Bay Area water parks: Here's your splash guide to summer

Opening date announced for new Bay Area water park

The Bay Area’s newest water park, boasting as the largest in Northern California, has announced its opening date this month. The much anticipated CaliBunga Waterpark in San Jose has set June 29 as its grand opening.

CONCORD, Calif. - With the official arrival of summer, Bay Area residents have a selection of theme water parks to choose from, including the soon to open CaliBunga park in San Jose.

You may not know the region is home to more than half a dozen water parks.

Here’s your summer guide to popular spots where families can splash and cool off from the heat:

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor - Concord

Located at 1950 Waterworld Parkway in Concord, the large water park offers more than 35 attractions, including water slides and rides and a big wave pool. The 30-acre destination also has what it calls the longest lazy river in the area.

The park is open 7 days a week during the warm weather season. Daily tickets start from $29, with season passes running from $65 to $175 each.

Antioch Water Park - Antioch

The city of Antioch-run water park includes three slides as well as sports and tad pools. Two attractions, Canyon Cooler and Rattler’s Run, are closed for this season.

The water park is open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission for a full day is $14 during the week to $16 on the weekends.

The Wave Waterpark and Aquatic Center - Dublin

Dublin’s The Wave is located at Emerald Glen Park at 4201 Central Parkway. The community aquatics facility includes pools, a water slide tower, and a splash zone play area.

Seasonal hours of operation are Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. A full day admission for residents costs $16. For non-residents, it's $19. Tickets for visitors under 40 inches tall cost $14 for residents and $17 for non-residents. The admission for children younger than 2 years old is $3 for residents, $4 for those who live outside Dublin.

Beating the heat at a Dublin water park

This week's hot weather is drawing many people to the water, but the heat can also be dangerous and catch some people off guard. We checked in at Dublin's 'The Wave' waterpark to see how people are beating the heat.

Aqua Adventure Water Park - Fremont

The city of Fremont runs Aqua Adventure, which is located in Central Park on Paseo Padre Parkway. The park is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. It features four slides offering "spills and thrills," a pool, a lazy river, and a splash play area, as well as a bucket tipping zone with more slides for younger visitors.

For Fremont residents, general admission is $23.99; for residents shorter than 48 inches, junior admission is $18.99. For non-residents, the rate is $25.99 for general admission and $20.99 for junior admission. Tickets cost $4 for a child three and under.

Fortress of Fun water slides at Aqua Adventure Waterpark in Fremont, Calif. (City of Fremont Aqua Adventure Waterpark)

South Bay Shores - Santa Clara

This water park is located on the grounds of California’s Great America in Santa Clara. The attraction offers something for visitors of all ages, including extreme water slides for the thrill seekers, a meandering lazy river for those who want a relaxing experience, as well as a kiddie play area, a tide pool and a collection of mini-slides for younger water park goers.

Admission to South Bay Shores is included in the ticket to Great America. Park tickets range from $39.99 for general admission to $110 for a season Gold Pass.

CaliBunga - San Jose

Opening next week, CaliBunga is a newly revamped park on the site of the long-running Raging Waters, which closed last year. The new attraction boasts as the largest in Northern California. It’s located at 2333 South White Road and overlooks Lake Cunningham. The park promises a family adventure with more than a million gallons of water attractions, including slides, rides, and kiddie play areas.

Tickets for general admission cost $49.99. Season passes are also available, ranging from $64.99 to $99.99. CaliBunga opens June 29.

Gilroy Gardens - Gilroy

Also in the South Bay in Gilroy, where temperatures sit in the 80s during the summer, families can find relief inside Gilroy Gardens at its Splash and Play attraction. The water park features a lagoon for younger visitors, a brand-new water play area, and twisty water slides with a giant tipping bucket.

Admission to Gilroy Gardens includes access to the water park. Daily tickets for general admission start at $40. Season passes range from $65 to $120.