Summer Things to do

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

Written by Kayla Costanzo

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

Taking the entire family on a water park getaway is the perfect family day trip. So if you are looking for the Best indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City, you’ve come to the right place!

There are heaps of indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City. Did you know that an hour or two of driving will land you in some fabulous water park getaways? Kids love to splash around in the water, run through sprinklers, and go down water slides. It’s also great for parents because it is generally in a contained area, whether the water park is indoors or outdoors. Therefore, parents do not have to worry about their kids running off. Let’s explore some of the best indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City!

Coco Keys Water Resort 

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

The Coco Keys Water Resort is closed indefinitely.

About an hour and twenty-minute drive from the heart of Jersey City, Coco Keys is in a great location in Mount Laurel, NJ. Although this indoor water park is located within a hotel, all non-hotel guests still have access to the water park. All you need to do is purchase your tickets in advance for guaranteed entry.

What is great about this indoor water park is it’s open all year round and is relatively low-key and quiet. So many water parks can be saturated with people, but Coco Keys will give both you and the kids room to move around and breathe. The park features a 1,000-foot long water slide, a lazy river, an aquatic jungle gym, an indoor/outdoor spa for the parents, and much more.

H2Oooohh at Split Rock Resort

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

Located in Lake Harmony, PA, this indoor water park has over 53,000 feet of fun! This park has three 4-story waterslides, a wave pool, activity pool, jungle gym, dumping bucket. Did we mention they also have lava springs hot tub for the parents? There is a little something for everyone at this resort. You can purchase tickets for the day. If you are looking for a longer getaway, you can stay at the resort in one of their rooms. This is certainly one of the best indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City.

Kalahari Resorts

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

About an hour and a half drive, Kalahari Resorts is located in Pocono Manor, PA. It is in a gorgeous, scenic location up around the Pocono Mountains. This water park opened its doors in 2015 and is open year-round for fun in all seasons. This park is Safari themed, which is great for kids who love animals and wild things!

At 220,000 square feet, this water park is massive, with so many attractions that you and the kids will be entertained for days. The park features waterslides, a wave pool, a kids’ play area, a surf section, and a lazy river. If you visit in the summer, the whole roof of the water park opens, so you get an excellent outdoor summertime feel.

Great Wolf Lodge

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

About an hour and twenty-minute drive from the city, you’ll find Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun, PA. This is one of the best indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City! Likely the most well-known indoor water park around the country, GWL knows all about family-friendly water activities. There’s an endless amount of attractions for both the kids and adults. They have two different hot springs for adults, large and small water slides, slide boarding, and tons more.

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor 

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

Check website for days and hours of opening.

This outdoor water park is super close to the city, only an hour’s drive away! This is one of the best indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City, and it is conveniently located in Jackson, NJ. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor has a lazy river, tons of water slides, boogie boarding, water rafting, and more.

The younger kids have a baby pool, water swings, fountain, and a treehouse. An excellent combination of features for parents, kids, and babies is perfect for families of different ages. The main water park feature has multiple slides, a climbing net, a wave pool, wading area for relaxing. They also have a pirate ship to climb and run through.

Mountain Creek Waterpark

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

Did you know this ski resort turns into a fun water park and attraction during the warm summer months? The park is located in Vernon, NJ, about an hour and a fifteen-minute drive from Jersey City.

The park features many attractions, which are separated into four different zones. These zones include an area for the youngest kids, the world’s tallest double looping thrill slide Zero-G (!), cliff jumping, white water rafting, water slides, and more. You can even rent private cabanas to get away from the crowds and relax a little. With so many excellent features, especially for the older kids, this makes one of the best indoor and outdoor water parks around Jersey City.

Throughout the year there are interesting and engaging events here from the 4th of July fireworks to Annual Holiday Market in November. If you are into Norse mythology, there’s the annual Ullr fest that takes place in November at Mountain Creek. Waterpark After Dark and Oktoberfest are also popular. Waterpark After Dark is for ages 21 and above.

Best Indoor and Outdoor Water Parks Around Jersey City

DreamWorks Water Park at American Dream Mall

The New Jersey mega-mall American dream has reopened its DreamWorks Water Park and this cannot be missed. It is a 3.3 million square foot property. It is a year-round water fun for the whole family with a 81°F tropical climate maintained throughout the year.  So drop through the canopy of Madagascar’s legendary Baobab tree; Swirl through your favorite ogre’s swamp with Shrek; Find your inner Dragon Warrior with Kung Fu Panda; Fly with How to Train Your Dragon.

It is, without doubt, enjoyable for the whole family to spend spalshing in water, going on thrilling water slides and rides or just lazying in the Lazy river. And if you want to stay local, there are many pools in the city, many providing swim lessons as well.

 

Updated July 2, 2024

About the author

Kayla Costanzo

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