“Today’s water park attractions are far more thrilling and diverse than they were just a few decades ago. In fact, the best water parks in the U.S. feature everything from towering slides and water coasters to sandy spots and lazy rivers.” While there are several great water parks nearby, two (somewhat nearby) have made U.S. News & World Report’s list of the 28 Best Water Parks in the U.S.
Great Wolf Lodge (featured photo) in Perryville, MD opened on June 14, 2023. Great Wolf Lodge Maryland is the company’s 20th resort in North America, and their largest. It offers 700 family-friendly suites, a 126,000-square-foot indoor water park, a 57,000 square-foot entertainment center, and 12,000 square-feet of conference space. Perryville is approximately 75 miles Northeast of DC and 40 miles NE of Baltimore, a little less than an hour and a half away from most parts of MoCo.
“Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor water park resorts are notable for their scale and the number of locations. As of early 2024, there are 20 parks, including one in Canada. Other locations are coming soon. 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.”
Water Country USA in Williamsburg, VA (176 Water Country Parkway, Williamsburg, VA 23185) is a little further out, but a day trip has been made by plenty in the area for the water park and other nearby attractions. It is Virginia’s largest water park, and it offers live entertainment, shops and restaurants, water rides, and other family attractions, all of which have a 1950s or 1960s surf theme. The park is just a few miles away from Busch Gardens Williamsburg, with which it shares clientele. Multi-park passes are available, and a parking pass at Water Country USA is valid for same-day entry to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. It is approximately 150 miles south of D.C. and about a 2.5 hour drive.
“Water Country USA is easy to reach from Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and the Yorktown Battlefield, should you need a break from Williamsburg‘s historical attractions. Noteworthy amenities include a chilled-out lazy river, multiple slides and a huge wave pool – plus Big Daddy Falls, a whitewater rafting adventure. As of 2023, parkgoers can now race each other through the 520-foot-long Riptide Race; there’s also Aquazoid Amped, a slide that opened in 2022 and plunges 864 feet.“