Being lazy often gets a bad rap, but there’s something to be said for enjoying a lazy day to beat the summertime heat in Arizona. Since Arizona doesn’t enjoy an oceanside location with all of the beaches that come with it, locals and tourists here rely on hotels with refreshing pools and fun-filled waterparks to cool off. So, embrace your lazy side and the heat of summer because these are the top lazy rivers in Arizona.
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Tucson
JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa is one of the top hotels in Tucson, beloved for its lazy river. Overall, the resort has a multi-level pool, lazy river, and water slide to go with its spacious rooms and upscale suites. Guests who stay here love the nightly tequila toasts and being able to hike and bike the trails that start right at the resort. You can even book a room with a view of the lazy river with one king or two queen beds for a fun and festive view.
Key Amenities:
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Multi-level pool, lazy river and water slide
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Trails accessible from resort
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Arnold Palmer-designed golf course
3800 W Starr Pass Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85745, USA— +1 520-792-3500
Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak, Phoenix
Phoenix is full of top attractions to enjoy in summer, but the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak River Ranch water park beats them all. It has a half-mile lazy river if you want to sit and relax in a tube, as well as a 130-foot water slide and a full four-acre water park. Onsite you’ll also find an 18-hole mini-golf course and four tennis courts to keep you entertained, as well as a kids’ activity camp. Take your pick among the one-room suites and one and two-bedroom casitas to experience this lazy river for yourself. The resort is along the Phoenix North Mountain Preserves and close to Scottsdale and the airport.
Key Amenities:
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Half-mile lazy river, water slide and four-acre water park
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18-hole mini golf course and four tennis courts
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Suites and casitas available
Arizona Grand Resort & Spa, Phoenix
A top Phoenix resort with a water park and lazy river is the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa. The Oasis water park is reserved for resort guests (with limited availability for non-resort guests) and has a river that’s perfect for tubing, as well as a gigantic wave pool, an eight-story tower with three water slides, and a 25-person hot tub. The Zuni River, which is what this lazy river is called, is the only side-by-side active river that works for double inner tubing in the Valley.
Key Amenities:
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Oasis water park exclusive for hotel guests
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Wave pool, tower with three water slides and hot tub
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Lazy “Zuni River” side-by-side active river for double inner tubing
8000 South Arizona Grand E, Phoenix, AZ 85044, USA— +1 877-800-4888
The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa, Scottsdale
One of the best resorts in the U.S. with a lazy river, The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa also offers guests a great way to be lazy and stay cool with its 900-foot winding lazy river. The resort’s water park also has a 100-foot-long water slide, the Kierland FlowRider, and a kids’ splash pad. The lazy river here is open unless the weather is supposed to be 60 degrees or colder – not a problem during an Arizona summer! Adults can also relax in the Aguamiel Pool, which is a quiet pool for adults that are open 24 hours a day. Stay here to be in the heart of “New Scottsdale.”
Key Amenities:
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900-foot winding lazy river
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Water park with water slide and kids’ splash pad
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Quiet pool for adults open 24 hours a day
6902 E Greenway Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85254, USA— +1 480-624-1000
JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa, Phoenix
If you can only make it out to one lazy river this summer, the one at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix is a great pick. The lazy river here winds around the resort’s beautiful property and is perfect for relaxing outdoors. Not only is the AquaRidge WaterPark re-opening after major enhancements, but guests can also enjoy four other pools. Water lovers enjoy this resort because there are water slides and a kids’ splash pad.
Key Amenities:
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Outdoor lazy river around property
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Four pools and kids’ splash pad
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Pickleball courts with certified instructor
Phoenix Marriott Resort Tempe at The Buttes, Tempe
The Phoenix Marriott Resort Tempe at The Buttes has a nice little lazy river tunnel between two pools that’s perfect for relaxing in the water. Although it’s not as long of a “river” as some of the other resort pools on this list, this is still a great water feature at a top-notch resort. There are two crystal-clear pools here with a water slide, four tennis courts, two sand volleyball courts, and hiking trails. Relax in the water and enjoy the beautiful panoramic views of the hillside butte and desert sunsets. This hotel is only three miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Key Amenities:
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Lazy river tunnel between two pools
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Water slide, four tennis courts and two sand volleyball courts
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Located near Phoenix airport
Great Wolf Lodge, Scottsdale
Crooked Creek is the name of the lazy river at the Great Wolf Lodge in Scottsdale, Arizona, and this is a fun way to enjoy the water with your family. The water is three feet deep here, and you can choose to float in a tube or get out and swim or walk through the river. It’s relaxing to be in the gentle current and float along for as long as you like. Guests may only travel in the direction of the current for safety reasons, and rough play, running, and diving are not permitted. Other fun water park features at the lodge include a multi-level treehouse, a wave pool, water slides, and an adults-only hot tub area.
Key Amenities:
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Three-foot lazy river and wave pool
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Multi-level treehouses
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Adults-only hot tub
JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa, Scottsdale
While not quite as defined as a “river,” the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa has a lazy river feature and a great bar right next to the pool. This is an award-winning Paradise Valley resort that’s perfect for a golf or spa destination. The outdoor pools here are heated, the 32,000-square-foot spa has a lap pool, and some of the large casitas and suites have their very own private pools. This is a great place to kick back to relax and enjoy the desert scenery. The resort also offers a complimentary shuttle service to two 18-hole championship golf courses and offers easy access to garden terraces, desert trails, and lush grounds.
Key Amenities:
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Lazy river with bar near pool
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Large casitas and suites with private pools
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Complimentary shuttle service to golf courses
5402 E Lincoln Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85253, USA— +1 480-948-1700
Waylon’s Water World, Yuma
Although this lazy river isn’t inside a resort like the others on this list, it still deserves mention because of its ideal location in hot and sunny Yuma, Arizona. Waylon’s Water World has over 15 water slides and pools that are designed for both kids and adults. The water park features an 850-foot lazy river that’s perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day. You can grab a beverage and float in bliss on a clear tube. Other fun water features here are the Big Bowl, Mat Racer, and Syd’s Zone for young kids. There’s also a toddler area, snack shop, tables with umbrellas to get some shade, and private cabanas available for rent.
Key Amenities:
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15 water slides and pools for kids/adults
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850-foot lazy river with clear tubes
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Private cabanas available for rent
Chandler Aquatics, Chandler
Chandler Aquatics won the Best of Aquatics Award from Aquatics International because of its community outreach efforts during Drowning Impact Awareness Month. Not only is this a safe pool to visit, but it’s also a really fun one with a lazy river, spray and splash pads, and quality programs. Take a float on an inner tube to enjoy the lazy river and then check out some of the programs offered, such as aquafit classes, lap swim hours, adult group practice, and year-round swim lessons in the heated pool.
Key Amenities:
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Lazy river, spray and splash pads
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Aquafit classes and lap pool
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Year-round swim lessons in heated pool
Golfland Sunsplash, Mesa
When you’re looking for a lazy river, you can also head to Golfland Sunsplash, which has lots of attractions to enjoy. This is a popular spot for birthday parties and team-building events, as well as for lots of family fun in Arizona because there are more than 30 rides and attractions onsite. It’s located in Mesa, which is just outside of Phoenix. In addition to the lazy river, you’ll also find mini-golf, an arcade, laser tag, bumper boats, a splash pad, water slides, a wave pool, and more.
Key Amenities:
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Lazy river, splash pad, water slides and wave pool
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30 rides and attractions on-site
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Mini-golf, arcade, laser tag and more
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix, Glendale
Families in Arizona also love going to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor when they want to cool off and have a great time beating the heat. At this Six Flags location, there is an Adventure River, a mild water attraction that welcomes adults and kids of all ages and heights. However, kids under 42 inches tall need to wear a life jacket while on the lazy river. When the lazy river is operating, it runs from noon to 8 p.m. or whenever the park closes that day. You no longer need to use a tube to experience the river, which features waterfalls, fast-flowing water, and tipping buckets.
Key Amenities:
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Adventure River for kids of all ages
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Kids under 42 inches tall required to wear life jacket
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Waterfalls and tipping buckets
4243 W Pinnacle Peak Rd, Glendale, AZ 85310, USA— +1 623-201-2000
Mesa Aquatic Complex, Mesa
At the Mesa Aquatic Complex, you’ll find a lazy river and many other features that are fun to enjoy with your family. Some of these other features are the diving boards, lap lanes, vortex pool, tumble bucket water feature, shade structures, turf area, and zero-depth entry area. Check the Mesa Parks and Recreation website for updates about open days and times.
Key Amenities:
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Lazy river and pool with diving boards
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Vortex pool, tumble bucket water feature and zero-depth entry area
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Part of Mesa Parks and Recreation organization
