Beat The Heat At The Best Family-Friendly Parks In America With Splash Pads

American summer is a thing of beauty. When schools let out, and the kids can play with few restrictions, there are more than a few smells of sizzling barbecue, lazy baseball-watching afternoons, and beach parties. Indeed, the summer brings both heat and relaxation to a national community in great need of time to unwind. Whether you find yourself in the city gridlock of Baltimore or Boston or are more of a Seattle-area suburbanite, water features are a must-have part of any summer plan.

Included in the fabric of any great community park area is a splash pad. These water features are perhaps the most exciting ways for kids to cool off during the hottest months of the year. Many splash pads are found alongside larger pools or other water park staples like slides or wave pools. But some can be nestled amongst the surrounding cityscape. No matter where you live, there's sure to be a phenomenal splash pad in your area for your young ones. 

Perhaps most importantly, a splash pad provides great excitement for older children, who will spend the day running around trying to get blasted and then evading the jets of water. But it's also a generally safe feature for young ones who can't yet swim. Many splash pads feature zero-depth pools or a lack of standing water entirely. With so many to choose from, a selection of the best is certainly difficult, but these are America's standout splash pads found in all corners of the country.

The Boston Common is a historic destination that anyone visiting the city would be remiss to skip. Information on the Freedom Trail — the New England walking route attraction for history buffs — can be found in the Common's visitor center. The park, covering 50 acres of Boston landscape, is the oldest in America. Founded as a public space in 1634, the Common has played a central role in Boston's history from colonial times to the present. Visitors to the city are almost certain to stumble upon the Common's wonderfully inviting green atmosphere. It's a unique escape from the concrete sprawl rising above numerous historical sites that remain intact (like colonial graveyards and Faneuil Hall).

The Common's Frog Pond is a mainstay of the public park's unique spirit. A 6-inch deep water puddle, the pond doubles as a wintertime ice skating rink, too! Bostonians and visitors frequent the Frog Pond in the summer (July and August, specifically) to splash around in the cooling waters. It wouldn't be a splash pad without the addition of some sort of exciting water jet feature — The Frog Pond includes fountains and spray heads for young ones to run around and play with. Set inside a historic landscape that has hosted speakers like Pope John Paul II and Martin Luther King Jr., as well as housed colonial military regiments, this splash pad isn't one to be missed.

On the other side of the country, Stoner Recreation Center offers an aquatic wonderland for your family's youth to enjoy in the Los Angeles community. The park isn't far from Santa Monica Pier and is situated well within the West LA neighborhood area, providing a fairly accessible afternoon of fun and water play. Included in the pool and splash pad is a gradual entry depth that tapers in for great, shallow water fun. It also features a giant sprinkling mushroom, a plethora of water spray features, and water walls. For older children looking to get a bit farther in, there's plenty of real estate for play, and the park even includes a solid water slide for kids who are 7 and above (over 48 inches tall).

There's a wealth of fun to be had at this watering hole, and entry fees are minimal, adding to the value. Children up to 17 get in for $1, while adults are charged $4 ($1 for anyone over 50). Additionally, LA residents can squeeze even more summer cooling value from the splash pad with summer youth passes (just $10) and multiple admissions passes for the year-round pools. With its close proximity to the top-ranked California beach that's world-famous for a reason — Santa Monica Beach and its pier — Stoner Park is a fantastic stop for anyone in the city looking to cool off during a day out in the California Sun.

Located just outside Grand Rapids, this Michigan park is situated on the edge of a 100-acre lake. There's lots to do here, and a day at the park can be filled with swimming or boating in the lake or prolonged moments in the splash pad area. Millennium Park Beach is just that: A lakeside beachfront perfect for a family day out in nature. Children aged 2 and under get in free, and adults over 16 pay just $4 to get into the recreational area ($3 for seniors and $2 for children).

Perhaps one of the most valuable traits of the splash pad and surrounding waterfront at Millennium Park Beach is its location. The lake and its amenities serve the western slice of Michigan real estate rather than the densely packed East Coast. There's, of course, lots to find around Detroit and Ann Arbor, like Lake St Clair and Lakeport State Park, but the Lake Michigan side is also filled with great entertainment and relaxation options. At the Mehney Splashpad, kids will find water dump buckets, splashers, and over a dozen individual sprayers, among many other water features. The area is the perfect way to cool off while having a blast in the water. Young children and older ones can gather safely and enjoy an amazing day out in nature on the lake.

The Historic Fourth Ward Park is an Atlanta cultural icon. It's a 17-acre green space built within the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. Historically, the park was established to mitigate flooding as a result of rising storm waters that affect Atlanta. It's a community improvement piece that made for a great place to gather while installing a constructed lake used to collect and safely return rainwaters to the soil without the risk of flooding. Today, visitors to the park are able to explore a variety of great playground amenities, as well as seating areas, walking and biking trails, and plenty more. Obviously, two splash pads also make their way into the layout of the Historic Fourth Ward Park (called spraygrounds, here).

Two separate splash pad areas can be found in the Historic Fourth Ward Park. These areas feature plenty of spray heads and other water-dumping jets that make for a great day out with children. Atlanta itself is a quality destination for anyone seeking a unique adventure away. The city's historical fabric is immensely strong, and this neighborhood is one of the places in Atlanta where you're most likely to spot celebrities!

Seattle is a place of wonder and amazing beauty. The Pacific Northwest is brimming with amazing natural and human-crafted gems, including Oregon's Crater Lake National Park and Washington's Deception Pass Bridge — a connection that spans an occasionally eerie fogged over the strait. Seattle is a common stopping point for visitors and regional locals. There are plenty of fantastic things to do in the urbanite community — check out the free things you can do when visiting Seattle. One of those fabulous and free options for a great day out in the Emerald City is a visit to the International Fountain, found at the Seattle Center.

The fountain was an installation from the World's Fair, but the water feature standing there today is a revamped and expanded replacement of the original (taking shape in a 1995 project). The fountain's numerous spray ports are timed to music, and the entire fountain bowl takes on the atmosphere of a playground. The silver dome is a unique artistic feature that perfectly completes the atmosphere. The fountain area is a great hangout for those who don't want to get wet. Many people in Seattle lounge around the fountain in the grassy park areas and take in the sights and sounds of the city's calming and laid-back environment.

[Image by Joe Mabel via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]

There's always room for an offering from New York City on just about any list. New York is a towering pinnacle of American ingenuity and history, and it's no wonder that New Yorkers would want to introduce relaxing and fun water features into their community. The summer months in this northeastern metropolis can be brutally hot. Heat waves are a common experience in the concrete jungle of New York's five boroughs. The New York Times reports that hundreds of people risk health complications and death every summer as a result of the stifling heat that descends upon the city. Cooling facilities and water features are, therefore, both an entertainment option and a kind of public service necessity.

Beyond the water jets, however, the park in Tribeca's lower Manhattan location is encircled by other fantastic destinations that a visitor to New York will certainly want to explore. Rockefeller Park is just south of the Pier, and the real-life "Ghostbusters" location firehouse is just due east by just a few blocks (a real and still actively used firehouse to this day that was made famous by the movie franchise). Inside the playground, there's plenty to do at the splash pad and around it. Play equipment and great places to sit and relax can be found here in abundance.

Found nestled in the suburban town of Parker, a community on the outskirts of the Denver metropolitan area, this water park features a pool and water slide, a zero-entry depth installation, and tons of great splash elements. The deck around the water features is also covered with plenty of shade, allowing for a wonderful day out with the kids that doesn't have to result in major sunburn for chaperones.

The pool area is rounded with two 182-foot slides and a smaller one wrapping around some of the aquatic play area amenities. The spray garden is a major source of entertainment for children looking to run around and enjoy the splash pad. There are plenty of spray heads and other water architecture around to support the environment with impeccable taste and style. This suburban play area is the perfect space for Denver area families to beat the heat, and it's equally fantastic as a trip-enhancer for those visiting Denver during the summer months. 

Admission is roughly $8 for residents and $10 for those outside the Parker, Colorado, area. Young children hoping to enjoy the pool and its splash pad can take advantage of an extra hour of play. While the pool opens at 10 a.m. for all, the doors swing open for children aged 5 and younger at 9 a.m. on weekday mornings for a bit of extra youth enjoyment.

Wauwatosa might not be a name that many will be familiar with, but for Milwaukee area residents, the charming downtown community found here is a great draw complete with a vast tapestry of Victorian-style buildings. The city is part of the larger Milwaukee metro community yet is dominated by the quaint, charming feel that explorers seeking a picturesque stopover in a small town will be sure to cherish.

Hart Park is a Wauwatosa staple. The park is a 52-acre affair that includes all manner of play facilities. Picnic areas, nature trails, and a variety of athletic fields to host a pick-up game in virtually any sport are a part of the park's DNA. The community green space even includes a skate park and concert stage. The water area is a highlight, though. Directly connected to a sprawling playground with nature-themed play gear, the splash pad is situated in the perfect crossover space for children to run back and forth with their friends. Anyone in the Milwaukee area should consider checking out this wonderful recreation area, especially in the blistering heat of summer when the splash pad facilities are prepared to cool you and your loved ones down in style.

Tampa Bay is a major attraction for tourists. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area (including St. Petersburg across the bay) is home to historic Ybor, a Cuban-dominated cultural force that hosts the Gasparilla Pirate Fest every January (as well as a raft of events that last for months). And of course, multiple championship-caliber professional sports teams. Tampa is also a city that features multiple theme parks and plenty of character.

Just south of Tampa's primary mass, Anderson Park is a stone's throw from a great many attractions that might bring someone to the Florida coastal hub. Down the road from the University of Tampa, the park is easy to access for nearly any sort of area visitor. The splash pad at Anderson Park is active year round, with extended hours from April to October (9 a.m. to 7 p.m.). The water feature is flanked by a circle of sitting lion statues, adding a wonderful flair to the space. Water jets in the center of the pad made for a great place to play around in the water. The park's ambiance is already calming and relaxing, and the addition of this aquatic play area makes it all the more impressive.

Adams Park has been a Chicago highlight since it was established in 1902. The park is named after George and Adele Adams, a Chicago area congressman and his wife who gave the city about an acre of land to create a public park. Plenty of fantastic public amenities have taken shape within the park, but in 1997, another donation gifted the landscape a fabulous new addition. Through her will, Dorothy Melamerson gifted the city funding to create a splash pad area within the park. In the years since, Adams Park has become a great place to spend hot summer days, cooling down in the exciting and family-friendly splash pad.

The water feature includes a variety of spray jets and drop areas. There's a spraying mushroom and lots of colorful features strewn about the wet zone. Found near the North Branch Canal of the Chicago River in the town's Lincoln Park neighborhood, it's a great stop for anyone visiting the Windy City. And for Chicago residents, the area features a range of great restaurants and other gems that can make a trip to the park all the more rewarding.

The high-altitude mountains of Colorado might not seem like the ideal place for an outdoor water feature, but the Denver community is blessed with not one but two wonderful splash pads that provide a wildly exciting play area for children and adults. Pirates Cove is found in Englewood and features a zero-depth, beach-themed entry, as well as a deeper lap pool for those looking to do some swimming (and a leisure pool, too, for lazy swimming days with friends or loved ones).

Pirates Cove Water Park is a hybrid water spot that has something for everyone. Three sizeable water slides add an excitement factor that many older visitors will be seeking, while the dump bucket found atop the splash pad's tower holds (and drops to douse anyone playing on the splash pad) 750 gallons of water. The Cove's slide tower is even the tallest feature in Englewood! In total, the aquatic oasis covers over 1.5 acres of the Colorado landscape and acts as a major draw for anyone in the region looking to relax and cool off during a day of leisure and fun.