High temps means it's time to head to the pool for swimming, splashing, AND sliding!
Here are our picks for the five best water slides in the Greater Tucson area.
At 235' feet long, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain boasts the longest water slide in Tucson.
The water slide leads directly into The Aventura pool, which features a simply designed splash pad and multiple "shallow zones" between 1 and 3-feet for the younger kids. Older kids will zip down the water slide with squeals of laughter. The Aventura pool is one of three swimming pools open all year around and kept at a pleasant temperature of 85 degrees in the cooler months. The slide is accessible to all with a height of 42 inches or more.
Guests at the Westin La Paloma enjoy a waterslide with a 177' foot drop that plunges you into the refreshing pool below.
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa features five expansive pools with spectacular views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Sabino’s Pool Bar & Grill, with a unique swim-up bar, offers poolside treats and delicious beverages. An exclusive adults-only pool and waterfall allows parents a relaxing setting in this desert oasis.
Guests can enjoy extra shade and privacy by booking one of four cabanas available for rent, each appointed with a television, ceiling fan, privacy curtains, small refrigerator, and two lounge chairs. Amenities included with your Cabana experience -- six bottled waters, a fresh fruit platter, sunscreen, and chapstick. Staff will be available to provide service from Sabino's Pool Bar and Grill. Westin La Paloma also has 3 spacious Family Ramadas available for rent near the Main Pool.
You must be 42 inches tall to ride the slide and anyone under 12 years of age must be accompanied by a responsible adult/guardian (18 years or older).
The JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa has a "fabulous array of multi-level swimming pools, lazy rivers, and dancing fountains [that] are fun for all ages." Hotel guests are invited to lazily drift along the Starr Canyon River, brave the Monsoon Falls Water Slide (the 175-foot slide plunges into the 85 degree water below), lounge by the Reflection Pools, or play in the Dancing Springs. The Reflections Pools and Starr Canyon River are open year-round.
The 143-foot "Sliderock" water slide at El Conquistador Tucson is designed for children over 42 inches in height. For younger children that don't meet the height requirement, the resort's children's pool - "Shallow Springs" - is shaped like a fish with interactive water features in the tail. The pools are open year-round and temperatures are kept 82° - 84°.
Rancho Sahuarita’s Water Park is the largest private splash park in Southern Arizona and includes three slides, a main lap pool with recreational swim space, a spa, and a splash park with multiple fountains and play equipment.
The most popular feature of Rancho Sahuarita’s water park is the Big Bucket, which dumps 500 gallons of water into the bucket pool every 5-7 minutes. The water park also includes a tot pool, picnic place, and dry Train Depot play area. The main pool is heated to 82 degrees year-round; splash park equipment is open Memorial Day to Labor Day. Rancho Sahuarita’s water park is open to residents and their guests.
The largest slide, a half-tube slide, is 20' tall and 142' long. There are also two smaller slides.
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AND...WE HAVE A FEW RUNNERS-UP! You'll love careening down these other water slides around town.
At 142 feet, the Quincie Douglas slide may be smaller than some of the previous three slides - but it's also open to the public!
Children need to have swimming ability in order to use the slide. A swim test is administered on-site. Quincie Douglas also features a beach entry, splash pad, and lap lanes. The pool is kept at 80-82 degrees in the winter months. In the summer, it can range anywhere from 80-86 degrees.
Located adjacent to Pima Community College East and Santa Rita High School, Clements Pool (at Lincoln Regional Park) opened in the summer of 1999. Like Quincie Douglas, the slide is 142 ft. in length. Children need to have swimming ability in order to use the slide. A swim test is administered on site. Clements also features a beach entry and one meter diving board. The pool is kept at 80-82 degrees in the winter months. In the summer, it can range anywhere from 80-86 degrees.
The Oro Valley Aquatic Center features an orange water slide that is 22 feet high and 130 feet long (plus a 30-foot run-out at the end of the slide). Guests must be at least four feet tall to ride. The Oro Valley Aquatic Center also includes an interactive splash pad, recreation pool, competition/Olympic-sized pool, and diving boards. The facility is open year-round and water is kept at 80 degrees.
NOTE: The water slide at Thad Terry Aquatic Center is not currently open. The pool is undergoing renovations.
The Thad Terry Aquatic Center at the Northwest YMCA features a slide that is 17 1/2 feet tall with a ride that is 81 1/2 feet in length. Riders must be able to swim unassisted to the side without assistance from the lifeguard in 3 1/2 feet of water.
The pool facility also has a mushroom water feature and 3 water sprays for small children, along with a 6-lane, 25-yard competition pool.
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Which water slide in Tucson is YOUR favorite?
