When It's Cold Outside, Go to an Indoor Waterpark for Fun

Several states through the country have opened up indoor waterparks. These waterparks are a huge hit in the Midwest where the climate is unforgivingly cold in the winter months. When it gets too cold outside to go swimming, check out one of these indoor waterparks for a warm and wet winter family vacation. Have you ever sat in front of a warm fire while it's snowing outside and wished it was the middle of July? Well, now you can throw off your parka, don a bathing suit and hit the beach...indoors

Avalanche Bay, Michigan
The indoor waterpark known as Avalanche Bay located in Boyne Michigan takes winter fun to a new level. Their theme park is designed to resemble a Swiss city and while it looks quite chilly with snow covered terrain, it is kept at a very warm 84 degrees.

Avalanche Bay features eleven rides that are guaranteed to give you a thrill. The Splasherhorn is a playground with bridges and multiple levels. Every 10 minutes the clock tower horn sounds and the playground dumps 800 galls of water on those playing inside.

They also have a wave rider called the Rip Zone which simulates riding a surfboard, a cannonbowl tube slide that dumps riders into a large pool, a kiddy pool, rock climbing wall, a river to float on and a huge rollercoaster-like slide that sticks out of the side of the building. And when you're worn and tired you can soak in a hot spring to relax.

Tickets to play in Avalanche Bay will run you $24 for a full day pass and $19 for a half day pass.

Water Park of America, Minnesota
The Water Park of America sits across from the Mall of America (the biggest shopping mall in the United States) and inside the Grand Lodge Hotel.

Their biggest feature is a raft ride that is one mile long and ten stories high. The river meanders through the splash pool and even passes by some very interesting signs pointing to a18+ hot tub area. Aside from the river raft ride there are several wading pools, two levels of water fun and a couple of other tube rides.

While there doesn't seem to be a wide variety of rides offered at the Water Park of America there is no shortage of fun. The few rides they do have make it easy to spend hours sliding and sliding.

Caribbean Cove Indoor WaterPark, Indianapolis
This water park features 50,000 square feet of wild and wet pandemonium. There are pools, tubes, bucket dumps, body slides, activity pools, spas and a river.

The slides have more than one place to dump visitors. Some are dumped in the plunge pool while others are dumped in areas throughout the park.

There is even a pool dedicated just to sports fans where visitors can play ball in the pool.

Taking a vacation here doesn't even require leaving the hotel. Registered guests of the hotel receive discount entrance faire and everything you need to enjoy yourself is right there.