Best Water Parks in Virginia
When most people think of traveling to Virginia, the first thing that usually comes to mind is its historical attractions. After all, Virginia is known as “the birthplace of a nation” since it was the site of the first permanent English settlement. Without a doubt, Virginia’s historical attractions are some of the best in the country, however, there is much more to see in this beautiful state!
If you’re looking for an immersive travel experience, Virginia has a lot more to offer, particularly the waterparks. Virginia has waterparks among the best in the nation that will provide you with memories and experiences that will last a lifetime. Whether you want to spend time with your partner or want to bring the kids along to enjoy all the wonders of water fun, Virginia’s spectacular waterparks have something for everyone. With a range of ultra-fun activities, Virginia’s waterparks are pure joy for people of all ages to create unforgettable experiences.
Here are Virginia’s top waterparks, which are the perfect way to beat the heat while having a blast.
Atlantis Waterpark, Centreville
Located in Centreville, Virginia’s Bull Run Regional Park, Atlantis Waterpark by Nova Parks is one of the best places to hang out with friends and family, enjoy waterpark adventures, and beat the heat. If you’re into extreme adventure, Atlantis Waterpark offers a thrilling 170-foot ride in total darkness on its closed slide. For tamer activities, everyone is welcome to swim and splash around in the spacious main pool, which also features a play island with miniature slides.
The center of the waterpark is the magnificent dumping bucket and play feature, which has covered slides, open slides, water cannons, sprayers, and more. If you’re bringing a baby, there is also a kiddie pool and a sandbox for them to play in. If you want to take a break from the exciting water activities, Atlantis Waterpark’s well-known food house called Neptune’s Reef serves all of your favorites. Of course, to make your day perfect, delicious food, snacks, and drinks are necessary for a day full of enjoyable water activities.
Address: 7700 Bull Run Dr, Centreville, VA 20121 | Phone: +1 703-631-0552 | Website: novaparks.com/waterparks/atlantis-waterpark
Great Waves Waterpark, Alexandria
In Alexandria, Virginia, Great Waves Waterpark offers a full day of sliding, splashing, and making memories with friends and family. The five waterslides in Great Waves Waterpark are some of Northern Virginia’s most interesting and exciting water attractions. The park’s slides include two high-speed slides that allow you to climb a high, heart-pounding staircase before sliding at high speed into the pool below. It also has three waterslides; two of which are open and one covered. These slides give you a zig-zag, twist-and-curl sliding experience as the water sweeps you down to the water below.
Great Waves Waterpark also has a massive wave pool where you can grab a tube, bob, and weave in the surf as you experience ocean-like waves. In addition, Great Waves Waterpark offers a kiddie pool and a giant splash pad for younger kids to enjoy. While taking a break at Great Waves Waterpark, you can enjoy great-quality pizza at Surfside Pizza and refreshing ice cream at Soft Serve. For lunch and other snacks, you can choose high-quality meals at the well-known Riptide Café.
Address: 4001 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304 | Phone: 703-960-0767 | Website: novaparks.com/waterparks/great-waves-waterpark
Great Wolf Lodge, Williamsburg
Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA is one of the ultimate waterpark adventures which offers both indoor waterpark fun and exciting land attractions. It’s a special waterpark that provides lodging so that everyone can stay the night and have extra time for exciting adventures. Your stay includes access to their year-round, comfortable 84 degrees, 80,000-square-foot waterpark. The best part is that they provide more than 10 water attractions, including River Canyon Run, Crooked Creek, Slap Tail Pond, and many more. They also have two Hot Springs hot tub areas — one just for adults. Additionally, the thrill levels of these water activities range from low to high. If you’re into extreme adventure, you must try their high-level thrilling slides, such as Wolf Rider Wipeout and Howlin Tornado.
Additionally, whether you stay overnight or just for the day, you and every member of your family can enjoy a range of delicious food options. Whether you want snacks, meals, drinks, or dessert, the variety of restaurants and snack bars at Great Wolf Lodge will boost your experience at the waterpark.
Address: 549 E Rochambeau Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23188 | Phone: 800-551-9653 | Website:greatwolf.com/williamsburg
Massanutten Waterpark, McGaheysville
Massanutten Waterpark is a part of the Massanutten Resort in Virginia and features a year-round indoor park as well as a seasonal outdoor attraction. In the summer, the outdoor section offers zip lines, golf, and mountain biking, while in the winter, it offers skiing and snowboarding. Massanutten Waterpark provides one of the top water activities in Virginia. The waterpark’s center is called Massanutten Meltdown, a multi-story interactive water fortress that will amuse guests of all ages. It is the perfect setting for family bonding and making unforgettable memories.
Massanutten Waterpark offers multiple waterslides that descend from the stronghold, frequently drenching everyone with a giant bucket of water every few minutes. If you like bodyboarding, you’ll appreciate their Pipeline, Virginia’s only Flow Rider, where thousands of gallons of water surge beneath you every minute in an endless sheet wave. Additionally, there are two body slides, three tube slides, and the Frog Pond, a wading pool with the perfect-sized Frog Slide for little children. Of course, good food and drinks are available within the waterpark for you to enjoy.
Address: 1822 Resort Drive, Massanutten, VA 22840 | Phone: 540-289-9441 | Website: massresort.com/play/waterpark/
Maui Jack’s Waterpark, Chincoteague
Maui Jack’s Waterpark in Chincoteague is one of the top family waterparks in Virginia. They offer excellent family water slides and activities; you and your family can have fun on their three-body slides as a group. Anyone can enjoy their two-speed slides for those who are into thrills and adrenaline rushes. For those who want to relax and chill, their lazy river is the ultimate water attraction for relaxation.
The legendary Maui Jack is an old-school surfer from the North Shore who adores Chincoteague’s laid-back atmosphere. With the park’s Hawaiian theme, you and your family can relax and unwind in their cabanas or lay out in the sun for a great tan. For snacks and break time, you and your family can refuel at their top-rated snack bars. Additionally, they offer bars and grills for the ultimate summer experience with the whole family.
Address: 6742 Maddox Blvd, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 | Phone: 757-336-1800 | Website: mauijacks.com/
Ocean Breeze Waterpark, Virginia Beach
The Ocean Breeze Waterpark is a great family-friendly Caribbean resort which is located 2 miles south of Virginia Beach’s oceanfront. It’s an island-themed waterpark that is well-known for providing extreme excitement and joy to visitors because of its over 30 water slides and attractions, which include a million-gallon wave pool, the four-slide monster complex Neptune’s Revenge, a pirate-themed water playground for the tiniest Buccaneers, and the quarter-mile Adventure River.
If you wish to have a dedicated oasis for your family and friends within the waterpark, Ocean Breeze Waterpark offers exclusive cabanas and VIP seating. Bookings for cabanas include a lovely pavilion with covered sides, an ice-cold water bottle for each visitor, padded patio furniture, chaise lounge chairs, a ceiling fan, and a flat-screen cable TV. Bookings for VIP Seating come with a Bimini umbrella with two chaise lounge chairs and a side table. Whether you and your family are looking for a season pass or organizing a special trip, Ocean Breeze Waterpark is a fun, family-friendly waterpark where you’ll create lifelong memories.
Address: Ocean Breeze Pkwy, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 | Phone: +1 757-422-4444 | Website: oceanbreezewaterpark.com
Ocean Dunes Waterpark, Arlington
Ocean Dunes, which is part of Upton Hill Regional Park, has a ton of entertaining amenities for both adults and children. They offer top-quality water slides, waterfalls, squirters, and a 500-gallon dumping bucket for everyone to enjoy. This unique waterpark will allow you to experience dune grasses and the sensation of being at the beach.
The waterslides at Ocean Dunes Waterpark offer two exciting rides, featuring 230 feet of excitement on the open slide or a thrilling 170 feet in total darkness on the closed slide. If you want more adventure, Ocean Dunes is also well-known for its 90-element vertical adventure Climb UPton. This exhilarating climbing course is ideal for visitors of all ages. Climbers can select their task from features that range in difficulty from easy to hard on each of the three levels.
Address: 6060 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22205 | Phone: 703-534-3437 | Website: novaparks.com/waterparks/ocean-dunes-waterpark
Pirates Cove Waterpark, Lorton
Pirate’s Cove Waterpark is the largest waterpark with a pirate theme in Lorton. Visitors, particularly the children, will love the enormous pirate play structure with a 300-gallon dumping bucket. The waterpark is fully packed with entertaining attractions for everyone. In addition, Pirate’s Cove offers two exhilarating waterslides and a range of entertaining attractions for children of all ages. The whole family will be entertained by kid-friendly waterslides, water-spraying palm trees, a sizable pool for swimming and splashing around, and a roomy tot pool with a clamshell slide.
Where there are pirates, there is treasure. They have a massive sand play area called Buccaneer Beach where you and the kids can go treasure hunting! On a spacious deck, you can also relax and soak up the sun. When it’s time for a break, their Captain’s Galley food establishment has all of your favorite foods available. Enjoy a wonderful lunch outside while sitting beneath the umbrellas, then head back to all the fun activities and cool off on their massive pool and slides.
Address: 6501 Pohick Bay Drive, Lorton VA 22079 | Phone: 703-339-6102 | Website: novaparks.com/waterparks/pirates-cove-waterpark
SplashDown Waterpark, Manassas
SplashDown Waterpark in Manassas boasts itself as the largest waterpark on the northern side of Virginia. This place is perfect for a getaway packed with exciting activities and thrilling adventures. The SplashDown Waterpark is renowned for its water slides and water activities, including the four-story Pipeline Tower waterslide, the Log Walk, the Cannonball which allows you to launch yourself into the air like a cannonball, and the Tropical Twister. If you want to take a break from your adrenaline-pumping adventure but don’t want to stop enjoying the park, you can grab a tube and glide down their lazy river for a relaxing experience on the water.
If you’re bringing little kids, you can go to their zero-depth kids’ section where bubblers provide fun and soothing fountains. You can take your child down any of their four miniature water slides designed especially for them. If it’s time for a break, the park has snack bars and restaurants that offer great quality food and refreshments to level up your waterpark experience.
Address: 7500 Ben Lomond Park Dr. Manassas, VA 20109 | Phone: 703-792-8200 | Website: splashdownwaterpark.com
Splash Valley Waterpark, Roanoke
Splash Valley Waterpark in Roanoke is an excellent place to experience a full day of fun and exciting water activities with friends and family. Splash Valley Waterpark has two famous, massive slides that are 34 feet high; these will allow you to have the ultimate waterslide experience in which it’ll feel like forever before you reach the water below. They also have a current river, a kids’ spray ground, and other outstanding water activities to satisfy all of your waterpark adventure needs.
Splash Valley, which is managed by Roanoke County’s Parks, Recreation, and Tourism division, is a great place to relax, have fun, and cool down in the summer with friends and relatives. Don’t forget to stop by their concession counter because they provide delicious treats and beverages for everyone.
Address: 7415 Wood Haven Rd, Roanoke, VA 24019 | Phone: 540-777-6300 | Website: roanokecountyparks.com/191/About-Splash-Valley
Volcano Island Waterpark, Sterling
Volcano Island Waterpark in Sterling is a great tropical paradise to spend time with the whole family. Volcano Island Waterpark allows you to let loose and enjoy the day without any worries. Volcano Island, which is a part of Algonkian Regional Park, has a ton of entertaining amenities for both adults and children. They have two exhilarating waterslides that give rides that are either 170 feet in total darkness on the closed slide, or 230 feet of enjoyment on the open slide.
Everyone can splash and swim in Volcano Island’s spacious main pool, which features an incredible tree stump slide that whisks visitors into four feet of cool water in a matter of seconds. They offer a gigantic play structure with platforms, fountains, squirters, tube slides, open slides, and, of course, a massive 500-gallon dumping bucket. The play feature, which is situated in shallow water, is ideal for both kids and adults.
Address: 20015 Volcano Island Drive, Sterling VA 20165 | Phone: 703-430-7683 | Website: novaparks.com/waterparks/volcano-island-waterpark
Water Country USA, Williamsburg
Water Country USA in Williamsburg is a must-visit; it is one of the top waterparks in the entire country. The Reader’s Choice Award 2022 named them as one of the top three best outdoor waterparks. You can count on a day packed with thrilling, enjoyable, and heart-pounding waterpark attractions if you visit Water Country USA. They are also known for having Virginia’s first water coaster which offers blast-up hills, zoom-down steep drops, and rush-around heart-stopping turns.
Whether you’re on summer break or taking a family vacation, Water Country USA’s water slides, with twists, turns, and huge drops, make it the greatest destination to cool off and escape the summer heat. You and your family can also luxuriate in a reserved lounger or cabana, indulge in a sweet frozen beverage, or unwind in their lazy river. They create a resort-like ambiance and beach vibe for you all in one location.
Address: 176 Water Country Pkwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185 | Phone: +1 757-229-4386 | Website: watercountryusa.com
Soak City, Doswell
Soak City Waterpark is a top-rated waterpark located at the back of Kings Dominion in Doswell. This is one of the best places to have fun and escape the summer heat while hanging out with friends and family. They offer visitors an excellent variety of slides, including the Night Slider, Power Plunge, Turbo Twister, and Rip Slide — the four well-known slides from Pipeline Peak.
Their latest slide tower contains six new slides. Aqua Blast is a 449-foot-long enclosed tube attraction that has four 360-degree “constrictor” spiral loops. Thunder Falls, a pair of twin tube slides, include a single or double down drop as their grand finale. Paradise Plunge, on the other hand, consists of three rapid body slides that discharge capsules and go in a series of S-curves and horizontal loops. In addition, they also have a multi-level, interactive aqua play structure with 200 elements and 8 waterslides that is called Lighthouse Landing.
Address: 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell, VA 23047 | Phone: 804-876-5000 | Website: kingsdominion.com/soak-city
Making the Most of Your Visit to Waterparks in Virginia
With how great the waterparks in Virginia are, it’s best to plan and be prepared before visiting one. To make the most of your visit to Virginia’s waterparks, you can follow these tried-and-true guidelines for a fun, hassle-free, and excellent day:
- Set up a specific date in advance and decide which waterpark you’ll visit. Once you’ve decided which one and when you’re going to visit, check its operating schedule to confirm that it will be open on the planned day.
- Make sure to check the waterpark’s website first. This will help you get all the appropriate information to make the most out of your visit. At several waterparks in Virginia, there are strict guidelines about bringing food, as well as height and age restrictions. Before visiting, make sure to double-check all of the important information online to avoid disappointment when you arrive at the park.
- Check the waterpark’s operating hours and arrive as early as you can. Give yourself and your family enough time to experience all of the enjoyable activities and attractions that the waterparks of Virginia have to offer.
- Choose your method of transportation. You should get there early if you’re driving because some waterparks may have limited parking space. It is best to check their website as some may also charge for parking. Finally, if you’re commuting, know in advance how to get there quickly and easily.
- Buy your tickets online in advance to avoid standing in line at the waterpark’s entrance and don’t have to be concerned about the tickets selling out on the day of your visit.
- If you can, bring your own snacks. Make sure to check the park’s regulations first, but this is a great way to save money if you’re allowed to. It’s also a good idea if you’re bringing a toddler who needs specific types or quantities of food.
- Always keep in mind to pack extra clothing and sunscreen. A full day of water activities and exposure to the sun may necessitate the regular application of sunscreen to prevent painful sunburn. And of course, you shouldn’t visit a waterpark without extra clothing.
Beat the Heat With the Best Waterparks in Virginia
Virginia’s waterparks are undoubtedly among the best places to hang out with the family while escaping the summer heat. There is something for everyone at waterparks because there are so many fun things to do. Virginia boasts the best waterparks if someone appreciates yelling at the top of their lungs, a speedy slide, swimming and playing ball with their kids, or simply unwinding, taking a sunbath, and enjoying a beach experience.
Waterparks in Virginia are wonderful places to relax and bring unconditional joy, not just because of the slides, water activities, the food, but also because of the atmosphere and upbeat feelings you will experience in a waterpark with the people who are most important to you. Plan a visit with your loved ones to the best waterparks in Virginia and beat the summer heat.
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!
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