Andy Alligator's Water Park, Norman

Andy Alligator's Water Park—next to its dry-land counterpart, Andy Alligator's Fun Park—laughs in the face of heat waves with its map of maritime attractions designed for cooling down on a hot day. The Riptide Racer's towering structure sends splish-splashers rocketing down colorful slides on their stomachs, while thrill-seekers cajole their buddies into two-person tubes before shooting through the spirals of the Banzai Pipeline. Island-themed walkways and slides festoon the play space at Cowabunga Cove, and the Paradise River lazily flows in a loop for relaxing tube rides and slow-motion reenactments of Speed 2: Cruise Control. Snorkels Café and Grill serves a menu of burgers, pizza, and sandwiches to replenish the energy spent by drenched diners.