9 Best Indoor Water Parks in Ohio and Nearby States This 2022

The best indoor water parks in Ohio and its neighboring areas provide all-year and all-weather fun and adventure for locals and visitors of the Midwest. Whether as a destination to beat the summer heat or as an escape to the snowy winter vacations in the U.S., a day at these indoor water parks is certainly a great way to spend your next family vacation! 

Water park features, including thrilling water slides and relaxing lazy rivers, will surely entice kids and adults alike. If you’re ready for non-stop water activities, make a splash at one of these indoor water parks!

Indoor Water Parks in Ohio

Here are the best Ohio water parks, from resorts and hotels with water park features to standalone indoor amusement parks!

1. Kalahari Resorts, Sandusky

Photo by marada on Flickr

There are plenty of things to do in Sandusky. Among them is making a splash at the indoor water park of Kalahari Resorts. This indoor amusement park is the largest water park in the Midwest, stretching 173,000 square feet across. It is home to various slides and rides, including a wave pool, a lazy river, raft rides, and several water playgrounds for all ages. Perhaps one of the more unique attractions is its underwater virtual reality experience. In this exciting water adventure, guests can watch majestic creatures as they swim across the seven seas. 

Additionally, kids can even be mermaids or mermen for a day! Meanwhile, adults can sip on cocktails or beer while lounging in the water at the swim-up bar. With all these exciting features, it’s surely one of the state’s coolest water parks! The fun doesn’t stop indoors, though! Besides its indoor water features, the resort also has a zip line, a mini-golf course, a rock climbing wall, and up-close animal encounters. Surely, spending a day at the Kalahari water park and resort is among the fun things to do in Ohio. 

2. Great Wolf Lodge, Sandusky

Photo from Great Wolf Lodge Sandusky Booking.com page

Great Wolf Lodge is another resort in Sandusky with indoor water parks. It’s a great destination for families traveling with little ones since it is equipped with kid-friendly water slides and attractions. From its water fort treehouse and fun-sized slides to lazy river and kiddie pool, children (even the toddlers!) can splash and play all day long. There are also a number of water activities that the teens can enjoy. The lodge’s water basketball cove is the perfect spot to practice their free throw skills. The water obstacle course is surely another heart-pumping experience even the adults would love to try. Want to relax and enjoy a moment of respite? Step away from all the excitement and soak in the hot tubs.

3. Castaway Bay, Sandusky

Photo from Castaway Bay official Facebook page

Dreaming of a trip to the best Caribbean beaches? If a tropical getaway is still far out of reach, head over to Castaway Bay in Sandusky, Ohio. Boasting a tropical Caribbean theme, it’s definitely the closest thing you can get if you so crave the sensation of swinging palm trees, clear waters, and sandy shores. This indoor water park in Sandusky is home to several slides and rides that promise aqua fun.

Some of the highlights guests might also want to check out include the uphill water coaster and enclosed serpentine body slides. Share the thrill with a friend when you ride the tandem water coaster or experience a wild aqua adventure alone as you descend the single tube ride. Finally, don’t miss out on Castaway Bay’s adventurous obstacle course that will have guests crossing a pool using hanging nets and floating treasure chests. 

4. Great Wolf Lodge, Mason

Photo from Great Wolf Lodge Mason Booking.com page

For those vacationing in the southwestern part of Ohio, Great Wolf Lodge has another indoor water park in the city of Mason. Equipped with similar water features and attractions as the previous waterpark, this chain in Mason has a few extra slides designed for older guests. This includes a four-storey water vortex with a 40-foot drop, an adrenaline-inducing group raft ride, and a water roller coaster that will have you sliding down a 52-foot vertical drop. Instead of just one hot tub, the Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor water park in Mason has two – one of which is an adult-only hot tub. As such, it’s the perfect place for parents to unwind after a day of exciting water adventure.

5. Splash Harbor, Bellville

Photo from Comfort Inn Splash Harbor Booking.com page

Looking for hotels with indoor water parks in Ohio to stay at for your next family vacation? Consider staying at the Comfort Inn Splash Harbor in Bellville, which encloses one of the smaller indoor water parks in Ohio. Spanning just around 6,000 square feet, it offers plenty of watery fun regardless. It has a large pool, a looping slide, and a splash pad with geysers. There’s also a separate kiddie pool. The poolside basketball hoops and floating rafts provide more exciting fun in the pool. 

Since it’s designed for younger guests in mind, the main pool is fairly shallow, with a depth of only four feet. What’s more, they have two hot tubs for parents who simply want to take it easy while keeping an eye on their kids. Take note that Splash Harbor has no lifeguards on duty. As such, adults will need to monitor their children at all times. 

Indoor Water Parks Near Ohio

Planning a road trip through the Midwest for your next family vacation? Make sure to stop by one of these indoor water parks and aquatic centers near Ohio.

6. Splash Lagoon, Pennsylvania

Photo from Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park

A day at the Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park should definitely be part of your list of things to do in Erie, PA. Less than a two-hour drive away from the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, this water-based amusement park is a must-visit for families. Its Polynesian theme will surely have you feeling as if you’re in the tropics! Visitors can plummet down from seven thrilling water slides, float down the lazy river, or simply relax in one of the three hot tubs. Interested in learning how to surf? Rain or shine, you can do so with the water park’s indoor bodyboard and surf machine! 

Right next to the surf simulator is a 200,000-gallon wave pool, one of the largest indoor wave pools in Eastern America. Experience six-foot ocean-like waves that will have you feeling as if you’re riding the waves of the best tropical beaches! Another highlight of the park is the Tiki Tipping Bucket, which unloads over 1,000 gallons of water soaking everyone below when the horn blows.

7. Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark, Pennsylvania

Photo from Camelback Resort Booking.com page

Further northwest from Erie, you’ll find the Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark at Camelback Resort in Tannersville. Spread across 170,000 square feet, this indoor water park is home to 13 heart-pumping water slides and rides, including North America’s longest uphill water coaster! You’ll likewise find the region’s only indoor, head-first mat water slide here! The enclosed slide is even decked out with colored light strips that creates a stunning kaleidoscopic effect when going down.

Meanwhile, guests can experience a whole other dimension when they ride the fully enclosed aqua tube decked out with flashing lights and imagery. For more adventurous souls, you can free-fall from 60-feet above or doing a double 360-degree loop. On the other hand, younger guests can shoot some poolside hoops or have fun at the multi-level play area that’s equipped with 84 water features.

8. Splash Universe Water Park, Michigan 

Photo from the Splash Universe Water Park Resort official website

Splash Universe is one of the indoor water parks in Michigan just a short 30-minute drive from Ohio’s Toledo. Since it’s always a summery 84 degrees inside, you might like to schedule your visit during the winter months to have a quick escape from the cool weather. This year-round indoor water park resort boasts a water slide that will have you twisting and turning your way out of the building, then back. A seven-storey water jungle gym with a 500 gallon splash bucket above, a floating obstacle course, and relaxing river grotto awaits you here. Furthermore, situated away from all the excitement of the water attractions is an adult-only hot tub ideal for parents looking to get away from the noise of the play areas.

9. Indy Island Aquatic Center, Indiana 

Photo from Indy Island Aquatic Center official Facebook page

On the hunt for things to do in Indianapolis for your next road trip? Just over an hour’s drive from Ohio, you can splash, swim and play all day at Indiana’s Indy Island Aquatic Center. While not technically a water park, it’s still worthy of a visit when you’re traveling through the city. Plus, the price is hard to beat for all the fun water activities you can have! This indoor pool with water park features is open year-round, making it an excellent place to spend a hot summer day or freezing winter’s day. When you step inside, the 101-foot long spiral slide will surely catch your eye. There’s a leisure pool featuring a coral reef with a waterfall, geysers and other spray features. Practice your strokes in the dedicated three-lane lap pool. There’s also an adults-only spa for adults wanting a bit of respite.

Dive Into the Fun at These Indoor Water Parks in and Near Ohio

Rain or shine, these indoor water parks in Ohio and its neighboring states provide a tropical oasis for residents in the Midwest. These parks are a great place to visit during the summer months to stay cool and refreshed. And since most parks are climate-controlled, they offer an escape from the frigid winter chills. You can lounge by the pool, float down lazy rivers, splash around water playgrounds, or go down water slides and other rides — all-year round!