We love great waves, and so do our 2.5 and 4 year olds. Huge shallow pool with slides just for preschoolers (both kids were going down the slides by themselves), but parents can go with the kids at the same time, if the child is frightened. Nice free life vests for the kids, too. Awesome playground structure and sandbox area. With huge non-water slides. Also a splash park adjacent to the preschool pool, for the non-swimmers and real little ones to cool down.

We have seen local politicians there with their families. And, we are not ghetto but yuppies with small kids. Yes, there are mixed races there (gasp!), and I do supervise my kids on the water slides to make sure the more aggressive kids (some who don't speak English well) cut the line (they often do).

Decent snack bar with healthy options including Horizon Organic milk.

Only downside is you cannot bring in any outside food or beverages except water, and they do check your bags.

Great Adventure also has a nice water park if you're willing to drive. But great waves is closer and cheaper.

There are actually 4 or 5 NVRPA water parks. Atlantis in Western Fairfax/Eastern Prince William is in Bull Run Park. It is nice and clean. We go there a couple of times per summer. It's close and cheap and has 2 big water slides and a splash park and a big pool and a snack bar. Oh and free and plentiful parking. I can't say as I pay attention to the race of the patrons. All I know is that there are lots of people who seem to be having fun.

Anonymous wrote:Or you could drive a little farther and do kings dominion (big waterpark) or six flags.

We have been to all the NVRPA parks and the clientele at great waves definitely skews more AA. It is also much bigger and more crowded (and has many more features) than the other parks. That said, my whole family became very ill after swimming there one day--which never happened at any of the other NVRPA waterparks.

Wow. Just wow. I don't think op asked about the race of people who go there. You're such an asshole.

upton hill is great but 3.5 year old wont be tall enough for slides so if that's what you're looking for, wrong place

Or you could drive a little farther and do kings dominion (big waterpark) or six flags.

We have been to all the NVRPA parks and the clientele at great waves definitely skews more AA. It is also much bigger and more crowded (and has many more features) than the other parks. That said, my whole family became very ill after swimming there one day--which never happened at any of the other NVRPA waterparks.

NVRPA has a great water park at Pohick Bay Regional Park called Pirate's Cove on Mason Meck in Lorton,,- beautiful area. It has a lot more features than Upton Hill does, though it's awesome that Upton has the mini golf and batting cages.

As far as Upton Hill being "ghetto" - if the term refers to ten down facilities, no - it's newly renovated and lovely. If it refers to the presence of Asian, Hispanic, and black people in addition to white folk, you are both accurate and a jerk.

If you're going to go there, PP, aren't waterparks inherently "ghetto"? One should have one's own pool or a house on the lake.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't upton hills the Arlington public pool? I wouldn't call it a waterpark at all.

It's part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park system so it's own by the same entity as Great Waves. But, there's definitely more AT Great Waves.

Both are sort of ghetto, to.

Classy

But true.

So very true. It's a bit far but Manassas has a water park Splashdown

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't upton hills the Arlington public pool? I wouldn't call it a waterpark at all.

It's part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park system so it's own by the same entity as Great Waves. But, there's definitely more AT Great Waves.

Both are sort of ghetto, to.

Classy

But true.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't upton hills the Arlington public pool? I wouldn't call it a waterpark at all.

It's part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park system so it's own by the same entity as Great Waves. But, there's definitely more AT Great Waves.

Both are sort of ghetto, to.

Classy

Anonymous wrote:Isn't upton hills the Arlington public pool? I wouldn't call it a waterpark at all.

It's part of the Northern Virginia Regional Park system so it's own by the same entity as Great Waves. But, there's definitely more AT Great Waves.

Both are sort of ghetto, to.

Isn't upton hills the Arlington public pool? I wouldn't call it a waterpark at all.

Two adult friends visiting in town who love waterparks plus we have a 3.5 yo who loves to splash. There are the same distance. Which one is best? GW seems to be cheaper.