All Wet: 7 Top U.S. Water Parks

Info: 909-802-2200, www.ragingwaters.com.

Splish Splash (Riverhead, N.Y.)

Why it's special: This 50-acre park offers 24 slides and several daily shows by high divers and avian athletes competing in the Bird Olympics.

What's there: Dragon's Den (see Raging Waters, above) debuted this summer, and the Giant Twister has you floating by the treetops. A Surf City wave pool, kiddie speed slides and a Pirate's Cove with water cannons and climbing ropes make this park particularly family-friendly.

What's nearby: Riverhead -- 60 miles east of New York City on Long Island -- is home to Atlantis Marine World, where you can see sharks and sting rays . . . Take the tour and wine-taste at Martha Clara Vineyards (one of many vineyards in the area) . . . Stop at one of many pick-your-own farm stands.

Cost: $27.99 (over 48 inches), $20.99 (under 48 inches), under age 3 free.

Info: 631-727-3600, www.splishsplashlongisland.com.

Water World (Denver)

Why it's special: The 64-acre park gives Noah's Ark a run for its money in terms of the number (42) and variety of attractions it offers.

What's there: Oh, just dinosaurs, sea monsters, bat caves. The park's highlights include Voyage to the Center of the Earth, a family tube ride that travels through caverns filled with prehistoric creatures. Get a bird's-eye view of the park from the gondola on the way to the FunHouse or gang up on friends with water cannons at the H2Orena.

What's nearby: Downtown Denver is 15 minutes south . . . Surround yourself with 1,200 butterflies at the Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center in Westminster, Colo. . . . Tour the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colo., or stay outside and enjoy the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Englewood, Colo. . . Head northwest for performance artists on Boulder's Pearl Street pedestrian mall.

Cost: $27.95 (12 and up), $23.95 (ages 4-12), 3 and under free.

Info: 303-427-7873, www.waterworldcolorado.com.

Wet 'n Wild (Las Vegas)

Why it's special: It's one of the few kid-friendly destinations right on the Strip.

What's there: Spread across 26 acres, the park features Bomb Bay, which lets you freefall 76 feet; the Royal Flush, which combines a chute and up-to-40 mph revolutions around a bowl-like slide; the Whitewater Slideways, where you get whooshed into a pool by 1,200 gallons of water; and the Suntan Lagoon waterfall area. The super-fast Der Stuka chute lets you freefall at a 70-degree angle.

What's nearby: You don't have to get wet to be wild in Vegas, what with gambling, lounge acts, comedy shows and other adult activities just a dice throw away . . . Detox in Red Rock Canyon . . . Visit nearby Hoover Dam.

Cost: $27.99 (48 inches and taller), $20.99 (under 48 inches), ages 2 and under free.

Info: 702-765-9700, www.wetnwildlv.com.