The Best Water Parks in Virginia
- The West End Mom
- Aug 26, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Ready to splash around?! If the answer is YES, I have everything you need to know about Virginia's best water parks.
From local aquatic centers to full day adventures at a water theme park, my Virginia water park guide has something for every family. You will find 6 water parks, 2 indoor water parks, and 2 public pools. And the indoor water parks stay open all year too!
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The Best Water Parks in Virginia to visit with Kids:
Formerly known as Overhill Lake (IYKYK), Cobblestones Park has been open since the 1950s with a rebrand in 2005. This water park has two large pools, a zero entry point, water slides, sand play areas, and a concession stand.
The highlight of this water park for kids are the water slides! You will find water slides for all ages: small, little kid-friendly slides into 2 feet deep water and super steep water slides for thrill seekers!
Cobblestones Park is open 10am to 5:30pm on Tuesdays to Sundays. The park is closed all Mondays in 2026 except for Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Location: Cobblestones Park, 13131 Overhill Lake Lane, Glen Allen, Virginia 23059
Distances from RVA: It's located in Glen Allen, so it's about 16 minutes from the city proper. It's about 22 minutes from Midlothian.
Cost: It costs between $18-20 dollars per person, and children under 32 inches are free. You can purchase a season pass for $85.
*Check here for more videos of Cobblestones Park, and check here for my full review of Cobblestones' Park with Kids.
Massanutten Resort has both an indoor water park and an outdoor water park that is open to anyone who purchases a ticket -- not just guests staying on Massanutten's property.
The indoor water park is open all year! It has a a giant water-powered playhouse, lazy river, tube slides, body slides, and an area just for children 36" and smaller. There is also a snack bar and a floor filled with arcade games.
My 4 year old loved the entire water park, and he was tall enough to participate in every area except the tube slides. My husband and him ran around to all the areas for almost 3 hours until they were both exhausted. My 2 year old loved riding in the tube with me on the lazy river, and she really enjoyed the Frog Pond, an area just for babies & toddlers (anyone 36" tall or shorter). Massanutten Meltdown, the playhouse, was a little much for her - she wanted me to go down the slides with her, but you could only go one at a time. Neither of my children tried The Pipeline, but we watched children as young as 5 attempt to boogie board and surf!
The outdoor water park is open between Memorial Day and Labor Day, your ticket will include both areas!
*Check here for my full review of Massanutten with kids.
Massanutten's indoor water park is open all year, and the outdoor water park is open daily through Labor Day.
Location: Massanutten Resort, 1200 Adventure Drive, Massanutten, VA 22840
Distances from RVA: about 1 hour and 49 minutes
Cost: It costs between $29-49 dollars per person, and children 2 & under are free . Massanutten offers military discounts and advance purchase discounts. Life jackets are available without a cost, and you need to bring your own towels.
3. Water Country USA:
With 43 acres of pools, water play areas & water rides, Water Country USA is the largest water park the Mid-Atlantic!! You’ll find over 40 attractions for all ages.
For little kids: There are plenty of water activities for little kids at Water Country USA (5 & younger). Cow-a-Bunga is a zero entry pool that goes to 3 feet deep. It has three smaller slides that children can climb up the ladder and slide down directly into the pool. It also has a double tube slide, and one of the tubes has a bottom... so it's fun for even the smallest riders. It also has plenty of seating around the pool, and it has a diaper changing station. The Lil' Surfer's Splash Park is next to Cow-a-Bungo, and it's a large spray park with an ADA surface. It has a lot of sprinklers, a water play table, and features that spin and launch water. My kids love the lily pads that spray water when you jump on them.
For children 8 and younger: Check out H2O UFO. It's an activity pool with a treehouse that has all kinds of water features and sprinklers. It is zero entry to 3 feet, so even little ones can enjoy it. It has 2 tube slides that don't require tubes, and it has a swing in the water. My kids really liked this area too! It has its own seating with giant umbrellas and a diaper change station too.
With big kids who are 5 years old and older: try Surfer’s Bay (~wave~ pool), Hubba Hubba Highway + Rambling River (lazy rivers), Rock n’ Roll Island, and almost all the water slides (42”+). If you’re a thrill seeker, try Vanish Point. You step into the Skybox & the floor drops out.
Water Country USA is open daily through Labor Day. It is also open weekends in September.
Location: Water Country USA, 176 Water Country Parkway, Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
Distances from RVA: It's about 1 hour and 11 minutes from Short Pump, 1 hour 15 minutes from Midlothian and 56 minutes from the City of Richmond.
Cost: Tickets start at $52.99 per person, and the price increases depending on the date you visit. Saturday tickets are the most expensive, costing around $69.99 per person. Everyone over 2 years old needs a ticket, unless you already secured your 3-5 year old a "Preschool Pass."
*Check here for more videos of Water Country, and check here for my full guide on visiting Water Country USA with kids!
4. Kings Dominion's Soak City
Kings Dominion is the only theme park in Virginia with two parks in one. You can visit both the amusement park and water park with one ticket, and it's all in one location.
Soak City is a 20 acre water park with a wave pool, kid-friendly and extreme water slides, an interactive splash pad for little kids, and a lazy river. The newest section in Soak City is specifically designed for kids and families: Coconut Shores has a mini-wave pool and 45-foot play structure.
Soak City is open on weekends starting on Memorial Day Week, and it's open daily in June, July, and through mid-August.
Location: 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell, VA 23047
Distances from RVA: It's located in Hanover, so it's about 30 minutes from Short Pump.
Cost: Tickets start at $44.99 for daily admission.
5. Great Wolf Lodge's Indoor Water Park:
Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg has a large, indoor water and outdoor water park that is open to both hotel guests and day visitors. The indoor water park is 55,000 square feet with a wave pool, lots of water slides, a lazy river, an activity play house and a pool just for little kids!
Fort Mackenzie is the interactive, water treehouse that is open for all ages. Water is very shallow at the base of this treehouse. It reminds me of a splash park, so you can bring all ages to this play zone. It has 4 floors with slides and water toys. Since most of the features are kid-activated, water is always spraying and pouring in this area. Grownups - be prepared to get soaked if you're here with your kids.
Slap Tail Pond is the wave pool, and it's family friendly starting with its zero entry point. This wave pool goes up to 5 feet deep, so make sure to have adults with little ones. You can splash and jump waves in all areas of this pool.
Wooping Hollow is the little kids' pool, and it has so much for kids 5 and younger. It is zero entry with a water sensory table, water spouts, and even little kid-friendly slides. This pool is for children 52" or under.
Great Wolf Lodge's indoor water park is open daily all year!
Location: Great Wolf Lodge is in Williamsburg. The address is 549 E Rochambeau Dr, Williamsburg, VA 23188.
Distances from RVA: Great Wolf Lodge is about an hour from Richmond.
Cost: You can purchase day passes for the water park! The weekday day passes are much cheaper than weekend ones ($50ish vs 120ish).
The Best Public Pools around Richmond to visit with Kids:
Covering 13.5 acres, Carter Park has a playground, an open lawn, picnic shelter with grills & a basketball court. In the summer, the highlight of this park is its public pool. And it’s open for Memorial Day weekend!!
Carter Park Pool is a junior olympic-sized pool. The main pool has 3 sections: an area with 8 lanes, a section for the tube slide, and a zero entry area with water jets & dumping buckets. It has a separate, small pool just for little kids! You can even reserve the pool for private parties.
The pool will be open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. For more information on hours, check here.
Location: Carter Park Pool, 1112 Maple St, Ashland, VA 23005
Distances from RVA: about 20 minutes from the city and about 35 minutes from Short Pump
Cost: In addition to paying a parking free, the aquatic center charges a per person swimming rate. It costs $9 per adult & $8 per kid (12-3) on weekdays. 2 and under are free. It costs $10 per adult & $9 per kid on weekends/holidays.
*Check here for more videos of Carter Park Pool, and check here for my full guide on visiting Carter Park Pool with Kids.
Located inside Pocahontas State Park, this aquatic center is the best public pool in RVA! That's right - it is open to the public, no membership required.
While it has a daily admission fee, it has a LOW price & LOTS to offer. The fenced in pool area has a spray park, 3ft & 5ft pools, toddler pool & activity pool. It also has two, large water slides that are a hit for thrill seekers!
Pocahontas State Park's aquatic center is open daily Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
Location: Pocahontas State Park, 10301 State Park Road, Chesterfield, VA 23832
Distances from RVA: about 20 minutes from the city and about 35 minutes from Short Pump
Cost: In addition to paying a parking free, the aquatic center charges a per person swimming rate. It costs $9 per adult & $8 per kid (12-3) on weekdays. 2 and under are free. It costs $10 per adult & $9 per kid on weekends/holidays.
*Check here for my full guide on visiting Pocahontas Aquatic Center with kids.
3. Frank J. Thorton Aquatic Center:
A part of the Richmond YMCA, this aquatic center offers Henrico residents a free swim period on Saturdays and Sundays between 2:30 and 4:30pm. While the aquatic center has a pool for lap swimming, the real highlight for families and children is the play pool. This pool has a zero-entry area with jets spraying water up and a water playground in the shallow area (this section of the pool is 1'6" deep). Another section of the pool has an area with a basketball hoop and water slide.
This indoor pool is open all year.
Heads up: In order to use the water slide, you must pass the YMCA swim test or be 12 years old or older.
Address: 5011 Twin Hickory Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23509
Area of RVA: Eastern Henrico, next to the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center
Cost: It is FREE for Henrico Residents on Saturdays and Sundays.
*If you are a Henrico resident and you'd like to visit the pool with your family, you need to create a free, non member YMCA account, and sign up for the day you'd like to swim. To create your YMCA account, click here. You will need to make a "non member" account, and this is a free account. It's the same account you would make if you've signed your children up to play any of the YMCA sports.
Looking for more water play? Check out my guide to splash parks around Richmond, Virignia.
*For more things to do with kids around Virginia, follow @thewestendmom on Instagram!
