3. Noah’s Ark

If we voted purely based on names, Noah’s Ark would win. This cheekily named Wisconsin treasure is the pride of the Dells. And the Wisconsin Dells are the unofficial water park capital of the world. The best one there is undoubtedly in the conversation for best water park.

What differentiates Noah’s Ark from the other Wisconsin Dells parks? The advertising brochure hits on a key point. The owners claim that Noah’s Ark is “America’s largest water park.” It’s a moving target to be sure, but this place definitely has a strong argument. It offers a stunning 51 water slides, several of which are also rides. In fact, Travel Channel has described the park as “the Granddaddy of all extreme waterparks.” While all of its attractions are a blast, the pride of Noah’s Ark is Black Anaconda, which is currently the third longest water-coaster in the world.

2. Schlitterbahn

Since Texas is such a haven for water parks, the best of them is obviously going to earn a spot on this list. Simply picking the best Schlitterbahn in Texas is a difficult task since the company hosts four of them, and each one has its charms. Still, I’ll always favor the original due to its heritage.

Schlitterbahn’s website boasts about the invention of what some consider the first major water park in North America (note that this is a contentious debate). In 1966, Bob and Billye Henry wanted to do something fun for their kids. They constructed a few entertaining activities based around water sports. A few years later, they augmented the area after they purchased a small hotel beside the Comal River in New Braunfels, Texas. By 1979, they were ready to launch an official water park. Almost 40 years later, it’s still amazing.

The original Schlitterbahn features amazing rides and a deep respect for Texas nature. The innovative filtration system in place captures and re-uses 98 percent of all water used, making it one of the most environmentally friendly operations in the industry. It even features natural water from the Comal River to supply half the park’s rides. And oh yeah, Dragon's Revenge is incredible. It's impeccably themed and a blueprint example of why Schlitterbahn New Braunfels has won the Golden Ticket Awards category of Best Water Park for 19 (!) straight years.

1.     Typhoon Lagoon

The debate with these lists is always whether to include Disney parks. They’re in a different stratosphere in terms of construction budget and engineering (*ahem* IMAGINEERING) quality. I’ve left Typhoon Lagoon off the last couple of water park rankings, but in the discussion for best overall water park, its exclusion would be unforgivable. This water park is the best in the world, and it’s only getting better.

Typhoon Lagoon attracts more than 2.2 million visitors each year, making it the second most popular water park in the world based on attendance. The only park that does better is Chimelong Water Park in Guangzhou, China, with 2.5 million visitors. This is a good time to mention that the population of Guanzhou is 14.4 million, while Orlando’s is about 263,000.

What makes Typhoon Lagoon such a tourist destination and the clear choice as best water park? Well, it has a huge advantage in that it’s part of the Walt Disney World campus. Guests can even buy park tickets that include admission to this facility and Blizzard Beach, Disney’s other Orlando water park. Still, Typhoon Lagoon would be a strong seller without the special ticket program. It’s amazing.

The theming of Typhoon Lagoon is what’s left behind in the wake of a killer storm. Wreckage is everywhere, with clever implementations of flotsam and jetsam sprinkled throughout the park. The attractions also fit the theme well.

In 2017, Disney introduced the latest and greatest one, Miss Adventure Falls. It’s pure Disney magic, with an audio animatronic bird adding some color as the rider gets pulled uphill on a track until a thunderous watery sound signifies that the ride is about to start. From there, it’s a majestic but very wet tube ride that’s equal parts relaxing and engaging. Simply stated, it’s yet another masterstroke from Disney’s amazing Imagineers. It also perfectly embodies why Typhoon Lagoon is always at the top of any discussion about the best water parks in America. Disney’s always trying to make something new and better for its fans.