Water Parks in Texas: 8 Hotels for Fun Getaways

There are many budget-friendly motels and hotels near Typhoon Texas, but one of the newest is Home2 Suites by Hilton. This brand-new build offers clean, modern design and suites large enough to accommodate a family. Suites even include a kitchen with microwave and fridge if you want to bring along your own meals. Or you can roll out of bed and grab some cereal and yogurt at the free breakfast buffet.

These options make it a perfect water park trip for families on a budget, and there are also tons of local and chain restaurants nearby that offer something for everyone in the group. And if you have a hard time getting the kids off the water slides at the end of the day, the hotel has a spacious outdoor pool and free WiFi. It’s also pet-friendly, so you can bring along a furry friend.

Moody Gardens Hotel (adjacent to Schlitterbahn Galveston) is right in the heart of the action. Attached to the convention center, the Moody Gardens Hotel features a world-class spa, two upscale restaurants, and a popular hotel bar (in case you decide to take a break from riding MASSIV all weekend). It also has it’s own smaller water park.

Stepping into the lux cream-colored lobby, a calming stone water feature is topped by a cloudy blue paint treatment on the ceiling. It’s a reminder of the hotel’s connection to the rocky Galveston beach just beyond the lush hotel gardens and massive glass pyramids that house a tropical garden and NASA-inspired learning exhibit. If a lush lazy river, golfing and kid’s camp activities are your family’s speed, Moody Gardens delivers.

Located in a rapidly growing suburban area near San Antonio, the Resort at Schlitterbahn has all the fun and vintage charm of a 1970s camp. It’s attached to the water park, so that vintage vibe carries over from the park to the resort.

The resort is build in a cabana style, so look forward to real wood trim and big windows to let in loads of fresh air. Many rooms have vintage wood floors and detailing, while others have more modern tile or carpet. Rooms are unique, so you won’t have a cookie-cutter experience here.

If you get tired of slipping down water slides and gliding through the lazy river, you can roam the resort’s relaxing gardens. This is the place to experience an all-natural water park.

The rooms at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country  are as lux as you’d expect from a resort and spa. High-end contemporary furnishings and sweeping views of the resort’s lush grounds, water features or golf course are standard. All rooms have a balcony or large window.

Traveling without kids? Check out an adults-only infinity pool overlooking the seemingly never ending rolling green hills and distant trees of the golf course, perfect for romantic getaways in Texas. The resort offers lots of private areas with sweeping views for quiet relaxation time.

The park’s resort was also rebranded as the Beach Resort at South Padre Island. It’s the largest hotel in the area and has direct beach access. Rooms feature reclaimed wood and handmade furniture made from pines salvaged after the 2011 Bastrop wildfires. The real attraction is its proximity to both the beach and the water park.

Two hotel pools are flanked by tall palm trees, adding a tropical feel to the resort’s exterior. If you get tired of beach gazing or surfing simulated waves at the water park, sit out by the colorfully painted hotel pool or jump in and order drinks at the swim-up bar.

The rooms at the Great Wolf Lodge Resort have solid wood furnishings, plaid linen accents and antler art. Special themed suites feature little cabin-style bunk bed areas for kids. The camp and hunting theme carries into the family activity areas, like a rope course and the Fort Mackenzie “water fort tree house” in the water park.

You could spend the entire trip exploring the water park and other family-friendly activities in the drier areas of the resorts. But the lodge is also located near shopping, restaurants and a movie theater if the family decides to venture off the resort grounds.

When you’ve dried off, there’s a lot to see inside the Gaylord Texan Resort. At the center of the indoor gardens, the Texas Marketplace sits beneath a glass domed atrium. Inside, you can get your fill of Texas-themed food and dining. Or have cocktails in the trendy (and typically packed) Glass Cactus Nightclub.

With an attached convention center, and located near Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, the Gaylord Texan Resort is a popular destination for summer water park enthusiasts and people who enjoy luxury accommodations.

Considering their location in downtown, the Hilton Anatole Hotel and its water park have a lot of shade trees and green space for sitting and enjoying a summer afternoon. Reserve day beds and cabanas early. Even though they’re only available to hotel guests, they’re still in limited supply.

Inside the hotel, you’ll find a full spa, lap pool and fitness classes. The hotel is upscale contemporary and colorful. Rooms are appointed in bright reds and purples to reflect the energy of downtown.