Houston is known to have some fantastic lakes and natural swimming areas, which are incredible for swimmers who are confident in basking in unknown waters. However, many of us just want to splash about, zoom down on exhilarating slides, and have a great time.
We have put together this guide to show you what you can expect from the water parks in this area. This includes how awesome the pools themselves are, what other on-site facilities they have, and what ages the parks are most suited to.
5 Best Indoor Water Parks Near Houston, TX
We have chosen just a handful of our top picks around Houston for the best indoor water parks, with a snippet of why we love each of them and what sets them apart from the rest.
We’ll give you all the essential details you need to know, including the location, website, opening times, and facilities for each park.
Many of the parks close to Houston offer outdoor facilities; therefore, we have provided estimated driving times from the city for these options.
1. Schlitterbahn
| Address: | 2109 Gene Lucas Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554 |
| Website: | https://www.schlitterbahn.com/galveston |
| Distance From Houston: | 50.8 miles (approximately 1 hours drive) |
| Minimum Age: | Three years old |
| Daily Ticket Price: | Adult ticket $65.00, Junior/Senior ticket $55.00 - Discounts are available when booking online in advance. |
Galveston Island is one of the most beautiful places to visit in itself if you are looking for somewhere to escape during your time in Houston. Schlitterbahn Water Park is a fabulous addition to the island. The oasis covers over 26-acres of land, brimming with bright, colorful water-based equipment.
There are ten different slides within the main waterpark, four of them being super-fast, high-thrill slides. The children’s treasure island area has its own smaller slides, small playgrounds, and a swashbuckling pirate ship climbing frame. The park has indoor and outdoor spaces for visitors to enjoy, with many of the larger slides looping around the outside before flushing you out into the tropical haven indoors.
Three points make this place stand out from the rest. First of all, we absolutely love the MASSIV Monster Blaster! MASSIV opened in 2016 and has been crowned the world’s tallest water coaster, sitting an astonishing 81-feet tall. This thrilling ride is not for the faint-hearted, and you must be at least 48” to ride the monster.
Our second favorite place to visit while enjoying the park is the Wasserfest heated pool bar. This is a gorgeously peaceful little spot where you can enjoy a frozen cocktail or cold beer surrounded by perfectly warm water, it has such a relaxing vibe and a cute Tikki feel.
Finally, Schlitterbahn is lucky to have its own private beach, which is an excellent place for adults to relax. Children are welcome in this area if supervised. The Lazy River also sits in this area, another attractive feature the park has added.
There is free parking available at the water park. The park has some great shacks to eat in; however, you can also bring your own picnic lunches to the park.
Related:5 Best Beaches In Houston, TX
2. Waterpark at The Villages
| Address: | 18270 Singing Wood Ln, Flint, TX 75762 |
| Website: | https://holidayinnclub.com/explore-resorts/villages-resort/on-site-activities/waterpark-at-the-villages |
| Distance From Houston: | 187 miles (approximately 4 hours drive) |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | Adult ticket $19.95, Junior/Senior ticket $16.95. |
Waterpark at the Villages is a welcome addition to the Holiday Inn Vacations Village Resort at Lake Palestine. The water park is available for anyone to come and enjoy. You do not need to be staying at the resort or be a member – discounts are available if you are.
The entire waterpark is set within a magnificent glass building, filled with palm trees and wooden structures to add to the tropical ambiance.
You can enjoy a handful of slides here, a tranquil lazy river, and a thrilling wave pool. There is also a dedicated area for younger children to enjoy, with rope bridges separating each zone. What we really noticed about this place is how wonderful the staff were with children, gently encouraging those who got a little nervous at the top of the slides without rushing them.
The resort has many other things for visitors to enjoy, including an equestrian center offering horseback rides, a brilliant mini-golf course, an arcade, and a sports club.
In addition, their three hotel swimming pool areas have saunas and hot tubs for members to enjoy. The Springcreek pool also has a fantastic kids bucket splash pad.
The water park offers free parking and has a restaurant on-site. You are not permitted to bring outside food and beverages into the park.
3. Great Wolf Lodge Water Park Grapevine
| Address: | 100 Great Wolf Dr, Grapevine, TX 76051 |
| Website: | https://www.greatwolf.com/grapevine/waterpark-attractions/indoor-water-park |
| Distance From Houston: | 261 miles (approximately 5 hours drive) |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | $60.00 per person for a full day, $48.00 per person for a half-day |
Great Wold Lodge is a mesmerizing resort with tons of activities to entertain the whole family. Their indoor waterpark is just a tiny slice of what this place has to offer, and you do not have to be staying at the resort or be a member to enjoy it.
There have been so many features that have been packed into this indoor oasis. They have four awesome water slides and three tube slides that multiple people can use simultaneously. They also have dedicated areas for adults to enjoy, alongside super fun equipment purely for kids.
Adults can sit back and relax in one of the water park’s hot springs areas. North hot springs are adults-only, whereas entire families can enjoy South hot springs. Kids will enjoy features such as the floating lily pads on the bigfoot pass, playing basketball in the Chinook cave, and the water squirters in the Cub Paw Pool.
Our favorite feature within Great Wolf Lodge Water Park is Fort McKenzie. Fort McKenzie is an incredible four-story treehouse structure in the heart of the park, which can be played on by all the family, not just little ones! The treehouse has different equipment on each level, including toys and slides.
Great Wold Lodge Water Park offers visitors free parking. There is a bar area at the water park, with a selection of restaurants dotted around the resort. You are not permitted to bring your own food and drinks into the park.
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4. Epic Waters Grand Prairie
| Address: | 2970 Epic Place, Grand Prairie, TX 75052 |
| Website: | https://epicwatersgp.com |
| Distance From Houston: | 250 miles (approximately 4.5 hours drive) |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | Adult ticket $34.00, Junior/Senior ticket $29.00. Children under the age of three are free. |
Epic Waters Grand Prairie is an enormous, grand, glass building housing an epic water park, cool arcades, tasty eateries, and a gift shop. There are endless hours of fun to be had here, all under one roof.
There are some incredible heart-pumping activities to enjoy here. The slides are steep, fast, and exhilarating! Only the bravest visitors will attempt a ride on the terrifying Lasso Loop, a one-of-a-kind sheer drop slide featuring an entire 360-degree loop.
You can also enjoy a peaceful tour around the lazy river, catch some waves in the outdoor wave pool, or take on the texas twist water coaster. In addition, there is an area suitable for little ones with mini slides, sprinklers, and play equipment.
You are not permitted to bring your own food and drink to this attraction. However, there is a great little fast food joint within the park, alongside a bar serving up delicious cocktails. There is free on-site parking available here.
5. Kalahari
| Address: | 3001 Kalahari Blvd. Round Rock, TX 78665 |
| Website: | https://www.kalahariresorts.com/texas/parks-and-passes/indoor-waterpark |
| Distance From Houston: | 167 miles (approximately 3 hours drive) |
| Minimum Age: | Three years old |
| Daily Ticket Price: | $59.99 per person |
Kalahari is an absolutely incredible water park to visit if you are visiting Houston. This park has been voted “The Worlds Coolest Indoor Waterpark,” and it’s absolutely awesome for a good reason! Inspired by the Kalahari desert in South Africa, they have tried to give this place a beautiful, serene vibe with stunning wall art, magnificent structures, and fun African wildlife-inspired slides.
You can zoom around the zebra, whisk down the wildebeest, howl through the hyena, and rush over the rhino!
If you are looking for a real thrill, head to the Hyena slide first! It’s almost a sheer drop from the very top of the building, right down to the pool below, and will turn your stomach upside-down!
There are some great features within the park for adults to enjoy, including a serene grotto bar that captures that perfect, romantic vacation picture. However, a few rides here are better suited to adults, such as the flow rider surfing experience and the Hout Bay ride, which has a dramatic free-fall at the bottom before plunging into the pool.
Kalahari is the largest indoor waterpark in America that attracts thousands of visitors every week. Therefore, it is recommended to book well in advance to have the chance to fully explore the park while taking some much-needed breaks in between activities.
There is on-site parking available which is priced at $25.00 per day. You are not permitted to bring your own food and drink into the waterpark.
5 Best Outdoor Water Parks Near Houston, TX
We have selected some of our favorite outdoor water parks in and around Houston for you to take a look at. Again, including all those key bits of information to help you decide which park will suit you best.
1. Typhoon Texas Katy
| Address: | 555 Katy Fort Bend Rd, Katy, TX 77494 |
| Website: | https://www.typhoontexas.com/houston |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | Adult ticket $49.99, Junior/Senior ticket $34.99 - Discounts are available when booking online in advance. Children under the age of two are free. |
Typhoon Texas has two water parks in Texas, with Typhoon Texas Katy being the closest to Houston. The park has nine individual attractions to keep visitors busy and is Houston’s premier water park.
There are four incredible slide attractions to enjoy here, alongside a lazy river, an artificial beach, an 800-gallon water bucket gusher, and pools for general swimming and splashing. The park caters exceptionally well to children, with two zones explicitly designed to keep them entertained.
You are not permitted to bring in your own food and refreshments to Typhoon Katy; however, the park has nine dining options to choose from.
You can feast on award-winning big plate BBQ specials at the smokehouse, dine on authentic Italian fare at Ray’s Pizzeria; or simply indulge in delicious ice creams and sweet treats at one of the park’s dessert stalls.
There is free parking available at Typhoon Texas Katy.
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2. Pirates Bay Waterpark
| Address: | 5300 E Rd, Baytown, TX 77521 |
| Website: | https://www.baytown.org/877/Pirates-Bay-Waterpark |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | Adult ticket $23.00, Junior/Senior ticket $18.00 - Discounts are available when booking online in advance. Children under the age of three are free. |
Pirates Bay Waterpark is a seasonal park, open from early May through to the end of August annually. There are thirteen attractions to enjoy here, all marked with age and height restrictions.
Our favorite feature at Pirates Bay Waterpark is the Ninjacross. Ninjacross is the most fun endurance test you can undertake on the water, with ropes, hoops, and ladders lining the course. The real test is to complete the course without touching the floor!
The park does not allow you to bring in your own food and drink. There are two snack shacks available on-site which serve a limited menu of sandwiches, light bites, pizzas, and sweets.
Free parking is available during the season at Pirates Bay Waterpark.
3. Moody Gardens at Palm Beach
| Address: | 8928, 1 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554 |
| Website: | https://www.moodygardens.com/attractions/palmbeach |
| Minimum Age: | Four years old |
| Daily Ticket Price: | Adult ticket $30.00, Junior/Senior ticket $25.00. |
Moody Gardens is a stunning waterpark located directly next to Offatts Bayou. Offatts Bayou is a gorgeous, deep body of water that is a firm favorite amongst the sailing boat community. From the park, it’s a lovely feature to be able to watch the sailboats and fishers at work as you bob along the lazy river.
Compared to the other water parks on this list, Moody Gardens is relatively small, which is actually an advantage if you want a more peaceful experience.
It is literally a stone’s throw away from the bustling Schlitterbahn (1 mile), so many people head straight there without considering this compact park in its shadows.
You are not permitted to bring your own food and drink into the water park itself; however, there are picnic benches set up within the main areas of Moody Gardens where you can picnic. If you decide to dine within the water park, there is a small café that serves a good array of items, including kid’s meals and alcohol.
There are some great amenities here that are free and can be used on a first-come-first-served basis. These include beach chairs and umbrellas. The car park is also free to use.
4. Yogi Bears Jellystone Park
| Address: | 34843 Betka Rd, Waller, TX 77484 |
| Website: | https://wallerjellystonepark.com |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | $29.00 per person. Children under the age of three are free. |
Yogi Bears Jellystone Park is a fantastic resort to head to if you want to experience an excellent water park in a nostalgic setting. You do not have to be staying at the resort to enjoy the water park. If you wish to spend the night here, you can do so by tent camping, RV camping, or in one of the park’s cute little rustic wooden cabins.
The entire park is exceptionally clean and well maintained; this helps create a superb environment for families with young children to enjoy. It also rarely seems overly crowded here, which completes the relaxed atmosphere.
There are two giant waterslides at Yogi Bear’s, with smaller slides located within the kid’s zones. You can also enjoy a ride around the lazy river or use up some energy bouncing along with the splash pads.
You are not permitted to bring outside food to the waterpark. A small shop, quaintly named Pic-A-Nik Basket, sells snacks, drinks, and light bites and has a general store close by for you to purchase any forgotten essentials called Ranger Station.
See Also: 6 Awesome Locations for Tent Camping Near Houston
5. Six Flags Hurricane Harbour
| Address: | 21300 I-45, Spring, TX 77373 |
| Website: | https://www.sixflags.com/splashtown |
| Minimum Age: | No minimum age |
| Daily Ticket Price: | $29.99 per person. Children under the age of three are free. |
We have absolutely saved the best till last with Six Flags Hurricane Harbour! This is a gigantic, awesome amusement park with an abundance of entertaining activities to enthrall the entire family for hours upon hours.
There are simply too many rides to discuss here, from thrilling high-rise roller coasters, pirate play zones, epic zip lines, and insane slingshots! There are a series of thrilling slides, bamboo chute slides, and white water rapids within the waterpark area.
Amongst the action-packed amusements, there is also a blissfully serene artificial lagoon area, where you can relax in the pool or on one of the sunbeds close by. The cool lagoon has cleverly been designed in the shape of Texas itself, with a rip-roaring wave at one end and a tranquil, shallow paddle area at the other.
Like many of the other parks, no outside food and drinks are allowed to be bought in the water park area; however, there are picnic spots available throughout the rest of the park for your comfort. The park has an astonishing seventeen places to dine, so you are never more than a few minutes’ walks from a tasty snack.
Parking is available on-site; it is priced at $26.00 per day and must be pre-booked. Additionally, there are areas surrounding the park which offer more cost-effective parking options.
To Sum Up…
We hope that we have helped you create a shortlist of indoor and outdoor water park options to consider for your next thrilling splash adventure.
Wherever you decide to head to, you’ll be sure to have a thrilling experience in the sun, with lots of activities to keep the entire family entertained.
Looking for more fun activities in Houston, check out our guide to Fun Stuff, Things & Activities to do in Houston.