About two hours northeast of Cincinnati, Zoombezi Bay in Powell, Ohio, lays claim to being the largest water park in the state. It sits directly next to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and a day-pass ticket covers admission to both — a detail that matters when you’re loading up a car with kids who have opinions about how the day goes.
The park runs from mid-May through early September, with the bulk of summer operating daily at 10:30 a.m. Hours vary by date, so checking the 2026 schedule before you leave is worth the 30 seconds.
For the Youngest Kids
Pelican Point
Zoombezi Bay’s dedicated toddler area is a 4,000-square-foot heated water playground with water depth ranging from zero to 12 to 14 inches. Tiny slides, gentle sprays and animal-themed water features fill the space, and the area is designed for guests under 54 inches. Shaded lounge seating, restrooms, a nursing room and food at the nearby Coral Kitchen are all close by. Life jackets are available.
Baboon Lagoon
A step up from Pelican Point for kids who are ready for more, Baboon Lagoon is a multi-level water playground with climbing elements, twisting slides and interactive water features built around life-size baboon figures. The main event is a 1,000-gallon tipping bucket that empties on a countdown — kids figure out quickly when to expect it. Lower slides require riders to be at least 36 inches tall; upper slides start at 40 inches; the Cargo Crossing element requires 48 inches. Kids six and under should be supervised by an adult. Life jackets are available, and the attraction is wheelchair accessible.
The Wave Pool, Lazy Rivers and Low-Key Options
Wild Tides Wave Pool
The wave pool runs six different wave patterns, goes from zero entry to six feet deep and sends waves up to four feet high. Tubes are not permitted in the pool. Kids under 48 inches need a life jacket if not accompanied by an adult. The pool is wheelchair accessible.
Roaring Rapids Action River
The all-ages lazy river for floating at a relaxed pace. Lounge chairs, food, restrooms and cabanas are nearby. Life jackets are available and it is wheelchair accessible.
Croctail Creek and the Sandbar
A separate 21-and-older section of the park with a 700-foot, 160,000-gallon heated lazy river and a swim-up bar with in-water seating. Guests must have a valid ID. The minimum height requirement is 36 inches, though the adults-only designation means this one is for parents looking for a break from the kid zones. An ADA lift is available.
Tube Slides and Raft Rides
Soundsurfer
A five-person raft ride with an interactive element: riders choose from eight programmable ride experiences, each with a different music genre and light show built into the 512-foot slide. The ride goes through acceleration drops, vortex loops and back-to-back curves before reaching the pool. Height requirement is 48 inches solo, or 42 inches with a supervising adult. Maximum of four adults per raft; 800-pound maximum per raft total. Guests with sensitivity to flashing lights or loud noises should sit this one out.
Cyclone
A four-person raft ride that drops 55 feet and reaches speeds up to 24 mph before sending riders through a large open bowl. Height requirement is 48 inches. Maximum weight is 700 pounds per raft for two to four riders; maximum of three adults or teens per raft. Scales are used at this attraction.
Sea Snakes
Bowl slides starting from a 51-foot tower, with over 200 feet of winding descent. Riders go on a tube and drop into a splash pool at the bottom. Height requirement is 48 inches. Weight limit is 250 pounds for a single rider, 400 pounds total for two riders on a double tube. Scales are used.
Sea Tubes
One- or two-person enclosed tube slides described on the park’s site as the fastest slides in the park. Height requirement is 48 inches. Same weight limits as Sea Snakes: 250 pounds single, 400 pounds for two.
Python Plunge
The park’s water coaster — the only one in Central Ohio, according to Zoombezi Bay. Water jets push rafts uphill before the ride drops riders through twisting turns and into a 70-foot landing pool. Height requirement is 48 inches. A 150-pound minimum per raft applies; maximum is 300 pounds for a single rider or 400 pounds for two. Scales are used. Not recommended for expectant mothers.
Big Boa Falls
A two-person racing slide that includes a zero-gravity 50-foot hill before the final drop into the landing pool. Height requirement is 48 inches; maximum 300 pounds for a single rider. Scales are used.
Body Slides
Slippery Seals Body Slides
Three side-by-side body slides — no tube needed — starting from a 63-foot tower and running 310 feet, with sections enclosed in darkness. The park lists speeds reaching over 20 mph at the bottom. Height requirement is 48 inches; no weight restriction. No loose articles permitted on this ride.
Conservation Tower
The Conservation Tower is the park’s flagship addition, housing three slides Zoombezi Bay describes as first-of-their-kind. Each is tied to a specific conservation effort through the Columbus Zoo, and the tower has received recognition from the industry trade publication Amusement Today. All three rides use scales at the attraction.
The Hive
A two-person tube ride through 720-degree helixes inside two large enclosed structures. Zoombezi Bay describes it as the first waterslide of its kind in the world. Height requirement is 42 inches with a supervising companion, 48 inches to ride alone. Weight limit is 300 pounds for a single rider, 400 for two. The ride connects thematically to the Zoo’s pollinator conservation work — since 2021, the Zoo has partnered with the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund to add more than 11 acres of prairie habitat to Zoo grounds.
Mussel Mayhem
Billed as the first of its kind in the Midwest, this two-person raft ride has riders sitting face to face through two halfpipe cutbacks and two funnel elements. Same height and weight requirements as The Hive. The conservation tie-in is freshwater mussels: roughly 20% of North America’s threatened and endangered species are freshwater mussels, according to Zoombezi Bay’s site, and the Columbus Zoo is part of a multi-organization research partnership working on their preservation.
Captina Falls
A head-first mat racing slide starting 51 feet up, with two riders going side by side through enclosed tubes and high-speed turns. Zoombezi Bay calls it the only RallyRACER with FlyingSAUCER 8’s in the world. Height requirement is 42 inches; no weight limit. Named for Captina Creek in eastern Ohio, habitat of the Eastern hellbender — an endangered salamander that the Zoo and The Wilds have been working to reintroduce to native waterways.
Otter Banks
Otter Banks is a multi-experience zone with three distinct attractions in one area of the park.
Sandpiper Splash Drop Slides
No-tube body slides with enclosed turns before a sudden drop into a splash pool. Strong swimmers only; height requirement is 48 inches; no loose articles permitted.
Sea Challenge
A floating water obstacle course where two participants race across shifting platforms, climbing elements and balance challenges, with a wall to scale at the finish. Participants must be between 44 and 74 inches tall; combined weight cannot exceed 660 pounds; guests six and under are not permitted. The attraction closes daily at 5 p.m.
Sand Dollar Shores
A shallow-water wading area with waterfalls and a water basketball setup. Guests must be at least 42 inches tall, wear a life jacket or be accompanied by an adult. Wheelchair accessible.
Tickets and Season Passes
One-day passes start at $34.95 online for adults, $31.95 for children and seniors. Gate prices are higher: $46.95 for adults, $43.95 for children and seniors. Every ticket includes admission to the Columbus Zoo next door. Children ages two and under get in free.
The park also offers a Zoombezi Bay + ZooMore Combo at $49.95 for adults and $46.95 for children and seniors, which adds a one-day wristband for rides at the Zoo’s Adventure Cove during Columbus Zoo hours.
For families planning more than one or two trips, season passes are $129.95 for adults and $104.95 for children ages three to nine online. Season passes cover unlimited visits between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, free parking, Columbus Zoo admission during the Zoombezi Bay season, and early entry on Sundays through Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Passes have gone fully digital through the Zoombezi Bay mobile app. Season pass holders can also bring up to two guests at $19.95 each on Mondays through Thursdays.
Parking is $12 per car. The park is cashless, though cash-to-debit card conversion is available on-site at no charge.
For more things to do in Southwest Ohio with kids this summer, see our full list.
Good to Know
- Several slides use scales on-site to enforce weight limits — Conservation Tower, Python Plunge, Big Boa Falls, Sea Snakes, Sea Tubes and Cyclone all note this. If that affects your group, it’s worth knowing before you wait in line.
- Lounge chairs and inner tubes are first-come, first-served throughout the park. Cabanas and private loungers are available to rent.
- The park has a Sunshine Guarantee: if thunder and lightning shut things down during your visit, guests can receive a return visit. Details are at zoombezibay.com/sunshine-guarantee.
- All bags are subject to search at entry. Threat detection is in use for all guests.
- A nursing station and family restrooms are located within the park. A limited number of aquatic-rated wheelchairs are available for guest use.
- Guests can exit to visit the Columbus Zoo and re-enter Zoombezi Bay with a hand stamp.
- COTA bus riders get $10 off gate admission — routes and discount details at cota.com/zoobus.
Plan Your Visit
Zoombezi Bay
4850 W. Powell Road
Powell, OH 43065
(614) 645-3400
2026 Season: Mid-May through early September. Hours vary by date — confirm before you go at zoombezibay.com/2026-zoombezi-bay-hours. Most of June, July and early August runs 10:30 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. daily. Some late-August dates are closed for private events.
Admission: Adults from $34.95 online / $46.95 at the gate. Children/seniors from $31.95 online / $43.95 at the gate. Children 2 and under free. All tickets include Columbus Zoo admission.
Season Passes: Adults $129.95, children ages 3-9 $104.95 online. Includes free parking and Zoo admission.
Parking: $12 per car. Free with season pass.
Official site: zoombezibay.com
All photos from Zoombezi Bay Facebook
