Best Indoor Water Park 2024 | Readers' Choice Awards

Prefer to be on a sun-drenched beach than on snow-plowed roads? Then head to one of the best indoor waterparks in the nation, where it's always warm and toasty. In the list we've curated below, you'll find parks that cater to cartoon-loving kids, adults who prefer understated spaces and teens searching for the next thrill.

These 10 indoor water parks were selected by our featured panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.

1. Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark | Lake Geneva, WI

Photo courtesy of Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark

Timber Ridge Waterpark transports your family into a fun (and wet!) woodland getaway. Warm your younger kids up to the water in the Tiny Timbers area that has small slides and sprayers, and then jump into the Activity Pool while they attempt the rope climb. Save time for the best attraction: Avalanche Falls, which blasts popular music while shining colorful lights, making it feel more like a concert than a slide.

2. Epic Waters Waterpark | Grand Prairie, TX

Photo courtesy of Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark

With 80,000 square feet of water activities and a retractable roof, Epic Waters has rightly been named one of the best indoor waterparks in the U.S. Rush to the finish line side-by-side down the E-Racers, practice surfing on the FlowRider and experience zero gravity on Yellowjacket Drop. The on-site Hungry Wave Café and Longboards Bar keep stomachs full and bodies hydrated in between slide rides.

3. Tropic Falls at OWA | Foley, AL

Photo courtesy of Tropic Falls at OWA

Work on your tan under the convertible roof of Tropic Falls Indoor Waterpark. While you're busy getting your vitamin D, the kids can race each other down the Aqua Chaser and hold on to one another as they soar down the Citrus Cyclone. When everyone is getting hangry, head to the Hawaiian-themed restaurant Grub and order the queso fries or an icee for a sweet treat.

4. Wilderness at the Smokies | Sevierville, TN

Photo courtesy of Wilderness at the Smokies

Recently expanded, the Wild WaterDome Indoor Waterpark is always looking for ways to wow guests. The new Kaleidoscope Kaverns creates a colorful, immersive experience unlike any lazy river you've ever seen, and the Lookout Lagoon provides amazing sights through its rooftop, glass-walled pool. Of course, daredevils won't want to miss mainstays like the Storm Chaser, an innertube slide that plunges riders 55 feet down a dark tunnel.

5. DreamWorks Water Park | East Rutherford, NJ

Photo by Casarsa/iStock by Getty Images

DreamWorks Water Park is the largest indoor waterpark in North America and has the world's biggest indoor wave pool, promising your kids a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Splash around with your favorite DreamWorks characters as you go down Shrek's Sinkhole Slammer or explore the Kungfu Panda Temple of Awesomeness. You can take your trip to the next level with tickets to Twilight Time, an after-dark experience filled with colorful lights.

6. Wilderness Resort | Wisconsin Dells, WI

Photo courtesy of Wilderness Resort

Each of the four indoor waterparks at Wilderness Resort has something fun to offer. Ideal for smaller kids, Cubby's Cove features a zero-depth play area and four slides, while the Wild West has a swim-up bar that's beloved by parents. The Wild WaterDome allows natural light to pour in from the see-through roof, and Klondike Kavern has two 400-foot Claim Jumper Challenge slides.

7. Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark at Camelback Resort | Tannersville, PA

Photo by kali9/iStock by Getty Images

Soak up the sun (even when it's freezing outside!) under a massive Texlon roof at the 125,000-square-foot Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark. Your family will enjoy zooming down 13 different waterslides, and you can rent a private cabana if you have a toddler who needs a nap while older siblings play ball in the Alley-Oop Lagoon.

8. Splash Lagoon | Erie, PA

Photo courtesy of Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort

At the award-winning Splash Lagoon, you can start the day with a swim in the 200,000-gallon wave pool before learning how to surf on the FlowRider. The brand-new Tree House will wear your kids out as they explore this multiple-level playhouse that leads to two new slides. A splash pad and Monkey Shines Island keep little ones enthralled while older siblings face their fears on Hurricane Hole.

9. Kalahari Indoor Waterpark & Resort | Pocono Manor, PA

Photo courtesy of Kalahari Resorts and Conventions

The Kalahari Indoor Waterpark boasts an enormous 220,000 square feet of water-themed activities, so it's no surprise that they're a fan favorite. The VR Waterslide, a first in the U.S., is a must-try for an immersive experience, and if you're traveling with adults, you've got to swim up to the Paxton Grotto bar for drinks. Pro tip: Stay on-site to enjoy early access at check-in.

10. Great Wolf Lodge | Perryville, MD

Photo courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge

Kept at a balmy 84 degrees all year long, the waterpark at Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville is the place to be when you're sick of the snow. This attraction is spread across 126,000 square feet and features preschool-friendly areas like Otter Cave Waterworks as well as heart-racing elements like Coyote Canyon's 40-foot drop. Save time for a float down Crooked Creek as a family.

About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards

Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.

Our Featured Panelists

With more than 20 years in journalism and content creation, Gretchen Pahia is a wife and mother of two teenage boys. With articles published in several publications, she is a recognized writer covering a variety of different topics including travel, dining, lifestyle, family and entertainment. You can follow along on Instagram @gpahia.

Jill Robbins is an expert writer focusing on family and adventure travel as well as practical tips to help everyone get the most value out of their vacation experience. Jill's work has appeared in the Miami Herald, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Business Insider, Tripsavvy, Matador Network, Wealth of Geeks, Canadian Traveller, Travel Awaits, San Antonio Magazine and more. She lives in San Antonio with her husband and two sons, but she's usually somewhere else. Learn more about her travels at https://www.rippedjeansandbifocals.com or follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Susan Lanier-Graham is founder and publisher of Wander WithWonder, an award-winning online travel journalism magazine. She has authored more than 75 books and hundreds of magazine articles while traveling the world over the past three decades. Susan's work has appeared in a variety of publications, including various AAA publications, TravelandLeisure.com, Hotels.com, Modern Luxury, WHERE publications, Fairmont.com, Marriott.com and more. Susan is a member of Society of American Travel Writers, International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, and North American Travel Journalists Association. She is also a Certified California Wine Appellation Specialist.

Tom Manus and Kristi Flick Manus are freelance travel writers for print and online publications, along with their website smalltownplussize.com. Kristi is a Madison-area native while Tom happily adopted Wisconsin after their marriage in 1995. After living in many states across the country, they moved to Eau Claire. They enjoy exploring different cultures, history, roadside attractions and nature through road trips on backroads and two-lane highways. Along with international travel, they have visited 48 states, with only Hawaii and the elusive Rhode Island remaining.

Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.