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Best Water Slides In Pittsburgh

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Looking for a way to beat the heat as summer gears up to being in full swing? Pittsburgh-area water parks have you covered, especially if you're a fan of water slides. Whether indoor or outdoor, in a park or created by nature, Pittsburgh has slides to help you cool down, no matter what sort of thrills you're looking for. Here are five of the best.

Sandcastle
1000 Sandcastle Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15120
(412) 462-6666
www.sandcastlewaterpark.com

Situated along the Monongahela River, Sandcastle is a great place to get out and have some fun, with 15 water rides -- including a wave pool, lazy river, and slides, of course. Sandcastle offers two body slides and multiple tube slides, the newest being Dragon's Den, a slide which requires double riders and will "catapult through mysterious darkness and then plummet into the mist-shrouded abyss of the dragon... only to vanish from sight." The slides don't just cater to thrill-seeking adults, though. The park's children's area includes slides just for kids.

Idlewild Soak Zone
2574 U.S. 30
Ligonier, PA 15658
(724) 238-3666
www.idlewild.com

The longest-operating theme park near Pittsburgh, Idlewild has become known for its SoakZone attraction, featuring a wave pool, lazy river, tipping bucket, and more. Slides include the two-person Pipeline Plunge and Rafter's Run, and waterslide fans are sure to love the Hydro Racers, a set of head-first racing slides. Idlewild is also a great park for kids, and it has the accolades to prove it -- the park has won the Golden Ticket Award for Best Children's Park every year since 2010.

Boyce Mayview Park
1551 Mayview Rd.
Upper St. Clair, PA 15241
(412) 221-1099
www.twpusc.org

Boyce Mayview Park in nearby Upper St. Clair isn't just great for a hike or a day outdoors -- the park also features a 90,000 square-foot rec center with both indoor and outdoor pools, complete with slides. The center features something for everyone, with 6,000 square feet of water with handicap lifts, lane pools, an indoor therapeutic resistance current channel, leisure pool, and more. The outdoor pool is open until Labor Day, but with the indoor pool, you can have fun year-round.

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Conley Resort
740 Pittsburgh Rd.
Butler, PA 16002
(724) 586-7711
www.conleyresortwaterpark.com

For more indoor fun, Conley Resort offers an indoor waterpark called Pirates Cove featuring a sauna, hot tub, a pirate ship with water cannons, and two waterslides. Pirates Cove is open year-round, but hours vary in the summer months depending on the schedules of local schools. Admission is $18 on weekends, $15 during the week.

Ohiopyle
PA 381
Ohiopyle, PA 15470
(724) 329-8591
www.discoverohiopyle.com

Sure, exciting slides built in commercial waterparks are fun, but for something different, why not try a waterslide created by nature? While the main attraction to Ohiopyle in the Laurel Highlands is its waterfalls, the park also boasts a natural waterslide running through a small, winding gorge, ending in a small pool. But be warned, because the slides were naturally created from rock, you might be in for a bumpy ride. Park officials recommend wearing shoes and a shirt and pants for the ride. Even if the ride can be rough, the waterslide has been named among the best in the country and was recently featured on the Travel Channel.

Related: Best Dog-Friendly Hiking Trails Near Pittsburgh

Janelle Sheetz is a 20-something closed-captioner by day, writer by night, just outside of Pittsburgh. She also regularly contributes to AXS.com and Examiner.com, and her writing has also been featured on The Billfold and Neutrons Protons.

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