What to Bring to a Water Park: The Complete Packing List
When I was sixteen, I worked at Oceans of Fun in Kansas City. I spent that entire summer watching families show up unprepared.
Sunburned dads hobbling across scorching concrete in bare feet. Moms frantically trying to shield their phones from splash zones with paper napkins. Kids screaming because chlorine was eating their eyes alive and nobody brought goggles.
This is what you actually need, what you can skip, and what most people forget until it's too late.
Quick reference: the complete list
| Category | Item | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Non-negotiables | Reef-safe SPF 50+ sunscreen (2 bottles) | UV reflects off water; slides strip sunscreen |
| Waterproof phone pouch w/ lanyard | $8 vs $1,000 phone replacement | |
| Water shoes or sport sandals | Pavement hits 150°F in July | |
| Cash + one card | Half of parks still have cash-only spots | |
| Dry change of clothes (in car) | Hour drive home in wet swimsuit = misery | |
| Family adds | Swim diapers (3+ per child) | Required by health code |
| UPF 50 rash guards | Better than sunscreen alone | |
| Snacks + small cooler (check policy) | Saves $50–80/day | |
| Dry bag (10L) | Replaces $10–20 locker rental | |
| Often forgotten | Goggles | Chlorine + 6 hrs = misery |
| Hair ties (multiple) | Required on many slides | |
| Full-size towels | Park rentals are $5–10 each | |
| Ibuprofen / acetaminophen | Concrete + heat + carrying kids | |
| Plastic bag for wet clothes | Most-forgotten, most-rage-inducing item | |
| Aloe vera gel (in car) | Someone always gets pink | |
| Leave at home | Expensive sunglasses | They will sink to a catch pool |
| Jewelry and watches | Rings slip off wet hands | |
| Full wallet | Bring 1 card + cash + ID | |
| Anything you can't replace | Chlorine stains, things break |
Top 3 most-forgotten items that ruin trips: (1) plastic bag for wet clothes, (2) goggles for kids, (3) aloe in the car for the ride home.
The non-negotiables
Forget any of these five and you'll either be miserable or paying triple at the park gift shop.
Reef-safe sunscreen, SPF 50 or higher
This is number one for a reason.
Water reflects UV radiation, so you're getting hit from above and below simultaneously. Outdoor parks expose you for 6–8 hours straight with almost no shade on rides themselves.
Apply a full coat 20 minutes before you arrive. Reapply every 80 minutes, or immediately after going down a slide.
Water slides strip sunscreen off your skin far faster than swimming because of the speed and friction. I learned this at Schlitterbahn when I came home looking like a lobster on one side of my body.
| Format | When to use |
|---|---|
| Lotion | Initial coverage |
| Spray | Touch-ups only |
A family of four will go through a full bottle in one park day, so bring two. For specific product recommendations, see our reef-safe sunscreen guide.
A waterproof phone case
Your phone is coming to the water park. Pretending otherwise is a losing battle.
A waterproof phone pouch costs $8–15 and lets you use the touchscreen through the plastic.
Get the kind with a lanyard so you can wear it around your neck. Avoid the ones that clip to your swimsuit because they pop off on slides.
The pouch also lets you take photos and video on rides at parks that allow it.
Water shoes or sport sandals
The pavement and concrete surrounding outdoor water parks can reach 150°F on a July afternoon. I'm not exaggerating.
| Footwear | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Regular flip-flops | Fly off on most water slides |
| Sport sandals w/ heel strap (Tevas, Chacos) | Stay on during rides |
| Water shoes w/ rubber sole + drainage | Best for kids |
For kids, water shoes with a stretchy pull-on design are easiest. Velcro slows transitions and fills with sand.
Cash and a card
About half of water parks have gone fully cashless as of 2026, but the other half still have cash-only situations at smaller food vendors, lockers, and coin-operated features.
I keep a $20 bill and a credit card in my waterproof pouch, and I leave my full wallet in the car.
Some parks use wristband payment systems. Great Wolf Lodge and several other indoor resorts use this model.
A change of dry clothes
Driving home for an hour in a wet swimsuit with the AC running is genuinely unpleasant.
Pack a full change of clothes for every person in a separate bag that stays in the car. Underwear, shirt, shorts, socks, shoes.
The "I'll just dry off" approach does not work as well as you think, especially for kids.
The family essentials
If you're bringing kids under twelve, add these.
Swim diapers
Every water park in the country requires swim diapers for children who aren't fully potty trained. This is a health code requirement, not a suggestion.
Regular diapers swell up in water, break apart, and create a biohazard. The CDC's recreational water guidelines are clear on this.
Bring at least 3 swim diapers per child per park day. You'll use more than you expect.
Rash guards
A rash guard does two things better than sunscreen alone:
- Consistent UV protection that doesn't wash off
- Prevents chest/back chafing from repeated slide rides
For fair-skinned kids especially, a rash guard is the difference between a fun day and a painful evening of aloe vera application.
A wet cotton t-shirt provides almost zero sun protection and weighs the kid down. Get actual rash guards with UPF 50 ratings.
For toddler-specific gear, see our best water parks for toddlers guide.
Snacks and a cooler
| Park | Outside food policy |
|---|---|
| Schlitterbahn New Braunfels | Allowed (rare and valuable) |
| Most Florida water parks | Often allowed |
| Disney/Universal water parks | Limited; no glass |
| Independent parks | Usually allowed |
Always check the park's website before assuming. If outside food is allowed, a small soft cooler with sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, and water bottles saves $50–80 over park prices.
A dry bag
A 10-liter dry bag costs about $12–20 and replaces a locker rental.
| Approach | Cost per visit |
|---|---|
| Locker rental | $10–20 |
| Dry bag (one-time purchase) | $12–20 |
Roll the top down, clip it shut, and leave it at your chair. Not theft-proof, but neither is a beach towel draped over your stuff.
What most people forget
These items won't ruin your day if you leave them behind, but they'll make a noticeable difference in comfort.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Goggles | Chlorinated water in eyes for 6 hrs = misery, especially for kids |
| Hair ties (multiple) | Many slides require long hair tied back; the one you're wearing will snap |
| Full-size towels from home | Park rentals $5–10 each = up to $40 you don't need to spend |
| Pain reliever | Concrete + heat + carrying kids = sore feet, back, mild headache by 3pm |
| Plastic bag for wet clothes | Most-forgotten, most rage-inducing item |
| Aloe vera gel (in car) | Someone always gets pink |
For anyone with color-treated or chemically treated hair, a silicone swim cap prevents chlorine damage.
What to leave at home
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Expensive sunglasses | Will come off on a slide; buy $10 gas station pair |
| Jewelry and watches | Slide off wet hands; lost rings at every park |
| Nice cover-ups | Chlorine stains are real |
| Full wallet | Bring 1 card + cash + ID; leave rest in glove box |
Locker strategy
Most parks charge $10–20/day for standard lockers. Premium lockers near entrance or high-traffic areas run $25+.
| Strategy | When to use |
|---|---|
| Skip locker, use dry bag | If you travel light |
| Rent locker early | Popular parks (Volcano Bay, Aquatica) sell out by mid-morning |
| Choose center-of-park location | Multiple trips back > proximity to parking |
| Ask: unlimited-access vs one-time open | Some lockers re-charge after each open |
Indoor water park packing differences
If you're heading to an indoor water park resort like Great Wolf Lodge or Kalahari, the list changes:
| Change | Detail |
|---|---|
| Drop sunscreen | Mostly — some have skylights or retractable roofs |
| Add warm layers | Walking through lobbies/parking in swimsuits in winter |
| Extra swimsuits (2–3/person) | Multiple sessions/day; nobody wants damp suit |
| Pajamas + regular clothes | Evenings at resort, dinner, arcade |
For winter trip specifics, see water parks open in winter.
The quick-reference list
Screenshot this for your next trip.
Always bring
- Sunscreen SPF 50+ (two bottles for outdoor)
- Waterproof phone pouch with lanyard
- Water shoes or sport sandals
- Cash and one card
- Dry clothes for the drive home
- Full-size towels
- Goggles
- Hair ties
- Plastic bags for wet clothes
- Pain reliever
For families with kids
- Swim diapers (3+ per child)
- Rash guards with UPF 50
- Snacks and a small cooler (if park allows)
- Dry bag or waterproof pouch
For indoor resort stays
- Extra swimsuits (2–3 per person)
- Warm layers for transitions
- Regular clothes for evenings
Leave at home
- Expensive sunglasses
- Jewelry and watches
- Full wallet
- Anything you can't replace
The difference between a prepared family and an unprepared one is about $100 in gift shop markups and three hours of avoidable frustration. Pack smart, pack once, and keep the bag ready in the car. You'll use it more than you think.
For more trip planning, see our guides to the best water parks in Florida, Wisconsin Dells, California, and Texas. Or explore every park in our directory.
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Brian worked at Oceans of Fun in Kansas City as a teenager and has been running Water Parks World since 2011. He's visited 80+ U.S. water parks and writes every guide on this site personally. More about Brian →
