Cool off at one of our many wonderful area water parks!
Summer is here! If you want to cool off with a super-fun day at a water park, you don’t need to leave town: you can enjoy one of our many great water parks right here! From smaller ones perfect for young kids to large, elaborate facilities, you are bound to find several perfect for you. We have TEN LOCAL WATER PARKS, in fact, in Northern Virginia! Choose from three right in Fairfax County (one county-run, two regional) and many others in our neighboring communities in Northern Virginia; all of these are less than one hour from most points in Fairfax.
Pack your beach bag with swimsuits, sunscreen, towels, a water bottle, and cash for snacks, and get ready for a splashing good time! Read below about the parks: Water Mine (Reston), Atlantis (Centreville), Pirate’s Cove (Lorton),Great Waves (Alexandria), Ocean Dunes (Arlington), Volcano Island (Sterling), Signal Bay (Manassas Park), Splash Down (Manassas), Water Works (Dale City), and AV Symington Aquatic Center (Leesburg). See our description for each water park in our updated list below, then visit the individual sites to learn about the pools and special features, prices, seasonal passes, park policies (on food, dress code, code of conduct, and height requirements), and special events.
Also see our map of these parks at the end of this page for a view of all and directions to each.
(c) Fairfax Family Fun; updates 5/23/2016, 5/28/2017
| Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole Fairfax County Park Authority Lake Fairfax Park 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive Reston, VA 20190 (703) 471-5414 |
WATER MINE: Relax on an inner tube on Rattlesnake River or let your toddlers play in Tenderfoot Pond, a gated, “zero depth” pool with a pint-sized slide, water-spewing turtle, and gentle bubblers. This water park with an Old West theme offers more than an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables and interactive play features, circled by the “lazy river” for tubing. Keeping with the well-developed western theme, kids careen off covered wagons, float on rattlesnakes and dash through showers tipped from water-filled ore carts. The centerpiece is Pete’s Peak, a craggy mountain dotted with boarded up mine shafts and tunnels and big slides. The park had some major renovations and additions in 2015. You can bring a picnic lunch or enjoy treats from the snack bar. Lake Fairfax Park also has a carousel and boat tours of the lake! |
| Atlantis Waterpark Northern Va. Regional Park Authority Bull Run Regional Park 7700 Bull Run Drive Centreville, VA 20121 (703) 631-0552 |
ATLANTIS: Play in the lost city of Atlantis, where Neptune rules. This water park has a large main pool (with waves), spacious wading pool for kids 6 and under (with an octopus slide), water cannon, play island with three slides, a 1,000 gallon dumping bucket, waterfalls and squirters. Its large open slide is 230 feet long while the closed slide measures 170 feet. There’s plenty of seating, large umbrellas, and a cafeteria-style snack bar (no outside food allowed). OTHER FEATURES: Atlantis is at Bull Run Park, operated by Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) and also offers camping, cabins, trails, a children’s playground, disc golf, a shooting and archery range, nature programs, and more. |
| Pirate’s Cove Northern Va. Regional Park Authority Pohick Bay Regional Park 6501 Pohick Bay Drive Lorton, Virginia 22079 (703) 339-6104 |
PIRATE’S COVE: Arrrr! Aaaarrrrr! The pirate-themed water park features a 24-foot high play structure with a 300-gallon dumping bucket, water slides, waterfalls, water cannons, and a huge deck for relaxing. Kids also can dig in the sand and search for buried treasure at Buccaneer Beach. OTHER FEATURES: Pohick Bay is a nice waterfront park that also features boating, camping, fishing, nature programs, disc golf, trails, and mini golf, along with special events. |
| Great Waves Northern Va. Regional Park Authority Cameron Run Regional Park 4001 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 960-0767 |
GREAT WAVES: Lots of motion is in store at Great Waves at Cameron Run. This water park includes a large wave pool, three-flume waterslide, water playground, and lap lanes. The Kids Zone features a rock slide at the Lagoon, waterfalls at Minnow Bay, and a giant splash pad! A bathhouse, Shark Shack and Riptide Cafe, and raft rental are available. The park also has a playground, miniature golf, and batting cages. Picnic shelters and a pavilion can be rented. |
| Volcano Island Northern Va. Regional Park Authority Algonkian Regional Park 47701 Fairway Drive Sterling, VA 20165 (703) 430-7683 |
VOLCANO ISLAND: With a Polynesian and volcano theme, this water park includes twin 140-foot water slides in the main pool and a zero-depth entry, 18-inch-deep play pool that surrounds an interactive play feature with a huge bucket that pours out 1000 gallons every 3 minutes. Playing on the theme, it has palm tree structures, Polynesian critters and a constantly smoking volcano. The park also has a sand play area and lots of deck space. OTHER FEATURES: The park also offers miniature golf. |
| Ocean Dunes Waterpark Northern Va. Regional Park Authority Upton Hill Regional Park 6060 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22205 (703) 534-3437 |
OCEAN DUNES: At this smaller but fun beach-themed waterpark you’ll find dual water slides (one open, one closed) and a large pool. Swimmers will enjoy the lap pool and parents will appreciate the partially shaded kiddie pool and a fun “spray ground”/splash area featuring a giant dump bucket, spray guns, mini-slides, and more. The park also has a snack bar. OTHER FEATURES: Upton Hill also offers trails, batting cages, and miniature golf. |
| Signal Bay Water Park City of Manassas Park Signal Hill Park 9300 Signal View Dive Manassas Park, VA 20111 (703) 335-8875 |
SIGNAL BAY: Operated by the City of Manassas Park, this smaller yet feature-filled water park features a zero-depth entry leisure pool with water cannons, slides, and a lazy river. There is a snack bar and picnic tables (you can bring outside food). Just outside the park there are sand volleyball courts and a playground with swings and slides. Many parents note this is an especially good water park for younger children. The park does follow a very strict rule about not having any kids under 43″ in the lazy river (even with an adult). This water park was renovated in 2015. OTHER FEATURES: The main park has four multi-purpose fields, an ASA regulation softball field, 100 sq. foot playground, one mile of asphalt trail pond area, and picnic/grilling areas. |
| Splash Down Water Park Prince William County Ben Lomond Park 7500 Ben Lomond Park Drive Manassas, VA 20109 (703) 361-4451 |
SPLASH DOWN: This huge water park with a beach theme is Northern Virginia’s largest, with five water areas on 11 acres. It includes a zero-depth beach area, lazy river, boat slide, water raindrops and bubblers, “funbrellas” and pavilions for shade and a children’s area. The main area has a 770-foot lazy river, 25-meter pool, two fast Cannon Ball slides, two four-story waterslides, Tropical Twister waterslides, and a Lilly Pad and Log Walk. The children’s area has four slides, bubblers, and fountains. The park has a Big Kahuna Beach with 250 tons of sand and several snack vendors. OTHER FEATURES: Free parking, playground area, volleyball (on grass or sand), and tennis. |
| Water Works Prince William County 5301 Dale Blvd. Dale City, VA 22193 (703) 680-7137 |
WATER WORKS: This park operated by Prince William County, another oneespecially good for families with kids of all ages, has pools, slides, fountains, and an expansive shallow beach area. There’s an enclosed speed slide, circular open slide, three challenging “jungle walks,” and a two-level children’s wading pool with colorful crayon sprays, slides, a rope climb, super geysers, bubblers, and a whale slide. Full-service concessions and a Snack Shack are available (not outside food permitted). OTHER FEATURES: On select Friday nights the park hosts special events with games, giveaways, and special food deals from 4-9 pm. On Wednesday mornings it offers “parent/tot play dates” for guests with kids 5 and under to enjoy the children’s pool prior to the main park’s opening. |
| AV Symington Aquatic Center Town of Leesburg Ida Lee Park 60 Ida Lee Dr, NW Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 777-1368 |
AV SYMINGTON: Though it’s run by the Town of Leesburg, this facility looks more like a commercial water park. This aquatic center in Leesburg has many features, including has a 600-foot lazy river, large slide tower with two body flumes, drop slide, 25-yard lap pool, two gang slides, water pipe fall, crossing feature, dumping buckets, little squirt whale and floating snake and alligator. There is also a large “beach” splash area with bubblers and fountains and a baby pool with nearby seats in the shade. The park also has a concession stand and grass picnic area. |
| ALSO, DON’T FORGET: Indoor Water Park Cub Run RECenter Fairfax County Park Authority 4630 Stonecroft Blvd. Chantilly, VA 20151 (703) 817-9407 |
CUB RUN INDOOR WATER PARK: Year-round, you also can enjoy the Fairfax County Park Authority’s Cub Run RECenter in Chantilly, whose indoor recreational pool is a mini water park itself with a 20-foot-high slide with an open tube, a spa, a vortex, and a lazy river. It also has a zero-depth-entry tot area with a small slide and splash zones. |
| AND: Area Spraygrounds Multiple locations |
SPRAYGROUNDS AND FOUNTAINS: See our list of 10 spraygrounds or splash fountains in Northern Virginia, which provide simple, splashin’ good times for young kids. |
Photo (c) P. Hall
