6. Splash Country

Dollywood is undeniably known for its shows and its hospitality, but the adjoining water park has a surprising number of thrills. Attractions like Fire Tower Falls and Raging River Rapids will put a smile on your face. Fire Tower Falls is a drop ride that’s seven stories tall, while Raging River Rapids is a curving 700 foot tube ride for three to five people.

Unquestionably the best thing at the park is RiverRush, a recent champion at the Golden Ticket Awards. It’s a brilliantly designed water-coaster that sweeps riders through 1,175 feet of track. Dollywood also recently introduced TailSpin Racer, a five-story tall waterslide that pits six competitors against one another to see who can reach the bottom quickest…and hopefully in one piece.

5. Hurricane Harbor

The newest water park on the list is also one of the most innovative. When the park planners at Six Flags Over Georgia decided to add a new facility, they went all out. Hurricane Harbor is the largest expansion in the history of a park that’s 50 years old. It’s kid-friendly with a 2,000 square foot play area that will entertain the children while the parents relax elsewhere. Of course, everyone eventually winds up in the 38,000 square foot wave pool that functions as a de facto gravity well, sucking in all park guests.

When you visit Hurricane Harbor, pay attention to its thematic touches, as it’s a Caribbean getaway somehow nestled just outside Atlanta, Georgia. You’ll also want to ride Tsunami Surge, which Hurricane Harbor’s marketing team describes as a “hybrid zero-gravity water slide.” Basically, it’s a carefully constructed violation of every law of physics that you know.

4. Splashin’ Safari

When you visit Santa Claus, Indiana, you’ll want to bring your swimsuit. Sure, the city is best known for its love of Christmas, but its weather is decidedly not wintery when Splashin’ Safari is open. This park, the sibling to Holiday World, debuted in 1993 and has become an industry stalwart. In 2011, TripAdvisor users voted it as the best water park in the world a few years ago, and USA Today readers named it the Best Outdoor Water Park of 2017. Suffice to say that Splashin’ Safari has been great for years, and it’s poised to continue its run of greatness through countless Christmases to come.

The highlights of Splashin’ Safari both prove that size still matters. Mammoth, which opened in 2012, instantly became the longest water-coaster in the world. The ride that it usurped to take the title was Wildebeest, a 2010 creation at – you guessed – Splashin’ Safari. More than five years later, the park still hosts the two longest water-coasters anywhere. So, you might visit to see Santa Claus, but you should stay to ride water-coasters that last all day.