The best water parks in NJ for families

Sweltering temperatures on the Jersey Shore in summertime send kids careening towards two fun-filled water parks in Wildwood, NJ. Raging Waters offers River Adventure, where families can casually float by geysers and waterfalls, plus plenty of slides (open and closed). With younger kids, you'll want to check out Shipwreck Shoals/Camp KidTastrophe, a multilevel water play area with cannons, rope nets to climb, spray showers and more. At Ocean Oasis, the other Wildwood water park offers WipeOut!—a six-lane racer slide where families can duke it out—a rocket raft run and a cliff dive, which sends riders down a wicked-fast water slide that drops five stories in three seconds. 3501 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ (609-729-3700, moreyspiers.com). All ages.

Try the 12,000-square-foot wading pool with a dump bucket and climbable playground (Pirate Fort), then head to the awesome water slides like Cannonball and the Black Hole. For older kids, there’s Pirate’s Escape where they’ll enter a futuristic chamber and the floor comes out from beneath them, sending them zipping down a long green tube slide. Last, for a totally calm water adventure, try tubing along lazy waterway Blackbeard’s River. 354 Great Meadows Rd (Route 611), Hope, NJ (908-459-9000, lomb.com). Ages 2 and up.

This two-in-one adventure makes it easy to spend the day in beautiful Seaside Heights. The pier itself plays host to arcade games and numerous attractions like bumper cars, the Pirate's Hideaway coaster and the Disk'O. At Breakwater Beach, you'll find all the water park rides your kiddos could ever want, including chilled out options like the Wild River (a lazy river with water cannons) and The Perfect Storm (a multilevel water playscape with an 800-gallon dump bucket). Adventurous older kids may prefer a little more of a thrill—in that case, check out Patriots Plunge (slide racing with water), Two if By Sea (a huge tube slide for single and double tubes) and Salem's Scream (a 50-foot scream-inducing speed slide). 800 Ocean Terrace, Seaside Heights, NJ (732-793-6488, casinopiernj.com). All ages.

A short drive will transport you to a family getaway so memorable, you’re sure to return for a day trip or two during those long winter months. The thrills are plentiful in this water resort: Take a peek at Parrot’s Perch, featuring an interactive aquatic jungle gym, countless water cannons and a 300-gallon dumping bucket for loads of drenching wet fun. If you’re feeling brave, you can barrel your way through the enclosed winding darkness of Barracuda Blast, or venture to the chill inducing Shark Slam, a four-story-high slide that will whip you through 300 feet of wet n’ wild fun. For a little friendly competition, try the Lily Pad Adventure, a challenging activity pool for kids and adults alike. And for the wee bunch, the Dip-In offers entertainment of miniature proportions: hours of fun for the tiniest guests, with a foot deep wading pool overlooking the park, complete with baby slides and even a little bungee! 915 Route 73, Mt Laurel, NJ (877-494-2626, mtlaurelcocokey.com).

Splash Zone of Wildwood, NJ offers your ultimate local day trip, complete with some of the most thrilling water rides around. Join your family on the Beast of the East, a large tube ride that seats five, or play with cannons, water guns and dump buckets at Hydro Zone, a water playground. The Slide Winder offers a zooming thrill ride in tubes for two, and there's a Zoe Zone, a play area made specifically for toddlers. 3500 Boardwalk, Wildwood, NJ (609-729-5600, splashzonewaterpark.com). All ages.

Looking to cool off ASAP? Runaway Rapids (Keansburg Family Waterpark) delivers refreshing rides, pools and play areas to families with kids of all ages. For very little ones, there's the Toddler's Reef (with plenty of large play equipment), the Frog Slide and Light Green Slide. Older kids might appreciate slides like the White, Dark Green or Magenta slides, or the Mega Bunga (a short, high slide that'll send you soaring through the air into a deep pool). 275 Beachway Ave, Keansburg, NJ (732-495-1400, keansburgamusementpark.com). All ages.

With things like the world's tallest double-looping thrill slide (Zero-G) calling your name, it's hard to keep away! This park offers things like high dives, slides with huge drops, a Tarzan swing, raft rides and more. Be aware that it's definitely geared towards older kids and has an outdoorsy feel with some steep climbs, so it may be best to leave tots and tykes home with a sitter. 200 NJ-94, Vernon Township, NJ (973-827-2000, mountaincreek.com). All ages.

Kids and toddlers get the biggest kick out of Saraha Sam's Oasis, a great local day trip that's affordable for families. Enjoy attractions like Tut's Twisters (similar to sack slides except with water), Congo Bongo (a relaxing lazy river with inner tubes), Tim-Buk-Tu (a water adventure playground with climbing areas and slides) and The Flow Rider, a surf simulator. The park is open year-round, but there are a few cool features you have to wait until summer to experience, like the wave pools and H20 game areas at the outdoor Beach Club. Diggerland is also nearby in case your kids want to play with real construction equipment for the rest of the afternoon. 535 North Route 73, West Berlin, NJ (856-767-7580, saharasams.com). All ages.

Six Flags' Hurricane Harbor offers just the kind of amazing experience you'd expect from their theme parks—an epic one. Little ones will love exploring discovery bay, a network of climbable, slide-able structures, or a float down the Taak It Eez Ee Creek in an inner tube. Bring the older set to chill in the Blue Lagoon wave pool, zoom around on the King Cobra (a snake-themed slide), or zip down slides named after Greek gods: Boreas, Eurus, Zephyrus and Nortus. Top off the day with a trip around the Tornado: a 132-foot water tunnel! 1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson, NJ (732-928-2000, sixflags.com). All ages.