Aquatic Attractions

Those lazy days of summer are always better poolside. Cool down at some of the Chicago Southland’s aquatic attractions. Take a dip, poke your toes in the water, frolic at a splash pad or zip down a drop slide. The water is flowing and the choice is yours.

 Centennial Park Aquatic Center in Orland Park is another sizable water park offering a zero-depth pool, body slides, flume slide, tube slide and lazy river. Green Lake Aquatic Center in Calumet City is a smaller forest preserve district-run water park designed for younger kids where you can lounge in the lazy river, zoom down a slide or splash in the water playground

Several public community pools are open for your enjoyment throughout the season, including Lion’s Club Pool in Homewood with a waterslide, main pool, kiddie pool and sand playground; the Park Forest Aqua Center featuring a sand beach and toddler pool, water slides and 15-foot-high aquatic climbing wall; the Palos Pool in Palos Heights, with a Z-shape main pool, diving board and two slides and Blue Island’s sizable Memorial Pool.

Splash pads are also a welcome site on a hot day for little ones to cool off. You’ll find several in the Southland, including Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s The Living Coast, Millennium Park in Homewood, the Lily Pad in Chicago Ridge and the Splash Park at Commissioner’s Park in Frankfort. 

Lake Katherine Nature Center hosts a delightful annual event in June called “Walking in the Waterfall” that allows kids to frolic in the waterfall and learn about water movement.

Some of the Chicago Southland’s hotels also have indoor pools for cooling off.