Deciding where to stay on your vacation can prove to be quite an overwhelming mission. The most convenient options have everything you need — from full-service restaurants to spas and shopping. But the most fun hotels offer something a little different: on-site water parks. After enjoying thrilling slides or wasting the day away on a lazy river, you can retire to your room just steps away.
From the adults-only tropical oasis found at the Gaylord Opryland to a candy-themed children’s paradise at Hershey Lodge, here are 14 of the best hotels with water parks in the US
Related: 11 Florida Resorts With Water Parks Perfect for a Family Vacation
Gaylord Opryland: Nashville, Tennessee
Courtesy of Marriott
Gaylord Opryland is a property like no other, encompassing a spa, a multitude of restaurants, and its crown jewel: SoundWaves. The truly unique indoor/outdoor space adds a bit of luxe to the water park experience with its posh, contemporary feel. Complete with an adults-only level, scream-inducing drop slides, and a winding river with immersive music and effects, this is the perfect water park for a family outing or a romantic getaway.
Hershey Lodge: Hershey, Pennsylvania
Courtesy of Hershey Lodge
Things really are sweeter in Hershey because guests at Hersheypark’s on-site hotel, Hershey Lodge, have access to their very own indoor water park. Hershey’s Water Works invites hotelgoers to splish and splash across unique attractions themed to favorite candies, like the Reese’s Water Walk and the Twizzlers Twists waterslides. It also includes basketball hoops, two pools, and an outdoor splash pad.
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa: San Antonio, Texas
Courtesy of Marriott
Set in the stunning rolling hills of Texas, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is a serene escape that expertly combines rustic charm with luxury. Its 9-acre water park is fun for the entire family, offering a 1,100-foot-long lazy river, adults-only pool, and the sky-high Acequia Tube slide.
Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Courtesy of Timber Ridge Lodge
With dozens of water parks to choose from in Wisconsin, Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark stands out as one of the best. The property, boasting spacious suites with full kitchens, is home to a 50,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor water park that is themed after the region’s natural beauty. Lush trees surround a family-friendly lazy river, and the little ones can have fun with their own play area.
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples: Naples, Florida
Courtesy of Marriott
Upscale water park The Reservoir debuted at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples in 2021, adding to the property’s already impressive list of amenities, including two golf courses and a spa. After lounging in a private cabana, you can take advantage of an expansive lazy river, three waterslides, a kids’ splash zone, and a poolside eatery.
Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin Dells: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge
They weren’t kidding when they dubbed the Wisconsin Dells “the water park capital of the world.” Even with a high concentration of parks to choose from, few can compete with the flagship location of the Great Wolf Lodge. This icon of the family hotel industry shines with over 70,000 square feet of water space featuring 13 slides, including a 200-foot mountain waterslide, and nine pools — and the entire complex is kept at a toasty 84 degrees Fahrenheit year round.
Great Wolf Lodge: Charlotte, North Carolina
Courtesy of Great Wolf Lodge
Since the opening of its original Wisconsin Dells location, Great Wolf Lodge has expanded rapidly to include San Francisco, Kansas City, and (a first for the region) Concord, North Carolina. Located just outside of Charlotte, it’s the largest indoor water park in the Carolinas, thrilling guests with 11 waterslides, an interactive four-story water fort, and four pools.
The Grove Resort & Water Park: Orlando, Florida
Courtesy of The Grove Resort & Water Park
It takes something special to stand out in a competitive market like Orlando, but The Grove Resort & Water Park does just that. Located just miles from Disney World, guests can soak the day away at the Surfari park’s lazy river, double waterslides, and even the double FlowRider, a surf simulator. Those looking to take the ultimate plunge — marriage — can even say “I do” on the waterslides.
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa: Kapolei, Hawaii
Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney Destinations
At Disney’s only property in Hawaii, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, you can expect the world-class experience you’ve come to know from the leading brand in family travel. Located on the stunning shoreline of O’ahu just a few steps from the beach, kids (and kids at heart) can enjoy a lazy river, multiple pools, and splash zones built into towering rock structures designed by Walt Disney Imagineers.
Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Courtesy of Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park
Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Water Park draws inspiration from its unique location within the stunning Great Smoky Mountains. The highlight of the Gatlinburg resort is its Wild Bears Falls Water Park, an indoor/outdoor park with a state-of-the-art retractable roof, making it ideal for year-round fun. In addition to a lazy river and a number of water slides, kids won’t be able to get enough of an interactive treehouse-themed jungle gym.
Kalahari: Sandusky, Ohio
Courtesy of Kalahari
The best indoor water park in the Midwest also happens to be from one of the most trusted (and growing) brands in hotel water parks. Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky, lauded as the largest indoor water park in the country, features indoor/outdoor spas, a slide reaching speeds of over 40 mph, and a swim-up bar. The park’s star is Victoria Falls, a family raft attraction that takes guests outdoors (while enclosed inside of a tube) before plummeting into a pool.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando: Orlando, Florida
Courtesy of Marriott
Few hotel experiences at Disney World can top that of Four Season Resort Orlando. The world-class leader in hospitality shines at its Central Florida location which features the luxurious Explorer Island. It’s the ultimate in sophistication, featuring a tranquil, adults-only pool with an underwater speaker system, lazy river, and an innovative slide made with see-through fiberglass.
Camp Margaritaville RV Resort & Lodge: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Courtesy of Margaritaville
Mountain latitudes meet Jimmy Buffet’s island attitude at the Camp Margaritaville RV Resort & Lodge. At this carefree resort, guests can enjoy a double-loop water slide set against the stunning backdrop of the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s a true day-to-night experience — in the evenings, guests can gather around firepits or soak in a hot tub before taking part in a game of duckpin bowling.
