Illinois Waterpark Named One Of The 24 Best Waterparks In The US
Looking at the warmer temperatures that are on their way to Northern Illinois in the coming days, it's hard not to think about favorite summer activities like visiting a favorite waterpark for a day of (as the commercials used to say) "splash-tacular fun."
Waterpark lovers who live in Northern Illinois know that even though the outdoor waterpark season is somewhat shorter than what neighboring states to the south of Illinois enjoy, there are so many outstanding waterparks within a short 2-3 hour drive. A place that calls itself the "Waterpark Capital Of The World" is just a bit north of the Illinois-Wisconsin border, if you needed further proof.
Now, a new study says that Illinois is home to one of the top 24 waterparks in the entire country.
Before We Get To The Illinois Waterpark That Made The List Of "The Top 24 Waterparks In The US For 2025," Let's Take A Look At Some Of The World's Biggest
It's hard to rank waterparks by "size," because that can mean several things like square footage, number of water attractions, or visitor attendance numbers. With that in mind, here are some of the world's largest and most popular waterparks:
- Therme Erding (near Munich, Germany): Therme Erding bills itself as world's largest water park, thermal bath, and spa complex.
- Atlantis Aquaventure (Multiple Locations): A chain of water parks, located in the Bahamas, China, and the UAE, known for their massive size and variety of attractions, including the famous "Zip Line" in Dubai.
- Siam Park (Spain): Located on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, Siam Park is Europe's largest waterpark, and has been voted the number-one waterpark in the world for 10 straight years.
- Chimelong Ocean Kingdom (China): A major tourist destination in China, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom is the most visited theme park in the world that is not a Disney or Universal property.
Now That We've Looked Internationally, Let's Check Out The Illinois Waterpark That Made The Top 24 List Of America's Best Waterparks
Great Wolf Lodge, with a location in Gurnee (and 22 other locations around the nation), is among the nation's greatest water parks, according to the U.S. News & World Report ranking of the nation's top waterparks.
The parks vary in size – with the largest (in Perryville, Maryland) clocking in at more than 120,000 square feet – but they share many of the same basic attractions and food. Regardless of location, expect to splash around lazy rivers, wave pools and waterslides in winter-friendly pools heated to 80-plus degrees. (Most parks are indoors, allowing for winter visits.) There are also usually some activities on dry land, too, such as arcade games and bowling.
Here Are The Rest Of The Waterparks That Made The List, Including Some Just North Of Us In Wisconsin
According to the US News and World Report rankings, these spots should be on your summer go-to list.
- Cowabunga Bay Water Park: Draper, Utah
- Noah’s Ark Waterpark: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
- Water World: Federal Heights, Colorado
- Schlitterbahn Waterpark & Resort: New Braunfels, Texas
- Legoland Water Park: Carlsbad, California
- Universal’s Volcano Bay: Orlando, Florida
- Silver Dollar City’s White Water: Branson, Missouri
- Wilderness at the Smokies: Sevierville, Tennessee
- Soaky Mountain Water Park: Sevierville, Tennessee
- Adventure Island: Tampa, Florida
- Timber Ridge Lodge & Waterpark: Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
- Cedar Point Shores Waterpark: Sandusky, Ohio
- Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Wisconsin Dells: Baraboo, Wisconsin
- Camelbeach Outdoor Waterpark: Tannersville, Pennsylvania
- Dollywood's Splash Country: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Water Country USA: Williamsburg, Virginia
- Splashin’ Safari: Santa Claus, Indiana
- Knott’s Soak City Waterpark: Buena Park, California
- Shipwreck Island Waterpark: Panama City Beach, Florida
- Big Rivers Waterpark & Adventures: New Caney, Texas
- Rapids Waterpark: West Palm Beach, Florida
- Island H2O Water Park: Kissimmee, Florida
- Lost Island Waterpark: Waterloo, Iowa
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Gallery Credit: Madison Troyer