark guarantees fun for all ages, with five water rides that are enough to make your vacation wet and wild.
The kids can hang out at Lil Buc’s Bay and explore the fantasy playground with a shipwreck! If that is not adventurous enough, you can take them for a splash at the Sky Pond Journey.
Splashdown is a different story. The Sky Pond Journey might be a little clam, but this body slide is not! It is a steep body slide that sends you flying for a bit before you go spattering into the pool. Then take it up a notch, and you will find yourself in the Serpentine Body Slide.
The OC Waterpark is a great choice when taking a break from the beach. You can share all the rides with your kids, and you will go home with many memories to relive!
Address: 728 Boardwalk, Ocean City, NJ 08226 | Phone: 609-399-0483 | Website: https://ocwaterpark.com/
Raging Waters Water Park, Wildwood
As Morey’s Piers and Water Parks and Ocean Oasis Water Park and Beach Club’s neighbor, the Raging Water Water Park gives you a more action-packed vacation. The waterpark has an impressive line-up of slides that will pump your adrenaline!
Your kids’ first stop will probably be Camp Kidstastrophe, where water guns, water sprays, and waterfalls are everywhere. It is the fun catastrophe they are looking for! They can also go to the Shipwreck Shoals, where the whole family can conquer an interactive pirate ship together.
While the kids are busy looking for their own thrill, you deserve some of your own, too! The Raging Waters Water Park Sky Pond Journey takes you to four different elevated pools until the last splash. If you are craving even more twists and turns, the Serpentine Slides will give you just that!
Located at the end of the Mariner’s Pier, the Raging Waters Water Park will absolutely give you a raging good time!
Address: 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260 | Website: https://www.moreyspiers.com/water-parks/raging-waters-water-park
Runaway Rapids Waterpark, Keansburg
You know it’s an excellent waterpark when your kids have a hard time choosing what to try first. At Runaway Rapids Waterpark, that will be exactly what your family will be worrying about. With a long list of water rides and slides, you will need a lot of energy to try everything!
The kids will have a blast in the following waterpark areas:
- Yellow Slide
- Side by Side Yellow Slides
- White Slide #2
- Magenta Slide
- Black Slide
That is a lot of slides! Luckily, you can all find your way through the colors. There are also slides they can take with your guidance, like White Slide #1 and the VooDoo Encounter. You can have equal loads of fun, too! When you are up for a higher level of thrill, you can move on to these rides:
- Nestea Plunge
- Volcanic Revenge
- Soaring Thunder
- Mega Bunga Falls
The Soaring Thunder is probably the water slide that you will find most challenging. You will need to hold on to your mat as you plunge head-first into the pool. If you want to defy gravity, you can trust the Volcanic Revenge as an uphill water slide that will make you do so.
Of course, you can just lounge around and relax at the Runaway Rapids Waterpark. Enjoy the sun and take a little dip in their Lazy River. You can also float around at their Castaways Creek. The list goes on, and your fun does not have to end!
Address: 275 Beachway Avenue, Keansburg, NJ 07734 | Phone: (732) 495-1400 | Website: https://keansburgamusementpark.com/runaway-rapids/
Big Kahuna’s, West Berlin (Formerly Sahara Sam’s)
If other families have ever recommended Sahara Sam’s Indoor and Outdoor Water Park before, and you have finally decided to visit it, you need to know that the waterpark is now called Big Kahuna’s. Big Kahuna’s has many indoor and outdoor attractions that will keep you wet and wild all day!
The Riptide — one of the waterpark’s favorite slides — is a high-speed 350-feet body slide. If you do not want to ride solo, you can go to the Snake Eyes, the famous tube slide, or Mount Kilimanjaro. Mount Kilimanjaro will make you believe that a family that slides together stays together.
Another highlight of the waterpark is the FlowRider, which allows you to catch some waves as though you are in the ocean. The biggest difference is that the waves do not stop coming!
Big Kahuna’s also has rivers that guarantee different levels of thrill. Of course, the children can have their own domain at Jungle Hideout or Little Lizard Landing, and they’ll never run out of activities at the Komodo Crossing and Aqua Arena.
The outdoor waterpark is where you will find the Tidal Waves and Mystic Shores. For the kids who want to have fun under the sun, the Little Kahuna Lagoon will give them just that. Big Kahuna’s indoor and outdoor waterparks feel like whole different worlds, giving your family a splash-tastic vacation!
Address: 535 North Route 73 West Berlin, NJ 08091 | Phone: (856) 767-7580 | Website: https://bigkahunas.com/nj/
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Jackson
Six Flags has always been known to give the best amusement park experience, and the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor waterpark is no different. With Kids, Family, and Thrill rides, you will realize that a whole day there is not enough!
Your entire family can share screams and laughter in the Big Bambu and Reef Runner. Its jumbo-sized rafts plunge into the steep, slick, and snaking slides, promising you an unforgettable, heart-stopping experience! Both slides are 14 feet wide; either way, you will fly and slide up the walls and fall six stories in the end!
Not up for rafts, but still want the rush and thrill? Go straight to Cannonball, Wahini, or Jurahnimo Falls. In these rides, you will not need to think about rafts, but you will have nothing to hold on to but yourself! Cannonball and Wahini Falls are both enclosed like the Big Bambu. Imagine twisting, turning, and dropping for at least 300 feet without light. The Jurahnimo Falls gives you light, but it will be a steep 76-foot drop. All you can do is keep your arms across your chest while you are screaming in fun!
Whenever the Six Flags Hurricane Harbor opens, the waterpark is loud with screaming, shrieking, and laughter. Think of the Six Flags amusement parks and turn them into waterparks — you will have double the fun!
Address: Route 537, Jackson, NJ 08527 | Phone: (732) 928-2000 | Website: https://www.sixflags.com/hurricaneharbornj
SplashPlex, East Hanover
No family will want to skip the Funplex, but if you are in East Hanover instead of Mount Laurel, Funplex still has your back! The Splashplex Waterpark is open every day, whether it is rainy, sunny, or snowing!
One of the most popular attractions in Splashplex Waterpark is the Speed Slides. You’ve got six seconds to reach the end of the five-story-tall body slides! The Open Tube Slide is as tall as the Speed Slides, but you will need a strong grip on your raft, and it will be dark. You can ride with a friend or family, too! The SplashPlex is for those who want to take on a challenge.
Kids can swim and slide their hearts out at the Enclosed Tube Slide and Infinity Pool. If it’s time for them to take a break, you can take them to the Lazy Pool or Interactive Pool.
The SplashPlex gives you everything the Funplex has, so whether you are in Mount Laurel or East Hanover, New Jersey, you will still have the best waterpark experience!
Address: 182 NJ-10, East Hanover, NJ 07936 | Phone: (973) 428-1166 | Website: https://thefunplex.com/east-hanover/waterpark/
Splash Zone Water Park, Wildwood
Wildwood just never runs out of waterparks! The Splash Zone Water Park joins the list of the best waterparks in the state, giving you about 15 water rides and slides to try!
You know the Splash Zone Water Park is home to crazy rides when you hear what they are called: “Beast of the East,” “Midnight Run,” “The Terminator,” and more! They are not called that for nothing. The Beast of the East is a raft slide that can accommodate up to five people. You can marvel at the stunning park, boardwalk, and beach as you drop, turn, and splash around.
One of the most popular rides in Splash Zone Water Park is the Slide Winder. It is a 373-foot open-air tube slide that you can conquer by yourself or with a partner. You slide, swirl, and spiral until you splash into the pool!
The waterpark also has the most kid-friendly areas. The Zoe Zone is the designated playground for infants and toddlers, featuring shallow waters and gentle geysers. The bigger kids can take their experience to the next level at Hurricane Island. This is where the giant buckets and the gigantic play structure are located.
It is an endless splash at the Splash Zone Water Park. When you take your family and friends, be ready to get soaked!
Address: 3500 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ 08260 | Phone: (609) 729-5600 | Website: https://www.splashzonewaterpark.com/
Thundering Surf Waterpark, Beach Haven
We’re down to the last notable waterpark in New Jersey, and you have the Thundering Surf Waterpark. Located at Beach Haven, you know this waterpark is like splash heaven!
The waterpark is the longest continuously-operating waterpark in the world. It has been around for 45 years, so you are in for insane rides and a crazily good time. You have to gear up with sunscreen, a swimsuit, and a towel!
You don’t have to worry about the kids because the Toddler Area is specifically designed for their safe playtime. They can also just float around the Lazy, Crazy River or explore the Cowabunga Kids. For the adults, you have the Serpentine Tube Slides that you can ride solo or with your kiddos.
The ride that will surely highlight your Thundering Surf Waterpark experience is the Rainbow Rapids. You can compete with your friends and family and race to the end of the 200 Feet Long slide. Your hurdle will be the drops that total to 36 feet — it’s insane fun in seconds!
Add the Thundering Surf Waterpark to your Beach Haven itinerary. It will take your family’s bond to the next level!
Address: 300 Taylor Ave. Beach Haven, NJ 08008 | Phone: (609) 492-0869 | Website: https://www.thunderingsurfwaterpark.com/
New Jersey: Your Water Adventure Destination!
New Jersey is undeniably the water adventure state, with the coastline and plenty of waterparks for locals and tourists. Waterparks are the go-to places to keep cool, especially during the summer. With the plethora of options, it is hard to choose which ones to visit first.
Do you want more breathtaking views or more adrenaline-pumping rides? Do you want a theme park feel or a waterpark feel? Regardless of what you are looking for, New Jersey has it all! Soak up the sun and have the time of your life at any of these waterparks in New Jersey.
Be sure to also check out our list of the best indoor water parks where you can enjoy amazing water slides and pools year round!
Looking to explore New Jersey? Here are some other great things to do in the state:
Amusement Parks in Pennsylvania