From Illinois' Largest Water Park to a Historic Stone Quarry, Here Are 13 Water Parks to Visit This Summer

As summer approaches and the weather gets warmer, Illinois water park season is upon us. Here’s a roundup of where to find some of the most popular ones across the state, and when each of them opens for the summer. Cypress Cove, Woodridge Cypress Cove in Woodridge opened for the season on May 28 and features a man-made beach, a water playground, waterslides, a 600-foot lazy river and more, according to the website. The park is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., and 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. on weekends. Daily admission begins at $10.50 for Woodridge residents. The park is located at 8301 S. Janes Ave. The park is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Centennial Beach, Naperville Note quite a swimming pool and not quite a lake, Centennial Beach in Naperville is open for the season and features water activities like beach side and paddleboard yoga and more. The historic stone quarry known as a local “swimming hole” also includes a zero-depth entry, the website says. Hours vary and daily fees begin at $9 for Naperville residents. Centennial Beach, at at 500 W. Jackson Ave. opened Memorial Day weekend, and will remain open through through Labor Day weekend. Great Wolf Lodge Water Park, Gurnee The lodge giant indoor water park in Gurnee is open year-round and includes a four-story water fort tree house, a lazy river, a water playground complete with basketball hoops, multiple water slides and “Coyote Cannon,” where visitors drop 40 feet before spinning down a water jet-fueled vortex, the website says. Day passes are limited based on calendar availability. Half-day passes start at $44, and full day passes start at $55. The park is located at 1700 Nations Dr. Hurricane Harbor, Gurnee, Rockford In Gurnee, Hurricane Harbor includes multiple waterslides with one at a nearly 80-degree drop, a surf simulator, water racing and Tsunami Surge, the world’s tallest water coaster, according to the website. Rockford Hurricane Harbor features a lazy river, a tailspin waterslide, a free-fall waterslide ride and, according to the park, Tsunami Bay, Illinois’ largest wave pool. Single day tickets at either Gurnee or Rockford start at $29.99. Parking is additional. Both locations open June 4 and close Sept. 5. Hurricane Harbor Gurnee is adjacent to Six Flags Great America, at 1 Great America Pkwy. Hurricane Harbor Rockford is at 7820 Cherryvale N Blvd in Cherry Valley. Mystic Waters Family Aquatic Center, Des Plaines A family-friendly park with two 37-foot water slides, a zero-depth leisure pool, a kids area called Beluga Beach and a 550-foot lazy river, according to the website. Mystic Waters is open for the season. Daily admission begins at $16.50 for Des Plaines residents. The park is located at 2025 Miner Street and is open through Aug. 14, with two additional post-season days Aug. 20 and 21 Otter Cove Aquatic Park, St. Charles Otter Cove opened for the season May 28 and includes drop dives, a toddler and activity pool, racer and tube slides, a lazy river, a sand play area, sand volleyball and more, according to the website. Daily admission for the park, at 3615 Campton Hills Rd. begins at $11 for St. Charles residents. Closing day is Sept. 5. Centennial Water Park, Orland Park With a zero-depth pool, a cliff jump, multiple tube and racing slides and waterfalls, Centennial Water Park’s season runs Memorial Day through Labor Day, according to the website. Daily admission begins at $8 for Orland Park residents. The park is located at 14700 Ravinia Ave and is open through Sept. 5. Paradise Bay Water Park, Lombard With zero-depth entry pool, water slides, a drop slide, a 12-foot dive well and an 8 lane lap pool, Paradise Bay is open May 28 through Sept. 5, according to the website. Daily admission for residents of Lombard begins at $16. Raging Waves Waterpark, Yorkville According to the website, Raging Waters is Illinois’ largest waterpark sitting on 58 acres and features 32 water slides, a wave pool, three kiddie pools, a racing slide and a lazy river. Tickets begin at $44.99. Parking is an additional fee. The park is located at 4000 N. Bridge St.. It opens June 4 and closes on Sept. 5. taste of chicago Jun 1 Taste of Chicago to Host Bite-Sized Neighborhood Festivals Leading Up to Summer Event Lollapalooza May 31 When is Lollapalooza? What to Know About Chicago's Biggest Summer Music Festival Street Festival May 14 Guide to Chicago Street Fests and Fairs: Summer 2022 Rainbow Falls Waterpark, Elk Grove Village The family-friendly park includes floating lily pads, a water playground with bucks of dumping water, a speedy “Pelican Plunge” waterslide, a tot pool, four giant waterslides and more, according to the website. The park, at 200 Rev. Morrison Blvd opens June 4, with the season running through Aug. 7. Daily admission starts at $10 for Elk Grove residents. Santa Springs at Santa’s Village, East Dundee Located at Santa’s Village Amusement Park at 601 Dundee Ave. this Caribbean themed park has a zero-depth entry to a 10,000 square foot wading pool, multiple slides, cabanas and more, according to the website. According to the website, the park will not open if the weather is below 72 degrees. Opening da is June 4, and closing day is Sept. 5. Single day admission tickets begin at $15.99, and include admission to Santa’s Village. Sea Lion Aquatic Park, Lisle Opening June 4, Sea Lion Aquatic Park includes two 50′ body flume slides, drop slides, a vortex pool, splash playground, a sand play area, a waterfall and more., leisure pool with waterfall and more, according to the website. The park, at 1925 Ohio St. in Lisle is open June 4 through Aug. 14. Daily admission begins at $7 for Lisle residents. Splash County Water Park, Aurora According to the website, Splash County Water Park has the second-largest lazy river in Illinois, at 1,100 feet. The park also features open and closed tube slides, regulation and volleyball courts and more. The park, at 195 S. Barnes Road is open June 4 through Aug. 7, and then weekends only from Aug. 13-Sept. 4. Tickets begin at $8 for Aurora residents.

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