Outdoor Pools and Waterparks in Northern Utah

Summer break has officially begun, so I wanted to give you some ways to cool off that won't break the bank. My kids always ask to go to Lagoon, but there are some really great outdoor pools and waterparks that are much more affordable. Bring a lawn chair and a good book, and say goodbye to standing in line at Lagoon! 

My kids really love a lazy river, so their first choice would be North Shore. It is a great outdoor pool with a big waterslide, an interactive play set, and a toddler pool with all kinds of fun stuff. They have lots of picnic tables and grassy areas to set up your own chairs or blanket. I especially love that they allow you to bring your own food and drinks.

The Roy Aquatic Center is a close second favorite because it's closer to us and has almost all the same things as North Shore. Instead of a lazy river, they have a fun fast slide that goes straight down. Both places have a large pool with 2 diving boards and a splash pad. They're hours of fun for a great price.

Splash Summit is our favorite waterpark, which we would say is worth the drive all the way down to Provo. It has a nice variety of big and small waterslides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and some decent pools for younger kids. They don't allow outside food or drinks, and you will probably want to rent a tube for $6/person. We can usually find parking on the street in a nearby neighborhood to save $10 on parking. If you go on a weekday, you can save $2-3/person and Groupon.com often sells tickets for less. 

We have been to Cowabunga Bay before; it’s quite a bit smaller than Splash Summit, but still a great time! My kids love the huge lazy river and the big bucket that dumps water on you. Tickets are $22-26, but parking and tube rentals are included. The only bummer is that you can only go for the morning (10:30 AM – 2:00 PM) or afternoon (2:30 PM – 6:00 PM). It seems a bit short to me.

Classic Waterslides is quite small, but it’s still fun. They have 3 twisty slides that the kids will ride over and over again. Things can get a little crazy with all the twists and turns, many bathing suits have been ripped and a few joints have been twisted, but I guess you have to take the good with the bad. 

Layton Surf and Swim has a big wave pool and another pool, but that's about it. You can't bring your own tube, and it's $3 to rent one. Clearfield Aquatic Center has some outdoor play areas, but it’s mostly indoor, so it’s not our favorite. They make the kids wear these weird headbands, so it's not our favorite.

Lorin Farr has an outdoor pool with a diving board and some slides, but we haven't been there very often. I don't know why, because I just checked the price and it's only $3. Fun fact, the Sandlot movie was filmed there, the scene with Wendy Peffercorn is just a classic.

Here are prices in order of our favorite to least visited:

• North Shore $9.50 (free parking and outside food is allowed) 2480 N 200 E, North Ogden, UT 84414
• Roy Aquatic Center $8 (free parking and outside food is allowed) 2977 W 5200 S, Roy, UT 84067
• Splash Summit $18-28 ($10 parking + $6/person tube rental) 1330 E 300 N, Provo, UT 84606
• Cowabunga Bay $22-26 (free parking and free tube rental) 12047 S State St, Draper, UT 84020
• Classic Waterslides $13 (free parking)  4465 S 600 W, Riverdale, UT 84405
• Layton Surf and Swim $5 + $3 tube rental (free parking) 465 N Wasatch Dr, Layton, UT 84041
• Clearfield Aquatic Center $8 (free parking) 825 State St, Clearfield, UT 84015
• Lorin Farr Pool $3 (but I'm thinking this is going to move up our list this summer) 1691 Gramercy Ave, Ogden, UT 84404

You could actually go to all of these water parks and pools and STILL save $10 over the price of a ticket to Lagoon. This is what I'm talking about when I say I try to evaluate is something is worth the price. Would you rather go to Lagoon once, or have 8 days of family fun throughout the summer? Whatever you decide, I hope you can have some fun with your family, all while spending less. Let me know in the comments which places you plan to visit.

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