Learn and Play in these Mid-Atlantic Water Parks

Students will cool off and experience behind-the-scenes STEM opportunities at these thrilling water parks.

In the scorching heat of the summer, it’s best to cool off by jumping in the water! The Mid-Atlantic region is home to plenty of exciting water parks that are sure to be loads of fun for students, and even teach them some new facts! Here are 11 water parks located in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Six Flags Darien Lake – Buffalo, New York

This is a place for thrills and fun. The amusement park includes a water park that features five exciting slides, a wave pool and a lazy river. Rides include the Big Kahuna (a tube slide over 700 feet long that has twists, dips and turns), the Brain Drain (a slide that drops the floor from underneath people, shooting them 300 feet in just 10 seconds with a 360-degree loop) and the Tornado (a 132-foot-long tunnel slide that sends people into a giant funnel).

The park offers lessons on physics and math through the live examples of their rides, as well as a catering service for students and over 70% off of general admission tickets. Six Flags also offers education events for students where the entire park is turned into a learning lab.

Splish Splash Water Park – Calverton, New York

Splish Splash is Long Island’s water park to be at. Spanning over 96 acres with 20 water slides, 2 wave pools and more, there is something for every kid to enjoy. There is the Riptide Racer, where four guests race on mats in enclosed slides at thrilling speeds. Dr. Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror is an inner tube slide completely in the dark, featuring a 40-foot drop, 360-degree spins and vertical banks. Take a break from slides at one of the wave pools such as Surf City. Groups are offered discounted tickets for a minimum of 20 people and an option for catered picnics.

Splash Lagoon – Erie, Pennsylvania

Splash Lagoon brings guests tropical weather and fun all year round as a Polynesian-themed indoor water park resort. The temperature is kept at a constant 84 degrees. There are 16 attractions for guest to enjoy. Jump into the Wild Waters wave pool, where waves can reach up to six feet. Hurricane Hole is one of their seven slides, riders reaching speeds of 40 mph. Guests can also try their hand at surfing or bodyboarding with the resort’s newest attraction, the Flowrider Surf Machine.

Tours are available for students, such as the Back of House Tour, where students get to see how Splash Lagoon operates. Lessons on history and science are offered as well. Tickets can be acquired at lower prices for groups of 15 or more, while options for catered and non-catered food are for groups of at least 20.

Boardwalk at Hershey Park – Hershey, Pennsylvania

From the company that makes delicious sweets and candies, Hershey Park is another amusement park that houses a water park. Its 11 acres are filled with eight slides, a wave pool, two water rides and other attractions. Guests can hop on the Tidal Force, a water ride that will send people hurtling downhill over 50 mph into one of the biggest splashes sure to soak riders. Kids can also try their hand at surfing with the Waverider, a simulated surf experience.

Admission tickets can be over 40% off for groups of 20 or more. There is also a special for the summer in which one ticket is free for every 10 purchased. There are educational guides for physics, history, general science and health & wellness. In addition, the park offers catered picnics, meal coupons and snack vouchers at discounted prices.

CoCo Key Water Resort- Mount Laurel, New Jersey

This indoor water park spans over 55,000 square feet. It has three slides, two pools and a lazy river for its guests to enjoy. The Barracuda Blast is the longest slide—a tubed, in the dark experience with loops and turns over 350 feet. There is also Sharks Slam (a four-story-high slide that has guests zipping through at fast speeds) and Pelican Plunge (a bendy, curvy slide over 300 feet long).

CoCo offers packages to youth groups. The Pizza Package includes three hours of swim time with two slices of pizza and a soft drink for each person (along with the option to have ice cream as an add-on). Additionally, there is the Splash-tacular Adventure Field Trip that has two hours of swim time. There is also opportunities for educational programs.

Land of Make Believe Amusement and Water Park – Hope, New Jersey

With five slides, a river and pools, the Land of Make Believe Amusement and Water Park is loads of excitement. Take a ride on their top slide, the Black Hole, where riders plunge into complete darkness. Blackbeard’s River includes waves, waterfalls and rapids for an adventurous trip in these waters. Alongside the water park is also the amusement park that hosts roller coasters, free falls and other thrilling attractions.

The Land of Make Believe has tons of educational activities for students, such as learning and interacting with domestic farm animals, historical exhibits and lessons on fossils and gems through its 1980’s Mining Company. The park offers a special group lunch discount and admission tickets include access to the entire park with unlimited rides.

Splash Mountain Water Park – Ocean City, Maryland

Jolly Roger Amusement Parks houses this adventurous water park. What started off in 1970 as a singular concrete slide has is now complete with 18 different attractions, including a wave pool, water coaster and several slides. Race friends with the six-lane speed slide or grab an inner tube and face curves and ramps on the Rapids slide. Guest can even go uphill on the Master Blaster waterslide.

Deals are offered for youth groups and there are specials on certain days for school groups. They can receive a free pavilion and bus parking with the deals. There are options for meal vouchers and add-ons for Jolly Roger’s other attractions.

Hurricane Harbor, Six Flags America – Woodmore, Maryland & Washington, D.C.

Hurricane Harbor has plenty for thrill seekers with over 10 different slides. The water park also boasts a wave pool, a river, a beach pool and an interactive play area. Try out ZoomAzon Falls, home to four slides (Anaconda Awakening, Boto Basin, Sloth Splashdown and Piranha Pandemonium) that total over half-a-mile long. Each is unique in their routes, having sudden drops, waterfalls and curves all while guests are surrounded with the sounds of the jungle. Try some water skateboarding with the Halfpipe. Guests ride up and down on inner tubes in this four-story, u-shaped slide that reaches speeds of 23 miles per hour. Like the Six Flags in New York, the park offers discounted prices on tickets and meals as well as special educational events for students to practically learn in action throughout the park.

Jungle Jim’s River Safari Water Park- Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

As the largest water park in Delaware, Jungle Jim’s has something for everyone. The water park has the usual array of attractions, like a wave pool, six slides, pools and a river. Along with that, however, are bumper boats, mini golf and batting cages. The slides are filled with exciting twists and turns, a few of them over 580 feet high. The river circles the entire park, reaching 900 feet in length. There are packages for groups with a minimum of 15 people. Guests can get packages that include admission for all attractions, just the waterpark or even customize one by contacting the park.

Soak City, King’s Dominion – Doswell, Virginia

Within King’s Dominion lies Soak City, a 20-acre water park comprised of eight water slides, a wave pool, a river and play areas. Plunge straight into darkness on the park’s tallest enclosed slide the Night Slider, starting at a 77-foot platform. Ride the Aqua Blast, a twisty slide 449 feet long that take riders through 360-degree loops. For a tube slide, there is Thunder Falls, which takes quests through drops, turns and twists at high speeds.

The park offers special educations days that focus on STEM, engineering, marketing and career readiness. These are accompanied with discounted tickets and meals. Each provides behind-the-scenes perspective on the park and its workings. The marketing days provide a seminar from industry experts on how King’s Dominion entices guests to come to the park while students get close with the mechanical side of the rides and the park’s Rides Maintenance team on engineering days. King’s Dominion also has a special Scare School for its Halloween Haunt that provides behind-the-scenes details on production, set design, makeup, costuming and the opportunity to learn the science of scaring from “Scare-actors.”

Water Country USA – Williamsburg, Virginia

Water Country USA is Virginia’s largest water park, which means there’s that much more to enjoy. There are over 10 thrilling slides and plenty of water attractions. Surfer’s Bay is Virginia’s largest wave pool, a whopping 23,000 square feet. Cruise along the river Hubba Hubba Highway for as long as you like or hop on one the slides with friends, like the Aquazoid (a raft slide that features darkness, twists, turns and waterfalls over 863 feet). Discounted tickets are available for groups of 15 or more.