Make a splash
Kentucky amusement and water parks cater to the kid in everyone
THERE’S NOTHING BETTER than spending a warm Kentucky day at a fun park. Soaking up thrill rides, cooling off in a wave pool, trying your luck at a carnival game—it’s the stuff of lasting summer memories.
Kentucky’s family-friendly amusement and water parks make it easy to make the most of summer’s long, lazy days. The best part: all this fun’s just a short drive away.
Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville
Situated in the heart of Derby City, Kentucky Kingdom boasts world-class roller coasters, kid-friendly amusement rides, classic carnival games, and all the floating and sliding fun you can handle at its on-site water park, Hurricane Bay.
With a massive, 750,000-gallon wave pool, two lazy rivers and more than a dozen water slides—like the nearly vertical, 12-story Deep Water Dive—to explore, Hurricane Bay is “definitely a crowd favorite,” especially on sizzling summer days, says Logan Sanderson, Kentucky Kingdom’s marketing manager.
Kentucky Kingdom offers roller coasters, kid-friendly rides, a water park and more. Photo: Kentucky Kingdom
When it’s time to dry off, guests can test their mettle on Kentucky Kingdom’s crowd-favorite thrill rides like Wind Chaser, known for its barrel roll drop, and Lightning Run, a 10-story steel coaster that delivers serious air time. On the park’s just-added Flying Fox, a new, $14-million family-friendly coaster, riders can soar six stories above the park at speeds up to 37 mph.
For those with young kids, the attractions at the park’s Discovery Meadow, fully renovated and expanded in 2025, are sure to bring smiles to even the smallest visitors’ face. Highlights include Scout’s Squirrel Race, a roundabout ride; and Cumberland Express, which captures the fun of hopping aboard a scenic train journey.
Venture River Water Park, Eddyville
Cooling off is a breeze at family-run Venture River Water Park, where you can zoom down multiple, thrill-packed slides—like Cliffhanger and Twin Twisters—or simply float your cares away in the 480,000-gallon wave pool at the heart of the roughly 40-acre property.
Venture River Water Park’s Matanascar Racer water slide is a four-lane, head first, mat racing experience. Photo: Venture River Water Park
New for 2026, the park’s recently unveiled Kapuna River takes the blueprint of a lazy river and adds a bit of oomph via jetted currents that help move guests along on (somewhat) fast-paced laps. There’s also a true lazy river for those who prefer to keep their rafting slow. For little ones, the park offers three kiddie pool areas where splashing and spraying are not only allowed, but encouraged.
“We try to have something for everyone, from toddlers to adults,” says Megan Blackburn, a Venture River manager. “I think the family-fun aspect here is what attracts everyone. It’s why people feel safe and comfortable coming here.”
Beech Bend, Bowling Green
A family favorite for generations, Beech Bend traces its roots all the way back to 1898. The amusement park offers a mix of thrill rides, family-friendly rides and midway-style games and attractions—plus live entertainment and more than 1 million gallons of water-based fun at its water park, Splash Lagoon.
Adrenaline seekers won’t want to miss a ride on the Kentucky Rumbler, a nearly 100-foot-tall wooden coaster billed as one of the twistiest in a seven-state region; or the rush from Zero-G, which soars to 140 feet before dropping at speeds up to 60 mph. The park offers plenty of accessible fun for families with young children, too, from bumper cars, mini golf and a haunted house to go-carts and gentle rides for kids.
An aerial view of Splash Lagoon water park at Beech Bend in Bowling Green.
On the hottest of days, though, many families take refuge in the cooling waters of Splash Lagoon, where they can play in a giant wave pool, relax in a lazy river, or slip down to a splash landing on attractions like Tidal Wave and Polynesian Plunge.
“The best thing about Beech Bend is that it’s two parks in one,” says Paul Blick, park operations manager. “Our water park is centrally located right in the middle of our amusement park.”
Beech Bend season ticket holders can leave their cash at home and pay for food and other park purchases with new RFID wristbands, which the park is unveiling this year. In addition to its amusement and water parks, Beech Bend also includes a raceway and a 411- site campground.
SomerSplash, Somerset
The rushing waters of speed slides mix with gentle, rolling waves and frolicking splash zones at SomerSplash, Somerset’s top spot for summer water fun.
“We’ve got a lazy river, a wave pool, a bowl slide, a tube slide, a speed slide and body slides,” says Stephen Sims, SomerSplash’s general manager.
SomerSplash waterpark includes one of Kentucky’s longest lazy rivers, in addition to slides, wave pool and more. Photo: SomerSplash
In fact, the park’s 1,200-foot-long lazy river is one of the longest in Kentucky, partially explaining why SomerSplash annually draws visitors from across the state and beyond. The water park also includes a dedicated children’s play zone with a kiddie pool, kiddie slides and a kid-friendly wade area.
“I always say we have something for everybody,” Sims says. “There’s an attraction for everyone, no matter your age.”
