This guide has been generously sponsored by Big Blue Swim School.
 |
Big Blue Swim School caters to children between the ages of three months to twelve years. Baby lessons focus on skills such as breath control, back floating and learning to push off the wall, readying each child for parent-less participation. In the swim school for toddlers, kids between the ages of three and five learn balance, kicking and more, all through fun games, songs and stories that make them excited to come to class.
For kids six and up, we have two programs, Bold Blue and Big Blue, catering to different skill levels. Swimmers will progress from learning how to be safe in the water to learning different strokes and building their skills to become proficient, strong swimmers.
4207 N. Western Ave. Northcenter - Chicago
Splash! The sound you hear as you jump in the pool on a hot summer day. The hot sun dries you off as soon as you come out of the water and you immediately jump back into the refreshing cool waters. If you're looking for pools and water parks to visit this summer, here are our favorite pools and splash pads to visit.
Town Pools - Check their Hours and their Pricing and Policies for Non-Residents.
Flick Outdoor Aquatic Center - 3600 Glenview Rd. Glenview, IL
Two body slides, a diving pool with two drop slides, a lap/activity pool, a tot spot, a zero-depth entry pool, a water playground, concessions, and plenty of lawn space to spread out, makes Flick a popular choice.
Mystic Waters - 2025 Miner Street, Des Plaines, IL
One of the largest and most beautiful water parks in Northern Illinois, Mystic Waters is a favorite destination for families throughout the Chicagoland area. Featuring two exciting 37 foot slides – some of the highest in the area, and a variety of fun spaces, Mystic Waters is filled with activities for all ages. After braving the big slides of Otter’s Run, enjoy the daring drop slides and unique cliff dives in Sea Lion Falls. Need to relax? Mystic Waters offers the Crocodile Cove lazy river, with 550 feet of inner tube floating fun, and the expansive Dolphin Bay: a zero depth leisure pool where you can enjoy fountains, jet sprays, and a child-size dolphin slide. For the youngest (and the young at heart), Beluga Beach is just right. It features water-spray stands on a non-slip surface with no free-standing water, making it an enjoyable introduction to water park fun for tots and other non-swimmers. Beluga Beach includes all kinds of splashtacular fun, with multiple water sprays and a very cool jungle gym. The Island Café is a perfect place for lunch, refreshments, and snacks.
Rainbow Falls - 200 Rev Morrison Blvd. Elk Grove Village, IL
Rainbows are not only in the sky. You can visit your own personal rainbow by going to the Rainbow Falls Waterpark and you will find gold! The Rainbow Falls Waterpark is filled with pools, water slides, food and drinks, parties, and much more! They have a whirlpool called the Barracuda Bowl, that the kids just like trying to fight the current in, two body slides, two tube slides, a tot pool, a zero-depth leisure pool, a diving pool with a diving board and a drop slide, a lazy river, a water playscape, a lily pad leap, and the thrilling Pelican Plunge, otherwise known as "the toilet bowl", (though unlike other "toilet bowl" slides this is a body slide and not a raft.) There is also plenty of picnic area to sit down with your family, and a playground! Check out their many special events!
Skokie Water Playground - 4701 Oakton St. Skokie, IL
Visit the Skokie Water Playground with one body slide and one tube slide, a zero-depth entry, heated, 14,000 sq ft pool that goes up to 6ft, a spray ground, a water playscape with small slides, large dumping bucket, and more! Then, go to the concession stand and enjoy a cold treat. The Skokie Water Park is a great place to spend a day in the water with your family and it even offers swim lessons! You can also buy season pool passes or just pay a low cost admission price depending on where you live. It also has reduced pricing for evening hours.
Wilmette Centennial Pool - 2300 Old Glenview Rd. Wilmette, IL
Swim the day away at the Wilmette Centennial Pool. They offer a zero-depth entry activity pool with two body slides, a wading pool, a very nicely heated main pool, and a diving well, with a diving board and two drop slides. The Wilmette Centennial pool offers swim classes, diving classes, birthday parties, and more! You can buy season passes to the pool and go there everyday or spend a whole day there every once in a while.
 |
Chicago Park District
Portage Pool - 4100 N. Long Ave
If you want an awesome pool right around the corner, visit the Portage Pool in Chicago. It’s an Olympic-size pool that also has an interactive water play area with slide and diving boards. The main pool runs from 3ft to 5ft in depth and has eight lap lanes. There’s also a smaller heated pool next to it. So go jump into those cold waters and then when it becomes too cold, don’t worry, just warm up in the pool next to it! Because it’s part of the park district you can also enjoy a day with the family doing so many things at the park before cooling off at the pool.
Whealan Pool Aquatic Center - 6200 W. Devon Ave
Whealan Pool offers zero-depth entry, large body slides, small children’s slides, play features, a multi-lane lap area, a water playground, lounge areas, and a concession stand. Great for the littles.
 |
Raging Waves - Yorkville, IL
Sitting on 58 spacious acres just 45 minutes southwest of Chicago, Raging Waves is the perfect place for a day trip, weekend getaway, birthday party, youth group outing, scout gathering, family reunion, and more. Raging Waves features several family-friendly attractions, including 32 water slides, a huge wave pool, three kiddie pool areas, relaxing lazy river, 43 private cabanas and more.
Santa Springs - East Dundee, IL
Santa Springs is the newest addition to Santa's Village Amusement Park. Children will enjoy dozens of water toys with 2 giant tipping buckets and 9 water slides, including a 50-foot long, four lane kiddie racer slide at Lighthouse Harbor (a zero-depth entry to a 10,000 square foot, 8-inch deep wading pool with a two-story interactive water play structure.) Santa Springs also has two large body slides, and plenty of surrounding lawn chairs so parents can sit back and relax. One ticket gets you into both the amusement park and the water park. Santa Springs will not open on days where the temperature is below 72 degrees!
Take advantage of our discount offer:
2025 Santa's Village Amusement & Water Park
— View deal on CertifiKID
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor - Gurnee, IL
For the ultimate water park experience visit Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. The world's tallest water coaster, Tsunami Surge has joined the many attractions at Hurricane Harbor including the wave pool, over 25 water slides, three distinct children's play areas, and a surfing simulation experience.
So go out there, make like a dolphin, and enjoy the many water activities in Chicagoland.
