Water Sports & Water Parks in South Dakota

The Aberdeen Aqua Addicts work hard to create a fun-filled and action-packed water ski show. Complete with barefooting, jumping, pyramids, ballet and more, it's all centered around a theme and choreographed to music and special entertainment. In addition to being a competitive water ski show team, the Aqua Addicts are dedicated to teaching people of all ages regardless of waterskiing ability, the fundamentals of the sport of water skiing, teamwork, and leadership. So, grab your kids and head out to Dahme Lake just south of Aberdeen to experience the best show on water. Shows typically run in June, July and August, with the exact schedule available on our website and Facebook. Tickets may be purchased at the gate before each show.

The entire family will enjoy the Aberdeen Aquatic Center, with a 50-meter, eight-lane lap pool and two diving boards. The 9,000-square-foot leisure pool includes a multi-level play structure with waterslides and interactive features that dump, spill and squirt water. It also features a 30-foot-tall waterslide tower with three exciting waterslides and the lazy river is a family favorite, plus there is turf and a deck area. The waterpark is open for the summer months and the hours are 1-9 p.m., Monday-Friday, and 12-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. See our website or Facebook page for more details.

Stokes-Thomas Lake City Park & Campground, located on the shores of Lake Kampeska near Watertown, offers an excellent campground and recreational facility with modern comfort stations. The park is supervised by a full-time park manager. The facility has three playground areas, a large picnic area, bike/jogging trail, non-supervised swimming and beach area, tornado shelter, and boat launching facilities. The campground is open May through September, and with limited services in October. There are 72 campsites and they're available on a first-come, first-served basis (no reservations).

The Watertown Family Aquatic Center is a three pool complex that provides fun for people of all ages. It includes a bath house with locker rooms, family change rooms and concession area. The main pool has zero-depth entry, a lap area, floatables, basketball goal, ¾ meter diving board, drop slide, water walk, frog slide, in-water playground, and four additional interactive play features. There is also a 550-foot lazy river, special area for small children, a sand play area and three slides. The waterpark is located across 3rd Street from Thunder Road. See current days and hours of operation on our website or Facebook page.

Sioux Falls Kayak & Bike Rentals offers kayak and bike rentals with pick up and delivery for your convenience. Full-day bike rentals are available for children and adults for $25. Kayak rentals include delivery and pick up on the Big Sioux River in Sioux Falls, just outside of Sioux Falls, and surrounding lakes. Life jackets and paddles are provided with rentals. In addition to kayaks, we also offer adult stand up paddle boards.

After Custer State Park on the western side of South Dakota, this park in the southeastern corner is the second-most visited in the state. The center of activity for the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area is the 25-mile Lewis and Clark Lake. The lake is one of four large reservoirs on the Missouri River in South Dakota, this one created by Gavins Point Dam. Water recreation is the number one attraction, but there are also opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, disc golf, horseshoes and birding.

The Greatest Show on H2O is a water skiing comedy adventure for the whole family including acting, singing, dancing and amazing stunts held at Catfish Bay Water Ski Park in Sioux Falls. Catfish Bay has trained more than 30 skiers for professional shows around the world like Sea World and Cypress Gardens. Each show lasts approximately two hours (with gates opening one hour before the show) and the basic show schedule is one show per week, June through August. See our website for specific schedule and ticket information. We also offer private shows and special events, the Camp OnAqua kids summer camp, and the Ice Fish Fest.

The 71,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Spearfish Rec & Aquatics Center (SRAC) opened in 2008, having been transformed from a box store to a recreation and community center. Today it is a place where you can find community, youth and family events, fitness and fun. Parties, meetings, family gatherings, school programs, PE classes, sports practices, roller skating, pool parties, leagues, tournaments, community events, holiday events…the list goes on. SRAC is a place where fun and fitness happen. Part of the facility is a two-acre outdoor water park that is open from late May (Memorial Day) through early September (Labor Day). See our website for fee information and facility hours.