Staying at a hotel or resort with a water park, outdoor pool or incredible lazy river can turn an ordinary family vacation into a vacation for the ages. Such amenities are available not only when the weather is warm outside.
Some of the best family resorts in the US boast indoor water parks filled with roller coasters and splash pools. And if they have a lazy river to swim in while the weather is horrible outside, that’s even better. Here are my favorite family resorts in the US with indoor lazy rivers that range from completely relaxing to action-packed.
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1. Gaylord Opryland Resort and SoundWaves Water Park
Nashville, Tennessee
The massive Gaylord Opryland Resort truly offers something for everyone. Guests here can play golf, book spa treatments, take a boat ride through nine acres of indoor garden atriums, and catch country superstars and up-and-comers on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. And that’s just scratching the surface. Christmas is an especially magical time at the resort when everything is ready for the holidays and the annual ICE! the show is on.
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You can make a splash any time of year at SoundWaves, the resort’s water attraction, which has a seasonal outdoor area and possibly the most beautiful indoor water park I’ve ever seen. The light and airy space features attractions with catchy music-themed names, such as the dual FlowRider Crowd Surfer simulator and the Record Launch slide, with speakers providing a soundtrack along the way. There’s both the Down Tempo Lazy River for a traditional relaxing float (complete with LED lighting and music) and the Up Tempo Rapids River for a more active experience.
Note: You must book a SoundWaves Experience Package to access the water park during your stay at the resort.
2. Camelback Lodge and Aquatopia Indoor Water Park
Tannersville, PA
Book a room at Camelback Lodge and you’ll get access to Aquatopia Indoor Water Park. Pennsylvania’s largest Texlon roof lets in natural light to create an indoor-outdoor atmosphere as you ride the park’s 14 water slides, including the new Mountain Mayhem adventure slide. You can also float down the nearly 500-foot-long Lost River, where underwater LED lighting, sound and water effects, waterfalls and other features make it a little less lazy than usual.
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The lodge and water park are part of the Camelback Resort in the Pocono Mountains, just a short drive from New York City and Philadelphia. There’s plenty to do for the whole family, from skiing and snow tubing in the winter to ziplining, roller coasters and an outdoor water park in the warmer months. Back inside, Arcadia Adventures includes activities such as a climbing wall, ropes course, laser tag, arcade and bumper cars.
3. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions – Round Rock
Round Rock, Texas
Kalahari Resorts is home to some of the largest indoor water parks in the country, with the largest brand located in Round Rock. There are 223,000 square feet of indoor slides, rides and other thrills, including an 842-foot lazy river that runs throughout the water park, as well as a little ones-only lazy river in the Tico Watering Area. For even more fun, the family can take a ride on the new Adventure River, an outdoor water park that features zero-depth, waterfalls and a section where waves race riders.
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Admission to the water park is included in the cost of staying at the African safari-style resort, and rooms and suites have plenty of space for the whole family. Children will especially love the bunk suite with a king bed, where they will feel like they are sleeping in nature. In addition to the water parks, there are many things to do here, including an arcade, bowling alley, escape rooms, miniature golf and even indoor rides.
4. Desert in the indoor water park Smokies and Wild WaterDome
Sevierville, Tennessee
Located near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Wilderness at the Smokies is home to the Wild WaterDome, Tennessee’s largest indoor water park, which itself is home to one of the coolest indoor lazy river experiences in the country called Kaleidoscope Cavern. As riders float, they travel through an immersive tunnel with kaleidoscopic lighting and intriguing sounds inspired by the surrounding landscape. The park also has a wave pool and many exciting slides, as well as a Foil Tec roof that lets the sun shine through. (So don’t forget the sunscreen.)
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Wilderness at the Smokies offers a variety of accommodations including suites, villas, and cabins, as well as two seasonal outdoor water parks when the weather is warm. No matter the season, you can head to the 25,000-square-foot Adventure Forest indoor family entertainment center for miniature golf, bowling, arcade games and other fun activities. Food options for children range from a shake shop to a food hall with a wide selection.
5. Kartrite Resort and Indoor Water Park
Monticello, New York
A great budget resort for families, Kartrite Resort & Indoor Water Park offers a variety of adventures for the whole team. Think ropes course, puzzle room, arcade and miles of walking trails to explore the great outdoors. One, two and three bedroom suites provide accommodation options for small families, multi-generational groups and everything in between.
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The resort in the Catskill Mountains is also home to New York State’s largest indoor water park, where it’s always 84 degrees inside, even in the middle of winter. There are exciting slides for older kids, a section for the little ones and a surf simulator to see if you can hang ten. Grab a snorkel to float down Empire Bay, the park’s “not-so-lazy adventure river,” where sprinklers and downpours can drench you along the way. Entrance to the water park for four people is included in the price of accommodation.
6. Massanutten Resort
Massonathan, Virginia
There’s already a lot to love about the indoor/outdoor water park at Massanutten Resort. The indoor section is heated to 84 degrees year-round and features rides and attractions such as water slides, a water house, the three-stream FlowRider Endless Wave and the Blue Ridge Rapids indoor adventure river. During the summer months there is an outdoor section with more slides and a wave pool. And a major expansion of the indoor area, with a completion date of early 2026, will add even more fun with new additions including a racing slide, family rafting and an expanded area for young children.
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The 6,000-acre, four-season resort in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is just a short drive from cities like Baltimore, Richmond and Washington, D.C., and offers 12 different lodging options that range from traditional hotel rooms to multi-bedroom vacation homes. There is skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing in the winter and zip lining, hiking, golf, summer tubing and mountain biking in other seasons.
7. Boyne Mountain Resort and Avalanche Bay Indoor Water Park
Boyne Falls, Michigan
This 24-hour resort in Northern Michigan is home to Avalanche Bay Indoor Water Park, the state’s largest indoor water park. In its 88,000 square feet, you’ll find attractions such as The Big Couloir and the Downhill Mat Racer, a surf simulator and the Boyne River that winds through the venue. The Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa Resort is connected to Avalanche Bay, but other lodging options here include condo-style accommodations at Deer Lake Villas and three- and four-bedroom mountain cabins.
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There is a wide range of activities to keep you busy throughout the year. In winter, you can spend your vacation on bicycles, cross-country and alpine skiing, as well as on snowshoes. At other times of the year, golf, hiking, tennis, pickleball, and paddle boarding are just a few of the options. No matter when you visit, taking in the views from Skybridge Michigan, the world’s longest suspension bridge with wooden towers, is a must.