When it comes to choosing summer accommodations across Canada, our kids are all about swimming. They always make sure to ask if our hotel will have a pool, but you know what’s better than answering “yes?” Answering, “No, it has a water park!” Here are the splashiest water park hotels that can be found in the Great White North.
Which hotel water park in Canada are you most excited to visit?
A visit to one of the wonders of the world is sure to be a family favourite. Niagara Falls provides a picturesque backdrop for a memorable family vacation, and the nearby Sheraton on the Falls not only allows you to see the mesmerizing landmark from your bed (if you book a room with a view), it also offers plenty of indoor and on-site entertainment.
The hotel is connected to the 20-acre-large Falls Avenue Resort, North America’s largest indoor waterpark. Located directly across from the Falls, families will enjoy their day at the Fallsview Indoor Waterpark. Among its many features are enormous six-story waterslides, a full-sized wave pool, a plunge bowl and a children’s play area. (Just make sure you avoid the massive 1,000-gallon tipping bucket!) If parents want a break from their kids, they can easily escape towards the two oversized adult-only Jacuzzis.
Off resort, there is plenty to do beyond experiencing the Falls. The Vegas-style Clifton Hill strip provides plenty of fun thanks to the many museums, putting ranges and live shows available throughout the day. It truly is a city that doesn’t sleep.
For a whimsical stay, check into the Fantasyland Hotel in West Edmonton Mall. The Fantasyland has rooms that will truly blow your kid’s mind and make their friends jealous. You can book yourself into the Polynesian family room, the igloo family room, a truck-themed room, and even a space-themed accommodation that will appeal to the astronaut in your family. With so many different options, you will need to take some time to figure out which style best suits your family.
Since it’s located within the enormous West Edmonton Mall, the hotel also provides access to an amusement park, a sea lion encounter and a blacklight mini golf course. Adults can enjoy exquisite culinary experiences at the restaurants on site or enjoy some fine cocktails in the lounge. Kids will be thrilled to hear that the World Waterpark has the world’s largest indoor wave pool and Canada’s largest video game waterslide. Adults can also get that adrenaline pumping by soaring across the wave pool on the zip line.
The West Edmonton Mall is also a shopper’s paradise. If you head towards Europa Boulevard, you’ll find designer clothing stores that will have you thinking you’re shopping on the streets of Milan. Culture lovers will enjoy perusing the mall’s Chinatown, where they will find authentic crafts, beautiful architecture and many ornaments. Fantasyland Hotel is your gateway to a truly world-class destination that transports you beyond the regular shopping mall experience. Don’t blame us if you find it hard to shop at your local mall after a visit here!
For a vacation that’s filled with entertainment, look no further than the Valcartier Hotel. This year-round destination is a twenty-minute drive from historic Quebec City and is home to the famous Ice Hotel in the winter and Canada’s second largest water park in the summer. Valcartier offers a range of accommodation options to suit every lifestyle. You can book yourself into a four-star Family Suite, which features two spacious bedrooms, a lounge and a private terrace with a hot tub.
In the summer months, the hotel provides access to an outdoor waterpark. With more than 35 slides and 100 water games, two thematic rivers and a huge wave pool, families are sure to get a full body workout when they spend a day here. If you happen to be visiting during the colder months, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s an indoor waterpark at Valcartier as well. Bora Parc also has a large wave pool, over 14 water slides, a family pool with water games, a waterfall multi-activity adventure and a double surf area that will have you thinking you’re on a tropical getaway in the middle of winter! Whether you’re 2 or 72, you’ll have fun here in all four seasons.
The entertainment options continue beyond the water parks to the hotel’s Games Centre and Aroma Spa. Once your family checks into the Valcartier Hotel, you’ll find it hard to leave and explore the rest of the area.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of downtown Toronto, you can find the Chelsea Hotel. It’s centrally located near the subway line and a short walk away from the famous Yonge & Dundas Square. Kids have a dedicated check-in area where they will receive toys upon arrival, and if you book one of the family fun suites, your family can spread out and relax after a day of exploring the Royal Ontario Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto City Hall, all of which are walking distance of the hotel.
The hotel caters to families with kids of all ages. Teens will enjoy the Club 33 game room, while younger kids will love the Kid Centre, which is home to two live bunnies, a dress-up section, an arts and crafts area and loads of toys. For the parents, there is the T|Bar, offering signature Caesars for that true Canadian experience, and the Elmwood Spa next door. Every member of the family will be taken care of at the Chelsea Hotel.
However, the best feature of the hotel is quite possibly their family pool (there is an adults-only pool on a different floor as well). Younger kids will be able to make use of the pool toys and pop into the family-sized whirlpool but for the older kids, there is a 130-foot corkscrew waterslide that actually loops around the outside of the hotel! After taking in the city’s culinary and cultural delights, big and small can cap the day off with a care-free splash and spin on the corkscrew waterslide.
For some old world charm and a tranquil stay, look no further than the Algonquin Resort, Canada’s first seaside resort community. While slightly off the beaten path, this family-friendly resort in St. Andrews, New Brunswick is relatively easy to find and has plenty of activities to keep the entire family active. The Studio Room with a kitchenette is the best option for families with kids, though they also have one-bedroom suites for those looking to separate themselves from their cute but tiresome offspring.
Parents can golf on a course with stunning seaside views or make use of the complimentary tennis gear and hit the courts. For kids, there is an indoor pool with a thrilling three-storey waterslide and an outdoor pool that is open from June to September. Active families can rent a bike and explore the nearby St. Andrews area and Minister’s Island, which becomes a peninsula as waters drop toward low tide. Be sure to monitor crossing times ahead of your visit as they change daily with the tidal cycle. Don’t forget that you can also go whale watching with one of the many tour companies and meet wild Atlantic salmon face-to-face at the Atlantic Salmon Interpretive Centre.
The Algonquin Resort allows you to enjoy the luxuries of life and the great outdoors, making this a family vacation you won’t soon forget. Remember to try the chowder at their fine dining restaurant.
Centrally located, this hotel, previously known as Executive Airport Plaza Hotel Richmond, is the perfect hotel for families visiting the Vancouver area. With one, two, and three-bedroom suites available, it’s a great option for a large family vacation. Near the airport as well as the ferry terminal and with easy access to the downtown Richmond area, the hotel is conveniently located for trips further afield.
While the hotel does have a heated indoor pool and hot tub, there is something more exciting nearby. The hotel is the official hotel partner for Big Splash Water Park. Hotel guests are only 20 minutes away from an exhilarating day of whizzing through tubes, splashing around in the heated pools and plunging down tunnels. Let mom know that she can even catch an AquaFit class at the park and then hit up the bar for a well-earned drink.
The hotel does offer complimentary airport transfers, but you will want a car to explore the wineries, parks and shopping malls nearby. If you’re lucky, you may find yourself in town for the Richmond Night Market, which takes place between May and October. Your taste buds will thank yo u for taking them on an East Asian food journey. Be sure to try the dim sum options and if you see the raindrop cakes don’t ignore it! Kids can experience a thrilling, sensory journey at the Magical Dino Park in the Night Market as well. For a historical lesson, take the family to the London Heritage Farm to be transported to the 1900s era. There’s something for everyone in Richmond.