Not only is Tucson located in the landlocked state of Arizona, but its average temperature in the month of June is more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are four water parks within a two-hour drive from downtown to help residents and visitors beat the heat during the hot desert summer.
The closest park to Tucson at only 30 minutes from downtown by car, Breakers Water Park features the largest wave pool in Arizona, five super-slides, two all-ages tube slides and the Captain Kidd’s Surfari area for children under 48 inches. Breakers is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting Memorial Day Weekend, and Saturdays and Sundays only from the second weekend in August through Labor Day. As of the 2010 season, admission was $19.95 per adults 12 years and older with discounts for children, seniors, and late (after 3 p.m.) admission.
Located in Mesa, about two hours north of Tucson, Golfland Sunsplash offers three miniature golf courses, an arcade with 200-plus video games, a laser tag arena and a go-kart track as well as a full-size water park featuring eight slides (three opening in 2011) a kiddie pool, lazy river and wave pool. One $25.90 online ticket will get thrill seekers over 48 inches tall access to the whole park for a full day, with discounts available for children and seniors. The water park portion of Golfland Sunsplash is open mid-May through mid-September 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.
The largest water park in Arizona, Glendale’s Wet 'n' Wild Phoenix might have sister parks in Hawaii and Australia, but it is the only one in the world to feature dueling water coasters that blast riders more than 830 feet uphill via powerful jets. Two hours from Tucson, Wet 'n' Wild also features dozens of more slides, an enormous wave pool, a white water rafting ride and the Soak 'em Playground for kids. Hours of operation vary per month during Wet 'n' Wild’s mid-March to mid-September season, and as of 2010 adult admission was $34.99, with discounts for children, seniors, and late admission (after 5 p.m.).
After briefly closing down in 2009, Big Surf reopened under new management in the summer of 2010. Big Surf’s main attraction is its wave pool, Waikiki Beach, as it was the first of its kind in North America and is still one of the largest in the United States at 2.5 million gallons. Big Surf also boasts eight more water rides, the Bora Bora Bay family area and a toddler pool. The park is located in Tempe, a two-hour drive from Tucson, and $26 will get an adult inside Big Surf, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Day Weekend through the third weekend in September. Discounts are available for children, seniors, military, fire or police and late admission (after 3 p.m.).
