South Florida had been tantalized for years with promises of water parks that never came to fruition, but a splashy new attraction has finally slip-slided into the region. Tidal Cove, an upscale water park, has opened to the public inside the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa in Aventura.
Stretching five acres behind the Aventura Mall (home to its own towering slide), the hotel's swanky $35 million water park boasts a 60-foot tower and seven slides, a lazy river and a three-rider surf simulator.
About 4,500 Tidal Cove visitors took the plunge during the park's Memorial Day weekend grand opening, says Jeff Klein, the hotel's vice president and managing director.
"That's a pretty encouraging sign for us," Klein says of the water park, part of the hotel's $265 million expansion. "You don't need to drive four hours to Orlando for a great water park now that locals have one in their own back yard. Most water parks don't do luxury. We do luxury."
Planning a visit? Here's how to navigate South Florida's newest wet-and-wild oasis.
