The Wave Waterpark
BEST FOR
Ages 0-11
ENTRY
from £5
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Coventry
What it’s like
Six slides, a wave pool and a lazy river under one roof, booked in two-hour slots so you know exactly when you're done.
Six slides is the headline, and they're proper ones, not the gentle sort you get talked into by a six-year-old and then regret. There's a wave pool, a lazy river for the bit where everyone just floats, and The Reef, which has mini tube slides, jets and tipping buckets for the smaller kids who aren't tall enough for the big stuff yet. You need to be 1.2m to ride most slides alone, though under that height you can still do The Cascade with an adult holding on.
You book online in advance and it's a two-hour general session, or an hour if you're going for the Parent and Toddler or Family Fun slots aimed at under-fives and under-eights. Turn up beach ready, since the plan is you go straight into a locker (free, using your wristband) rather than faffing in a changing room first. They want you there 20 minutes early too, which feels like a lot until you remember queuing at reception in your swimming costume is nobody's idea of fun.
Prices depend on when you go. Off-peak a family of four is £47, peak it jumps to £58, and junior tickets alone run from £13 to £15 depending on the day. That's a decent chunk for two hours, though the slides and the wave pool together are the sort of thing kids talk about for weeks after. No outside food is allowed in, so budget for Cofa's café afterwards rather than trying to sneak in snacks.
Booking's the one to get right. It has to be the original confirmation email, screenshots and printouts get turned away at the door, and there are no refunds if you can't make it, just a £3 fee to shift the booking if you do it 48 hours out. Parking on Salt Lane is discounted for waterpark visitors, and if loud alarms and music aren't your thing there's a quieter session worth asking about.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 5 to 11 on the big slides; under-fives get their own calmer session
- Booking
- Online bookings only (walk-ins not available), minimum 2-hour sessions
- Parking
- Salt Lane Car Park, discounted rates for waterpark visitors
- Food
- Cofa's Café in foyer serves snacks and refreshments
- Pushchairs
- Prams and pushchairs allowed if wheels are clean
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair accessible, accessible toilets and changing facilities available
- Getting there by bus or train
- Coventry Rail Station 10 minute walk
- Arrive 20 minutes before your slot and go straight in 'beach ready', changing rooms are for afterwards only
- Lockers are free and open with your wristband, no coins needed
- Rides start shutting down 30 minutes before the session ends, so the last stretch is quieter
- If noise is an issue, ask about the Quiet Time session rather than a general one
- Barracks Car Park has been closed, so allow extra time if you were planning to park there
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
A family ticket for two adults and two juniors is £47 off-peak or £58 at peak times. Junior tickets alone are £13 to £15, adults £15 to £19.70.
Do we need to book?
Yes, it's online only and you can't just turn up. You need the original confirmation email on your phone or printed, since screenshots aren't accepted.
How long do we get?
General sessions are two hours. The under-fives and under-eights sessions are an hour.
Is it OK for a toddler?
There's a Parent and Toddler session giving access to The Reef and Lazy River for under-fives, and The Cascade slide can be ridden with an adult even under the 1.2m height limit.
What about food?
You can't bring your own food in. Cofa's café in the foyer does snacks and refreshments once you're out.
Is there parking?
Salt Lane Car Park does discounted rates for visitors, up to four hours for £2.40 off the normal price, paid by card or the Glide app.
What do we need to wear?
Proper swimwear only, two-piece or full-body suits, swim shorts, or a swim nappy for little ones. Goggles and arm bands aren't allowed on the slides.
Can grandad just watch from the side?
There's no spectator gallery anymore, so anyone not swimming waits it out in Cofa's café downstairs.
Are there height or weight limits on the slides?
You need to be 1.2m to ride most slides unaccompanied. The tube and body rides also have weight limits, generally between 35kg and 180kg depending on the ride.
Can I change my booking if plans change?
You can move it once via the website for a £3 fee per ticket, but only if you do it at least 48 hours before your session. There are no refunds for tickets you don't use.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
There's step-free access, accessible toilets and changing facilities, plus a pool hoist at the Lazy River.
How do we get there without driving?
Coventry Rail Station is about a 10 minute walk, and there are buses right on the doorstep.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
MAKE A DAY OF IT
