Some days, you just need to beat the heat, and that’s certainly true in Los Angeles. But where can you go for some wet and wild fun for the whole family?
What are the best water parks in LA?
We’ve got your guide to the best water parks in and around Los Angeles. Our top choices include:
- Legoland Water Park
- Knott’s Soak City
- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
- Great Wolf Lodge
- Raging Waters
- Buccaneer Bay at La Mirada Splash
- Buccaneer Cove at Castle Park
- Drytown Water Park
Pack your sunscreen and a water bottle, and get ready for some family fun – these water parks are great day trip choices for the entire family!
Love visiting water parks in big cities? Check out our guide to the best water parks near Chicago!
Best Water Parks in Los Angeles California
With all of these waterparks, be sure to check the website or call ahead to learn about their height or age requirements for certain rides. You may also be able to package your admission to water parks with admission to other parks or attractions.
You’ll also want to be aware of when each park opens. Most will stay closed until summer or spring, then close again when autumn comes around.
One last thought is to plan for meals accordingly.
Some parks may not offer restaurants or other food options, and some forbid bringing outside food and drink into the park, so you’ll want to either pack your own or plan for a shorter visit.
There may be some other costs to consider besides admission to the park. Everyone knows they’re likely to pay more on food than they’d like, but don’t forget about other hidden costs like parking – some may include free parking, others will not.
Also, some of these water parks offer admission to other attractions as well, or the water parks themselves are add-ons to other park admission options.
You might be able to get a full weekend or a longer day at certain locations, which can help you make a more memorable vacation!
Want to bring Fido to the park? Check out our guide to the best dog water parks in California!
Legoland Water Park
Legoland is practically synonymous with a fun atmosphere, and Legoland Water Park (located in Buena Park) definitely fits the bill.
This theme park that doubles as a water park has plenty of water slides, flumes, and more that the whole family can enjoy.
Younger family members can enjoy Duplo Splash Safari as well, with games and rides built for smaller guests.
Additionally, Legoland has CHIMA Water Park, so your visit to this park gets you two water parks in one! Just be sure to bring a change of clothes if you plan to visit the main Legoland area, since bathing suits are not allowed in that park.
Knott’s Soak City
Knott’s Soak City is a water park located next to Knott’s Berry Farm.
This is one of the most popular water parks in Los Angeles, with a wave pool, water slides, and a lazy river.
Another hallmark of Knott’s is a giant children’s interactive play structure that stands three stories tall! Most rides and attractions are built for younger guests, although older kids can find plenty to do here as well.
It’s also the largest water park in Orange County; and like Legoland, you can plan on overnight stay in the resort hotel after a fun day of family water play.
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor was built as a Los Angeles water park extension to the existing theme park, Six Flags Magic Mountain. Even though it’s much smaller than its parent park, it’s a worthy destination in its own right.
It has an enormous shallow water playground, wave pool, and a lazy river with rain curtain waterfalls. Some of the water slides are perfect for thrill-seekers, like body flumes and free-fall slides.
Families can enjoy a six-lane racer slide too, for a little healthy competition!
Great Wolf Lodge
Located in Garden Grove, a short drive from Los Angeles in southern California, Great Wolf Lodge is an indoor water park attached to its namesake resort hotel. Indoor water parks offer a different kind of experience from outdoor California water parks – no sunscreen needed here!
Great Wolf Lodge has several popular rides. For example, the River Canyon Run is a raft ride with plenty of thrills and spills.
Alberta Falls is a tube ride that sends riders outside, then back in again. And the Coyote Canyon sends riders down four stories into a massive whirlpool!
This indoor water park also has calmer water slides to offer, as well as a lazy river if you want to trade thrills for some H20 R&R.
Raging Waters
Raging Waters is not only one of the most popular outdoor water parks in Los Angeles; it’s also the largest!
The water slides available here include several pulse-pounding speed slides, with some sending you on a freefall down a seven-story drop. The Aqua Rocket is a four-person raft ride with plenty of chills and spills.
Rides like these are only suitable for older riders, but there are also several water playgrounds, a humongous wave pool, and a serene lazy river. On a hot summer day, Raging Waters is definitely the place to be.
Buccaneer Bay at La Mirada Splash
Buccaneer Bay is a smaller regional park outside of Los Angeles. It’s part of the La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center.
This entry in the list of popular outdoor water parks in Los Angeles has decorative pirate-themed features, including the dramatic Skull Rock.
There can also be decorative pirate features found in the play area disguised as a marooned pirate ship.
Two spray pad areas offer plenty of space for the family to splash around, plus water slides and a lazy river. There’s also a play area with zero depth beach entry, and even a warm-water spa if you need to warm up after your dip.
Buccaneer Cove
Buccaneer Cove is a bit longer of a drive away from Los Angeles, but this indoor water park is worth the trip. It’s part of the Castle Park complex, and admission to the main park gets you access to Buccaneer Cove and their mini-golf course.
This park is full of interactive water elements suitable for all ages, and the park as a whole is geared toward younger swimmers. You can play with fun spray cannons or party under interactive aqua domes, then run under the spray loops and cylinder spray fountains.
There are also water ride slides for adventurous bigger kids.
Drytown Water Park
Drytown Water Park is a great solution for those who want to hit some fun water parks without breaking the bank. It’s a bit smaller than some of the other options
Drytown’s thrilling slides include the Devil’s Punchbowl and Rattler’s Revenge. The water slides at this water park are great for older thrill seekers.
The little ones can still have fun in the sun at Little Miner’s Camp, a fun play area that’s safe for little splashers. You can also kick back on the Big Rock River for a calmer adventure.
Sesame Place San Diego
Sesame Place is one of the most popular water park options in southern California. It used to be called Aquatica San Diego until 2021, then it reopened in 2022 as Sesame Place.
One major advantage to this park is that it is open for family fun all year round, whereas most parks are seasonal only.
It’s a bit of a drive from Los Angeles, but there’s plenty of water slides (including a few kid-sized slides) to make it worth the trip. Plus, who doesn’t want to soak up the sun with characters like Big Bird and Elmo partying next to you?
Casitas Water Adventure
The Water Adventure at Lake Casitas is about an hour outside of Los Angeles, but that can work to your advantage if you don’t want a major waterpark adventure and just want a fun day with the kids in the water.
The lazy river offers a scenic waterway featuring waterfalls and more calming features. This water park is perfect for guests of all ages, particularly the little ones – a zero-entry pool area lets you safely wade into fun, and there are plenty of play areas available.
You can add the Casitas Water Adventure to your itinerary if you plan on spending a few days at Lake Casitas, which has a larger camping and recreation area in addition to the water park.
DropZone Waterpark
As Los Angeles water parks go, DropZone is an excellent choice. It’s versatile enough to not just be limited to water slides and thrill rides – although it has plenty of those to offer.
One standout feature of DropZone is its Olympic-sized swimming pool. This allows the park to offer year round swim lessons, which can be perfect for a little fun plus teaching your kids how to swim.
This indoor water park has plenty of fun to go around, though; there are some big and small slides, a lazy river, and two areas for smaller kids that include a water play area and a splash pad.
Additionally, they have a sandpit for building castles or playing beach volleyball – all without having to actually drive to a Los Angeles beach.
Key Takeaways
- There are dozens of options in and around Los Around for your waterpark adventure.
- Keep an eye out for thrill rides and family friendly water parks for the whole family.
- There are lots of outdoor water parks, plus choices if you want an indoor water park.
- Los Angeles water parks are wet fun for younger kids as well!
