summer

From Illinois' Largest Water Park to Illinois' Largest Wave Pool, 12 Water Parks to Help You Beat the Heat

Provided by the Heron Agency

There's no way around it -- this week, the weather across Illinois will be hot. A heat advisory is in effect for the Chicago area beginning at noon Tuesday.

Temperatures Tuesday and Wednesday are expecting to be in the mid-to-high 90s, but the heat index on both days will make it feel above 100 degrees, at times reaching as high as 110.

As the heat builds, it's important to drink plenty of water, stay in air conditioning and out of the sun to help avoid heat stroke.

If you are looking to step outside for a moment, you'll want to make sure you can cool off right away. Here are 12 water parks that can help with that.

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 opened 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 Memorial Day weekend and will remain open 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 opened June 4, and closes on Sept. 5.

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 opened 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 day was June 4, and closing day is Sept. 5.

Single day admission tickets begin at $15.99, and include admission to Santa's Village.

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 opened June 4. It will remain open through Aug. 7, and then weekends only from Aug. 13-Sept. 4. Tickets begin at $8 for Aurora residents.

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