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4 top indoor water parks for year-round fun

From massive water parks to family-friendly resorts, these four indoor destinations offer slides, pools and plenty of fun no matter the season

Toa Heftiba / Unsplash

When the weather outside is doing everything it can to ruin your plans, an indoor water park has a pretty convincing answer: bring the swimsuit anyway.

These parks turn the usual seasonal water-park trip into something you can do whenever you need a break. Snow on the ground? It does not matter. A heat wave outside? Even better. Inside, there are slides, pools, lazy rivers and enough family-friendly entertainment to turn a simple getaway into a full vacation.

Reader’s Digest rounded up indoor water parks across the U.S. that offer different ways to make the most of a trip. Some are built around enormous collections of slides and attractions. Others are designed to keep younger children entertained without making parents feel as though they have to sprint after them all day. A few go beyond the water entirely, with restaurants, arcades, spas and other activities.

That variety is part of the appeal. Not every family wants the biggest possible water park, and not every trip needs to revolve around high-speed slides. Sometimes the best choice is a place where everyone can find something to do, whether that means racing down a slide, floating along a lazy river or simply staying somewhere warm for a few days.

Indoor water parks can also make short trips feel like real vacations. Many are attached to resorts, so you can go from your room to the water without worrying about the weather outside. Others work well as day trips if you are looking for an afternoon of swimming without committing to an overnight stay.

The right pick depends on what you want from the trip. Families with little kids may have different priorities from families with teenagers. Thrill-seekers may want a completely different experience from travelers who would rather relax.

The good news is that there are plenty of options.

Here are four indoor water parks that make year-round water fun a lot easier.

1. Great Wolf Lodge in Perryville, Maryland, packs a lot into one family getaway

April Walker / Unsplash

Great Wolf Lodge has built its reputation around the idea that you do not need summer weather to have........

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