A Guide to Splash Valley Aqua Park In Wicklow

Wicklow’s Splash Valley Aqua Park is one of the largest water parks in Ireland.

Opened in April 2019, it is part of the Hidden Valley Resort near Rathdrum. 

It’s home to everything from the water park and a kid’s outdoor adventure park to laser tag and plenty more.

Below, you’ll find info on the various attractions and what to expect from a visit to Wicklow’s Splash Valley!

Some quick need-to-knows about Splash Valley Aqua Park

Although a visit to Splash Valley Aqua Park is fairly straightforward, there are a few need-to-knows that’ll make your visit that bit more enjoyable.

1. Location

Splash Valley Aqua Park is at Hidden Valley Resort just north of Rathdrum in Wicklow. It’s a 20-minute spin from both Wicklow Town and Glendalough and it’s a 25-minute drive from Roundwood.

2. Opening hours

Splash Valley is a seasonal attraction that opens from late May to late September each year. The opening hours for the 2024 season are yet to be released.

3. Accommodation

Fancy giving glamping in Wicklow a bash? At Splash Valley, you can stay in luxury Glamping Mini Lodges, Loft House Lodges and Boutique Lodges. 

4. Plenty to do

Hidden Valley Resort has plenty to do beyond the Aqua Park activities. There’s Combat Laser Tag, Junior Splash Park (June onwards), mini golf, arts and crafts, bumper boats, kayaks and paddle boats. Discover more below.

5. Prices

All tickets at Splash Valley are for a 1-hour session. Prices are as follows (note: they may change):

• Standard Daily Ticket: €23.50 per child, €26.00 per adult
• 2nd session price: €18 per person
• All extra sessions: €15 per person

About Splash Valley Aqua Park

Splash Valley Aqua Park is one of the largest water parks in Ireland. It is part of the Hidden Valley Resort near Rathdrum. The Aqua Park opened in April 2019. 

The pool is fed by the Avonmore River. The water park includes a host of obstacles, platforms and slides. 

Visitors must be at least 1.1 metres tall and minimum 7 years old. There’s a separate Junior Splash Park for visitors aged 2 to 6 years old where they can play in shallow water at their own level. 

Things to do at Splash Valley Aqua Park

A visit to Splash Valley is one of the most popular spots for a family day out in Wicklow for good reason!

Here’s a taste of the various things there are to see and do throughout the park.

1. The waterpark

The 1,800 square metre aqua park is laid out as a circuit of floating platforms. It has over 30 challenging obstacles for climbing, sliding and navigating around. 

Now, the 1-hour slot you have might not seem like a lot, but it’s fairly tiring getting up and down from the obstacles, so pace yourself!

2. Laser tag

Another of the activities at Hidden Valley Resort is Laser Tag Combat. Suitable for ages 6 and up, it uses digital lasers to create a realistic experience.

The red dot is accurate up to 400 metres. The “mission” requires you to capture the enemy flag while defending your own flag.

3. Kayaks and paddle boats

As well as the Avonmore River, Hidden Valley has its own lake for kayaks and paddle boats to explore. Kayaks are single or double and are sit-on Ocean Kayaks that are relatively stable.

The paddle-boats carry 4 passengers and are a great way to get around using pedal power. 

4. Kid’s Outdoor Adventure Park

The Kid’s Outdoor Adventure Park ensures the fun continues on dry land. There’s a huge Forest Park for sparking imaginations and providing plenty of space to run around and play.

There’s also a timber playground, drop slides, a giant space net, football pitch, games and supervised arts and crafts activities.

Things to do near Splash Valley Aqua Park

One of the beauties of Splash Valley is that it’s a short spin away from many of the best places to visit in Wicklow.

Below, you’ll find a handful of things to see and do a stone’s throw from Splash Valley!

1. Avondale Forest Park (10-minute drive)

Avondale Forest Park surrounds Avondale House, birthplace of Charles Stewart Parnell and Irish forestry. Beyond the Trees at Avondale (see above) launched in recent years and has been a hit with young and old alike.

2. Greenan Maze (15-minute drive)

The Greenan Maze provides hours of family fun as you navigate in and out of the 1/2 acre maze of beech trees. Once you’ve found your way out again, there’s plenty more things to do including petting animals, wildlife areas, dragonfly ponds and a Fairy Walk.

3. National Botanic Gardens (15-minute drive)

The National Botanic Gardens near Kilmacurragh are free to visit in the grounds of an 18th century country estate and it’s here that you’ll discover some of the most overlooked walks in Wicklow.