Splish splash, you were taking a bath, riding down your favorite waterslide. Yes, the joy of a water park is unlike any other type of amusement park in the world. You climb up a hill or stairs, knowing that when you reach the top, you’ll come zooming back down again. The only difference is that you’ll be riding a wave of water, heading toward a satisfying splash at the bottom. Each year, water parks are building newer, better slides, too. Here are the best eight water rides in North America!
Bootleggers Run– Splish Splash
You didn’t think I’d mention Splish Splash without discussing the water park that bears the same name, did you? This park was a hidden gem for years before a movie called Adventureland boosted the reputation of both that park and the owners’ water park, Splish Splash.
While the movie is a nostalgic celebration of the low-budget nature of the park, Bootleggers Run is the most modern of water coasters. Almost 1,000 feet long, this ride track operates on hydromagnetic technology, which powers the four-person raft uphill. It reaches a height of almost five stories before descending at a sharp 45-degree angle.
Colossal Curl – Adventure Island Tampa
Florida is the unofficial water park capital of the southeast, rivaled only by the Wisconsin Dells across all of North America. Adventure Island Tampa doesn’t get the hype of some of its more storied counterparts, but it has one of the most thrilling rides nonetheless. Colossal Curl is a glorious tubed water coaster that carries four passengers through some oddly colored tubes. It’s a disorienting trip that delivers a lot more splashes to the face than your average raft ride. Colossal Curl is kind of mean, and I say that as a compliment.
Dive Bomber – Six Flags White Water
Many of the most exhilarating water park attractions aren’t for the faint of heart. Fortune favors the bold on these rides. Dive Bomber is at the top of the list, as it requires a kind of bravery that few possess. You’ll feel your heart in your throat as you prepare your descent on Dive Bomber. It’s a nightmare disguised as entertainment. You’re standing in place when the ground disappears beneath you, hurtling you down the slide at maximum velocity. And you’re reaching the bottom whether you want that or not. This kind of ride isn’t for everyone, but it’s immensely satisfying for the daring kind.
Krakatau Aqua Coaster – Volcano Bay
When Volcano Bay debuted, it had its fair share of problems. Some of the negative headlines obscured the fact that the new water park had a hit on its hands. Krakatau Aqua Coaster claims a rare blend of theming and visual stimulation.
Theoretically, guests take a quick detour through an active volcano. This wienie is the centerpiece of Volcano Bay and a spectacle that even Disney Imagineers gaze upon with envy. The ride through this structure is unique by water coaster standards. Universal has designed it as part of a full construction, which means the views are much different than the open air ones you’ll see at most water parks, which are otherwise sparely decorated. The waterfall here is a memorable highlight in a truly spectacular ride.
Leap of Faith – Aquaventure
Yes, the Bahamas are a part of North America, even if you don’t think of them that way. And one of the many beloved tourist destinations here is Atlantis Paradise Island. Here, you’ll discover a 154-acre waterpark featuring another of those daredevil drop rides. Leap of Faith is slightly different from Dive Bomber, though. Sure, the sudden zero-gravity plunge is similar.
The difference is the scenery. You’re riding down a memorable setting, a Mayan pyramid that ancient architects designed with a nine-story waterslide for some reason. Don’t overthink it. Simply embrace the rush of the drop. Also, try to have a loved one record your descent. It’s a social media showstopper.
Miss Adventure Falls – Typhoon Lagoon
Typhoon Lagoon attractions cause a lot of stress for Imagineers. It’s the most trafficked water park in North America AND it has to live up to the high standards of the Disney theme park brand. When word leaked that the company was working on an E Ticket attraction at Typhoon Lagoon, expectations went through the roof.
Everyone should always have faith in the Disney brand, though. Miss Adventure Falls is merely the latest example of their sustained excellence. This water coaster isn’t like the others listed here. You won’t scoot high up the walls and feel like you might tip over. Disney designed this attraction for kids, and so it’s a gentler, more controlled ride experience, a style I happen to prefer.
Miss Adventure Falls is much more precise in its execution, and the standard Disney theming is visible from before the start of the ride past the exit. In fact, you should pay attention to your raft. It says “precious cargo,” which may or may not refer to you.
Muskoka Plunge – Splash Works
Yes, this list goes as far south as the Bahamas and as far north as Toronto, Canada. Splash Works is a modest 20-acre water park that doesn’t need to be any larger. Unlike Atlantis Paradise Island, this place isn’t going to be open year-round. In fact, it’s only open from May through September. Otherwise, people would be wearing snow boots with their bathing suits.
Muskoka Plunge may be a season attraction, but it certainly deserves some love. The construction is brilliant. Four different coaster tubes soar into the sky. All of them tie into a platform at the top of the attraction, and it doubles as the boarding area.
On this spot, you’ll randomly enter one of the line queues and wait to see what happens next. And that next thing is randomized. You could have four simultaneous launches, a sequential set of four launches, or something devious that park officials call “roulette.” The genius of Muskoka Plunge is that it turns the people waiting in line into excited fans, wondering what will happen with each launch. It’s a wonderfully communal experience that other parks should mimic/steal.
River Rush – Splash Country
Another hydromagnetic coaster this raft ride reaffirms something strange about the interiors of water park rides. They’re trippy enough that you may feel as if you ingested mind-altering substances. A sudden dispersal of foam from the sky wouldn’t seem out of place. Rides like River Rush are the closest thing that a person can get to a rave without feeling a sudden compulsion to attend Burning Man.
On River Rush, you start outside, relishing a lovely day in the Great Smoky Mountains. The only thing that impairs your version of the sky is a bit of netting. It’s what protects you from flying into the nearby trees. Just as you’re getting used to the gorgeous surroundings, you suddenly enter the tubes, which seem like a Lovecraft-ian take on a burial content in Fear Factor. Unlike many water coasters, the interior portions are brief, and that’s what makes them so perplexing. You’ll never feel settled during any of the tubing sequences, which explains why you’ll find the mountain air so comforting.
Wildebeest – Splashin’ Safari
Some of the selections listed here are intentionally a bit under the radar. They’re the hidden gems that don’t receive the hype of more storied water rides. Wildebeest is the exception. It’s a former Golden Ticket Awards winner that has held the world record for longest water coaster.
Wildebeest is a math exercise disguised as a splash attraction. It’s six stories high and features a 45-degree drop. It reaches a top speed of almost 25 miles per hour and has rare length for a water coaster. A ride takes 150 seconds, a full minute longer than most water coasters. Don’t let the fact that this ride is in a town called Santa Claus fool you. It’s a badass water ride that will leave you gasping for air, presuming you’re not swallowing water.
