Splash Your Way To Summer Fun At Illinois Water Parks

ILLINOIS — Take heart, warm weather is on the way. After a year of being cooped up at home, Illinois’s water parks beckon. There are many awesome indoor and outdoor water parks in the Chicago area and beyond. Most outdoor parks open Memorial Day weekend, or early June.

Some facilities require reservations and may exercise capacity limits as the state heads into Phase 5 - Restore Illinois. Worker shortages may also force some facilities to temporarily close for a day or two, so call ahead first.

Patch has rounded up park district aquatic centers with curvy slides, lazy rivers, interactive sprinklers and sprayers and commercial venues, including the new Tsunami Surge, billed as the world’s largest water coaster at Six Flags Great America’s Hurricane Harbor.

COOK COUNTY

Mystic Waters Aquatic Center
2025 Miner Street, Des Plaines
Opens: June 5
Type: Park district
Details: Tall slides, drop slides, leisure pool, water features, cafe
Admission: $12 adult residents; $10 seniors/youth (residents); $15 adults (non-residents), seniors and youth $13 - NR. Call ahead for special hours.

Family Aquatic Center at Heritage Park
105 Community Blvd., Wheeling
Opens: May 29
Type: Park district
Details: Pool with splash pad area, water slides, diving bards
Admission: $10 adult residents/$13 for non-residents; $8 for senior residents/$9 for non-residents; Free for children 2 and under. (Park district)

White Water Canyon
8221 W. 171st St., Tinley Park
Opens: June 5
Type: Park district
Details: Water slides, lazy river, diving board, concessions.( Park district)
Admission: Residents $9 ($5 after 5 p.m.); $5 after 4 p.m. starting Aug; 16; non-resident $18 all day.

Centennial Outdoor Aquatic Center
16028 127th St., Lemont
Opens: May 29
Type: Park district
Details: Slide, diving board. 6-lane, 25- meter pool. Leisure pool with zero-depth entry and some play pieces.
Admission: $5 for residents, $8 for nonresidents. Season passes available. Daily reservations required at this time.

Rainbow Falls Water Park
200 Rev Morrison Blvd, Elk Grove Village
Opens: May 29-Sept. 6
Type: Park district
Details: Swim-season attraction with a tropical theme & numerous pools & rides including a huge 4-way slide. (Park district)
Admission: $10 for residents/$16 for non-residents; free for tots under 24 months; $6 for 65 and up residents/ $10 for 65 and up non-residents.

Spray 'N Play
951 McHenry Rd, Buffalo Grove
Opens: June 2
Type: Park district
Details: Land-based family park with water sprays, fountains & toys plus a picnic area.
Admission: Free for 12 months and under; $4 for children and adults; $2 for 62 and up; $2 for twilight (5:30 to 7 p.m.)

Flick Outdoor Aquatic Center
951 McHenry Road, Glenview
Opens: May 28
Type: Park district
Details: Outdoor pool, water slides, splash blasters
Admission: $13 for resident/$16 for non-resident

Meadowhill Park
1479 Maple Ave, Northbrook
Opens: May 29
Type: Park district
Details: 32-acre park with lots of sports & adventure areas, including a Velodrome, climbing wall & 4 pools.
Admission: $8 for youth resident/$10 for youth non-resident; $9 for adult resident/$11 for adult non-resident; $7 for senior resident/$9 for senior non-resident.

The Water Works
505 N. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg
Opens: Year round
Type: Park district
Details: Three water slides, rapid water channel, water playground, diving pool, lap pool, zero depth entry pool, whirlpool, family changing room.
Admission: $7 residents/$9 non-residents; children under 2 are free.

DUPAGE COUNTY

East End Pool
463 Schiller Street, Elmhurst
Opens: June 12
Type: Park district
Details: Diving boards, slide
Admission: $5

Normal P. Smalley Pool
665 S York St, Elmhurst
Opens: June 19
Type: Park district
Details: Slide, diving board, spray area
Admission: $10

Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center
828 Montgomery Road, Aurora
Opens: June 5 to Aug. 15
Type: Municipal
Details: Zero-depth entry pool, two drop-off slides, twisting enclosed flume slide, winding body flume slide, kid-friendly areas with spray guns, waterfall and small slide, sand volleyball courts and sand play area.
Admission: Season passes $65 for residents and $85 for non-residents; weekday admission $8 for residents and $12 for non-residents; weekend admission $9 for residents and $13 for non-residents.

Paradise Way Water Park
437 E St Charles Rd, Lombard
Opens: June 12 to Aug. 15
Type: Park district
Details: Operated by the Lombard Park District, the park features zero-depth entry to leisure pool with spouts, fountains, water sprays and whirlpool; Hurricane sidewinder (body slide), wipe out (bowl slide), pipeline (speed slide) and Alligator Crossing water walk. Splashdown, a 12-foot dive well, boasts both a 3-meter and 1-meter dive board and drop slide. Dolphin Cove, the 8-lane lap pool can be set up to encourage lap swim, water basketball and volleyball. Turtle Cove for young kids offers zero-depth, fountains and water slide. Concessions.
Admission: Daily rates coming soon. Pool passes available.

Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Park
8301 Janes Ave, Woodridge
Opens: June 11 through Labor Day
Type: Park district
Details: Bayou-themed water park operated by the Woodridge Park District featuring a spray playground, lazy river, sand, zero-depth pool, an island, tubing, water fall cascade, tall water slides, a six-lane lap pool and shack shack.
Admission: $10 for residents and $17 for non-residents.

KANE COUNTY

Santa Springs Water Park
601 Dundee Ave., East Dundee
Opens: May 29
Type: Commercial
Details: Santa's Azoosment Park has opened Santa Springs, which includes water slides, water play areas and cabanas where parents can site while the kiddos play.
Admission: $27.99, includes admission to Santa Springs and Santa's Azoosement Park.

KENDALL COUNTY

Raging Waves
4000 N Bridge St, Yorkville
Opens: June 5
Type: Commercial
Details: "Illinois' largest water park" with water slides, mat races, cabanas for rent, a four-story water fort with slides,
Admission: Any date-tickets starting at $39,99, pick-your-date tickets starting at $24.99, groups of 20-50 for $24.99 per person, groups of 51-199 for 39.99 per person, cabanas starting at $200/day.

LAKE COUNTY

Hurricane Harbor
1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee
Opens: May 29
Type: Commercial
Details: Hurricane Harbor is the accompanying water park to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. New this year is Tsunami Surge, as the self-touted tallest water coaster in the world. Other highlights include several water slides, a body surf pool, a 500,000-gallon wave pool, a children's pool and play area and more.
Admission: Tickets start at $24.99 for one-day admission.

Esper A. Peterson Foundation Family Aquatic Center
250 Library Lane, Grayslake
Opens: May 29
Type: Municipal
Details: The outdoor aquatic center includes water slides, kids splash area and frog slide.
Admission: Daily admission is $16 per person for those 2 years old and older.

Great Wolf Lodge
1700 Nations Drive, Gurnee
Opens: Year round.
Type: Commercial
Details: 80,000 square ft. indoor water park where it’s always 84 degrees. Thrilling waterslides, a giant tipping bucket and zero-depth entry water play areas for pre-swimmers.
Admission: Day passes start at $40

LASALLE COUNTY

Grand Bear Resort & Water Park
2643 IL-178, North Utica
Opens: Year round
Type: Commercial
Details: 24,000-square-foot indoor water park with play zones, slides, wave pool, lazy river and 15-person hot tub, concessions.

McHENRY COUNTY

Stingray Bay Aquatic Center
12015 Mill St., Huntley
Opens: May 29
Type: Park district
Details: Massive outdoor aquatic center with water slides, a kids water play area, lap swim and diving boards.
Admission: $9 resident/$12 non-resident (age 3+); twilight rates (after $5 p.m.) $5 resident/$7 non-resident.

SANGAMON COUNTY

Knight’s Action Park & Splash Kingdom
1700 Knights, Recreation Drive, Springfield
Opens: May 29
Type: Commercial
Details: Multi-amusement venue with rides, attractions and water park. Splash Kingdom features eight exciting water slides, giant wave pool Sorayground- Camile’s Reef,
Admission: Regular water park pass $31.95 adult, second-day pass $20; child (under 48 inches) $24.95; 2 and under free; seniors $24.95.

WILL COUNTY

Heritage Falls Water Park
101 Troxel, Romeoville
Opens: June 5 (with reservations until Illinois reaches Phase 5 on June 11)
Type: Park district
Details: Splash pad, a pool complete with a deep-end, two diving boards and two water slides.
Admission: $4 for residents, $9 for non-residents

Pelican Harbor Indoor/Outdoor Aquatic Park
200 Lindsey Ln, Bolingbrook (located in Volunteer Park)
Opens: June 5
Type: Park district
Details: Indoor/outdoor water park, four water slides, zero-depth pool, Lazy River, sand volleyball, interactive “sprayground,” 10-person hot tub.
Admission: $7 for residents, $10 for non-residents