KC's Water Fun Guide

2022 Edition

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From free spraygrounds for young children to daring water rides for teens and adults to classes and programs, pools and waterparks, and everything in between - Kansas City has it all. Dive into fun this summer!

Tip: Most of these attractions are open Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend.

Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission. Please email kristina@kcparent.com if you have an addition to this list.

Kansas City Area Waterparks:

Oceans of Fun

Splash into SUMMER FUN at Kansas City’s premier outdoor water park! With waves of fun from mild to wild, Oceans of Fun offers AMAZING for everyone in the family. Extreme water slides appeal to thrill-seekers and kiddos love our pint-sized slides, geysers, and foundations at Crocodile Isle. Float along on our Caribbean Cooler lazy river and catch some waves at fan favorite, Surf City Wave Pool. Riptide Raceway, the world’s longest mat racing waterslide. From five stories high, racers will speed down 486 feet in enclosed, winding tubes and around a 360-degree loop before an epic, splashdown finish.

Enjoy season-long access and free parking to Worlds of Fun with a Gold Season Pass, including seasonal events Grand Carnivale and Halloween Haunt.

Outdoor Waterparks:

  • Adventure Oasis: (2100 S. Hub Dr. Independence, MO) From 700 exhilarating feet of water slides to a peaceful 900-foot lazy river, there's so much to do at Adventure Oasis! Splash & play in the family pool, take a dip in the lap pool, or visit the Oasis Grill. Your adventure awaits!
  • Bay Water Park: (7101 Longview Road, Kansas City, MO. 816.965.9218)  Water attractions to satisfy all ages and thrill-seeking levels.
  • Blackbob Bay: (14570 W. 151st St., Olathe, KS. 913.971.5345). Features: Raft water slides, Lazy River, Shallow water play structures, Family changing room, Shade areas for party rentals, Dive well including two 1-meter diving boards and two 3-meter diving boards, 50-meter pool, and Baby pool.
  • Bonner Springs Aquatic Park: (1200 S. 134th St., Bonner Springs, KS. 913.422.7011) The aquatic park features a zero-depth entry pool, 2.5-meter lap pool, floatable pods, water playground, diving boards, water slides, and basketball goal.
  • Gardner Aquatic Center: (215 N. Center, Gardner, KS. 913.856.0962) Special amenities include zero-depth entry, an active in-water play area, lazy river, multiple water slides, floatable walk, climbing nets, spray grounds, and a tot pool.
  • Thomas A. Soetaert Aquatic Center: (13805 Johnson Dr., Shawnee, KS.913.631.0054) Features 2 slides, a lazy river, diving boards, lap lanes, an AquaClimb, a full enclosed baby pool area with water playground and a Wibit interactive play feature.
  • Splash Cove is located at 5800 King Avenue, Shawnee, KS 66203. Splash Cove is a unique water park as it is designed and geared towards kids 9 and under. It has a large slide, but also a multi-feature play structure and a wave pool. The entire facility gets no deeper than 4 feet.
  • The Springs Aquatic Center: (9400 N. Congress Ave., Kansas City, MO. 816.350.2628) Whether you’re lounging in the leisure pool, racing in the competition pool, or romping on the spray ground, The Springs is for you. 
  • Summit Waves: (120 SW Blue Pkwy., Lee's Summit, MO. 816.969.1545) Features a 904-foot action river, body slide, tube slide, 6-lane lap pool with diving boards, a water playground area featuring mini-slides, dump buckets, and more.

Indoor Waterpark:

  • Kansas City’s indoor water resort, Great Wolf Lodge (10401 Cabela Dr, Kansas City, KS, 855.826.8062), is an 84-degree indoor water park that boasts more than 38,000 square feet of water-packed excitement, including jaw-dropping slides for thrill-seekers and zero-depth entry areas for little ones.

Learn to Wakeboard at KC Watersports

KC Watersports is the best wakeboarding destination in the midwest. For beginners, they offer day camps and lessons to perfect your skills. For our experts, you won’t find a more challenging set of rails, ramps, and sliders anywhere in the US. For the family, they have a beach, with shade, where you can relax and watch the kids ride, with the “Snack Shack” to keep you going throughout the day. The Pro Shop is well stocked with the best gear in the industry, with rental equipment also available. All skill levels are encouraged, so head out to KCW this summer and enjoy some fun in the sun!

Swim at the Beach

Lake Olathe  Lake Olathe Park features a 170-acre lake surrounded by a 258-acre community park. The Swim Beach features locker rooms, outdoor showers, vending machines, and a floating obstacle course – The Aqua Park. Lake Olathe Park visitors can rent canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats at the Marina. Coolers with food and non-alcoholic beverages are welcome along with beach chairs and umbrellas. Additional renovations to Lake Olathe now offer an upper event lawn surrounded by landscaping and a small stream. The water feature flows into a waterfall before ending in a pond. A creek leading from the pond wraps around the newly built Spray Ground before flowing into the lake. An amphitheater, featuring event seating for 1,500 and Lake Olathe as its backdrop, is a great spot to relax and enjoy nature's elements. This lake also recently improved its accessibility! Variety Children's Charity of Greater Kansas City's offers a water wheelchairat Lake Olathe that is free to check out! The lake also offers accessible parking and access to the water!

Additional Swim Beaches:

Boat Rental at Kansas City area Lakes:

Great Fishing Spots in Missouri and Kansas:

  • Kill Creek Park (Olathe, KS)
  • Shawnee Mission Park (Lenexa, KS)
  • Antioch Park (Olathe, KS)
  • Heritage Park (Olathe, KS)
  • Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead (Overland Park, KS)
  • Englewood Lake (Kansas City North, MO)
  • Lake of the Woods in Swope Park (Kansas City, MO)
  • Blue Springs Lake (Lee's Summit, MO)
  • Lake Jacomo (Blue Springs, MO)
  • Longview Lake (Kansas City, MO)

A Few of our Favorite Pools

  • Summit Waves in Lee's Summit: A family aquatic center featuring a 904-ft Action River! The outdoor water park also features one body slide and one tube slide, a six-lane lap pool with diving boards, a water playground area featuring mini-slides, dump buckets, and more. When taking a break enjoy the concession stand with healthy items, snacks, drinks, and more.
  • Memorial Park Outdoor Water Park in Belton: Enjoy the action river, and plunge more than two stories down the Speed Slide, or hop on an inner tube and swirl down the Tornado Slide into the pool below. Float over to Cargo Crossing, where you can challenge your balancing skills and try to stay dry as you traverse across floating lily pads while clinging to the palm tree-supported cargo net above. Grab a tube and float around the water park in the 82,000-gallon Action River, or get a little exercise walking against the 4 mph current. 
  • Overland Park Swimming Pools: The City of Overland Park has multiple outdoor pools.  Tomahawk Ridge Aquatic Center: At TRAC, the city's largest overall pool facility, visitors can enjoy lots of shade and grassy areas for laying out or relaxing. Stonegate Pool: Originally, the city's smallest pool, Stonegate Pool was rebuilt in 2009 after more than 40 years of summertime fun. Young's Pool: One of the city's largest pools, Young's makes its mark with a 31-foot-tall water slide that dares guests to take the plunge down the drop slide. The indoor pools at Matt Ross Community Center are open year-round.
  • Black Bob Bay in Olathe: This waterpark features Raft Water Slides, Lazy River, Shallow Water Play Structures, Family Changing Room, Shade Areas for Party Rentals, Dive well (2 1-meter diving boards and 2 3-meter diving boards), 50-Meter Pool and Baby Pool.
  • Lenexa Swimming Pools: The city of Lenexa offers several outdoor pools. Indian Trails Aquatic Center: Eight 50-meter lanes, ¾-meter diving board, in-deck spray feature, AquaClimb rock wall, and two large water slides. Flat Rock Pool: Zero-depth entry, on-deck and in-water shade structures, in-water benches, interactive mushroom water feature, three 25-yard lap lanes, 1-meter diving board, in-deck spray feature, basketball goal, and AquaClimb rock wall. 
  • Gladstone Municipal Pool: Amenities include a water slide, concession area and deck, shade structures, deck furniture, and play features
  • Adventure Oasis in Independence:  Pools, water slides, lazy river, and play areas for young children.
  • Discover more with our online guide to Kansas City's pools and water parks.

Kansas City Area Spraygrounds:

Kansas City is home to many wonderful Spraygrounds! Spraygrounds are water playgrounds where children can run and play through sprinklers and sprays on a safe surface. This is a fantastic, fun, FREE way to cool off on a hot Summer Day. Spraygrounds are open Memorial Day-Labor Day across the Metro!

Tip: Remember to bring water shoes, beach towels, water bottles (to drink), sun screen, and snacks when you visit a splash pad or sprayground. 

Note: As a rule, spraygrounds only operate on days that are 75 degrees or warmer, and they will not be operating during thunder or lightning storms. Check the weather before you plan your outing. 

Missouri Spraygrounds & Splash Pads:

Blue Springs, Missouri Sprayground:

  • Burrus Old Mill Park: 112 NW Woods Chapel Rd, Blue Springs, MO 

Grandview Missouri Spraygrounds:

  • John Anderson Park: 4701 E. 135th Street (Note: This one features a fun pirate theme!)
  • The View Splash Park: 13500 Byars Rd. (this sprayground features water slides in addition to spray features)

Kansas City Missouri Spraygrounds: 

  • Blue Valley Park: 23rd St. & Topping
  • Central Park: Linwood Blvd & Bales Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Dagg Park: 701 E 21st Ave
  • Douglas Playground at Grace Williams Nicholl Park: 2632 Jarboe St. Kansas City, MO
  • Garrison Square: E. 4th St. & Forest Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Gillham Park: 3915 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO
  • Golden Oaks Park: N.E. 46th Street & N. Antioch Rd. Kansas City, MO
  • Harmony Park: E. 10th St & Agnes Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Longview Tract: 7107 Longview Rd. Kansas City, MO
  • Loose Park: W. 52nd Terrace & Summit Ave. Kansas City, MO (Closed Wednesdays.)
  • Lykins Square: E. 8th Street and Myrtle Avenue
  • Nelson C. Crews Park: E. 27th St & Michigan Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Parade Park: 1600 John Buck O'Neil Way, Kansas City, MO
  • Seven Oaks Park: E. 39th St. & Kensington Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Spring Valley Park: East 27th and Woodland Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Sunnyside Park: W. 83rd St. & Summit Ave. Kansas City, MO
  • Swope Park Pool: 6700 Lewis Rd., Kansas City, MO
  • Zona Rosa: I-29 and Barry Rd. Kansas City MO

Kearney Missouri Spraygrounds:

  • Lions Park: 340 S Jefferson St.

Independence Missouri Spraygrounds:

  • McCoy Park: 24 Highway & N. Delaware
  • Rotary Park: 24th & Hardy

Lee's Summit Missouri Sprayground:

  • Miller J. Fields Park: 1301 SE 3rd Terr
  • Lea McKeighan:  125 NE Chipman Rd

Liberty Missouri Spraygrounds:

  • City Park: 970 S. Highway 291
  • Ruth Moore Park: 401 N. Morse

Raymore Missouri Spraygrounds:

  • T.B. Hanna Station: 214 S. Washington St.

Kansas Spraygrounds & Splash Pads:

Kansas City Kansas Spraygrounds:

  • Eisenhower Park: 2901 N. 72nd St.
  • Heathwood Park: 10th & Parallel Pkwy
  • Pierson Park: 1800 S 55th St.

Olathe Kansas Spraygrounds:

  • Olathe Lake Spray Pad: 221 S Beaver Shelter Ln

Overland Park Kansas Spraygrounds:

  • Roe Park: 10400 Roe Ave
  • Sapling Grove Park: 82nd & Grant Ave
  • Thompson Park: 8045 Santa Fe Dr

Shawnee Kansas Spraygrounds:

  • Wilder Bluff Park: 24200 W. 55th St.
  • Erfurt Park: 24135 W 71st St.

Note: This list was compiled by the staff of KC Parent Magazine and may not be reproduced in print or online without permission. Please email kristina@kcparent.com if you have an addition to this list.