Hotels with waterparks provide built-in entertainment to their guests. One family-friendly waterpark hotel operates near Knoxville, Tennessee. It allows guests to enjoy the area's attractions and enjoy part of the day relaxing in the water. Visitors to Knoxville may also want to rent a paddle boat, visit the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Knoxville Museum of Art, see animals at the Knoxville Zoo and hike in the nearby Smoky Mountains.
Wilderness at the Smokies, 26 miles from Knoxville, has two hotels: the luxury Stone Hill Lodge and Wilderness at the Smokies River Lodge, with multiroom suites for large families. The indoor waterpark has a family raft ride, a surf rider and a wave pool, along with tube slides and a toddler splash area. Two outdoor waterparks, open seasonally, feature a lazy river, an activity pool and a wet climbing structure.
Wilderness at the Smokies
1424 Old Knoxville Highway
Sevierville, TN 37876
877-325-9453
wildernessatthesmokies.com
Indoor and outdoor waterparks have lifeguards on duty but parents must remain vigilant. If your child is old enough to ride water slides alone, walk him to the top since stairs can be slippery. If both parents are present, the other can wait at the bottom of the slide to make sure the child exits the water safely. Even if only one parent is present, there is usually enough time to make it back down to the slide exit.
Indoor waterparks are great for when it is too hot or too cold to visit outdoor water parks. They also let kids play without having to cover themselves with suntan lotion or wear a hat. The waterpark hotel near Knoxville allows day visitors who are not hotel guests to buy tickets just for the waterpark. Although waterparks provide towels, you may want to bring your own beach towels, which are often softer and larger.
