Best Splash Pads in Sacramento

Splash pads are one of the best things to do in Sacramento with kids in the summertime. When temperatures soar in Sacramento, which is frequently the case for several months of the year, splash pads are a low-maintenance way for kids of all ages to splash around with fun interactive water features. 

Another perk of water play areas? They are free! Splash pads top the list as one of the free summer activities for kids in Sacramento.  

Pack a picnic, find a shady spot in a local park, and let the kiddos cool down at one of the many top splash pads in the Sacramento area. You can find various splash pads and spray parks throughout the region, from Rancho Cordova to Natomas, Folsom, and 12 splash pads in Elk Grove (yes, twelve!). 

Here’s your ultimate guide to the best splash pads in Sacramento for kids. Note that there are additional splash pads in the area, but these are the ones I’ve deemed as the best! 

When Are Splash Pads Open? 

Splash pads are open seasonally. Typically, they are in operation daily from May to September. Each city has different opening days and times for splash pads. 

It’s best to check the official websites of splash pads to confirm hours and that they are not closed for maintenance before packing gear and kids in the car.  

When is the best time to visit splash pads? 

While the hottest part of the day is the afternoon, I prefer to take my kids when the splash pads first turn on for the day. I find that mornings and weeknights are much less busy. We’ve had many Elk Grove splash pads all to ourselves on random weeknights. If it’s going to be 100 degrees, it will still be warm enough for splash pads in the mornings. 

Top Splash Pads in Sacramento County 

1. White Rock Splash Park — Rancho Cordova

White Rock Splash Park in Rancho Cordova is probably the best splash pad in Sacramento. Why? It’s the only one in a public park that has water slides. There are two water slides—an orange one and a yellow one. However, both water slides have height restrictions, so if you have toddlers, hold off on this one so they don’t keep asking if they can do the slide, and you have to tell them, “You’re not tall enough.” 

The water slides are $1 per 90-minute session. There are three 90-minute sessions in a day. If you enter the park and pay $1 for a session but want to stay, you will need to exit the park after the session and re-enter, paying an additional $1. 

You can also choose to play on the splash pad without using the water slides. With this option, there’s no fee. Slides aside, there are dump buckets and engaging interactive water features for kids. 

Additional Amenities

White Rock Community Park has a playground, picnic tables, and restrooms.  

Address: White Rock Splash Park | 10488 White Rock Rd A, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

2. Oasis Park — Elk Grove

With 12 splash pads in Elk Grove, Oasis Park stands out as the best splash pad in Elk Grove and one of the top ones in the Sacramento area. It’s a massive splash pad with fun water features. There are coconut tree dump buckets, snake head cannons, and a camel that spits water. This desert-themed splash pad is always a hit with kids of all ages. 

Prepare for Oasis Park to be busy on hot days and weekends. As an Elk Grove mom who regularly takes her kids to this splash pad, the best time for water play with the least amount of people is on weekdays when it opens at 10am. There are also shaded benches for parents while the kids splash around. 

Additional Amenities

Other entertaining amenities at Oasis Park include a sandbox (and there’s an outdoor shower to wash off that sand next to the splash pad), restrooms, and two playgrounds. The toddler playground has a shaded cover, but the playground for older kids is in full sun. 

Address: Oasis Park | 8015 Poppy Ridge Rd, Elk Grove, CA 95757

3. Heron Landing Community Park — Rancho Cordova

This splash pad in Rancho Cordova is a gem in the Sacramento area. The Heron Landing Community Park splash pad is enormous! The water interactives are full of surprises. For example, you can spin some, and they change while you run through them. There’s a frog water tunnel and vibrant, colorful flooring. Heron Landing Community Park has become one of my favorite splash pads and toddler playgrounds in the Sacramento area. 

There are several picnic tables and restrooms directly adjacent to the splash pad. Want to know what to expect? Check out my Instagram Reel about Heron Landing Community Park, which includes the splash pad! 

Additional Amenities

The park has engaging play areas, especially for younger children. Rather than a large playground, there are interesting climbing structures for older kids. There’s also a large sand play area. 

Address: Heron Landing Community Park | 11750 Justinian Dr, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742

4. Livermore Community Park

The water play area at Livermore Community Park is so unique and a lot of fun for kids. Livermore isn’t a typical splash pad, but it deserves a spot on the list because of how unique it is. Kids get to play in a historic mining flume that acts as a waterfall, feeding into a winding creek. You can see what I mean in my Livermore Community Park Instagram Reel!

Children of all ages will love splashing around in this little water creek. Compared to other splash pads on this list, Livermore has a relaxing and calm environment. Bring buckets for kids to use at this enjoyable water play area in Folsom. 

Additional Amenities

There is a covered pavilion directly next to the creek. If that’s full, many trees on the opposite side of the pavilion provide shade cover if you prefer to set up a blanket. Restrooms are also nearby. There is also a playground at Livermore Community Park. However, it’s in full sun, therefore it won’t be ideal for kids on a hot summer day. 

Address: Livermore Community Park | 6004 Riley St, Folsom, CA 95630

5. Derr-Okamoto Park — Elk Grove

When it’s open (because it frequently closes for maintenance) this splash pad in Elk Grove is a gem. The Derr-Okamoto splash pad is broken into two sections. There’s the giraffe section with animal head water cannons and a large giraffe that sprays water. Then there’s the hippo section with some fun water features that are lower to the ground.

My kids love animals and are always asking to go to the splash pad with the giraffe and hippo. They have good taste when it comes to splash pads as Derr-Okamoto Park has one of the best splash pads in Elk Grove.

Additional Amenities

In addition to the amazing splash pad, the playground at Derr-Okamoto Park is fantastic. The toddler play structure is very large with creative elements. It’s also one of the few play structures in Elk Grove that has almost full shade. The older play structure has some challenging climbing equipment that make it stand out from an ordinary playground. Like the splash pad, the playground also has animal theming.

You can find a skatepark and basketball court at Derr-Okamoto. There are picnic tables under shaded pavilions. Restrooms are in the park (and they have a changing table) next to the splash pad.

Address: Derr-Okamoto Park | 9550 Mainline Dr, Elk Grove, CA 95624

6. Morse Park — Elk Grove

Like Oasis Park, Morse Park also has one of the best splash pads in Elk Grove. It’s a spacious splash pad with amusing water features like fish cannons and a coconut tree dump bucket. It’s not as big as Oasis and has fewer interactive elements, but it’s a fun splash pad. I like to think of the Morse Park splash pad as an abridged version of Oasis. 

There are a few shaded benches near the splash pad. Restrooms are also in the park. Want to check out the splash pad at Morse Park? View my Instagram Reel! 

Additional Amenities

The Morse Park playgrounds are pretty impressive. There are some interesting climbing features for older children. If your kids want more climbing options, don’t miss out on the rock climbing boulders in front of the Core gym. The toddler playground is expansive. There is a shaded cover, but in all honesty, it doesn’t do a whole lot, and these playgrounds are mainly in the sun. There’s also a sand play area.

Outdoor storytime takes place at Morse Park every Friday in the summer as part of the Sacramento Public Library. It’s one of the best free things to do in Sacramento in the summertime. Bring a blanket to listen to stories and music, and then let the kids run over to the playground and splash pad. If you have restless kids who can’t sit through a storytime, it makes it easy to duck out early and let them burn energy with water and sand play.  

Address: Morse Park | 5540 Bellaterra Dr, Elk Grove, CA 95757

7. Swanston Splash Park — Arden-Arcade

The Swanston Splash Park is a large, circular splash pad with ocean-themed interactive water features. There are various water sprayers, a seahorse, fish water cannons, and a tall dolphin statue. 

With trees around the perimeter of the splash pad, there are some shady spots to set up near the splash pad. A restroom is also next to the splash pad. 

Additional Amenities

Swanston Park has a playground, a sand volleyball court, and a basketball court to expand the fun after splashing around at its impressive splash pad. 

Address: Swanston Splash Park | 2388-2398 Northrop Ave, Sacramento, CA 95825

8. Horseshoe Park — Elk Grove

I strongly feel that Horseshoe Park is an underrated splash pad in Elk Grove. The whole park is Western-themed, and the splash pad has a colorful arch mister, an armadillo, and cacti for kids to interact with. It’s a delightful splash pad that tends to be less busy than the more popular Elk Grove splash pads, like Oasis Park and Morse Park.

Check out my Instagram Reel to see how fun the Horseshoe Park splash pad is! 

Additional Amenities

There are two playgrounds at this park, both of which are in full sun. The playground for older kids has western-themed equipment and an interesting horseshoe climber. The play structure for younger kids has many interactive elements. There are also two large horse statues that kids will adore climbing on. Picnic tables and restrooms are also available at Horseshoe Park. Some picnic tables are in the shade. 

Address: Horseshoe Park | 9800 Denali Cir, Elk Grove, CA 95757

9. Freedom Park — North Highlands

The splash pad at Freedom Park won’t be the best splash pad you visit in the Sacramento area, but it makes the list due to all that surrounds it. It’s a small, somewhat fenced-in splash pad with a few water sprayers that are little planes. 

The adjacent spaceship-themed three-story Freedom Park playground is very impressive. It’s an enormous playground with towering tunnel slides and ladders to climb to a third story. There is a smaller playground for younger children. There are bucket swings and planet icons all over the sidewalks that lead to the smaller playground. 

Also, the Aerospace Museum of California is next to Freedom Park. It’s easy to combine all of this into one outing. Check out my Instagram Reel of Freedom Park and the Aerospace Museum of California to see how to combine all these activities in one day.

Additional Amenities

While there are picnic tables at the park, they are regularly blocked off and reserved for parties. Don’t expect to snag a picnic table when visiting this park. There are a few benches available, but most are in full sun. Restrooms are at the park, and have a cool space mural on them.

Address: Freedom Park | 5931 Recreation Way, McClellan Park, CA 95652

10. North Natomas Regional Park — Natomas

Swing over to North Natomas Regional Park for a seasonal splash pad with a baseball theme. A large baseball is the centerpiece of this splash pad. Note that it’s technically a spray park as the water sprays from features above, versus the ground. 

Additional Amenities

There is a huge shaded playground directly next to the splash pad. The playground also has a baseball theme. Bathrooms are next to the splash pad. There are expansive grassy areas throughout this park. 

On Saturdays in the summertime, the Natomas Farmers Market takes place in the mornings. Grab a latte or a breakfast burrito from a local food truck and take it over to the park. Walking trails and baseball fields are additional features at North Natomas Regional Park. 

Address: North Natomas Regional Park | 4989 Natomas Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95835

11. Witter Ranch Park — Natomas

Witter Ranch Park is probably a splash pad you haven’t heard of in Sacramento. It flies under the radar but has some fun water sprayers in the form of ducks and a frog. Older kids may get a little bored at this splash pad since it doesn’t have dump buckets or water cannons, but it’s perfect for younger kids on hot days. 

Additional Amenities

The playgrounds are equally as fun as the adorable splash pad and have a ranch/farm theme. Natomas understands the need for shaded playgrounds, and like North Natomas Regional Park, this playground also has a large shade cover. 

There is a small playground with a roller slide. The large playground has a sit-in jeep. There are also horse statues that kids will enjoy climbing (and they look like the horse statues at Horseshoe Park in Elk Grove). Witter Ranch Park also has restrooms. 

Address: Witter Ranch Park | 3795 Saintsbury Dr, Sacramento, CA 95834

12. Gum Ranch Park — Fair Oaks

Gum Ranch is probably one of the smallest splash pads in the Sacramento area, but it makes the list because it’s one of the few splash pads for families in the Fair Oaks area. The Gum Ranch Park splash pad is best for younger kids, as there aren’t many water features, and older kids might get bored. The splash pad includes one dump bucket and a frog sprayer. It’s still a cute one for the Fair Oaks community, but if you live outside of Fair Oaks, it might not be worth going out of the way for. 

Additional Amenities

There is a small shaded area with picnic tables. Restrooms are also in the park. If your kids are climbers, they may enjoy the playgrounds at Gum Ranch Park. The playground is small but is considered an adventure-based park that encourages free climbing. Gum Ranch Park also has walking trails and a pickleball court. 

Address: Gum Ranch Park | 5600 Tuckeroo Way, Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Best Splash Pads in Placer County 

13. Harry Crabb Park — Roseville

The Crabb Park splash pad is probably one of the most well-known in the Sacramento area. It’s the one with the enormous crab with a face that has a waterfall flowing from it that kids can run under. There’s a bucket on its head, and the crab is holding a shovel. Large water spraying crab aside, the Crabb Park splash pad is a spacious one with lots of room for many kids to enjoy on a hot day. 

Additional Amenities

Crabb Park has a playground, restrooms, a sand volleyball court, and sprawling grassy areas. There are limited shade options. 

Address: Harry Crabb Park | 1000 Scarborough Dr, Roseville, CA 95661

14. Promontory Community Park — El Dorado Hills

Cool down at the large and spectacular splash pad at this El Dorado Hills park. The whole park is next level. It’s an expansive splash pad and reminds me of Heron Landing Community Park in Rancho Cordova. There’s a spray tunnel to run through, water dump buckets, a spraying snake, a spraying flower, and a large towering butterfly shade structure. 

Trees next to the splash pad do provide some shade coverage. Restrooms are also near the splash pad.

Additional Amenities

In addition to the splash pad, there are two children’s play structures that both younger and older kids can enjoy. A big highlight of this park is also the massive sports field. 

Address: Promontory Community Park | 2700 Alexandra Dr, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

15. Johnson-Springview Park — Rocklin

This splash pad in Rocklin efficiently packs in a lot of water features. There are some unique water elements, like an arch to run through and pads to jump on that make water splash up. There are dump buckets, and my kids couldn’t get enough of the spinning water table. Restrooms are also in the park. 

Additional Amenities

A unique feature of Johnson-Springview Park is the 18-hole disc golf course. You can purchase new or used discs from Final 9 Sports, which is right next to the park. There are two playground structures at this park: one for younger children and one for older kids. Additionally, there’s a roller hockey rink, skate park, and sand volleyball. 

Unlike many of the parks on this list with splash pads, Johnson-Springview is one of the few with lots of trees. There are beautiful oak trees in this park providing shade coverage throughout. 

Another interesting aspect about this park is that it has an easy, family-friendly nature trail that runs along a creek. The Johnson Springview Outer Loop is a 1.6-mile, flat trail that is perfect for families to enjoy. 

Address: Johnson-Springview Park | 5480 5th St, Rocklin, CA 95677

16. Fountains of Roseville — Roseville

You might not think of a shopping center as a place to go for a splash pad, but the Fountains of Roseville does have a small splash pad for kids to use seasonally. You won’t find unique water features here, but it’s a fantastic option for kids to cool off and feel like they are jumping into fountains. Bonus points for the rubber pad flooring. This splash pad is for children ages 10 and under. 

Additional Amenities

Make a day of it at the Fountains of Roseville. There’s a daily train ride for kids, a Dave and Buster’s for arcade games, shops to browse, and restaurants to grab a meal. Boudin, Zocalo, and Mikuni are eateries at the Fountains of Roseville, and all are on my list of kid-friendly restaurants in Sacramento. End the day with gelato at Miabella or ice cream at Salt & Straw. 

Address: Fountains of Roseville | 1013 Galleria Blvd, Roseville, CA 95678

17. Whitney Community Park — Rocklin

The splash pad at Whitney Community Park is on the smaller side and has a water tower sprayer as its main component. There is also a dump bucket and other interactive water features. The splash pad is directly next to the playground. The bathrooms are not next to the splash pad, but are still close by. There is not much shade in this park. However, there are picnic tables under a covered pavilion. 

Additional Amenities

The larger three-story playground structure is particularly remarkable. It’s massive with various twisty and tunnel slides. There is a smaller playground for younger kids.  

Address: Whitney Community Park | 1801 Whitney Ranch Pkwy, Rocklin, CA 95765

18. Bayside Splash Pad and Cafe — Roseville

This splash pad is a hidden gem. It’s a little unusual that it’s technically part of a church, but it’s free and open to the public for anyone to use, whether you’re a member of the church or not. Again, there’s no entry fee to use this splash pad. 

The Bayside splash pad is relatively large. Kids will love the entertaining water play features like dump water buckets, a water tunnel, and a water tube cannon. 

Check the hours or contact the church before packing the kids in the car when going to this splash pad. They tend to close it for a few weeks in the summertime when camp is in session. 

Additional Amenities

There is a fully fenced-in playground with rubber flooring next to the splash pad. Additionally, there is an on-site cafe. The closest bathrooms are near the cafe. With the combination of the splash pad, cafe, and playground, it will feel like you ventured to a small water park for the day. 

Address: Bayside Splash Pad & Cafe | 8191 Sierra College Blvd, Roseville, CA 95661

Top Splash Pads in Yolo County

19. Natalie’s Corner at Central Park — Davis

The brand-new splash pad (and first-ever splash pad) in Davis isn’t just one of the best splash pads in Yolo County, but one of the best in the entire Sacramento area. Natalie’s Corner splash pad is not only gorgeous with its attractive and vibrant flooring, but it also has tons of fun water play options for kids. It’s a garden-themed splash pad with flowers that sprinkle and sprout water, animal water sprayers, dump buckets, water cannons, and a large interactive water table that kids particularly love.

Additional Amenities

A standout feature in Central Park is the iconic pedal-powered carousel. Central Park is the same park where the reputable Davis Farmers Market takes place every Saturday. Multiple play structures and restrooms are in the park.

Address: Natalie’s Corner at Central Park | 5th St & B St, 401 C St, Davis, CA 95616

20. Jack Slaven Park — Woodland

The splash pad at Slaven Park in Woodland flies under the radar and is a hidden gem in the Sacramento area for kids. It’s a large splash pad in Yolo County with various interactive water play elements, including tall flower sprayers, several water cannons, and a frog water tunnel. Restrooms are in the park, and you can find some shady patches to set up blankets. 

Additional Amenities

There are two play structures at this park: one for older kids and one for younger children. Compared to other parks on the list, these play structures are pretty old and outdated. It’s nice that they are in the park, but the splash pad is the star of Slaven Park. 

Address: Jack Slaven Park | 1705 Miekle Ave, Woodland, CA 95776

21. Bridgeway Lakes Community Park — West Sacramento

This park is a gem, and another lesser-known splash pad in the Sacramento area. It does the job of keeping kids cool on those hot days in West Sacramento with water dump buckets and sprayers. Restrooms are also available in the park. 

Additional Amenities

There’s a playground at the park next to the splash pad. The park has various walking paths along the water, providing lovely scenery. There are also willow trees in the park. 

Address: Bridgeway Lakes Community Park | 3650 Southport Pkwy. West Sacramento, CA 95691

Tips for Visiting Splash Pads 

• Bring sunscreen as most splash pads have limited to no shade. 
• Don’t forget water shoes to help deter slips and falls and protect those little feet. 
• Bring a change of clothes and towels in case you plan to have other adventures after spending time at a splash pad. 
• Pack the snacks, as all that water play works up appetites. 
• Take buckets or other water toys along. My boys love playing with buckets at splash pads, and it adds an extra fun element for them.