This is the biggest indoor water park in the world

Tropical Islands Lures Winter Tourists
Getty Images | Sean Gallup

Temperatures in Berlin consistently plunge below 0 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and the Rhine River may be what comes to mind when you think of Germany’s waterways.

But just south of Berlin is a tropical oasis, complete with sandy beaches, lagoons and waterfalls — all packed into a giant, vacated airplane hangar. It’s called Tropical Islands and is the world’s largest water park, according to Travel & Leisure. The expansive park covers 16 acres, or six city blocks.

See the massive water park in action:

Park guests can stay overnight in tents, teepees, rooms or lodges. Before you dismiss it as just child’s play, know this: There’s a lavish rainforest-inspired spa, with steam rooms, a salt cave and saunas. Ready to book your plane ticket yet?

sauna
Tropical Islands

Here are some other highlights of the waterpark:

  • A balmy beach: The Tropical Sea is a 656-foot-long “sea” that’s kept at 82 degrees. (To help you picture just how big that is, it’s the equivalent of three Olympic swimming pools.) There is a paddling and play area for kids, as well as a sandy beach where you can build sandcastles. If you’re visiting on a sunny day, the park reminds guests to wear sunscreen as the hangar’s roof panels are transparent and the sun can shine through.
  • A Bali-inspired lagoon: With palm trees, a grotto and a waterfall, the jungle portion of the waterpark offers up waterslides and whirlpools.

Tropical Islands Lures Winter Tourists
Getty Images | Sean Gallup

  • A tower of waterslides: At almost 90 feet tall, the tower of four water slides is the largest in Germany.
  • A children’s play area: Aside from all of the water attractions, a kids’ play area includes a go-kart track, bumper boats, giant Legos, an air hockey table and more.

Visitors Flock to Tropical Islands Indoor Resort
Getty Images | Sean Gallup

Water Parks Located Closer To Home

Want to visit an indoor water park, but not sure you want to travel all the way to Germany? Great Wolf Lodge resorts, which have indoor water parks and theme rides, are at 15 locations across the United States, plus a location in Ontario, Canada, and they often offer Groupon deals for discounted stays. And look how amazing the pool looks in this photo Great Wolf posted to Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgCr11-FJRx/?taken-by=greatwolflodge

Another fun option that won’t require a trans-Atlantic plane ride is Virginia’s Water Country USA, which is the largest water park in the state. In addition to pools, children’s play areas and lazy rivers, thrill-seekers can enjoy a wild ride the Colossal Curl.

Busch Gardens

Visit ‘Nature’s Water Parks’

Prefer to splash in one of “nature’s water parks?” Then you’ll want to check out one of North America’s most amazing swimming holes.

Sliding Rock, located in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, is essentially a giant water slide made by Mother Nature. About 11,000 gallons of water from a waterfall spill over this giant sheet of rock every minute, making for some summer fun in beautiful surroundings.

Take a look at this gorgeous natural water slide, shared on Facebook by RomanticAshville.com:

For a more serene water experience, take a dip in Florida’s Madison Blue Spring, located by the banks of the Withlacoochee River. This limestone pool is 24 feet deep, and visitors can enjoy canoeing, kayaking, fishing and scuba diving in underwater caves.

Florida State Parks

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About the Author
Brittany Anas
Hi, I'm Brittany Anas (pronounced like the spice, anise ... see, that wasn't too embarrassing to say, now was it?) My professional writing career started when I was in elementary school and my grandma paid me $1 for each story I wrote for her. I'm a former newspaper reporter, with more than a decade of experience Hula-hooping at planning meetings and covering just about every beat from higher-education to crime to science for the Boulder Daily Camera and The Denver Post. Now, I'm a freelance writer, specializing in travel, health, food and adventure.

I've contributed to publications including Men's Journal, Forbes, Women's Health, American Way, TripSavvy, Eat This, Not That!, Apartment Therapy, Denver Life Magazine, 5280, Livability, The Denver Post, Simplemost, USA Today Travel Tips, Make it Better, AAA publications, Reader's Digest, Discover Life and more.

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