Atlantic City isn’t all about adults and gambling. There’s stuff for the kids, like the Island Waterpark at Showboat Hotel. Find out all about it in this review.
For more help planning your trip, check out all of our Atlantic City posts.
Whenever anyone thinks of Atlantic City, they think of gambling and slot machines. And I can see that. That was the Atlantic City of the past and one that my family grew up with. It was driving distance from where I grew up, so we would pack the car and meet my cousins and aunts and uncles in the city.
We’d spend the afternoon on the beach (and, I’m going to date myself here, but) using the casino coin buckets to build sandcastles. We’d walk up and down the Atlantic City boardwalk with our parents, running in and out of 99 cent stores. Then, they’d let us go to Playcade, the city’s longest established family arcade.
And the adults would split their time between watching us kids and gambling in the casino.
Now, Atlantic City is even more family friendly with a ton of things for kids to do, including the still new Island Waterpark at Showboat Hotel (formerly the site of Showboat Casino). The indoor waterpark, which is actually the largest indoor beachfront water park in the world, opened in July 2023.
If you’re wondering if this is the right vacation for your family, keep reading our Island Waterpark at Showboat review.
If you need a little bit of help getting everything together for your trip, check out our What To Pack For A Day At The Waterpark post.
Island Waterpark At Showboat Review
Affiliate links are included in this sponsored post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.
Quick note: Michelle’s family went to visit the waterpark last Memorial Day Weekend. This review and the pricing is based on that trip.
The Waterpark:
Island Waterpark is, well, it’s an island. Sort of. With a waterpark.
When you enter the waterpark space, there’s a ton of seating and the dining and adult-only area around the perimeter. There’s a lazy river that goes around the waterslides, basically creating an island for them.
Is that where the name came from? I’m not sure, but it would make a lot of sense.
The Island Drift Lazy River, by the way, was Michelle’s family’s favorite part. Honestly, lazy rivers are always a highlight.
The waterpark itself is broken into a few sections.
On the outer perimeter, there’s the Adventure Pool, which is a stepdown pool with an incline that leads to its deepest part (around 3 to 4 feet). That’s a great place to just hang out if you want a break from the slides. But, be careful. There are often basketball hoops set up at this pool with balls flying around.
Across from there is Kids Cove, a small waterslide for young kids (the minimum height requirements for those slides are 36 inches, so young, but not too young).
And very near it is the Tidal Racer, a dual mat slide where you race against your friend (or your newfound friend if you’re a single rider).
On the opposite side, but still on the perimeter is the Wild Wave Flowrider, a body boarding surf simulator. It’s a very cool way to try surfing if you’ve never done it before.
And next to that are my favorite of the water slides: barracuda blaster, sonic serpent, and electric eel. The trio of large tube slides are actually almost completely outside the waterpark. You climb up to them inside, and you splashdown where you land is inside, but the rest of the water slide is actually outside where it wraps around the building.
That’s pretty cool, and would be really cool if not for the fact that the tubes are completely enclosed. For safety, of course, but you can’t actually see the city of the Atlantic Ocean from the slide, so the outdoor slide is (I’m guessing) more for space than anything.
You can ride these as either a single or a double rider (doubles cannot exceed 400 pounds). Kids under a certain height need to ride with a supervising companion.
The rest of the slides are on Slide Island, the area created by the lazy river. There are five tube slides to choose from there. You climb up a staircase and choose your slide when you get to the top.
There’s a splash zone between slides and a timed bucket that falls and drops water onto the spectators. So be warned if you’re in the splash zone.
Now, of course, adults can go on all of the slides (well, except the Kids Cove one). But, if you’re in Atlantic City with just adults (because, well, AC is a popular destination for adults), check out Paradise Adult Island on the far side of the waterpark. This in an adult-only section where you need a 21+ wristband to enter.
Within the area, there’s a bar, spa services like a manicure, lounge chairs where you can relax as you look out huge glass windows to see the ocean, and a swim up bar with seats in Bliss Pool so you can enjoy your drinks poolside. There are cabanas with televisions that you can rent out and an entire second level party room you can rent with a private bar, television, and live DJ.
There’s also the Treehouse Bar, which is available for rentals as well.
Speaking of cabanas, there are ones you can rent within the all ages part of the waterpark too.
Michelle’s family rented them because you have to bring your own towels to the park, but you get towels if you rent a cabana. It also said nonalcoholic drinks are included with the rental. She has a family of six, so she thought that was a great deal.
But nope, it’s not drinks all day. It was just one bucket of drinks: two waters, two ginger ales, and two cola sodas. So that was a little bit of a letdown for sure.
And then the towels. The first set were falling apart and had dust on them. Michelle asked for new towels and, as she puts it, “They were the finest towels dollar store has.”
So, if you’re thinking about the cabana rental, we vote against it.
Dining At Island Waterpark:
If you’re hungry, you’re reliant on the offerings inside the waterpark as outside food and drink aren’t permitted. Exceptions are made for anyone with special dietary needs and food allergies and baby food. Just keep in mind that glass bottles are not permitted.
There are four small food kiosks along an indoor boardwalk within the waterpark selling food. It’s all really expensive, though. Chicken tenders and fries, a Crispy Chicken Sandwich (with no sides), and a Steak Wrap (also with no sides) are $20. A side of fries is $10.
Michelle ordered a pizza for her family, which was $35. The crust was so dark brown, it looked like pretzel crust (it wasn’t). The kids were so hungry from going up and down the slides all day that they ate it, but it was not great.
Water bottles are permitted, but you can buy water within the waterpark if you forgot it.
And, if you’re 21+, there are a ton of bars and drinks available. Cocktails are $17 or $30 and beer, hard seltzer, and hard seltzers are available for $9 or $11 depending on what you order.
Other Things To Do At Island Waterpark:
Island Waterpark does have a small assortment of games that it’s calling an arcade. There is, however, a larger arcade called the Lucky Snake Arcade, on the Showboat property.
If you’re over 21, you can access the spa within the adults-only area. It’s an extension of Aura Spa and Salon, which is located in the Showboat Hotel. You can get services like a manicure, a massage, and a blowout.
Save On Showboat Hotel:
The ticket price starts at $49 a person, which is pretty pricey, especially if you have to pay for a hotel as well. But, Groupon’s got you covered. You can book discounted Island Waterpark tickets with Groupon. Plus, you can book guest rooms at Showboat Hotel at a discount, plus get a credit for the arcade.
Island Waterpark: Frequently Asked Questions
801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ
(609) 964-7663
The waterpark is open year-round, but open days and hours do vary by season. In March, it’s open Friday to Sunday with a few Mondays. April is the same, although it is open the full week of Spring Break. May is Friday to Monday, and July starts 7 days a week. So definitely refer to the website before planning a trip around it.
There is a retractable roof, so you can play even on rainy days.
Tickets start at $49, but you can book discounted tickets through Groupon. Kids under 3 years of age are free, but everyone else needs a ticket, even if you’re not planning on riding the slides.
Lockers with unlimited access are available near the front entrance and the man-made Blue Cascade Waterfall. A standard locker is $15, which can fit a bag. A large locker, which can fit two bags, is $20.
There are bathrooms with changing areas and showers available.
More Things To Do In Atlantic City, New Jersey:
Atlantic City can be a great getaway. It’s filled with Things To Do In Atlantic City That Aren’t Gambling, like eating, shopping, a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, and more. Find a ton of fun entertaining ideas in that post.
More Family Friendly Vacation Ideas:
If you’re planning a family vacation and found this post because a waterpark sounded good to you, check out our list of Spring Break Ideas For Families On A Budget filled with more ideas from amusement parks to Medieval Times and more.
And, if you like waterparks, check out our The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark Review too.
Have you been to the Island Waterpark at Showboat? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.