The UK's best water parks for summer, from Devon's Splashdown to Wild Shore in Dundee (2024)

Splashdown Quaywest, Paignton, Devon

The biggest outdoor waterpark in the UK is equipped with eight adrenalin-pumping outdoor rides that make this perfect heatwave territory. There are two Splashdowns, this one is located on the seafront at Goodrington Sands. There’s a beach bar, an ice cream hut and an arcade. From £17, splashdownwaterparks.co.uk/quaywest

Let’s Go Hydro, Carryduff, Belfast

A gigantic inflatable playground featuring seven-foot high slides, climbing walls and floating trampolines make up this waterpark and holiday resort on the Knockbracken Reservoir near Belfast. Dive into open-water swimming, wakeboarding and kayaking, or sink into a giant inflatable ring to enjoy the floating cinema that shows classic films all summer. £23 (per adult) letsgohydro.com

Alton Towers Waterpark, Alton, Staffordshire

With a tropical waterfall in Lagoona Bay, the thrilling Flash Floods outdoor flume and Master Blaster ride this big-ticket 40,000 sq ft waterpark is worlds away from its surroundings in Stoke-on-Trent. Enjoy bubbling pools, the lazy river or go full octane with Rush ‘N’ Rampage, two high-speed interactive water slides, where you can choose the music and light themes. £24 (online from £17.50), altontowers.com/explore/waterpark

The LC Swansea, Swansea, Glamorgan

Surf’s up whatever the weather in Wales at The LC Swansea, where you can learn to ride the waves on their indoor surf simulator aptly called The Boardrider. There’s also a lazy river, flume rides and plenty of fun-for-all waterslides. From £5, thelcswansea.com

Time Capsule Waterpark, Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire

The Tornado Tantrum flume is so wide there’s no need to face it alone – whizz down with friends or as a family. Or test your mettle on the 10m high Storm Chaser: twin flumes named Thunder and Lightning, where you can challenge a friend to see who comes out first. £8.10, activenl.co.uk/time-capsule-waterpark

Alpamare, Scarborough, North Yorkshire

This waterpark in Scarborough claims to be “unlike any waterpark you’ve seen before”, but still delivers on the classics: four flume rides, a wave pool and a huge main pool. What makes it different is the 35°C heated infinity pool filled with healing iodine water, a sauna and a hammam. From £19, alpamare.co.uk

Thorpe Lakes Aqua Park, Chertsey, Surrey

Located on a lake right next to Thorpe Park, if your family seeks the thrill of white-knuckle rides and inflatable water park fun this is the happy medium. Enjoy a giant obstacle course on water with catapults, steppingstones and mega slides and it’s home to the closest beach to central London. From £20, thorpelakeswatersports.co.uk

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool, Lancashire

Tropical isn’t a word you’d usually associate with the British seaside, but Sandcastle is heated to balmy 29°C and sits in prime position on Blackpool’s famous promenade as the UK’s largest indoor waterpark. The tangle of 18 flumes includes the half-pipe-inspired Sidewinder and the Master Blaster – which at 250m long, is the world’s longest indoor rollercoaster water slide. Adults from £24, sandcastle-waterpark.co.uk

Lagan Valley LeisurePlex, Lisburn, Northern Ireland

Some of the bigger waterparks dwarf this smaller leisure centre – but it still has plenty of thrills to offer including a “Mission Inflatable” assault course filled with rollers, sliders and demolition balls. There’s also a Space Bowl, Master Blaster slide, rapids, waterfalls and a lazy river. From £6, theleisureplex.com

Robin Hood’s Water Park, Mansfield, Nottingham

The UK’s largest outdoor water park, that happens to be Robin Hood-themed, is found at Wheelgate Park in Nottingham’s Sherwood Forest. Expect five thrilling colour-coded water slides, splash zones and a splash shop in case you forget your arm bands (or bow and arrow). From £17.95, wheelgatepark.com

The Lake Kilrea, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

Surrounded by 11 acres of freshwater this 80,000 sq ft inflatable waterpark on Lake Kilrea is the biggest in Ireland. Spend the day paddleboarding, kayaking or zip-lining over the water, or make like a big kid bouncing on giant icebergs, mega slides and wipeout balls. £24, thelakekilrea.com

Wild Shore Delamere, Oakmere, near Manchester

Conquer Mount Rainier, a 3.8m inflatable tower in the middle of a giant floating adventure playground, or embrace your inner warrior and have fun on Tire Run, Ninja-Jump and Eagle’s Nest. There’s also a range of watersports including a spin around the lake on a ringo. £21, wildshoredelamere.co.uk

The Monster Slip and Slide, Bude, Cornwall

New to the water park scene last year this super-soaked fun day out is based less than five minutes from the beaches of Widemouth Bay and Bude. Using bodyboards and inflatable rings, launch yourself off the monster ramp and fly down the 360ft long slide time and again. Opens from 16 July. £13.50, under fours slide for free, monsterslipandslide.com

Wild Shore, Dundee, Angus

This water-based adventure hub offers outdoor activities to suit the whole family, including wakeboarding, paddleboarding and open-water swimming. The main attraction, however, is Scotland’s biggest Aqua Park – a giant floating playground located at the City Quay in the heart of Dundee. £17, wildshoredundee.co.uk

Aqua Park, Rutland, East Midlands

The UK’s largest collection of big-impact water obstacles can be found at Aqua Park’s three locations: Lakeside in Essex, Cardiff and Rutland on the Leicestershire border. The latter is the biggest (and best) with the Sea Dragon, an all new 10ft-long inflatable, Tornado Tower a 3.5 metre “flip station” built for somersaulting and back this summer is The Mammoth, a slide with a 5.5m free fall drop. From £20, aquaparkgroup.co.uk/rutland

Splashdown, Poole, Dorset

At the second Splashdown, in Dorset, you’ll find 13 rides, helpfully ranked by a colour-coded guide. Adrenaline kids will lap up the Screamer and Velocity or the near-vertical drop of the Baron’s Revenge. There’s also a jacuzzi and sun terrace. From £17, splashdownwaterparks.co.uk/poole

West Country Water Park, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol

This Aqua Park is jammed with inflatable slides, obstacles, tunnels and challenges – plus paddleboard yoga, wakeboarding, inflatable kayaking or go all and jet skis. It’s close to Bristol and less than an hour’s drive from Cardiff, Weston-Super-Mare and Bath. From £18, westcountrywaterpark.co.uk

Waterworld, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

Thrill-seekers will make a beeline to the ominously named Black Hole and the Python, as well as the Space Bowl, where a flume spits you into a bowl where you spin around until you drop into the plunge pool below. It’s also home to Thunderbolt – the fastest waterslide in the UK and the first to have a trap door that dumps you into a 25mph flume. Adults £21, children £18, waterworld.co.uk