There’s still time to squeeze in a trip to a water park before summer ends. Here are five we love not far from Morgantown.
With waterslides and multiple pools with many depths and activities, nearby Greene County Water Park is a win-win (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, 30m). This park gets rave reviews and welcomes those who can’t swim to lessons. Pool access is $8 for adults and $6 for children and seniors.
For the relaxing mini-vacation you’ve been needing and enough excitement to keep the kids intrigued, Clarksburg Splash Zone (Clarksburg, West Virginia, 45m) has a lovely balance of serenity and exhilaration. It has a lap pool, a lazy river, and a waterslide—and when you want a break from the water, there’s mini golf. Admission is $9.50, $7.50 for juniors and seniors.
If your family is wild for waterslides, Sandcastle Water Park has 14 of them—along with 67 acres of wild family fun (West Homestead, Pennsylvania, 1h45m). Strong swimmers love the extreme action slide, and thrillseekers go for the free-fall slide. Smaller, tamer slides and pools are perfect fun for younger kids. Admission is $33, $23 for juniors and seniors.
Double your fun at a waterpark that also has all the rides and games of a carnival: Idlewild and SoakZone amusement park (Ligonier, Pennsylvania, 1h45m). Enjoy dozens of rides, like the handcars and Dino Saurs for younger parkgoers and the 30-foot-high Loggin’ Toboggan log ride and Rollo Coaster for daredevils—then cool down with the tipping bucket, wave pool, and long, twisting waterslides. Regular gate price is $47, $33 for seniors.
For a full day of lake-based water park fun, head out early to Wonderland Waterpark at ACE Adventure Resort (Lansing, West Virginia, 2h40m). Stay cool while you climb and bounce on the giant waterslides, lake zipline, and 50 huge inflatable toys including an obstacle course. Stop at the New River Gorge Bridge for the views along the way. The day’s fun is $30 for adults, $15 for kids 6-8.
Regardless of which destination you choose these last few weeks of summer, it will surely create fun family photos and summer memories for years to come.
Photograph by Carla Witt Ford