Midwest Indoor Water Parks: Where to Go for All-Weather Water Fun! USA

When the weather cools down in the Midwest, why not head to one of the indoor water parks! Many places and hotels have indoor pools but in this post, you’ll find some options that take things up a gear! From indoor surf simulators to thrill slides and giant wave pools, there’s something for everyone. I also share some of my personal favourites!

Disclosure: I do my best to try and keep information up-to-date but please check directly with businesses for current opening times and prices.

Indoor Waterparks in the Midwest

Multiple Locations

Great Wolf Lodge

• 🗺️Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
• 🛏️On-site hotel

Great Wolf Lodge is ‘North America’s Largest Indoor Water Park Resorts’ with 7 locations in the Midwest.

• Chicago/Gurnee, IL
• Cincinnati/Mason, OH
• Kansas City, KS
• Minneapolis/Bloomington, MN
• Sandusky, OH
• Traverse City, MI
• Wisconsin Dells, WI

The majority of the locations have similar attractions with the most being aimed at younger visitors. However, a couple of the Midwest Great Wolf Lodge locations have additional thrill slides, such as in Cincinnati OH, and Gurnee IL.

Great Wolf Lodge has both full-day and half-day passes available as well as the water parks being included in the room rate (with access from 1pm on the day of arrival). The room rate is the same regardless of whether there are 2 people in the room or 4. So it’s better value for money if more guests are sharing a room!

Other attractions on site include the Great Wolf Lodge ‘MagiQuest’, laser tag, arcades, and more. There are several dining options on-site and poolside cabana rentals.

Iowa

Grand Harbor Resort – Dubuque

• 💦8 Water Attractions
• 🛏️On-site hotel
• 👩🏻‍💻Personally visited!

Located in Dubuque Iowa, right next to the Mississippi River, is the Grand Harbor Resort and Waterpark. It’s best suited for kids as it has a giant jungle gym-style climbing structure with a selection of smaller slides and a giant dump bucket.

For even younger visitors, there’s a paddling pool with fountains. Older guests may enjoy the lazy river and a larger tube slide with both single and double rings, along with 2 hot tubs.

Tables and chairs are dotted throughout the waterpark and there’s an outlet selling food and drink. Speaking from experience, it often gets REALLY hot in this area, so make sure to drink plenty of water!

Guests staying at the hotel have access to the waterpark included as part of the room rate. The waterpark is sometimes shut on weekdays during the off-season, so check before booking for midweek stays. (I have stayed here multiple times and the river view rooms have some of the best views in Dubuque!)

On Saturdays the waterpark is reserved for guests only, however, day passes are available on other days that it’s open.

Next to the waterpark is an arcade where tickets can be exchanged for prizes. Even as an adult, the arcade has some pretty fun games! If you are after more than the ‘light bites’ on offer from ‘The Bait Shack‘, Tony Roma’s restaurant is on-site. Guests of the hotel can also enjoy a fitness room and complimentary breakfast.

Ohio

Kalahari – Sandusky

• 💦19 Water Attractions
• 🛏️On-site hotel
• 👩🏻‍💻Recommended by Nikki of She Saves She Travels

If you’re looking for indoor water parks in the Midwest, look no further than Kalahari in Sandusky, Ohio. Kalahari Resorts & Conventions is the largest indoor water park in the country. Visiting the waterpark is one of the best things to do in Sandusky, Ohio! 

It’s perfect temperature of 84 degrees makes Kalahari a great destination for a winter getaway or spring break. During the summer months (Memorial Day to Labor Day), the outdoor water park is also open, providing more space and options for recreation and activities.

Inside there are a ton of activities for all ages. Perhaps the shining star of the waterpark is Victoria Falls, which is a raft ride where the slide takes you outdoors in a tube before dumping you into the pool. There’s also a body boarding area, a wave pool, a lazy river and so much more.

Kalahari has thought of quite literally everything. You can rent cabanas, eat and drink indoors or outside, including a swim-up bar. There are lockers to keep your belongings and a robust locker room.

When you’re all shrivelled from being in the water, you can play laser tag, zipline, or the ropes course. 

The onsite rooms, suites, and villas are perfect to accommodate most size groups of family and friends. The waterpark admission is included in your resort price, too. Or, you can stay at another location and just purchase waterpark passes.

Wisconsin

The Wilderness Resort – Wisconsin Dells

• 💦22 Water Attractions (across 4 indoor parks)
• 🛏️On-site hotel
• 👩🏻‍💻Personally visited!

You can’t talk about Midwest indoor water parks and not include the Wisconsin Dells, ‘Waterpark Capital of the World’. The Wilderness Resort has 4 indoor waterparks alone, not including outside ones!

The Wild Waterdome is also home to the largest indoor wave pool in the USA. My personal FAVOURITE waterslide at The Wilderness is The Black Hole in the Wild West waterpark. It’s an extreme thrill slide which is super fast.

One of the downsides of The Wilderness Resort is that only guests have access to the waterparks, no day passes are available. Most people just walk between the different waterparks in their swimwear and obviously, it’s handy that you can store valuables in the rooms. All of the water parks are connected via indoor walkways.

As well as the waterparks, The Wilderness has an arcade and other various indoor attractions such as a high ropes climbing course, go-karts, and mini golf.

Kalahari – Wisconsin Dells

• 💦18 Water Attractions (plus new expansion coming Fall 2026)
• 🛏️On-site hotel
• 👩🏻‍💻Personally visited!
• ⭐️My favourite Midwest waterpark!

For adults visiting the Wisconsin Dells, I think that the Kalahari is the best option. You can see my comparison here: Kalahari vs Wilderness: Best Indoor Water Parks In Wisconsin Dells. I LOVED it.

Although there is only 1 indoor waterpark compared to 4 at The Wilderness, the Kalahari has 9 thrill slides altogether with 5 being extreme (not including the smaller waterslides!).

They also have various other pay-to-play water attractions, such as a Flowrider surf simulator, VR snorkelling, and a mermaid experience.

The Kalahari also has a limited amount of day passes available (which can be pre-booked online). This is great if you just want a day at a waterpark, rather than it being the focus of the whole trip.

I thought it was great value, especially if you are after an adrenaline kick in the winter, as you can easily spend all day at the park.

You’ll find large changing rooms poolside, locker rentals, and even a ‘swimsuit extractor’ which sucks all the water out of your wet swim stuff, making it easier to take it away.

As well as the indoor waterpark, there’s also Tom Foolery’s indoor theme park with go-karts and arcades, an escape room, and more.

Breaker Bay Waterpark – Sheboygan

• 💦9 Water Attractions
• 🛏️On-site hotel

Located in the Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center is the Breaker Bay Waterpark. Heated to a comfortable 84F, the waterpark has: 2 waterslides, 2 tube slides, a surf simulator, a lazy river, a 4 story water activity center, hot tubs, and more.

Make sure to check opening hours if visiting during the off-season (September to May). The indoor waterpark is often closed during the week, opening on Friday afternoons/evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday. During school breaks, it is open daily.

The waterpark is mostly open to resort guests only, with a limited number of day passes available on Sundays.

Private Cabanas can be rented and the Rocky Bottom Snack Shop has food and drinks for purchase.

During the summer, Breaker Bay Waterpark is open daily, along with the addition of the outdoor swimming pool (weather permitting).

If access to the waterpark isn’t enough, Blue Harbor Resort also has several ‘Whirlpool Suites‘ with in-room spa baths! Other resort activities include: kids crafts, mini golf, an arcade, and during the summer months, s’mores and yoga!

Resort guests receive 1 pool towel card per person, included in the room rate. Day pass guests are advised to bring their own towels, as there is a $3 fee per towel for off-site visitors.

Michigan

Avalanche Bay Indoor Waterpark – Boyne Falls

• 💦12 Water Attractions
• 🛏️On-site hotel

Avalanche Bay in Boyne Falls is said to be Michigan’s largest indoor waterpark! The Splasherhorn is a giant play structure with dump buckets and water slides. But there are also 4 larger thrill slides, a hot tub, a lazy river, a couple of play pools, and a surf simulator. (You’ll find 7 water slides and 4 pools altogether).

There are day passes available from $40 per person. The hotel on-site does not have waterpark access included in the room rate, they are an additional cost or as part of a package.

Complimentary access to the heated outdoor pool at the Clock Tower Lodge IS included and is open year-round.

Boyne Mountain Resort also has a ski slope for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing, with several of the rooms overlooking the slope. Regardless of whether you visit during the summer or winter, the resort has a huge range of outdoor activities on offer.

South Dakota

WaTiki Indoor Waterpark Resort – Rapid City

• 💦7 Water Attractions
• 🛏️On-site hotel

Watiki is the biggest indoor indoor water park in the Dakotas. There are 3 large thrill slides, a lazy river, a hot tub, an activity pool, and Koko’s Kingdom water play structure. Day passes start at $30 and it’s open 365 days of the year.

Five major chain hotels surround Watiki Indoor Waterpark Resort:

• Residence Inns & Suites
• Fairfield by Marriott
• La Quinta by Wyndham
• Homes2 Suites
• Courtyard by Marriott.

Hotel guests receive 2 free spectator passes per room and 20% off waterpark admission. For an extra $100 or $200 a room bundle includes: waterpark tickets, pool towel use, arcade credit, dining credit, and a souvenir gift.

Other Midwest Posts You May Enjoy

• 🛟9 Water Parks In The Midwest USA (outdoor)

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Last Updated on May 23, 2025