Craving summer fun without the long-distance travel? You don’t need to jet off to a tropical paradise, when exciting indoor water parks are just a short drive from the Main Line! These year-round, aquatic playgrounds let you splash, slide, swim, and soak, usually with dining and shopping on site, as well.

Best of all? These indoor water parks stay a perfect 84 degrees year-round, making them ideal for family weekend getaways or memorable day trips, no matter how cold it gets outside. So who needs a long flight when there’s tropical fun to be had within a one- to two-hour drive from the Main Line?

Aquatopia 

Camelback Resort, 193 Resort Drive, Tannersville, PA 

For those who like to max out their fun quota for the day, Camelback Resort offers outdoor mountain adventures with skiing and snowtubing — plus Aquatopia, one of the largest indoor water parks in the U.S. Featuring 13 slides, a lazy river, hot tubs, cozy cabanas, and more, Aquatopia is guaranteed to keep the kids entertained. Inside the water park, the temperature is kept at 84 degrees and the transparent roof allows you to bask in the sunshine.

Says one local parent, “I’ve gone here multiple years in a row with my daughter and mother. The indoor water park is an absolute blast. Plus it’s connected to a giant arcade with tons of modern games and cool gift shop. The food is really good inside Aquatopia. There’s about seven or eight different slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, a kids area, a bar inside the middle of a pool for adults, and a large Jacuzzi style pool that even connects to a small pool outside. The slides are enjoyable for kids and adults alike.”

DreamWorks Indoor Water Park

1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, NJ

Located within the American Dream shopping and entertainment complex, DreamWorks Water Park is the largest indoor waterpark in North America. With attractions inspired by DreamWorks movies, your kids will surely love spotting their favorite characters and settings throughout the park. “Dreamworks!! It was AMAZING!” says Ruth T. “And if you need a break from the waterpark, there’s always the shops!”

Great Wolf Lodge

1 Great Wolf Dr., Scotrun, PA

Don your wolf ears for the Great Wolf Lodge Pocono, an immense, 120,000 square-foot, indoor water park. Featuring eight different water slides, activity pools, a wave pool, hot tubs, a lazy river, an aquatic jungle gym, and much more, it’s a world of fun under one roof. What’s more, one of the newest attractions, slideboarding, combines gaming and water slide action for a truly unique experience. Parents love Great Wolf Lodge for the attention to detail, the variety of activities, and the friendly and helpful staff.

“My kids, aged 4 and 7, loved it. They enjoyed the outdoor pool and the wave pool. We spent a good 5 hours in the water. They used up all their energy and went to bed early as if by magic,” said Delphine E.

H2O Indoor Waterpark

Split Rock Resort, 100 Moseywood Road, Lake Harmony, PA

Let the good times flow at H2O Indoor Waterpark, part of the Split Rock Resort at Lake Harmony, Pocono. Play in a splash wonderland for tots, a surf-riding attraction, a wave pool, a splash jungle gym, an aquatic adventure course, multiple slides, and more. This is certainly a destination in its own right, but also a great addition to your winter or summer adventures in the area.

Island Waterpark at Showboat

801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ

Atlantic City’s indoor waterpark which opened Summer 2023, offers 11 slides, a 6,500 foot lazy river, and a wave pool, among tons of other fun activities for kids of all ages. Float down the lazy river, race with friends, surf a gnarly wave, or just go with the flow on our wickedly wet and wild water attractions! And for just the adults, the 21+ Paradise Adult Island is an oceanfront pool with swim-up bars for the ultimate relaxation for parents.

“I had a great time being here with my son,” said Merrick L. “It was much faster to ride the slides here than the waterpark at American Dream Mall and we didn’t have to pay to upgrade. We loved the Lazy River!”

Kalahari Resorts

250 Kalahari Blvd., Pocono Manor, PA 

While you don’t have to stay the night, there’s so much to do that you might want to consider it at Kalahari, an indoor water park inspired by African cultures. There are six exciting water slides, an aquatic jungle gym, lazy rivers (one for the preschool set), pools, hot tubs, a and FlowRider. Additionally, young families can play in a special pool with slides and activities for babies and preschoolers.  Outside of the water park, the resort has of a wide selection of restaurants, including a buffet, pizza place, tavern, café, and restaurant.

“My neighborhood does a big trip to Kalahari every year at Christmas time,” says parent, Dana B. “At first, I thought it was my nightmare, because of the chaos and the crowd. However, my mind quickly changed when I saw all the happy smiles on both kids and parents faces. It was a fantastic time. The rides are fun, the drinks are expensive. But memories were made by all. We will be going back again this year.”

“Kalahari Poconos is great! Best of all is the hotel cost covers two days of tickets!” says Keren P.

Lead photo courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge.

Want to to have a snowy day adventure the whole family can enjoy? Check out Best Family Snow Tubing Trips Near Philadelphia.