I know how it is. Everyone in the house has their own opinion on where the family should go on vacation. It’s not easy planning adventures that everyone in the household will love.  So, if a little relaxation and water fun are on the agenda, I put together this list of indoor waterpark resorts worth getting in the car for. 

These resorts have something for everyone in the family. So in addition to all the water fun, they take care of other needs like family entertainment, dining, shopping, and relaxation.  These amenities are included right there on the premises. 

These Water Park Resorts Are Worth Being Stuck In a Car With Your Kids

Camelback Lodge & Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark – Tannersville, PA

3-year-old Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, part of Camelback Resort, is the Poconos’ premier adventure destination. It has been named Best Indoor Waterpark in the country by USA Today. It was also ranked among the top indoor waterparks in the world by U.S. News & World Report in an article published in March 2018.

Its a 125,000-square-foot waterpark housed under a Texlon transparent roof, giving guests natural sunlight year-round and protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Aquatopia has seven pools, 13 water slides and a host of exciting water attractions. While there you can experience Storm Chaser, North America’s longest uphill water coaster; The Great Ka-Na-Gawa Wavepool; an indoor/outdoor hot tub; and Kartrite’s Quest, the world’s first themed “next generation” multi-level aqua play structure equipped with 84 interactive water effects. 

Camelback Resort offers amenities like shopping, a spa, fitness center, restaurants & bars, skiing, snow tubing, Camelbeach outdoor waterpark, mini golf, rock climbing wall, bowling, arcade, laser tag and paint-your-own pottery. https://www.camelbackresort.com/

Soundwaves at Gaylord Opryland Resort – Nashville, TN

Set to open in Fall 2018 at the 4-star Gaylord Opryland Resort.  SoundWaves will be a 4 acre, 3-level luxury indoor/outdoor waterpark with dedicated recreation zones for adults, young children and families.  Year-round, families will be able to experience restaurants, an activity pool with rock climbing, obstacle course, and basketball.  111, 000 sq. ft of upscale water attractions and activities like a Slide tower, Double FlowRider®, rapid and lazy rivers.  For the adults, there will be an exclusive adults-only indoor pool, bar and lounge areas. Also, private cabana rentals.

Seasonal additions to the resort include 106,000 sq. ft. of outdoor water amenities, kids pool with multi-level play structure, and an outdoor pool and bar. Other seasonal features will include a 315,000-gallon wave pool with giant LED movie screen and outdoor dining terraces.

Resort amenities include a spa, dining, golf, fitness center, additional pools, sauna, bike rentals, jogging trails, fountain shows, arcade, riverboat tours and discounts on Nashville area attractions.

Boyne Mountain Resort – Avalanche Bay Indoor Water Park – Boyne Falls, MI

If you’re looking for a mountain getaway, Boyne Mountain Resort houses the largest indoor waterpark in Michigan. Avalanche Bay Indoor Water Park is 88,000 sq. feet full of water slides, lazy river, mat racer, hot springs, arcade, zero foot splash pool, surf simulator and cannon bowl slide. Younger kids will enjoy Splasherhorn, a multi-level play structure with an 800-gallon avalanche. Adventurous ones will want to check out the Super-G Slide or the “10 degrees from vertical” drop of The Big Couloir. The whole family can enjoy Blizzard Bay for climbing, floating, hoops and more. 

Resort amenities include dining, shopping, a spa, skiing & ski lessons, fly fishing and golf. https://www.boynemountain.com/

Hope Lake Lodge Indoor Water Park and Conference Center – Cortland, NY

Hope Lake Lodge is a luxury hotel with all the amenities.  This gem in the finger lakes awaits you with condo-style suites, fireplaces, and spa-quality mattresses all available to give families a pampered experience.  

Cascades Indoor Water Park is 41,000 sq. ft. with year-round temps of 84 degrees and 500 feet of slides. Guests can enjoy body slides, 3-story tube slides and an activity tower with a 500-gallon deluge bucket. There’s also a wave pool with 2 types of waves, toddler activity pool, and indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub.  Locker rooms and a cafe for snacks and refreshments are also available.  

Other amenities at the resort: Dining, Waterfalls Spa, Hopelake Park, adventure center, Greek Peak Mountain Resort, an arcade, mountain bike rentals, kicksled rentals, disc/frisbee golf and Bearfoot Den Activities Center for the little ones. http://hopelakelodge.com/

Wilderness At The Smokies – Wild Wonderdome Indoor Waterpark – Sevierville, TN

Wild Wonderdome is a 66,000 sq. ft. state of the art waterpark with a foil tech glass roof to let in natural light. Here, families can experience tube slides, a wave pool, hot spa and a surf rider.  2 popular attractions to check out are Runaway Canyon, an exciting 5 story high raft ride and Storm Chaser, a multi-guest thrill ride.  Younger kids will enjoy Washout Mountain, a multi-level water play feature with 2 slides and a giant tipping bucket.  They’ll get a kick out of the water cannons and soakers too!

Other amenities of Wilderness at the Smokies include dining, additional waterparks, golf, fitness center, adventure forest, shops, jetboat adventure, paint your own pottery and area attraction tickets.  https://www.wildernessatthesmokies.com/

Falls Avenue Resort & Fallsview Indoor Waterpark – Niagara Falls, ON

This trip will require passports but it will be worth the drive over to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, to catch the gorgeous views & excitement during your stay. The Falls Avenue Resort gives you 4 choices of accommodations at either The Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Clifton Victoria Inn or Skyline Hotels. 3 of the hotels offer direct indoor walkways to the waterpark. 

The park has 16 waterslides, a giant wave pool, Beach House Rain Fortress featuring a 1000-gallon tipping bucket, an outdoor activity pool and sundeck, and adult-only hot tubs. Tiny Tots play area is on site for little guests and The Beach Club, which is ideal for snacks. Fallsview Indoor Waterpark is a two-time recipient of TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice Award. 

Nearby attractions: Casino Niagara, Niagara Falls, Hershey’s Chocolate World, Hard Rock Shop, Niagara Brewing Company, Iwerks 4D Motion Theatre, Crock A Doodle, Adventure City, Always Refreshing Soda Shop and more. 

Depending on where you decide to stay, amenities include things like: shopping, restaurants, spa, valet laundry, indoor courtyard family movies, bunk bed suites, indoor pools, whirlpool, kiddie pool, sauna, cribs, cots, Starbucks Cafe and fitness centers. https://fallsavenueresort.com/

I suggest you bookmark this list and keep it on hand as you plan your future family vacations.  I hope this gives you some ideas and gets your family excited for a memorable and worthwhile road trip.  Have fun!

Has your family experienced an indoor water park resort?