Splash Pads, Water Parks & Pools in Boulder County • All Things Boulder

The temperatures are climbing and the kids are getting restless! One of the best ways to enjoy the sunshine is to check out some of the great places to swim and splash near Boulder. Below is a guide to all of the area’s easiest-to-access spray pads, water features, lakes, pools, and water parks in the Boulder area. For more ideas to keep the kids entertained this summer, check out our comprehensive guide of things to do with kids in Boulder this Summer.

In the hot summer months, children can cool off in one of our favorite Boulder spray pads, the Pop Jet Fountain, where water spouts up from the ground! The spray pad is located in front of the courthouse on Boulder’s favorite place to eat, play and shop — the Pearl Street Mall. Public bathrooms nearby.

The Pop Jet Fountain is located on the 1400 block of the Pearl Street Mall in Downtown Boulder. Always FREE.

Toddlers and big kids alike will love Louisville Community Park‘s splashground! There’s nothing like water to keep a toddler’s interest. This fun splash pad is located right next to the park’s play structures as well as grassy fields. YES, there is a bathroom at this park!

Louisville Community Park is located at 955 Bella Vista Dr, Louisville, CO 80027, Open dawn to dusk. Always FREE.

The Adventure Playground at Sandstone Ranch Community Park is a place for kids to enjoy climbing, digging, splashing, spinning, hopping, and exploring! The playground has areas for both toddlers as well as older children. The playground’s main attraction is water and sand play, which are found in the center of the playground. Kids will also find giant aquatic animals for climbing, fossils for discovering, lily pads for hopping, and water spray jets for keeping cool. Shade and seating are found throughout the play area for parents and caregivers.

Adventure Playground is located in Sandstone Ranch at 3001 CO-119, Longmont, CO 80504. The water is turned on from 8 AM – 8 PM. Always FREE.

Completely renovated after the devastating 2013 floods, LaVern M. Johnson Park features tons of fun equipment, including a zip line, web swing, and, yes – a splash pad! One of the most unique spots for outdoor water play near Boulder, the park has a shallow play stream for the kids to enjoy.  The park also has a covered picnic area and bathrooms.

If you are in the mood for ice cream and a splash, check out Lafayette’s Festival Plaza! The city runs the splash pad all summer long, right next door to local favorite Eats and Sweets. The cafe serves decadent ice cream, delicious sandwiches, and baked goods. Bathrooms are available at Festival Plaza for your convenience.

Festival Plaza is located at 311 S Public Rd, Lafayette, CO 80026. The fountains run dawn to dusk. Always FREE.

Kids of all ages, head outside to the new Civic Area nature playground, Creekside Play Area. This brand new playground was designed to give kids a safe, fun playground and water play area full of learning opportunities that allow children to learn and explore the natural world.

The Boulder Civic Area is Located in Front of the Main Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave, Boulder, CO 80302. Open Dawn – Dusk, FREE.

Boulder Reservoir offers one of the largest, seasonally lifeguard-attended swimming beaches in Colorado. It features a marked swim area with rafts. The shallow roped-off area is great for small children. Children 12 and under must pass a lifeguard-administered swim test to go beyond the first rope. Children under 3 years old must wear swim diapers. Children 5 years old and under must be within arm’s reach of an adult when in the water or near the water’s edge. Flotation devices are allowed only at the discretion of the lifeguards/beach staff. To view all the safety rules, click here. Bathrooms nearby.  Don’t have time to pack a lunch? Visit the Beachside Cafe, featuring an extensive lunch menu as well as snacks, kids’ meals, coffee, and tea. Boulder Reservoir is located at 5565 N 51st St., Boulder, CO 80301.

Your child is sure to get a kick out of the fun, colorful paddle boats at Waneka Lake Park‘s Boathouse. Parents can rent the paddle boats by the half hour (which come with complimentary – and required – life vests). Enjoy a calm, fun boat ride on a swan, flamingo, dragon, or duck! For all the details, click here. Lafayette is one of our favorite communities in the Boulder area. To learn more about Lafayette, click here! Waneka Lake Park is located at 1600 Caria Dr, Lafayette, CO 80026. 

Union Reservoir‘s sandy swim beaches are a fun gathering spot for kids and families in Longmont. Lifeguards are stationed at the beach for safety. A sand volleyball court, picnic shelter, and playground are located near the beach. Union Reservoir is just one of many reasons to love Longmont! Union Reservoir is located at 461 Co Rd 26, Longmont, CO 80504. 

The newly renovated Scott Carpenter Pool opened in 2021 and is one of the best places to swim in Boulder. Kids will be excited to check out the two huge tower slides, lazy river, and splash pad. Another new feature is the zero-entry leisure pool, complete with a climbing wall, slide, and diving board. There is also a 10-lane lap pool for avid swimmers.

Spruce Pool is temporarily closed. Spruce Pool is Boulder’s premier family-oriented outdoor pool. Enjoy a picnic on the lawn, cool off in the water features and leisure pool, then swim a few laps in our 25-yard lap pool. Eight-lane, 25-yard pool with temperatures between 80° and 82°, leisure pool with accessible ramp, accessible play features including jets, fountains, and a duck slide. Spruce Pool is located at 2102 Spruce St., Boulder, Colorado 80302. 

Take outdoor water play to the extreme at The Great Outdoors Waterpark in Lafayette. Plunge down the thrilling 21-foot-high double flume slides. Guests 48” tall and brave enough to conquer the twists and turns galore are invited to venture down. Perching high atop the fully accessible, zero-depth entry leisure pool, The Grand Eagle Dump Bucket spills water every few minutes near play structures perfect for smaller children. The Great Outdoors Waterpark is located at 500 E South Boulder Rd, Lafayette, CO 80026. 

Broomfield’s outdoor water park, The Bay, has been a summertime tradition in Broomfield since 1991. Designed for children ages 1 to 12 years old, the water park features a large pool, tot pool, body slide, tube slides, sprayground, and is ADA accessible. Lots of room for picnics, snacks, and treats are available to purchase. The Bay Aquatic Park is located at 250 Spader Way, Broomfield, CO 80020. By reservation until further notice. For more details, click here.

For fun with the older kids, take a family-friendly float on Saint Vrain Creek. Rent a tube for use in the Playpark or shuttle upstream with our Tube/Shuttle Bundle and kick back and enjoy the ride! Adventure West’s Saint Vrain Creek location in Longmont offers walk-up or reservations for tube rentals, but reservations are required for the tube shuttle bundle as there is limited space on the vans. The tube shuttle takes you to the put-in and outfits you with a commercial grade river tube and complimentary lifejacket (free helmets also available upon request). Enjoy a 1 1/2 – 2 hour (depending on the speed of creek flow) float with a few small manmade rapids in the playpark area. This 2-mile picturesque journey takes you through protected natural areas to an easy takeout on the Greenway, where the shuttle will meet you and conveniently take you right back to your car or feel free to keep your tube and enjoy the tubing playpark as long as you like!