I know it is September and we are winding down on waterpark season, but we are lucky in New England to have an array of waterparks to visit. With about half the year being colder months we can still visit indoor water parks. I have not visited all of the parks in New England, but I have visited many of them. Below I will highlight the ones we have visited in no particular order.
Great Wolf Lodge- Fitchburg MA
We have been to this indoor waterpark several times with friends, taking my daughter’s friends and just as a family. We like this park for many reasons. It is only about 30 minutes from our house and is easy to get to. There are tons of activities to keep a family busy for a weekend without having to leave the hotel. There is a waterpark that covers to large rooms, an adventure park, restaurants, game area, spa and daily activities. Great Wolf has something for everyone in the waterpark for all ages, from the wave pool, small slides, many larger slides and a hot tub. They have recently added an option that you can pay for day passes so you do not have to rent a room for the night.
The only downside is it can get very busy and crowded in the winter months and holidays. It is also very expensive. We usually order food from nearby places or bring our own as the restaurants are expensive. Make sure you watch for deals on Groupon and sign up for their emails. I have gotten the best deals through their emails.
Water Country- Portsmouth NH
We have only been to Water Country once. We went for the first time this year and we were disappointed. It is expensive and the park is very out of date. It was clean and there are several different options for slides and water rides. The lines were very long and did not move along which appeared to be due to being understaffed. My daughter and I waited in line over an hour for one ride. We were there for about six to seven hours and only got in about 10 rides which I think is low for being there all day. The park is easy to get to. You can bring in your own food. Most of the staff seemed to enjoy their jobs trying to make it fun for those waiting in line. With the other waterparks we have access to I do not think we will be back.
Whales Tale- Lincoln NH
We really enjoy Whales Tale. We have been a couple times. This is our 10 year old’s favorite waterpark. The times we have gone it has not been too busy. There are a variety of rides for all ages as well as a wave pool. It is very clean and has been well staffed, which helps with moving lines along. That staff has always been friendly. You can also bring in your own food. Our favorite ride was a two person raft that takes you down a steep hill and up a steep hill. I felt like a few times we were going to go over the other side. My husband also tried the surfing, which was fun to watch. We will absolutely be visiting this park again.
Kahuna Laguna at Red Jacket Resorts- North Conway NH
We have visited this water resort once and enjoyed it. It it connected with the Red Jacket Inn. Be aware when booking the room as waterpark passes are not always included. This was a common complaint on various websites when we were looking at going there. I booked our room through Groupon and did not have any issue with finding a deal that included waterpark passes. We visited over a February vacation and was surprised that it was not too busy. Everything was in one room, which was good that we could allow our daughter to run around. It is not a big place, but there are enough waterslides to keep kids of all ages entertained for a few hours. The staff were friendly and the facility was very clean. If you are in North Conway this is a great place to stay and have some fun.
Jay Peak Pump House- Jay VT
We stayed at Jay Peak a couple years ago for a wedding, but unfortunately the waterpark was closed for its yearly cleaning and maintenance. This summer we spent a couple days in Jay and got a chance to go back. This is my husband and I’s favorite park. You do not have to stay at the resort to use the waterpark. There is no pool but they have the best lazy river I have ever been on. The water is quick moving and it feels like you are riding down rapids. Our daughter enjoyed all but one of the slides, only because she was not heavy enough to ride it The slide shoots you up almost like a roller coaster and you have to be over 80lbs to ride it. My guess is in the winter when it is ski season that the park is very busy as the resort is located at the base of a ski mountain. Also make sure you check the website to ensure the park is open.
Steele Hill Resort Sanborton, NH
This is not technically a waterpark, but it is a nice place to stay with a fun pool area. There is a large tub, a small kids area and a good size pool with a fun slide. We have stayed here a few times with friends and always have fun.
Funtown Splashdown Saco, Maine
We did a day trip to Funtown Splashdown in Saco, Maine. Surprisingly we had never been here before. We loved this park. It has a great selection of amusement rides and waterpark rides. We spent more time in the waterpark area than the amusement area. There is a variety of waterslides depending on your trill level. This has now become one of our favorite waterparks in New England.
There are also waterparks at Canobie Lake in New Hampshire which we have not been to since they updated it. As well as Six Flags in Western Massachusetts and Kahuna Laguna at Cape Cod. If I am missing any other ones please let me know.
I apologize for the lack of pictures, but I do not carry my camera around me when I am at waterparks.
