The Best Hawaii Water Parks for You to Visit
Are you looking for the best Hawaii water parks? This guide from a Hawaii local has all of the best options!
Since Hawaii has year-round sunshine and warm weather, many visitors want to visit water parks. After all, a day in the warm sun and on thrilling waterslides sounds absolutely fantastic! Luckily for you, there are some Hawaii water park options that fit the bill.
Hawaii Water Park Questions
Are There Water Parks in Hawaii?
Yes, there are! Well, if I’m being technical, there’s just one official water park in Hawaii: Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii, formerly known as Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park. (It also happens to be one of the only amusement parks in Hawaii, alongside the Polynesian Cultural Center, Sea Life Park Hawaii, and more.) This water park is located in Kapolei, Oahu, Hawaii.
Even though there’s just one official water park, there are quite a few hotels throughout the islands with pool areas that are so extensive that they should be considered water parks. With waterslides, rope swings, lazy rivers, and even a water elevator, what more could you ask for? So, after I discuss what Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii has to offer, I’ll dive into those amazing hotel pools.
Where Are the Hawaii Water Parks?
Like I mentioned in my last question, the only water park in Hawaii is located on the island of Oahu – more specifically, in Kapolei. This sadly means that there are no Maui water parks, Kauai water parks, of Big Island water parks.
The Best Hawaii Water Park: Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii
Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii has been around for quite a while. It originally opened as Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, but it was then bought out by the water park giant, Wet ‘n’ Wild.
To best enjoy your time at this Hawaii water park, you and your family (or friends) will want to do a little planning in advance. Here’s a guide to the hours, rides, and food options.
The Hours at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii
The hours at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii are kind of confusing. In order to stay profitable, Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii only opens a few days a week. And then, to make it even more confusing, the hours are different on each of the days that they are open. Check out the Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii website to get the latest info on the water park’s opening hours.
The Rides at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii
There are a total of thirteen rides at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii.
- Island Racers / Volcano Express
- Surfsliders
- O-Hana Highway
- Da Flowrider
- Waimea Whirl
- Tornado
- Shaka
- Waianae Coaster
- Big Kahuna
- Kapolei Kooler
- Keiki Kove
- Surf Sliders
- Water World Kids’ Playground
All of the rides listed above are quite a fun time. My personal favorite ride is the Tornado, but the Volcano Express is a close second. In addition to these rides, there’s also the Hawaiian Waters Wave Pool.
It is important to note that most of Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii’s rides have height limits. Be sure to keep this in mind if you have a little thrill seeker who is shorter than 42”, 48”, or 52” inches.
The Food at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii
After spending so long riding all of the rides and soaking up the sun, you’re going to need to refuel with some food!
There are a few different food options at Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii, including the Windjammer Café, the Sweet Spot Bar, and the many food and beverage carts. You can get burgers, pizzas, nachos, hot dogs, and even Dippin’ Dots ice cream at these eateries. There are a couple of local-inspired options as well, including the loco moco and the Hawaiian plate.
That said, I would personally leave this Hawaii water park and head to one of the nearby restaurants in Kapolei. It’ll only take an extra minute of driving (literally), and you’ll get to try more delicious food! All you need to do is get a stamp on your hand before you leave the water park. Then, you can come back once you finish your tasty meal!
Some of my nearby Kapolei and Ko Olina food recommendations include La Tour Café, Island Vintage Coffee, and Monkeypod Kitchen. For a lengthier list, here are all of my favorite restaurants in Ko Olina.
*Pro Tip: Every August, Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii offers an annual pass (as in, for the remainder of the year, not for another 12 months) for the price of one day! If you’re a visitor, this can still be quite a deal if you plan on visiting this Hawaii water park for multiple days.
Book Here: Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii Tickets
Hotels that Are Basically Hawaii Water Parks
These hotel pools are absolutely amazing. You could easily spend days slipping down the thrilling slides, relaxing on the lazy river, and practicing your tricks on the rope swings! Sounds like a Hawaii water park to me!
That said, you will need to book a room to make use of these fantastic pool amenities. While many people try to sneak in, it often doesn’t pan out well for them.
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
After hearing that Disney is in Hawaii, many people expect there to be a Disney amusement park or a Disney water park. Neither is the case. But the pool system at the Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa should count as a Hawaii water park.
Before I dive in a little more the Aulani is just ten minutes away from Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii. So if you’re looking for the best water park in Kapolei, it could be a toss-up between the Aulani and Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii, depending on what features you’re looking for.
The Pool
Located in Ko Olina, the Aulani boasts three pools, four hot tubs, a splash zone, and countless other fun water features. You can be float along the Waikolohe Stream lazy river, cross the swinging Menehune Bridge, and race down two thrilling water slides.
On Land
Even on land, there are some noteworthy sites! You might even pass a few of your favorite Disney characters – including Mickey Mouse, Stich, and Moana – as you head from one pool activity to another!
Rainbow Reef
And while all of those activities are absolutely amazing, there’s one more that may be cooler than them all: the Rainbow Reef. For an additional fee, you can snorkel with thousands of colorful, tropical fish! While, yes, you can snorkel in the ocean in Hawaii, odds are there won’t be as many beautiful fish in such a concentrated area.
If you keep your eyes peeled in the Rainbow Reef, you may even find some cool menehune – sort of like little mythical Hawaiian dwarf people – statues. That’s definitely not something you’ll find out in the ocean.
Simply put, the Aulani is undoubtedly home to one of the best water parks in Hawaii.
Book Now: Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort
Even though it’s not technically a water park, the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort may be the best water park in Hawaii.
The Slides
The Grand Wailea has five interconnected slides (as well as a couple that aren’t connected) and nine separate pools. And The Grand Wailea has a cool set up, where you can ride one slide after the other!
In my opinion, the last two slides in the rotation are the coolest. The second to last slide is a long, curved slide with an extra strong current. When you reach the pool at the end, there are even ropes to hold onto, so you don’t feel like you’re floating away too fast!
Then, there’s the last slide – the best of them all. This wide slide was built to safely imitate white water rapids, so you’ll have loads of fun!
The Water Elevator
Now, you might be thinking that the Grand Wailea has a design flaw. After all, if you just went down five slides in a row, you’ll need to climb hundreds of stairs ALL the way to the top. But that’s simply not true. The Grand Wailea is home to the world’s only water elevator!
If the many slides don’t qualify the Grand Wailea as a Hawaii water park, the water elevator definitely does. All you have to do is sit on this tube-like device and wait as the water takes you all the way to the top! This invention is so cool that it’s on our list of the best things to do on Maui.
*Pro Tip: Sometimes the line to the water elevator is long. It happens. There are just too many people that want to hitch a ride to the top of all the slides. So if you’re impatient like me, you’ll just climb the stairs anyways. BUT this stair climbing can come with an added bonus.
Sometimes the employees at the bottom of the stairs will ask you to take something (wristbands, sunglasses, etc.) to the employee manning the slide way at the top of the stairs. And as a reward, they’ll often give you a free shave ice when you get back down!
The Other Fun Pool Surprises – Including a Swim-Up Bar
As if the thrilling slides and the water elevator weren’t enough, there are also half a dozen waterfalls, loads of hot tubs, countless caves, a sand beach, and a Tarzan rope swing. But there’s an extra special bonus for adults.
In between the Grand Wailea’s last two slides, there’s a swim-up bar, officially known as the Grotto Bar! So as you’re lounging in the water, you can sip on your tropical cocktail of choice.
Book Now: Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
If you’re wondering where the longest waterslide in Honolulu and Waikiki is, you’ll find it at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. At 77 feet long, it’s quite a thrilling ride!
But there’s more than just one waterslide at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. There are four! Plus, there are also five fantastic pools and the wonderful Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. This manmade saltwater lagoon is great for kayaking, paddle boarding, and many other fun water sports.
In other words, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort is as close as you can get to a Honolulu water park.
Book Now: Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Hilton Waikoloa Village
If you’re on the Big Island of Hawaii, there’s no better Hawaii water park than the one at Hilton Waikoloa Village. There are actually three huge pool areas at the Hilton Waikoloa Village: the Kona Pool, the Kohala Pool, and the Ocean Tower Pool.
Out of these three the Ocean Tower Pool is the least noteworthy in terms of Hawaii water park-like fun. Since it’s an adults-only pool, you won’t find any kids or waterslides anywhere.
That said, the Kohala Pool and the Kona Pool are both out of this world! The Kohala Pool is a set of four interconnecting pools, complete with fun waterslides and even a pool bar.
But the Kona Pool is really where the excitement is at. It has the largest slide on the property, at a whopping 175 feet long! And there’s also a cool waterfall and an even bigger pool bar.
Last but certainly not least, the Hilton Waikoloa Village also has dolphin encounters. While I am a big advocate for trying to see these amazing creatures in the wild in Hawaii (like on this Big Island dolphin tour), the dolphin encounters at the Hilton Waikoloa Village are an alternative if the tour doesn’t work out.
Book Now: Hilton Waikoloa Village (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui
In 2016, the Wailea Beach Resort reopened its doors after a massive renovation. And while this renovation revamped many parts of the resort, the pool area went from overlook-able to amazing.
Now, the Wailea Beach Resort is home to the two-acre Nalu Adventure Pool. This pool is complete with four fun, slides including one that 325 feet long! That’s a huge, five-story drop! Are you ready for that thrill? If so, you won’t find a slide that long anywhere else on Maui, so be sure to book a room at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui.
Book Now: Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa
The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa is another fantastic hotel with a pool system that’s basically a water park in Hawaii.
There are six pools winding their way all throughout the property. These are connected with a sort of lazy river-type situation. And with waterfalls, thriving plants, and even a swinging rope bridge, you’ll feel like an adventurer roaming through a Hawaiian jungle!
That said, the highlight of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa is the 150-foot-long lava tube water slide! With all its exciting twist and turns, you can ride this slide for hours on end.
Finally, the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa is always offering new pool-related activities. From mermaid classes to pirate treasure hunts, be sure to find out what fun activities are happening during your stay.
Book Now: Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
Given that Kauai is the quietest out of the four main Hawaiian Islands, it also has the least water park-esque hotels. If you’re going to Kauai and you just want a little taste of a day at a Hawaii water park, you can consider staying at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa is home to the longest waterslide on Kauai, at a whopping 150 feet! You can easily spend hours enjoying the thrill of this slide. During high season (so summer and winter), they often hold timed water slide races, and the person with the fastest time gets a free shave ice!
Once you’re done on the waterslide, you can head to the lovely saltwater lagoon. This calmer version of the ocean is a wonderful addition. Last but certainly not least, if you need a moment of relaxation, there’s a lazy river at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa too.
Book Now: Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa (Booking.com | Hotels.com)
Have you been to any of these Hawaii water parks? Tell me about your experience in the comments!
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