Denver’s Best Splash Pads and Swimming Pools

Summer is here and while you’re making that summer bucket list don’t forget to to check out Denver’s best splash pads and swimming pools in your part of town. Splash pads are all the rage right now and a great pool can keep the kids busy all day long, so to cool off on a hot summer day, head to one of our favorite spots.

North

• Sunset Pool, Longmont, CO – With three diving boards, two slides, and a zero entry area, this swimming pool offers fun for all ages. There is also a covered patio, shelter rentals, and a concession stand to help you make a day of it. $4.50 for Longmont residents; $5.75 for nonresidents.
• Eldorado Springs Pool, Eldorado Springs – If you have ever driven into the beautiful Eldorado Canyon, this is the pool you see off to the right just before entering. Always busy during the summer, it is fed by the natural spring nearby and offers a different atmosphere than the average neighborhood pool. $8 for adults, $5 children.
• Apex Recreation Center, Arvada – Rainy summer days got you down? You can still have fun at this indoor swimming pool that has over 23,000 square feet of indoor water fun. With several slides, zero-depth entry, vortex pool, activity pool, lap pool, and adult and family hot tubs, there is something for every one. $6 for residents, $7.25 for non-residents.
• Water World, Federal Heights – As one of America’s largest water parks, Water World is known for having the largest variety of attractions in the country. With all of the thrill rides, you can often forget about the great pools Water World has to offer. Let the little ones play at Calypso Cove and Silly Shores, or ride your boogie board at the new Cowabunga Beach, or ride the waves at Thunder Bay Wave Pool. Adults are $41.99, Children $36.99.
• E.B Rains Memorial Park, Northglenn – Along with a great splash pad, this popular park also has a great skate park, basketball courts, and pedal boats for the lake.
• Broomfield Bay Aquatic Park, Broomfield – The kids will not get bored here with two slides, an interactive water play structure, an inner-tube slide, and a separate toddler pool. $4 for residents; $8 nonresident, $6 for ages 4-17, kids under 4 free.
• Carpenter Park, Thornton – Located behind the Carpenter Recreation Center, this is a great free spray park with a fun playground for the kids to heat up on before cooling down in the water play area.
• City Park Pool, Thornton – Float down the lazy river, watch the 300 gallon water bucket soak those below, or ride down one of the winding slides at this fun pool. Wind down the day at the park next door, for a full day of fun. $3.50 for Thornton residents; $4.75 for nonresidents.

South

• Elk Ridge Park, Castle Pines – This fairly new playground has a lot of features you don’t see at the average park. The playground and the splash pad were both inspired by the nature in Colorado.
• H2O’Brien Pool, Parker – Full of so much fun, it could almost be considered a water park! This pool has two 182 ft water slides, a water play structure, a spray garden, sprays and geysers, a circulation and lap pool, and dumping buckets. $5 for residents, $4 for kids
• Burgess Memorial Pool, Castle Rock – Beach entry, sprayers, a lazy river, a toddler slide, a 20 ft slide, and water basketball make this pool fun for all ages. Youth: $4.25 ($5 nonresident) Adult $5.25 ($6.25 nonresident)
• Cook Creek Pool, Lone Tree – Slide down the 25 ft water slide, get dumped on by a giant bucket of water, or take a dive from the diving board. Adult residents $3.50, nonresidents $6.50; Youth residents $3.00, nonresidents $5.50
• Civic Green Park, Highlands Ranch – This park has plenty of space to spread out a picnic blanket or toss the ball around. Along with a unique playground, the area has three separate water feature areas, and while it is not set up like a traditional splash pad, it offers plenty of fun ways to cool off.

Metro Area

• Westlands Park, Glenwood Village – This award winning park has three different playground areas for different ages, two climbing structures, and a natural water sculpture play area to cool down.
• Surfside Spray Park, Lakewood – With two splash pad areas and plenty of fountains to play in, this splash pad is a great place to spread out a blanket and spend the day. Admission is $1
• H2Odyssey, Denver – Located in City Park, which can be a lot of fun by itself, this water play area, which can be found just west of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, has plenty of fountains to keep the kids occupied while you relax in the nearby grass.
• Southlands Spray Park, Aurora- Spend the morning shopping the Southlands shopping area and then let the kids cool off in the spray park fountains for the afternoon.
• Pirates Cove, Englewood – This popular pool has it all and features a large play structure with dump bucket, zero-entry, a lazy river, three water slides, a competitive pool with diving board, a sandy beach area, and a spray garden to splash in. $11 Adults, $9.75 Kids; $7.75 Adult Residents, $6.75 Youth Residents
• The Splash at Fossil Trace, Golden – Spread out on 10-acres with a view of beautiful Golden. This is a beautiful spot to spend a summer day. The leisure pool has a play structure, beach entry, a chidren’s slide, two larger slides, spray cannons, and dump bucket. The lap pool has 8 lanes, a diving board, and open swim times during the day. The Splash also has a giant sandbox and a huge splash pad. $9 Adults, $7.50 for youth ages 6-18, $4.50 for tots ages 2-5.
• Deer Creek Pool, Littleton – This neighborhood pool is a fun spot for the kids. It features one slide, a beach entry area, and water play structures. $7.25 Adults, $5.25 Residents; $5.25 Youth, $3.75 Residents
• Ray Ross Park, Lakewood – Designed to look like a baseball diamond, this spray park has a wide variety of ways for the kids to have fun cooling off.
• Centennial Center Park, Centennial – This park features an award winning playground and an amphitheatre used for a variety of local events. The water park plaza features a large area of water fountains that will keep the kids busy for hours.
• Elitch Gardens, Denver – The Elitch Gardens water park, Island Kingdom, is free with admission to the theme park from Memorial Day to Labor Day. With 8 thrill rides and 4 different family rides, there is plenty to do for the whole family. Commotion Ocean is the Island Kingdom wave pool and is perfect for swimming or body surfing.

What are your favorite Denver area splash pads and swimming pools?