The Best Hotels With a Water Park in Florida, USA

The wow-factor is major at the Gaylord Palms Resort, an enchanting retreat with thrills up its sleeve. The resort is encased under a glass atrium, with unforgettable adrenaline hits in the expansive Cypress Springs Water Park. Not for the faint-hearted, the Big Cypress water slide features a 35-foot (10m) free-fall drop, while the Tamiami Twister is a dual water slide intended for racing. Kids can splash around at the Treehouse Playground or learn to surf on the FlowRider, while you order a bucket of brews at the South Beach pool.

Indulge in a spell of quiet luxury in Aventura at the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort – while spoiling your children with complimentary access to the Tidal Cove Waterpark. This world-class playground has all the latest waterpark features, including a lazy river, stationary surfing machines and seven water slides. There’s also a calm Kids Cove pool for when they’re ready to quiet down. Hair braiding and family photography sessions are also available if your brood is slightly too maxed-up on adrenaline.

Some hotels have a waterpark on-site. The Flamingo Waterpark Resort, in Kissimmee, is a waterpark with a hotel on-site. Everything here shouts fun: its multicolored slide, in tones of yellow, red, purple and blue, is a work of art, and a magnet for excitable young ones. But there’s more beyond the thrills and spills – a children’s playground, for instance, and an arcade. Roll up for movie nights, and dine out together – the restaurant caters to all ages, with French toast among the breakfast treats on the children’s menu. All that and you’re only 20 minutes by car from Disney and Universal Studios.

The Fantasy Pool Complex at the Lodge at Hammock Beach Resort lives up to its name – it’s a great big dreamland, with a lazy river, upper- and lower-level pools, full food and drink service, and beach volleyball. And that’s just the outdoor pool – the indoor alternative has two hot tubs and non-aquatic games, including ping pong and foosball. Only steps from the Atlantic Ocean, this is the place for a splash-about any time of year, come rain or shine.

As one of the top tourist destinations on the planet, Orlando – it won’t surprise you to know – is home to one of the world’s coolest hotel pools. Yep, Orlando World Center Marriott’s Falls Pool Oasis has it all: water slides, a zero-entry pool for slow, gradual access and a separate aquatic playground for kids. Among the main attractions is the Mermaid Academy, where children can strap on a tail and pretend to be a mer-person – or, if they’d prefer, a shark.

Not only is the Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites conveniently on Disney’s doorstep – it also boasts an astounding waterpark, with a zero-entry pool and a separate splash area for tots. That said, lifeguards are on duty non-stop to keep families safe and happy. Whether your kids are performing cannonballs in the Olympic-sized pool or scaling the four-story water tower, it’s good to know they’re secure, and minutes from your suite.

If it’s been a while since you’ve visited the Westgate Cocoa Beach Resort, it’s got a big welcome back for you: its latest water park. The Wakulla Falls Water Park is a thoroughly modern milieu with a huge pool, a seaside splash pad for children and one of the largest lazy rivers in the state. If you’re done with the sun for the day, you can sit back over a fruity cocktail in the Makua Lanai Adult Relax Zone.

Florida is a golfer’s paradise and Reunion Resort & Golf Club has three first-rate courses, designed by Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. How do you sell your family on this ultimate golf getaway? You tell them that your reservation includes unlimited access to the Reunion Resort Water Park. This five-acre (2ha) fun zone has it all: a lazy river, water cannons, water sports and water slides. Great for the whole family, it’s the perfect way to enjoy the afternoon after mornings working on your short game.