12 Best Water Parks in North Carolina

For a day of family fun or part of a great vacation getaway, don’t miss the amazing water parks of North Carolina. Each park features something different and exciting, guaranteed to provide hours of fun for people of all ages.

Make some unforgettable memories challenging high thrill rides, swimming in cool, clear waters, riding the waves of the wave pool, floating down lazy rivers, or playing in the activity centers. Indoor, or outdoor, there’s a park for you!

1. Carowinds, Charlotte

Be sure to visit the shores of Carolina Harbour, the massive waterpark at Carowinds.

For thrill seekers there’s a host of action packed rides including Blackbeard’s Revenge, a six story tall complex featuring six different slides including a capsule launch slide! If tubing is more your thing, don’t miss Surfer’s Swell, the two hundred and sixty three foot long ride full of wild waves.

There’s the massive Dorsal Fin Drop which sends riders twirling down three hundred and fifty-one feet and includes a huge bowl.

Don’t miss the Pelican Plunge, the Southern Sidewinder of the Barracuda Blasters, which sends you down in total darkness.

Raft with the whole family down Hurricane Falls, an exciting five hundred and sixty-four foot ride.

Children of all ages will love the new Seaside Splashworks which features of hours of exciting activities and a huge dumping bucket.

For toddlers there’s the new Myrtle Turtle Beach, a giant splash pad with tons of jets and interactive activities.

The park has three other exciting kiddie areas to explore as well as a huge Tidal Wave Bay wave pool and Coastal Currents, the thousand foot long lazy river.

When you’re ready to drive off, Carowinds also offers a dryland amusement park for even more fun!

2. White Lake Water Park, Elizabethtown

For adults and teens, the park has the crazy fifty foot tall, two hundred and ten foot long Double Turbo Twister Slide to ensure maximum thrills.

Even if slides aren’t your thing, you can’t miss seeing the spiraling helix slide! For hours of water soaked fun there’s the two thousand square foot swimming pool or the hundred thousand gallon wave pool.

For smaller kids there’s a five thousand square foot wading pool with tons of interactive activities including slides, a wet deck, and a dumping bucket.

For a relaxing experience, float down the lazy river or challenge your friends in the Bumper Boat Pool.

There’s a concession at the park to satisfy your appetite and also a gift store.

3. Wet ‘n Wild Emerald Pointe Water Park, Greensboro

With tons of exciting rides and slides, waves, rivers, pools, and kiddie areas, Wet ‘n Wild is the place to be for cool, water drenched fun.

If it’s thrills you’re seeking whoosh down Daredevel Drop.

The heart pounding ride drops you seventy six feet to give you the sensation of freefalling.

For an exciting and unexpected four foot drop at the end of the slide into the pool below, dry the Double Barrel Blast.

Journey into the black Dr.

Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror for some high banking, three hundred and sixty degree spins.

Challenge the Dragon’s Den in darkness only to land in the misty abyss below.

White water raft down the Raging Rapids or raft down the six hundred feet of the Runaway Raft Ride.

There’s a whole host of other rides to get your pulse pounding! If thrills aren’t your thing, chill out in the wave pool or float away down the lazy river.

If you have younger water lovers in toe, check out the amazing toddler and kids areas!

4. Lake Lure Beach and Water Park, Lake Lure

For a beautiful and unforgettable getaway, visit Lake Lure.

Take in all the many activities in the area including golf, hiking trails, and the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge.

Go for a horseback ride or a guided boat tour.

Rent a paddleboard, canoe or kayak and go exploring on our own.

Visit the beautiful waterpark which comes complete with slides, activities, and sandy beaches for the ultimate way to cool down, enjoy the sun, and take in the phenomenal scenery.

5. Great Wolf Lodge, Concord

Open year round, Great Wolf Lodge’s indoor waterpark is always a balmy eighty four degrees.

With over eighty thousand square feet, there’s sure to be an activity for everyone! There’s heart pounding, high stakes, thrilling rides, mat racers, children’s play areas with a huge tipping bucket, zero depth playgrounds for tots, and an activity pool! The lodge also has a whole host of other dryland activities to keep you and the family entertained for hours plus the building itself is always stunning!

6. Water Boggan of Emerald Isle, Emerald Isle

For a day of family fun, be sure to hit Water Boggan.

The park has activities and amenities for everyone! Whoosh down the waterslides or cool off in the clear waters of the huge swimming pools.

For the kids there’s a Kid’s Zone area packed with tons of fun activities.

There’s wading pools for even the youngest water lovers.

If you came hungry there’s a snack bar and if water’s not your thing, there’s great areas of sunbathing or shady areas to keep you cool.

The park has a snack bar available to satisfy your hunger.

The park sells half day and all day passes but is cash only.

7. Fantasy Lake Water Park, Hope Mills

Fantasy Lake offers a ton of unique ways to get wet and have a blast.

Try the Tarzan Swings and Trapeze or shoot down the Master Blaster tube slides.

Grab a mat and race down the Banana Slides.

Try the brand new Peg Board Climber, sure to test your strength! For the classic playground staple with a new water drenched twist, give the Ringa-Linga a try.

There’s also a wet and wild see saw fun for people of all ages.

Jump off the high tower platforms into the lake below or try the Porch Swings over the water.

Free fall into the water off the Drop Slides, for visit Fantasy Land for Kids.

The park also features Paddle Boards, Pedal Boats, Kayaks, giant floats, and water volleyball! If you’ve worked up an appetite, there’s a sandwich shop as well as a picnic area to round out your day.

8. Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park, Wilmington

Beat the heat or come for a day of dryland family fun, Jungle Rapids has it all.

Six exciting slides including The Superbowl, Sidewinder, Rapid Racer and Volcano will satisfy even the most avid adventure seeker.

For kids there’s great splash areas and activities.

Cool down on the lazy river or splash the day away in the huge wave pool.

No outside food or drink is allowed into the park but there are some great hot and cold dining options.

Dry off or if water isn’t your thing, head right for all the other activities the park offers.

There’s an arcade, mini bowling, go karts, jungle golf, kid’s jungle, laser tag, a climbing wall and exciting rides for the whole family!

9. Woodmen Community Center, Kinston

For family fun all year round, head to the Woodmen Community Center.

There’s a beautiful twenty five yard, eight lane competition pool which is handicap accessible with wheelchair access.

The pool offers lessons, water aerobics, and lifeguard training.

Come to swim laps or just come to splash around and have fun! The Center also has a five hundred square foot Wellness Pool used for individual or group therapy sessions and is also wheelchair accessible.

10. Ray’s Splash Planet, Charlotte

There’s tons of ways to cool down and have a blast at this indoor water park.

Shoot down the Blue Comet, a three story giant slide, or grab a tube and rocket down the Orbiter.

Visit the Sea of Tranquility for lap swimming, water basketball, or water volleyball.

Bring the tots to the Moon Beach with features a zero-depth entry.

Kids will be thrilled with the Saturation Station which has four slides and a ton of interactive activities including a giant tipping bucket.

Take a spin in the Vortex, a rapidly flowing pool that will push you around and around in a circle.

There’s a whole host of other interactive features, making Ray’s Splash Planet an exciting destination you’ll want to visit again and again.

11. West Water Park, Kinston

Complete with waterslides, awesome cool pools and fun filled activities, West Water Park is sure to delight.

Rush down the thrilling waterslides or experience the unique Trapeze Swing Pool.

Cool down in the waters of huge swimming pool or test your strength and agility in the Activity Pool.

The park also features beach volleyball.

Admission to the park is affordable, making it a great, budget friendly way to take the whole family out for hours of fun

12. Splash Pad, Fuquay Varina

For a day of family fun that’s suitable for all ages, both young and young at heart, visit the Splash Pad! The six thousand square foot pentagon shaped park has more than thirty-five activities and features made for having a soaking, wet and wild blast.

The park runs from June until September.

Residents get in for free with a Resident Splash Card and non-residents are $2.