Editor’s Choice: The 10 best water park rides in northern Illinois

One of summer’s greatest pleasures is staying cool at a great local water park, and northern Illinois has plenty! But for thrill seekers, it’s as much about the ride as it is about the splash. We surveyed some local teenagers who have hit them all, to find the top ten favorite rides and attractions at our waterparks this season.

10 Coming in at number ten is the Boomerang at Raging Waves in Yorkville. This hallmark slide at the state’s largest waterpark takes groups of up to four riders aboard a raft as you spin through an enclosed tube, only to be catapulted into an immense funnel, where you climb the walls from side to side like a skateboard half pipe.

9 Ranking number nine is the Wipeout at Paradise Bay in Lombard. A slick, enclosed slide spills you into a spinning bowl, before shooting you out with a splash into the pool below.

8 Sliding into eighth place is a great ride for competitive friends. Miner's Mountain at Splash Station in Joliet is a six-person, face-first race down a 200-foot tower of speed. Take off quick and glide into bragging rights.

7 A solid seven on the top ten is Typhoon Terror at Magic Waters. This group raft ride is guaranteed fun for up to four riders, as you twist, turn and spin through enclosed spaces and super wet open air stretches.

6 Splashing in at sixth is a ride that takes courage, at least for a brief moment. The Bonzai Pipelines at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is not for the uncommitted. After a six story climb, you enter a see-thru chamber and wait precariously for the floor to drop out, sending you on a 50-foot free fall, and into 200 feet of enclosed looping body slide at crazy speeds. Did we mention its pitch black?

5 If you are looking for a spot to chill, our fifth place attraction is for you. The Reptile River at Rainbow Falls in Elk Grove Village is anything but lazy, as a quick current and a host of sprayers and water dumps will keep you cool and entertained as you take a break from the slides.

4 The fourth place spot is held by not a slide, but a wave pool. Tsunami Bay at Magic Waters is Illinois' largest wave pool and the most popular attraction at the park. Some 707,000 gallons of heated water, alternate between wild ocean waves and calm relaxing water. But its all about the waves, really, which reach heights of at least six feet and leave you screaming, whether you're attempting to stay on your feet or catching the wave in a tube.

3 Taking third in the rankings is the Raging Waves Cyclone, beloved for its superfast slide that leads you to an enormous spin, as you are flushed into what teens across the region have deemed "the toilet bowl". It leaves your head spinning as you exit, but ready for more!

2 A close second is a slide by a name that'll make you giggle – the Mega Wedgie at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. Sleek, slippery and fast, this racing ride takes you on a five story, 80-degree drop. You'll hit 40 miles and hour and end up soaked, out of breath, and laughing out loud.

1 The top spot is held by Wonambi, at Raging Waves. This ride is one of less than 20 in the nation, and takes local thrill seekers on the ride of their lives! The jaw-dropping slide sends a four-person raft into high speed, near-vertical, zero gravity moments where riders experience an unparalleled feeling of weightlessness.

Raging Waves www.ragingwaves.com 4000 N. Bridge St. Yorkville

Magic Waters www.magicwaterswaterpark.com 7820 Cherryvale N. Blvd. Cherry Valley

Splash Station www.jolietsplashstation.com 2780 Channahon Rd. Joliet

Paradise Bay www.lombardparks.com/paradise-bay-water-park 437 E. St. Charles Rd. Lombard

Hurricane Harbor www.sixflags.com/greatamerica/plan-your-visit/water-park-information 1 Great America Parkway Gurnee

Rainbow Falls www.elkgroveparks.org/Rainbow_Falls 4472, 200 Rev Morrison Blvd. Elk Grove Village