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There are few more fun ways to cool off during a Long Island summer than heading down a wild water slide at Splish Splash – a Long Island summer staple since the 1990’s and ranked by the Travel Channel as one of the best water parks for kids in the nation! This 96-acre park has enough water-themed rides, slides, and attractions to keep an entire family happily saturated. And if you have little ones not ready for dueling 300-foot slides at a major water park, don’t fret. Long Island is home to a treasure trove of public spray grounds and splash parks guaranteed to drive little kids into a frenzy of fun. Head to Jones Beach State Park’s free splash pad or Bay Shore’s Shipwreck Cove for their public spray grounds.
Explore our guide below to find your ideal spot! Most locations are open daily from daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day so you and your family can visit all summer.
Make new memories this year at Splish Splash Water Park! Whether you’re a season pass holder or visiting for the day, you’ll be sure to have a blast. The iconic water park is home to over 20 rides and attractions for the whole family and will be hosting discounted Bring a Friend days and a Summer’s On Concert Series throughout the summer, featuring live performances and meet and greets with beloved characters. Thrill seekers can hit the Riptide Racer, a high-speed water race, and Bombs Away, which features 300-foot slides.
Cantiague Park (Hicksville, NY)
Looking for a fun summer day for the whole family? Look no further than Cantiague’s Splash and Sprinkler Park. At the Olympic-sized pool, kids can enjoy water slides, a diving pool and an awesome water-play area that features a jungle gym with sprinklers and water guns. This park is open to all and has discounted prices for kids and first responders.
Eisenhower Park (East Meadow, NY)
Known as the Central Park of Nassau County, everyone is welcome to have some fun under the sun at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow. From now until Labor Day, the family can enjoy three playground areas, as well as a free splash pool that has a huge sprinkler ring for the little ones to play around! Head there for a family picnic or to cool off on the hottest days this summer.
Bring the kids to Bay Park for fun spent sprinting through the sprinkler park and climbing the several playgrounds located around the park. It’s a great option for those looking to cool off without the crowds or long lines and features a jungle gym with plenty of sprinklers, sprays, water guns and wheels for every kid to enjoy.
Blumenfeld Park (Port Washington, NY)
Free and open to all, the Blumenfeld Family Park is located on Main Street in Port Washington and is about as close to a water park as you can get without the admission fees. This truly spray-sational park features user-controlled sprinklers and water shooters so kids can interact and control the water all by themselves. The park also features three timed fountains to run around in, a mushroom waterfall, dump buckets, swings, monkey bars and more.
Shipwreck Cove (Bay Shore, NY)
Photo courtesy of the Bay Shore Chamber of Commerce
Splash around at Shipwreck Cove! Kids of all ages will absolutely love this spray park’s dump buckets, climbing structures, a kiddie pool, and spray park. Kids will also enjoy the spray park’s pirate theme as they pretend to be the captains of their own ship and explore every nook and cranny of its many water features. With most of the pool area measuring about 18 inches deep, little ones as young as six months can have fun too. The park also features a small dock with beach access and a restaurant, making it the perfect destination for a hot summer day.
Clark Street Playground (Long Beach, NY)
Clark Street Playground offers a fun summer day with free sprinklers, numerous water fountains to run around and play in, a rope climb, playground and so much more. Just a short drive from the Long Beach Boardwalk, Clark Street Playground overlooks the South Shore’s stunning channels and creeks lined with residential marinas and stunning oceanfront homes. This local favorite is open to all and is a great way to spend the hot day!
Jones Beach State Park (Wantagh, NY)
The famed Jones Beach State Park not only offers miles upon miles of white-sand shoreline, but the park is also home to a free splash pad that visitors can find located in the central mall. The splash pad has user-controlled water shooters and fountains, spray bubbles that come up from the ground, and a brand-new playground. It also offers a shaded area with tables and umbrellas perfect for hiding from the sun’s hot rays.
Insider’s tip: Don’t miss adventures at WildPlay Jones Beach where adults and kids aged five and up will have a blast walking across tightropes, climbing up cargo nets, sliding down ziplines, and flying through the air – all with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Jones Beach Boardwalk!
Rockville Centre Recreation Center & Children’s Park (Rockville Centre, NY)
At Rockville Centre Recreation Center within Veteran’s Park, visitors can find multiple flowers painted on the ground that sprout water up and buttons for kids to interact with that set off a waterfall and spray shooters. While kids play, parents can scan a QR code that will play fairy tales like “The Little Mermaid” and “The Ugly Duckling” out loud. This newly renovated park is one you can’t miss this summer!
Wantagh Park features over 111 acres of waterfront beauty, including an 18-hole miniature golf course, playgrounds, sports fields, and a spray park that features a water-enabled playground, two 30-foot waterslides, dump buckets, a kiddie pool, a diving pool, and an Olympic-sized main pool. The pool area also includes a concession stand, locker rooms, and lounge chairs on the deck.
