23 Best Sights in USA

Wander the jungles of Moana's world in EPCOT's newest attraction, Journey of Water. Trails wind through beautiful jungle landscapes with plenty of chances to get completely soaked as kids direct a water symphony, run through small geysers, and find hidden images of characters from Moana. Adults can join in on the fun or follow Te Fiti's dry path, which includes a beautiful statue from the climax of the film. For people with disabilities: This attraction is wheelchair accessible, and audio description is available.

Head here to cool off when summer swelters. Nearly two dozen wet and dry attractions include 10 thrill waterslides; the Sand Dollar Walk, where you step from one floating "sand dollar" to another; pint-size Pro Racer flumes; a professional sand volleyball court; a family pool and Tot Spot; and a river-tube ride. Rates go down after 2 pm, plus the park offers Family Fun Night specials.

From spring until fall, Busch Gardens' water park promises heat relief with rides like Vanish Point, Aruba Tuba, and Caribbean Corkscrew. Tampa's most popular "wet" park features waterslides and artificial wave pools, along with tranquil "beaches" in a 30-acre package. Try Colossal Curl, a massive thrill ride that's the tallest waterslide in the park. Another of the attraction's headliners, Riptide, challenges you to race three other riders on a sliding mat through twisting tubes and hairpin turns.

Planners of this park also took the younger kids into account, with offerings such as Fabian's Funport, which has a scaled-down pool and interactive water gym. Along with a volleyball complex and a rambling river, there are cafés, snack bars, picnic and sunbathing areas, changing rooms, and private cabanas. Good discounts are offered on the park's website.

In terms of water thrills, SeaWorld's 59-acre Aquatica holds its own against the water parks at Disney and Universal. It offers more than 40 waterslides, from the gentle Kata's Kookaburra Cove to the free-fall experience of Ihu's Breakaway Falls, as well as beaches and lagoons, fast and slow rivers, and massive wave pools. Younger children are attracted to Walkabout Waters, a 60-foot-tall water-soaking jungle gym, where they can climb, slide, and get soaked. Teens and adults flock to the Dolphin Plunge, where two side-by-side, transparent tubes allow riders to join a pod of black-and-white dolphins underwater. The Ray Rush family raft ride offers multiple high-speed paths through enclosed tubes and transparent spheres. There are height requirements of at least 42 inches for some rides, and all visitors need to know how to swim.

A popular summertime spot, Montana's biggest water park has 10 waterslides and a giant whirlpool, as well as a miniature golf course, arcade games, bumper cars, a carousel, a climbing tower, barbecue grills, a picnic area, and food service.

The Casey Jr. circus train has just pulled into town, and train cars full of faux circus animals are taking a break in this circus-theme play area across from Dumbo the Flying Elephant. The critters might not be real, but they sure do put out a lot of water as children run hooting and squealing past spitting camels, spraying elephants, and other water hazards. For people with disabilities: Wheelchair accessible. While the kids cool off and burn energy, parents can take a break and grab a hot dog or soft pretzel from nearby carts. Pack towels and fresh clothing for cooler days.

Parents looking for a nonsandy way to occupy the kids for a few hours or a whole day may find their salvation at this colorful complex that features go-kart racing, an 18-hole miniature golf course; a 3,000-square-foot laser tag arena; a 25-foot rock wall; the Sky Maze ropes course and zip line; a video arcade with 80 games; and a water park featuring slides galore, a lazy river, and seven different water attractions. There's a bar for adults as well as two eateries, Wave Grill and Paradise Grill. Poolside cabanas are available for rent.

The only theme park in Orlando that can be called "exclusive" offers relaxing swims and uncrowded, daylong encounters with dolphins, otters, sharks, and rays—all located right in the heart of Orlando. You can enjoy resort-style amenities amid tropical landscaping, white-sand beaches, waterfalls, and vast freshwater pools. Lockers, wet suits, parking, breakfast, lunch, drinks, and snacks are included in the regular admission price, as are snorkeling with tropical fish and rays in the Grand Reef, hand-feeding exotic birds in the Explorer's Aviary, or just floating on the Wind Away lazy river.

Add-ons—such as using a diving helmet in the Grand Reef, swimming with the sharks, or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin swim experiences—are available for an additional cost and often sell out, requiring reservations to be booked well in advance. Note that there are ticket options that get you into this park as well as SeaWorld, Aquatica, and Busch Gardens in Tampa (and varying combos of the four). Ticket prices vary wildly depending on day, the season, and the package options (there are many).

More than a dozen waterslides and thrill rides make up this expansion of Dollywood, including the corkscrew tunnels of the Mountain Scream slide and the 1,500-foot Downbound Float Trip lazy river. There's also the Mountain Waves pool and Little Creek Falls kids' area.

Knott’s Soak City Waterpark is directly across from Knott's Berry Farm on 15 acres offering speed tubes, family rafting, a lazy river, and body slides. Pacific Spin is an oversize waterslide that drops riders 75 feet into a catch pool. There’s also a children’s pool, a 750,000-gallon wave pool, and a fun house. Soak City’s season runs mid-May through September and is a separate admission ticket.

At South Carolina's largest water park you can shoot through twisty chutes, swim in the Ocean in Motion Wave Pool, race your friends down the Turbo Twisters, or ride a boogie board on the Racin' River. Even the toddlers will enjoy splashing in Bubble Bay and Saturation Station playground. There's beach volleyball, too, for when you've had enough water. Shaded areas with lounge chairs offer respite from the sun, and private cabanas, complete with waitstaff, are available to rent for the day.

Nashville Shores is a fun water park and marina on Percy Priest Lake with a 25,000-square-foot wave pool, a 1,000-foot-long lazy river float experience, and other splashy activities. You can air-dry in the Shores' Treetop Adventure Park where there are ziplines, cargo nets, suspended bridges, and other challenges. Private guide service is also available.

The entire family will have a fun time at this water park, located on the bay side of the island. Schlitterbahn features speed slides, lazy river rides, uphill water coasters, a wave pool (with surfing), and water playgrounds for the little ones. There's even a heated indoor water park for chilly winter months. During summer, less expensive afternoon-only rates are in effect, and ticket prices drop in the off-season. Closing times vary by the season, so outside of the busiest months of June through August, verify closing times on the park's website, or call for exact hours.

Thousands of sun-beaten travelers seek refuge from the Texas heat each year at this 65-acre water park with more than 40 rides and family activities spread over six areas, with a river running through it. If you plan to spend several days at the Park, look into booking a stay at the resort.

Open each summer, this 15-acre water park has 3 million gallons' worth of splashing-good fun for all ages—from speedy slides and tubes to a giant wave pool to the slow-moving Lazy River. Oddly enough, admission is based on height (whether you are over or under 50 inches), with those under 35 inches entering for free. Wear water shoes or flip-flops to protect your feet on the hot pavement.

Massive waterslides abound at this modern water park with thrill rides that include the Avalaunch Watercoaster, the Whoop! and Holler! body slides, and a new dueling watercoaster, The Edge. There's also a surf wave, a 35,000-square-foot wave pool, and an extensive water playground called The Hive.

There's plenty of family fun at this popular local water park, including more than 15 water play areas, slides, and pools. Float along the relaxing Rainforest River, catch a wave in the wave pool, or rent a cabana and cool off with a delicious Dole Whip. 

If the heat has you, and the kids are itching to get wet, head to this full-service water park on the mainland, where you can get an inner tube and relax floating down the Oasis lazy river, hurtle down Splash Mountain, or corkscrew yourself silly sliding down the Orange Crush.

At this 11-acre park more than a million gallons of water are used in the 18,000-square-foot wave pool, waterslides, children's activity pool with two slides, splash zone, and circular river for tubing and rafting. Inner tubes and life vests are provided at no extra charge.

Across from the children's museum along the eastern edge of town, this splashy park has a Tadpole Pool as well as dumping buckets, spray guns, and other interactive features that will delight younger kids. The whole family will go for the diving pool, Sunny's Lazy River, and five waterslides. The park is generally closed from October to President's Day weekend (except during some local school breaks).

This is a great place to cool off from the hot central Washington sunshine, with an Olympic-size pool, two 200-foot waterslides, a tube slide, a "baby octopus" slide, and diving boards.

This 29-acre family attraction has waterslides, water cannons, and waterfalls.

You can float on an inner tube along a gentle river, plunge down one of five waterslides, hang five on the Akua surf simulator, or bodysurf in the large wave pool at Whale's Tale. There's plenty here for toddlers and small children, too.