What to Bring to a Waterpark: Must-Haves and Have-Nots
Waterparks are fun, but let’s be honest: they’re also kind of gross. Everything is damp, your fellow swimmers have a loose relationship with hygiene, and there is nowhere safe to stash your valuables while you ride a slide. So figuring out what to bring to a waterpark is a balancing act between having what you need and dragging along a suitcase full of things you don’t. The golden rule: don’t overpack. Less is genuinely more here.
I’ve packed for Great Wolf Lodge, Timber Ridge in Lake Geneva, Disney’s Hilton Head, and the Nickelodeon resort in Riviera Maya, and I have learned the same lesson every single time: the stuff you forgot wasn’t a big deal, but the stuff you over-brought was a literal weight around your neck. This is the list I actually use.
What Should You Bring to a Waterpark? The Quick Answer
The short version: two swimsuits per person, flip flops, sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, your phone in a waterproof pouch, and any medications you can’t live without. Almost everything else either lives in your hotel room or is provided by the park. Leave the floaties, the extra towels, and the half of your bathroom you were about to pack. If you’re flying, remember the TSA 3-1-1 rule: carry-on liquids must be 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less and fit in a single quart-size zip-top bag, one bag per person. That single rule decides most of what goes in your toiletry kit.
1. Clothing
2. Accessories
3. Documentation
4. Toiletries
5. Methods of Payment
6. Medications and First Aid
7. Miscellaneous
8. Baby Items
9. Water Park Bag
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What to Bring to a Waterpark Vacation
1. Clothing
Pro tip: Check the weather before you pack. An indoor waterpark like Great Wolf Lodge is the same 84 degrees and humid year-round, but the outdoor pools and the walk between your car and the door are not.
Bonus pro tip: You don’t need a bunch of extra clothing. Bring only what you need for the length of your trip. Even better, pack a few laundry pods and run a load halfway through your trip. You just cut your luggage in half. (For more of this minimalist gospel, see our Great Wolf Lodge packing list.)
Waterpark Clothing Essentials
A. Pants
B. Shorts
C. T-shirts
D. Pajamas
E. Underwear
F. Bras
G. Socks
H. Walking shoes
I. Swimwear – Two per person. Wet suits never dry overnight, so hang one in the bathroom and alternate. Wearing a clammy swimsuit at 9 a.m. is a fast way to start hating your vacation.
J. Sandals or flip flops
K. Workout gear – Only if you will actually use it. You won’t.
L. Rain jacket – If the forecast calls for it.
M. Water shoes – Only if you want them. Hot pool decks and the occasional rough slide stairs make them nice, but they’re optional.
What Should You Leave Off Your Clothing List?
A. An iron – Nobody at a waterpark is inspecting your shirt for wrinkles.
B. Wrinkle release spray – Steam from a hot shower does the same job for free.
C. A sewing kit – This is a three-day trip, not a quilting retreat.
2. Accessories
What Accessories Should You Bring to a Waterpark?
A. Goggles
B. Sunglasses – In addition to or instead of hats. Bring the cheap pair, because something is going down a slide and not coming back.
C. Hats – In addition to or instead of sunglasses.
D. Hair ties
E. Belt – If needed.
F. Jewelry – Think minimal and cheap. There is no safe place to leave it while you swim, so anything you’d be heartbroken to lose stays home.
G. Ponchos – If the forecast looks iffy. They pack flatter than an umbrella and keep both hands free for kids.
What Accessories Should You Leave Behind?
A. Umbrellas – Ponchos are better and don’t require a free hand.
B. Floaties – Skip them unless the park doesn’t supply life jackets. Most do. Great Wolf Lodge, for instance, hands out Coast Guard-approved life jackets first-come, first-served, and you’re allowed to bring your own if you’d rather.
C. A large selection of expensive jewelry – See above. A waterpark is the worst possible place to wear it.
3. Documentation
What Documents Do You Need (or Need on Your Phone)?
A. Identification or passports for all travelers – A passport is required for the Nickelodeon resort in Riviera Maya and any other international trip; a driver’s license covers domestic parks.
B. Global Entry Card – If you have one and you’re flying internationally.
C. Priority Pass card – If you have it, for airport lounge access.
D. Health insurance card
E. Airline reservation confirmations and boarding passes
F. Hotel reservation confirmations
G. Ground transportation reservation confirmations
What Documents Should You Not Pack?
A. Any unnecessary or duplicate documentation with your personal information – Your Social Security card and the deed to your house can sit this trip out.
4. Toiletries
Pro tip: If you’re flying, this entire section lives or dies by the TSA 3-1-1 rule. Every liquid, gel, cream, or aerosol in your carry-on has to be 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less and fit inside one quart-size clear zip-top bag, one bag per passenger. Buy a set of travel bottles and decant your favorites instead of hauling full-size everything.
One more thing: Many of the items below are already in your hotel room or at the front desk. Call ahead and skip whatever they stock.
Which Toiletries Are Worth Packing?
A. Glasses
B. Contact solution and extra contacts – Daily disposables are a gift at a waterpark, where a stray splash can wash a lens right out.
C. Toothbrush
D. Toothpaste
E. Mouthwash
F. Floss
G. Chapstick
H. Hand sanitizer
I. Cotton swabs
J. Tissue
K. Tweezers
L. Face wash
M. Deodorant
N. Sunscreen – The one thing you’ll regret forgetting. Park gift-shop sunscreen is real, but it’s priced like it’s made of saffron.
O. Shampoo – Only if you need a particular kind, like tear-free.
P. Conditioner – Only if you want or need a specific kind.
Q. Lotion – Only bring it if you need a special kind.
R. Body wash – Only if you need a specific kind.
S. Loofah
T. Razor
U. Feminine hygiene products
V. Makeup
W. Makeup remover
X. Hairbrush
Y. Bug spray
Z. Hair styling products
AA. Nail file
Which Toiletries Should You Skip?
A. Nail clippers – Clip your nails before you leave or use a file.
B. Nail polish – Paint from the comfort of home.
C. Hair dryer – They’re almost definitely in your hotel room already. Call the front desk if you’re not sure.
5. Methods of Payment
How Should You Pay at a Waterpark?
A. Credit cards – Most resort waterparks tie purchases to your room key or a wristband, so a card on file usually covers everything from snacks to cabanas. (If you’re still figuring out which card to bring, our beginner’s guide to miles-and-points cards is a good start.)
B. A small amount of cash – For tips and the one vendor who is somehow cash-only.
What Should You Leave at Home?
A. A lot of cash – There’s nowhere safe to stash it while you’re on a slide, and you don’t need enough to play Solitaire.
6. Medications and First Aid
You need your medications, but you don’t need a three-month supply. Condense. Good news for fliers: the TSA’s 3-1-1 limit has an exception for medically necessary liquids and medications. They can exceed 3.4 ounces and don’t have to fit in the quart bag – just pull them out and tell the officer at screening.
What Should Be in Your Waterpark First-Aid Kit?
A. Thermometer
B. Any necessary medical equipment
C. Vitamins
D. Pain relievers – For both children and adults. A day of slides and stairs earns everyone a headache.
E. BAND-AIDs – Wet feet and slide stairs are a blister factory.
F. Antibacterial cream
G. Medications
What Should You Not Pack?
A. Full bottles of anything – Condense into travel sizes and stay on the right side of the 3.4-ounce line.
7. Miscellaneous Items
What Else Is Worth Bringing?
A. Hotel and airplane entertainment – Tablets, headphones, a deck of cards. Something for the inevitable “we’re resting in the room” hour.
B. Snacks – For the room and the car. Note that many parks ban outside food and coolers inside the water park itself – Great Wolf Lodge is one – so plan to eat your snacks in your room.
C. Gum
D. Cell phones and chargers
E. Portable cell phone charger – A full day of photos and mobile ordering will drain a phone by lunch.
F. Waterproof cell phone case – If you want to take pictures in the water without gambling your phone.
What Miscellaneous Junk Should You Leave Behind?
A. Night light – Leave the bathroom light on and the door cracked.
B. Shoe organizer – You shouldn’t have enough shoes to require organization.
C. Hamper – An empty suitcase is a rolling laundry basket.
D. Cameras – Your phone has a camera. It has had one for years.
E. Extra towels – Most resort waterparks hand out towels (Great Wolf Lodge even encourages you to bring your own, so check your park’s policy). Unless yours doesn’t, leave them home.
F. Pool toys
G. Travel clothesline and clips – People bring these to hang wet swimsuits. The shower curtain rod does the same job for free.
H. Expensive electronics – Water and theft are both on the menu. Don’t tempt either.
I. Selfie sticks and extension poles
8. Baby Items
What Do You Need to Bring for a Baby?
A. Stroller – Instead of or in addition to a baby sling.
B. Baby sling – Instead of or in addition to a stroller.
C. Formula and baby food – Flying? These get a TSA pass: formula, breast milk, and baby food are allowed in carry-on amounts over 3.4 ounces. Just declare them at the checkpoint.
D. Sippy cups
E. Bibs
F. Car seat – If your ground transportation provider doesn’t offer them.
G. Breast pump and accessories
H. Bottles
I. Diapers – Both regular and swim. A regular diaper turns into a water balloon, so swim diapers are non-negotiable in the pool.
J. Wipes
K. Pacifiers
L. Bottle cleaner
M. Dish soap to clean bottles
What Baby Gear Should You Skip?
A. Baby monitor
B. Pack and Play – Unless your hotel doesn’t provide one, which is highly unlikely. Ask when you book.
C. High chair – This is a lot of luggage for not much payoff. Most hotel restaurants have them.
9. What to Pack in Your Waterpark Bag
Keep in mind that you’ll need to walk away from this bag every time you ride a slide. Pack it like everything in it could be stolen or soaked, because it could. Bring the cheap version, and bring as little as possible.
What Should Go in Your Waterpark Bag?
A. Cell phone and portable cell phone charger
B. Sunscreen
C. Hats
D. Sunglasses
E. Hand Sanitizer
F. Tissue
G. Feminine hygiene products
H. Gum
I. Chapstick
J. BAND-AIDs
K. Pain relievers
L. Waterproof cell phone case – If you plan to bring your phone into the water.
M. Baby stuff you need on a typical day
Waterpark Packing FAQs
Do I need to bring my own life jacket?
Usually not. Most resort waterparks stock Coast Guard-approved life jackets for guests to borrow. Great Wolf Lodge, for example, provides them first-come, first-served, and lets you bring your own if you prefer a particular fit. Skip the inflatable floaties either way – they’re bulky, and many parks won’t let you use them on slides.
Can I bring my own food and towels?
Towels, often yes – many parks provide them, and some (Great Wolf Lodge included) actually encourage you to bring your own. Outside food is a different story: plenty of waterparks, again including Great Wolf Lodge, ban outside food and coolers inside the water park. Check your specific park’s policy before you load up a bag.
How do TSA liquid rules affect what I pack?
If you’re flying, every liquid, gel, or aerosol in your carry-on must be 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or smaller and fit in one quart-size zip-top bag per person. That’s why decanting sunscreen and shampoo into travel bottles matters. Medications, breast milk, formula, and baby food are exempt and can exceed that limit – just declare them at screening. (Most large U.S. airports now use CT scanners, so at those checkpoints you can leave the bag inside your carry-on, but the size limit still applies.)
What’s the one thing people always forget?
A second swimsuit per person. One suit means you start day two in a cold, wet one. Pack two, alternate them, and hang the wet one to dry overnight.
Final Thoughts on What to Bring to a Waterpark
Deciding what to bring to a waterpark really does come down to one rule: don’t overdo it. Less is more. You want to ride slides with your kids, not stand guard over a mountain of stuff you didn’t need. The park provides most of the bulky things – towels, life jackets, food for sale – and your hotel has the rest. In a pinch, the gift shop exists (at gift-shop prices, but it exists). Pack light, double-check the TSA bag if you’re flying, and go have fun.
