Taking your family to community pools, splash pads, and water parks is a fun and interactive way to stay entertained and cooled off during the summer. Young children benefit from playing with peers in the safety of splash pads, the whole family can get exercise swimming in a pool, and families can feel like they’re on vacation by spending time at a water park. Here’s a list of fabulous pools, splash pads, and water parks our team at Crème de la Crème of West Chester, Ohio, put together to help you enjoy some great water-based locations in our area.

Great Wolf Lodge

image41049 by Kurt Magoon is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0

With 13 slides, eight pools, and lots of kid-friendly activities, Great Wolf Lodge is the perfect family getaway. Many consider Great Wolf Lodge to have the best indoor water park in Ohio, and when you stay at the resort or buy a day pass, you and your family will have access to all the fun stuff Great Wolf Lodge offers.

As you wander through the indoor water park, you’ll notice that the slides, rides, and pools have thrill-level status running from low to medium. You can then decide which ride suits your child’s age, height, and temperament. Great Wolf Lodge also has attractions such as a bowling alley, arcade, and mini golf to keep the family entertained. You won’t go hungry playing at this resort either, as there are several dining options to choose from.

• Location: 2501 Great Wolf Drive in Mason.
• Contact: 800-913-9653.

Windwood Swim & Tennis Club

When you become a member of the Windwood Swim & Tennis Club, you and your family will enjoy all the benefits this family-friendly club has to offer. The club opens for the summer months, and members can access the large pool for recreational or competitive swimming. In addition, members can play tennis and pickleball and attend social events where they can meet other members.

Events include the Memorial Day picnic complete with fried chicken and pizza, first Fridays with food trucks, special days reserved for kids and tweens, late night swims with a movie, and an end-of-the-season closing party. After a busy day playing in the water, take the family to any of these healthy restaurants in the West Chester area to refuel everyone’s bodies.

• Location: 6649 N. Windwood Drive in West Chester.
• Contact: 513-777-2552.

Wake Nation

You’ll get a thrill a minute when you spend the day at the water sports facility Wake Nation. The Cable Park is perfect for wakeboarding or water skiing without the use of a boat. Instead, riders get pulled along the water via an overhead cable system. Whether you’re a seasoned wakeboarder or a novice, Wake Nation offers several levels of intensity to keep the experience fun and exciting.

If your kids just want to play and splash around during the summer, check out the Aqua Park with bounce structures, a water playground, and the adrenaline-pumping giant water slides. You can also keep your kids busy during the summer by enrolling them in one of Wake Nation’s summer camps, where youngsters frolic in the water and engage in land-based activities and games to keep them entertained all day long. Anyone can sign up for Wakeboard Camp to learn tips and techniques to become a competent and safe wakeboarder.

• Location: 201 Joe Nuxhall Way in Fairfield.
• Contact: 513-887-9253.

Kacie Jane Park

Kacie Jane Park opened in 2019 and offers visitors a 3,000-square-foot splash pad and playgrounds that will keep the kids entertained. The free splash pad opens on Memorial Day and closes on Labor Day weekend, helping keep West Chester locals cool during the warm summer months.

There are two age-appropriate playgrounds separated to keep the older kids engaged in their playground while allowing the younger ones to play on their own structures. You can also find shaded picnic shelters to enjoy a nice meal or snacks with the family, and everyone has access to the well-maintained restrooms available while the park is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Location: 525 W. Lytle-Five Points Road in Springboro.
• Contact: 937-748-4343.

Goldfish Swim School

If you plan for your kids to take part in water activities, it’s essential they know how to swim. Kids who take swimming lessons learn the basics of water safety, self-rescue techniques, and strokes so they can have an enjoyable and safe time in the water. To get professional instruction in a 90-degree pool, sign your youngsters up for swim assessments and swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School.

At Goldfish Swim School, the staff has a confidence-building curriculum with flexible class times in a fun and nurturing environment. It offers five classes based on age and ability. The Mini class is a 30-minute weekly class for babies aged 4 to 35 months in which your child can learn basic water safety skills and floating techniques while you’re in the water with them.

The next level is Junior for kids aged 3 to 4, and the instructors build on water skills to give the children the confidence to become independent swimmers. Moving to the next level, kids aged 4 to 12 can take the Glider classes to learn basic swimming strokes and underwater swimming techniques. To learn advanced swim strokes, sign up your 4- to 12-year-old for the Pro class. And if your youngster aged 5 to 12 aspires to become a competitive swimmer, they’ll learn what it takes to be a pro in the Swim Force class.

• Location: 7058 Ridgetop Drive in West Chester.
• Contact: 513-449-2751.

Isn’t it exciting having all these places to play in the water near West Chester, Ohio? There’s plenty to do at these pools, splash pads, and water parks to keep everyone in the family happy. Is there a place you and your family like to cool off that we missed? If you have a recommendation for a water park or splash pad, let our team at Crème de la Crème of West Chester know, and we’ll share your suggestions with others.